Book Review: The River We Remember by William Kent Krueger

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The River We Remember
Author: William Kent Krueger
Publisher: Atria Books
Publication date: September 5, 2023
Length: 421 pages
Genre: Historical fiction
Source: Purchased
Rating:

On Memorial Day in Jewel, Minnesota, the body of wealthy landowner Jimmy Quinn is found floating in the Alabaster River, dead from a shotgun blast. The investigation falls to Sheriff Brody Dern, a highly decorated war hero who still carries the physical and emotional scars from his military service. Even before Dern has the results of the autopsy, vicious rumors begin to circulate that the killer must be Noah Bluestone, a Native American WWII veteran who has recently returned to Jewel with a Japanese wife. As suspicions and accusations mount and the town teeters on the edge of more violence, Dern struggles not only to find the truth of Quinn’s murder but also put to rest the demons from his own past.

Caught up in the torrent of anger that sweeps through Jewel are a war widow and her adolescent son, the intrepid publisher of the local newspaper, an aging deputy, and a crusading female lawyer, all of whom struggle with their own tragic histories and harbor secrets that Quinn’s death threatens to expose.

The River We Remember was my book group’s pick for April, and we were fortunate enough to have a zoom chat with the author. I myself was late in finishing, so I attended the chat having only read half the book… but that’s okay. He was gracious and engaging, the group avoided giving spoilers on the central mystery, and all in all, it was a wonderful event. And then I finished the book the next day!

OUR LIVES AND the lives of those we love merge to create a river whose current carries us forward from our beginning to our end. Because we are only one part of the whole, the river each of us remembers is different, and there are many versions of the stories we tell about the past. In all of them there is truth, and in all of them a good deal of innocent misremembering.

In The River We Remember, a Minnesota community is rocked by the violent death of one of its leading residents. Jimmy Quinn was not loved — not by a long shot — but as the biggest landowner in the area, he was powerful, connected, and in many cases, someone to fear. Lots of people would have had grudges, resentment, even hostility, but was his death murder, suicide, or just a gruesome accident?

The story unfolds through the eyes of multiple characters living in the small town of Jewel. Chief among these is Sheriff Brody Dern, a veteran of WWII with visible and invisible scars and a complicated personal life. At various points, though, we see through the eyes of many different people — there’s a sense of the community being the true main character. All the people we meet — deputies, a diner owner, teen boys, local farmers, a lawyer, a reporter — are connected and have histories that weave together, with their actions affecting one another in an intricate chain of events.

The mystery of Jimmy Quinn’s death is the central plot thread of the novel, but as this unfolds, we encounter themes around war and survival, guilt, growing up with violence, generational trauma, and the ripple effects of hate, bigotry, and racism. There’s also the concept of home — what makes a community, a piece of land, or even a specific person feel like home? Where do people find belonging?

I won’t go further into plot details, but will sum up by saying that while the mystery has a satisfying resolution, the true beauty of this book is the outstanding character depictions. Each of the people we meet are distinct and have complex inner lives that come into play as they interact. The whole is emotional and evocative, allowing the reader to experience the time and place of the story in a way that feels authentic and powerful.

Simply put, The River We Remember is a beautiful novel. This is my third book by this author (I also loved his two other stand-alones, This Tender Land and Ordinary Grace), and I look forward to starting his long-running Cork O’Connor series.

3Mar2024

Audiobook Review: The Second Chance Year by Melissa Wiesner

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Second Chance Year
Author: Melissa Wiesner
Narrator: Helen Laser
Publisher: Forever
Publication date: December 5, 2023
Print length: 328 pages
Audio length: 7 hours 21 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

In this unforgettable story full of charm, wit—and just a bit of magic—a woman down on her luck is given a second chance at fixing her life and trying one year all over again. Perfect for listeners of Josie Silver and Rebecca Serle.

Sadie Thatcher’s life has fallen apart in spectacular fashion. In one fell swoop, she managed to lose her job, her apartment, and her boyfriend—all thanks to her big mouth. So when a fortune teller offers her one wish, Sadie jumps at the chance to redo her awful year. Deep down, she doesn’t believe magic will fix her life, but taking a leap of faith, Sadie makes her wish, opens her eyes, and . . . nothing has changed. And then, in perhaps her dumbest move yet, she kisses her brother’s best friend, Jacob.

When Sadie wakes up the next morning, she’s in her former apartment with her former boyfriend, and her former boss is expecting her at work. Checking the date, she realizes it’s January 1 . . . of last year. As Sadie navigates her second-chance year, she begins to see the red flags she missed in her relationship and in her career. Plus, she keeps running into Jacob, and she can’t stop thinking about their kiss . . . the one he has no idea ever happened. Suddenly, Sadie begins to wonder if her only mistake was wishing for a second chance.

The Second Chance Year is a wish-fulfillment romance and makes for a pleasant audiobook experience — but I may have strained something due to excessive eye-rolling.

As the book opens, Sadie is being dragged to an elaborate New Year’s Eve party by her best friend, as an alternative to sitting on the couch with ice cream and the Golden Girls — her usual activities during the last few months of her Very Bad Year.

Sadie’s long-term boyfriend (the only piece of her life that her overachieving parents actually approve of) dumped her after she confronted a sexist coworker of his at a work function. Her arrogant, inappropriate boss fired her after she spoke up once too often about his poor treatment of the restaurant staff. Due to her lack of a job, she’s been living in her brother’s best friend’s spare room, feeling sorry for herself and her wreck of a life.

When Sadie meets a fortune teller who offers to reset her life and give her a chance at a do-over, she doesn’t really believe her… but she also has nothing to lose.

And lo and behold, when she wakes up the next morning, it’s as if the previous year were erased, and Sadie has the chance to try again. This time, she’s determined to do it right. She’ll think before opening her mouth. She won’t rock the boat. She’ll be supportive of her boyfriend Alex as he establishes himself with his Wall Street peers, instead of being confrontational about the obnoxious bro culture. She’ll put up with her boss’s unfair demands and overly handsy restaurant guests, because the end game is a promotion to Executive Pastry Chef. And she’ll ignore her new awareness of Jacob, the man she kissed on the New Year’s Eve that (now) never happened.

As Sadie navigates her second chance year, things seem to be going her way for a change. But why isn’t she happy? Could it be that becoming a Wall Street wife isn’t her ideal future? Could it be that slaving in a kitchen for an egomaniac chef isn’t the path to career fulfillment that she expected? And could it be that tamping down her outspoken nature could lead to more negative outcomes than those she experienced in her Very Bad Year?

There are some very enjoyable elements to this contemporary-with-a-touch-of-magic romance. It’s fun seeing Sadie interact with people she knows well — who have no idea who she is, since their meetings happened during a year that was reset and therefore never occurred. She finds new purpose via a baking gig at the local coffee house, and scenes there are a treat.

However, Sadie herself is extremely frustrating, too busy trying to avoid her previous “mistakes” to see what’s right in front of her, over and over again. Watching this formerly confident woman repeatedly muzzle herself to preserve a job or a relationship is not fun. Sadie twists herself into knots to become someone she isn’t, and misses the obvious about her love life so many times. I didn’t buy it. She’s too smart and self-assured to fall into these patterns, and it’s especially ridiculous to see how often she misinterprets Jacob’s actions and statements.

Hence all the eye-rolling.

That’s not to mention the magical element of resetting a year — so because Sadie wants a do-over, everyone else loses a year of their lives too? How does that work exactly? Usually, magical interventions and timeslips are not deal-breakers for me and I can just shrug my shoulders and accept them, but something about this one feels a bit unfair to me when I stop to think about it.

Sigh. In a light romance about wishes and second chances, realism isn’t the goal, and that’s okay. It just doesn’t completely work for me here.

Still, as narrated by Helen Laser, the audiobook is an entertaining listening. I couldn’t truly let go of the plot contrivances that annoyed me, and yet, I was always disappointed when I had to turn off the audiobook and pause a day before I could continue. The story hooked me, despite my quibbles, and the narration makes the listening experience a lot of fun.

I recommend The Second Chance Year for anyone looking for a bit of light, escapist, romantic entertainment. Don’t take it too seriously, just let it draw you in, and you may be pleasantly surprised!

Added bonus: SO much talk about pastries! Yummmmm.

28Feb2024

Audiobook Review: The Only Game in Town by Lacie Waldon

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Only Game in Town
Author: Lacie Waldon
Narrators: Brittany Pressley, Lee Osorio, Catherine Taber, Mark Deakins
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Publication date: March 21, 2023
Print length: 416 pages
Audio length: 10 hours 53 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

One small town, one big prize, one handsome stranger…

Nothing ever changes in Redford, Georgia. That’s what freelance editor Jess Reid loves about her hometown—and part of what keeps her from leaving. Content taking care of her father, a car mechanic who singlehandedly raised her after her mom skipped out, Jess is resigned to a safe, unremarkable existence…until Jasper Wilhelm, the town’s eccentric benefactor, dies suddenly and leaves behind the opportunity of a lifetime.

Financial advisor Carter Barclay has been too busy to visit his grandfather in Redford, but he’s heard countless stories about the town and its zany residents from Jasper. A small, insular town in Georgia is the last place Carter expects to be spending his summer—but it seems his grandfather had one final trick up his sleeve.

At the funeral, it’s revealed that Jasper has devised a massive, high-stakes game for the people of Redford, with the winning duo taking home his entire fortune. The catch? He’s already taken the liberty of pairing them up. As tensions of all kinds rise between Jess and Carter, and the life-changing prize looms closer, the two must decide what they’re willing to risk to change their lives. A love story full of spirit and hijinks, The Only Game in Town is a funny, quirky homage to the people we get to call home.

The Only Game in Town has a romance as a central storyline… but really, I’d describe it more as a love letter to the idea of small town community. There are rivalries and grudges, but also odd-couple friendships, unexpected sources of support… and yes, romance too.

Jess moved back to her beloved home town of Redford, Georgia several years earlier. Her editing career is just okay — she had the opportunity to pursue a more high-powered career with a major publisher, but missed her community and her father. Life in Redford is quiet, to say the least. There’s one bar (a dive, but full of lovable personalities), one bakery (whose owner is currently at war with a former friend who’s dared to start a pop-up muffin business), one hair salon, and plenty of unique personalities (like the guy who sits on a street corner to talk about the weather every day).

Life in Redford is upended when the local philanthropist, Jasper Wilhelm, passes away. Unknown to most of the townsfolk, he worked behind the scenes, assisted by his beloved grandson Carter, to give anonymous bequests to Redfordonians in need. (Yes, they refer to themselves as Redfordonians, which feels clunky, but okay).

Carter only connected with his grandfather ten years earlier, after walking away from his hard-driving, unfeeling parents’ family business and reconnecting with his mother’s estranged father. Carter’s first visit to Redford is for Jasper’s funeral, where he’s immediately charmed by the tiny town… and especially Jess, with her brightly colored wardrobe and devotion to Redford.

After the funeral, Jasper’s lawyer reads the will to the town. Jasper has left his fortune — $10 million — to the people of Redford, but with a catch: They have to play to win. He’s concocted a competition, assigning people as partners to carry out a series of challenges. The winning pair win it all, with all scoring at the discretion of his lawyer. No arguing, no contesting the outcome, and no changing partners. If you want in, you follow Jasper’s rules.

Naturally, the prize money is too enticing for anyone to willingly sit out. And that extends to Jess as well, who’s paired with Nikki, the mean girl who’s never gotten over a high school betrayal (as Nikki sees it) and who’s gone out of her way to be cruel to Jess ever since.

Carter isn’t interested in Jasper’s money for himself, but knows that Jasper intended for him to carry on the work they’d been doing, so when he learns that Jasper assigned him to a team and expects him to play the game as well, he’s convinced that he’s already the prearranged winner. Still, this game seems to have been very important to Jasper, so he goes along with it. But as the game progresses, he finds himself more and more immersed in town life, and starts to feel guilty that the competition may actually be a sham.

Meanwhile, Jess and Carter are drawn together from the start, and as they compete and get to know one another, their initial sparks grow in a deeper connection. But still, they’re competitors, and Carter doesn’t actually live in Redford… so is there any possible future for them once the game ends?

There’s a lot to love about The Only Game in Town. The game itself is silly — there’s a scavenger hunt, a hike, even a Barbie jeep race. Jasper clearly designed the competition to force people to work together, and it’s amusing to see the antics that the townspeople get up to, as well as the way old resentments either derail certain teams or inspire people to keep going.

The small town vibe is a little exaggerated — it’s a bit hard to believe that any small community could be quite that ideal — but still, it’s fun to see all the quirks and charm of the various characters.

I especially enjoyed the dynamic between Nikki and Jess. Their old feud is not what it seems, and Nikki is much more than first impressions might imply. Nikki gets her own point-of-view chapters, and that’s a wonderful decision on the part of the author — hearing from Nikki herself allows us to understand what drives the character and who she is deep-down, beyond the ice princess/mean girl exterior.

Jess’s relationship with her dad is also terrific. He was a teen dad, abandoned by Jess’s mother, who’s worked all his life to give his daughter a warm, loving home. He’s a great character, and I loved seeing his interactions with Jess.

Carter and Jess’s romance sparkles, but it’s not the only storyline — dare I say that the romance is not the only game in town??? — and I really appreciated that. Yes, the romance is an important part of the story, but there’s a lot more going on, and we readers get the opportunity to care about all of it, not just the will-they-won’t-they aspect of the couple’s attraction, or the inevitable romance novel beats (the slow burn, the obstacle, the reunion…)

I listened to the audiobook, and it was great! There are four narrators, one for each of the POV characters (Jess, Carter, Nikki, and less frequent, Ross). Jess and Carter get most of the narrative, but Nikki’s chapters add a lot to the overall story. As a whole, it really works, and the narrators do a terrific job presenting the different perspectives, making the silly competition scenes feel like fun, and also letting the emotions come through at key moments.

The Only Game in Town is a charming story about small town life and what community really means. Friendship and a love story are both important elements, but devotion to the town is what truly drives the characters and the plot. This is a very enjoyable book, and I recommend the audiobook. Really fun entertainment — I look forward to reading more by this author.

17Feb2024

Audiobook Review: Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Yours Truly
Author: Abby Jimenez
Narrators: Kyla Garcia & Zachary Webber
Publisher: Forever
Publication date: April 11, 2023
Print length: 416 pages
Audio length: 11 hours 23 minutes
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

A novel of terrible first impressions, hilarious second chances, and the joy in finding your perfect match.

Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin’-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass” scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.

And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,” and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she can’t refuse.

I loved Abby Jimenez’s previous novel, Part of Your World, and just had to stay in that book’s world a little longer by immediately starting Yours Truly. Great decision on my part! I thoroughly enjoyed this sensitive, romantic audiobook.

But before I explain why, I do need to point out that that is a seriously terrible synopsis above. The synopsis makes Yours Truly sound like a comedic war-of-wills workplace romance… and that’s not how I’d describe this book at all.

So let me put my own spin on this book.

Briana is a highly-skilled ER doctor who’s loved by her coworkers and seems on track for a chief position, just as soon as her current boss finally takes his long-awaited retirement. She’s thrown for a loop when she’s informed that he’s holding off on retirement just a bit longer, and that she may have competition for the chief role — the new ER doctor who just transferred to her hospital.

The new doc doesn’t seem to be lining up fans. On his very first day, the nurses have secretly dubbed him Doctor Death. He’s rubbing everyone the wrong way, and manages to thorougly irritate Briana as well.

What Briana doesn’t know is that Jacob is an introvert with social anxiety, who’s just trying to get through his day without further triggering his anxiety responses. Jacob is dealing with stress in his personal life — his brother announcing his engagement to Jacob’s ex-girlfriend — and learning a whole bunch of social cues in a brand new work setting is not easy for Jacob.

Eventually, Briana clues in to the fact that Jacob is not actually some arrogant, sexist jerk, but is really a deeply sensitive man who’s also a terrific doctor. After Bri extends an olive branch by advising Jacob to win over the ER staff via cupcakes, Jacob writes her a thank-you letter. Yes, writes — as in, by hand — a letter — as in, on paper. Briana can’t help being charmed.

Bri and Jacob start exchanging letters, opening up in writing in a way they haven’t been able to in person. Eventually, letters turn into long conversations, and suddenly, they’re spending more time talking with one another than with anyone else.

When Jacob turns out to be a perfect match as a kidney donor for Briana’s ailing brother, she wants to do a huge favor for him in return. Jacob’s family refuses to embrace his brother’s engagement, fearing that Jacob will be too terribly hurt by the whole thing. He’s not… but to convince his family to get on board and be happy for the couple, Jacob decides he needs a fake girlfriend, and Bri is happy to sign up for the role.

As Jacob and Brianna play-act a relationship, they spent lots and lots of time together, even to the point of fake living together. You get where this is going right? Before long, they’ve both caught feelings — but each is 100% sure that the other is pretending. There’s a lot of tormented self-doubt and longing in store for both of them. Ah, if only people in romance novels knew how to communicate!

Yours Truly has lots of funny scenarios and flirty banter, but it’s also rooted in more serious emotions and complications. Bri is still deeply wounded by her divorce, thanks to her jerky ex-husband who cheated on her for years with a woman she thought was a good friend. Between that and the father who abandoned the family when she was a child, Bri doesn’t believe that love can be counted on, and has serious issues around trust and security. Jacob, meanwhile, has learned to manage his anxiety, but he can be triggered by uncertainty and lacks the confidence to feel that he’s worthy of love. While Briana and Jacob fall madly in love with one another, it takes them a very long time to realize that their feelings are returned, in large part because neither is able to believe that they deserve to be loved by someone so wonderful.

The author does a terrific job of developing these two characters and making them likable even while showing their wounds and their flaws. We readers may feel frustrated enough to want to give them each a good shake, but we also understand why they’re having such a hard time believing in the truth of their relationship.

I did feel that the communication issues dragged on longer than necessary, and wished that these two incredibly intelligent people talked honestly a lot sooner. They each make some pretty significant assumptions based on overheard conversations and mistaken beliefs about the other’s feelings, and while we get where they’re coming from, they really could have worked all this out through a simple conversation.

Another quibble is that they’re a pair of doctors, and yet they have unprotected sex! In this day and age, when most romance novels do such a fantastic job of incorporating condoms into sexytimes, its absence in a key scene between Jacob and Briana is a glaring omission. Yes, it’s dealt with later in the plot, but still, given who they are as people, it was not believable to me that they’d have sex in that moment without protection.

That aside, I really did love the characters, the plot, and the overall story. When Bri and Jacob make bad choices, we understand why. The writing balances the zippy, light-hearted moments with the deeper emotional stakes and traumas, and I loved how sensitively they’re able to connect with one another when they open up and truly communicate.

“We’re all a little broken, Briana. We are a mosaic. We’re made up of all those we’ve met and all the things we’ve been through. There are parts of us that are colorful and dark and jagged and beautiful. And I love every piece of you. Even the ones you wish didn’t exist.”

Yours Truly is set in the same fictional world as Part of Your World, and it’s nice to get to visit with that book’s main characters, Alexis and Daniel, and see how they’re doing. Zachary Webber, who voices Daniel in Part of Your World, is back in Yours Truly as the narrator for Jacob’s chapters, and he’s got the role of smart, sensitive, sexy boyfriend down to a science. Kyla Garcia is very good as the narrator for Brianna (and gets her lisp just right in a scene where Bri wears her retainer!). The voices work really well together, and the audiobook as a whole is a treat.

Part of Your World was my first book by Abby Jimenez, and after listening to Yours Truly, I’m all in! I need to read EVERYTHING by this author. If you haven’t had the pleasure yet, do yourself a favor and pick up one of her books!

On a related note…

Amazon’s free story collection for February is romance-themed — it’s the Improbable Meet-Cute collection, and includes a very sweet story by Abby Jimenez, so naturally, I read it immediately after finishing Yours Truly. Worst Wingman Ever is a fast, enjoyable read. Check it out!

The rest of the collection looks great too — have you read any of these stories yet?

27Jan2024

Audiobook Review: The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Woman in Me
Author: Britney Spears
Narrator: Michelle Williams
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication date: October 24, 2023
Print length: 277 pages
Audio length: 5 hours, 31 minutes
Genre: Memoir
Source: Library
Rating:

The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.

In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.

Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.

The Woman in Me needs little introduction — I can’t imagine there’s anyone unaware of Britney Spears and her deeply personal memoir, published in the fall of 2023.

In her memoir, Britney takes us through her childhood memories, her early years as a performer, and her rise to pop stardom. But as she describes so clearly and powerfully, there was an obsession with her — her body, her behavior, her sexuality — that plagued her from the start of her massive popularity, objectifying her in ways that are shocking yet sadly not terribly surprising.

A young woman of huge talent, she was subjected to endless questions about inappropriate topics — are her breasts real? is she a virgin? what did she do to poor Justin? — from a very young age, and in a way that was never applied to the male stars associated with her. The paparazzi hounding is scary, and as she explains her experiences having two babies within a year of one another, then being pressure to perform when she was still in the throes of post-partum exhaustion, it’s easy to see that this is a woman who was pushed to the edge.

Britney is candid about her struggles and mental health crises, but it’s also clear that she was never incapacitated to the extent that a permanent conservatorship would have been justified. As The Woman in Me makes perfectly plain, the same people who controlled Britney because she was supposedly incapable of managing her health, body, and finances profited hugely from her during the thirteen years of conservatorship — and it’s amazing to think about the fact that throughout all these years (again, while she was supposedly incapacitated), she performed in sold-out Las Vegas shows and world tours, released new material and new albums, and and made millions of dollars.

Britney reads a short introduction to the audiobook (explaining that it’s all too painful for her to narrate fully); Michelle Williams narrates the book itself, and does a very good job of conveying Britney’s words — so much so that I often forgot that I wasn’t listening to Britney herself. This can be a tough listen. There’s a lot of raw honesty here, and the manipulation, abuse, sexism, and outright misogyny inflicted on Britney is awful to hear about, even while most of it isn’t new, considering how much media coverage (and gossip) the star has always generated.

The Woman in Me is a powerful, emotional book, and I applaud the author for sharing so much of herself. After years of being controlled — physically, emotionally, financially — it’s wonderful to see her taking back her own power and her own voice. All I can say is — I wish Britney Spears joy and health, whatever she decides to do next… and hope the world will someday finally realize how poisonous the media and paparazzi frenzy can become, especially for young women.

A final note: After finishing The Woman in Me, I watched the New York Times documentary Framing Britney Spears (available to stream via Hulu). The documentary was produced prior to the end of the conservatorship, and there’s a follow-up (Controlling Britney Spears) that I have not watched yet. It was interesting to watch, especially for the sake of seeing archival footage of some of the interviews, performances, and incidents that Britney describes in the book.

(Around the same time the NYT documentary was released, a Netflix documentary (Britney vs. Spears) was also released. This one has pretty harsh reviews and seems to be consider exploitative. I haven’t watched it, but I believe this is the documentary that Britney is upset by in her book, as it involves people she’d confided in spilling secrets and private correspondence, among other betrayals. (Again, I haven’t watched it, so I’m basing this on reviews and commentary by those who have). )

31Dec2023

Book Review: Not the Ones Dead (Kate Shugak, #23) by Dana Stabenow

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Not the Ones Dead
Series: Kate Shugak, #23
Author: Dana Stabenow
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Publication date: April 11, 2023
Length: 336 pages
Genre: Mystery/crime
Source: Purchased
Rating:

The gripping new Kate Shugak novel by New York Times bestselling author Dana Stabenow. What seems a tragic accident soon becomes a murder investigation as Kate is drawn into a case of political intrigue.

A mid-air collision in the Alaskan wilderness between two small aircraft leaves ten people dead. Was it a bird strike, pilot error… or premeditated murder?

Then an eleventh body is found in the wreckage: a man shot gangland style, twice in the chest and once in the head.

In an investigation that reaches to the highest levels of government, justice may not be served, but Kate Shugak is determined that the truth will out, even at the risk of her life and the lives of those she loves most.

The Kate Shugak series is 23 books strong (with a 24th book announced for publication in 2025)… and when I say strong, I mean it! This series shows absolutely no signs of running out of steam. I enjoy every new addition to the overall series, and Not the Ones Dead is no exception.

In Not the Ones Dead, we open with glimpses of outsiders in the Park (the fictional national park in Alaska where most of the Kate stories take place). The residents of Niniltna and the surrounding area, known affectionately as Park rats, are an eclectic mix, but they look out for their own… and these strangers seem to be nothing but trouble.

As the story unfolds, strange and threatening incidents occur, culminating in the midair collision between two small aircraft. At roughly the same time, a beloved local is run off the road, and there’s a blatant case of arson that impacts the entire community. When Kate is hired to look into the midair, she begins to uncover a web of secrets and violence, not without danger to herself and her chosen family.

I won’t go into plot — there’s really no need. Kate Shugak is a terrific character in her own right, and the series is filled with a cast of characters who’ve come to each have a role in the community Kate inhabits. When I read a Kate Shugak book, it’s less for the crime/mystery story and more for the chance to revisit these amazing people, the settings, and the interwoven connections between all the various people in Kate’s orbit.

(I need to give my standard shout-out to Mutt, as I do whenever I write about a Kate book. Mutt is a Very Good Dog, definitely a top contender for best dog in fiction, and no review of a Kate Shugak novel would be complete without a salute to Mutt.)

I’ll give my standard disclaimer: Yes, you could probably pick up Not the Ones Dead and follow the overall mystery storyline… but I tend to think you’d be lost overall, without the context of who these people are, what the different factions, associations, and aunties represent, and reference points to earlier events in Kate’s life and career.

As always, I’ll simply suggest starting with book #1, A Cold Day for Murder. It might feel daunting to start at the beginning of a 23-book series, but trust me, it’s worth it!

Not the Ones Dead is an engaging, satisfying read, and I’m always thankful for the chance to spend time in Kate’s world. Can’t wait for #24!

30Dec2023

Audiobook Review: The Vintage Village Bake Off by Judy Leigh

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Vintage Village Bake Off
Author: Judy Leigh
Narrator: Phyllida Nash
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Publication date: December 4, 2023
Print length: 336 pages
Audio length: 10 hours 24 minutes
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Library
Rating:

Living in happy solitude with his cat Isaac Mewton in the Devon village of Millbrook, entertained by his mischievous chickens and goats, Robert has never figured out the rules of romance. But as the local ladies vie for his company, it soon becomes clear that Robert’s Victoria Sponge cake is the lure, and as his baking prowess grows, so does his confidence.

Cheesecakes, meringues, puddings, Robert can do it all, but his real masterpieces are his scones – ginger, rosemary, coconut, fruit, his recipes are inspired and soon come to the attention of the local media. Which county does the best cream tea – Devon or Cornwall? It’s time for an age-old debate to be settled with a competition.

Robert’s sisters Bunty and Hattie are both at crossroads in their lives, so news of their brother’s baking competition is the perfect excuse to bring them to Millbrook. And as the siblings relish each other’s company, and Robert relishes being at the heart of his community, a summer of scones may just light the way to long-lasting happiness for them all.

Enjoy Judy Leigh’s wonderful world of family, friendship and feasting in this perfect feel-good story for all fans of Maddie Please, Dawn French and Caroline James.

This is my 3rd Judy Leigh book, and it definitely won’t be my last. The Vintage Village Bake Off is a feel-good, warm-hearted book about second chance love, sibling support, small town communities… and lots and lots of scones.

The main character, contrary to what the synopsis above implies, is not Robert Parkins, but his sister Hattie. Hattie’s bully of a husband ran off with another woman after fifty years of a miserable marriage. Newly divorced and on her own, Hattie is finally starting to reemerge from the protective shell she’d tucked herself into so long ago.

When Hattie’s sister Bunty arrives unexpectedly, having left her husband for a fling with another man who paid her some attention, Hattie’s patience wears thin. Finally fed up, she leaves Bunty and her ill-advised lover in her own home and heads to their brother Robert’s home in Devon.

Robert is delighted by Hattie’s arrival. The siblings hadn’t spent much time together while Hattie was married, and this is a chance for them to reconnect and simply enjoy one another’s company. Robert lives a peaceful bachelor life with his cat, goats, and hens, and has become a “babe magnet” (as the vicar describes it) thanks to the delicious desserts he brings to the local gardening club’s meetings.

When a reporter describes Robert’s scones as the best in the entire region, she inadvertently kicks off a war, as a rival reporter in Cornwall takes offense and challenges Robert to a showdown. The Scone Wars are on! While presented as a way to generate media buzz and some local pride, Robert is less than enthused about the idea of going to war over baking… but when he meets his opponent, a lovely teashop and bakery owner named Tressy, the competition becomes a lot more enticing.

Ah, this book is a delight! The Scone Wars storyline doesn’t actually kick in until much later, and meanwhile, it’s quite a lovely story following the three siblings — Robert, Hattie, and Bunty — with chapters from each of their perspectives, learning more about their lives, their disappointments, and their hopes for new beginnings. All three are in their seventies, and while they may each in their own way feel that they’ve missed out during their lives, they’re all ready for new adventures and are open to learning and changing their ways.

Hattie, especially, is wonderful. While it’s sad to see how diminished she became through her marriage to a domineering, emotionally abusive man, her road to self-discovery and empowerment is terrific. As Hattie rediscovers her love of music, allows herself to try new clothing, styles, and activities, and opens herself to new friendships, she finds courage and hope after a long, dismal stretch of years.

Bunty is flighty and harder to like at the start, but as we get to know her, we see too how her poor decision-making and silliness are just some aspects of her loving personality, so I did eventually warm up to her as well.

Robert is a gentle soul, lovably befuddled by the women who clamor for his attention and continually show up at his doorstep asking for jam or for help with recipes. He’s a dear man who’s live a solitary life, and is a great example of how it’s never too late to find love, even when least expected.

Judy Leigh once again delivers a story of sweetness, connection, and humor — I adore her gentle touch with a story and the mix of silliness with deeper emotions and the occasional sadder memories.

Phyllida Nash’s narration is spot on, providing the voices of the main characters as well as the cast of characters making up village life — each person is distinctive, and I love how well she brings the quirks and personalities to life.

Sweet and savory (just like Robert’s scones), The Vintage Village Bake Off is a tasty little treat that left me hungry for more (and yearning to savor some delicious home baking). I’m looking forward to enjoying more of Judy Leigh’s wonderful books in the coming year.

27Dec2023

Book Review: Emmett by L. C. Rosen

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Emmett
Author: L. C. Rosen
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date: November 7, 2023
Length: 272 pages
Genre: Young adult fiction
Source: Library
Rating:

A modern-day gay YA Emma, with the spikey social critique of Austen plus the lush over-the-top romance of Bridgerton.

Emmett Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence and had lived nearly eighteen years in the world with very little to distress or vex him.

Emmett knows he’s blessed. And because of that, he tries to give back: from charity work to letting the often irritating Georgia sit at his table at lunch, he knows it’s important to be nice. And recently, he’s found a new way of giving: matchmaking. He set up his best friend Taylor with her new boyfriend and it’s gone perfectly. So when his occasional friend-with-benefits Harrison starts saying he wants a boyfriend (something Emmett definitely does NOT want to be), he decides to try and find Harrison the perfect man at Highbury Academy, the candy-colored private school they attend just outside Los Angeles.

Emmett’s childhood friend, Miles, thinks finding a boyfriend for a guy you sleep with is a bad idea. But Miles is straight, and Emmett says this is gay life – your friends, your lovers, your boyfriends – they all come from the same very small pool. That’s why Emmett doesn’t date – to keep things clean. He knows the human brain isn’t done developing until twenty-five, so any relationship he enters into before then would inevitably end in a breakup, in loss. And he’s seen what loss can do. His mother died four years ago and his dad hasn’t been the same since.

But the lines Emmett tries to draw are more porous than he thinks, and as he tries to find Harrison the perfect match, he learns that gifted as he may be, maybe he has no idea what he’s doing when it comes to love.

Modern and very gay, with a charmingly conceited lead who is convinced he knows it all, and the occasional reference to the classic movie Clueless, Emmett brings you lush romance all while exploring the complexities of queer culture—where your lovers and friends are sometimes the same person, but the person you fall in love with might be a total surprise.

Emmett by L. C. Rosen is the Emma retelling I never knew I needed!

In this contemporary, young adult, gender-flipped, and (as the synopsis states) “very gay” version of Jane Austen’s classic, our main character is Emmett Woodhouse — an attractive high school senior attending a fancy, expensive private school, living a life of comfort and privilege, but also dedicated to giving back, getting involved, and — above all — being nice.

Ever since losing his mother to cancer four years earlier, Emmett has lived alone with his over-protective father, whose hypochondriac tendencies and endless worry about Emmett’s health have gotten worse and worse over time. After seeing the effects of loss and heartbreak up close, Emmett has decided that romance is not for him. His mother once told him that people’s brains don’t fully develop until age 25, so his policy is to avoid relationships until then. That doesn’t mean he can’t have sex, though — physical pleasure is importance for one’s well-being, making it easier to keep up with the niceness.

Emmett is opinionated and a busybody, but has convinced himself of the rightness of his actions. Sure, he enjoys fooling around with Harrison, but since Harrison wants a boyfriend — and Emmett is clearly not going to be it — the nicest thing he can do is find Harrison someone worthy. Not that Robert guy, who Emmett is sure is beneath Harrison. Maybe the hot cheerleader with thousands of social media followers?

Ah, Emmett is a total delight, start to finish. I won’t delve too deeply into the details — there’s so much joy in just following the story and seeing where it goes. I love a good Austen retelling that’s not afraid to bend the story just enough to make sense in a contemporary setting. Emmett succeeds wonderfully at keeping the bones of the Emma story, but fitting it into a modern teen setting and giving the characters motivations and feelings that feel right.

The author gives Emmett deeper layers than I usually attribute to Austen’s Emma. Here, we see clearly how strongly affected Emmett is by his mother’s death; it’s the behind-the-scenes reason for so much of what he does and how he thinks, and it ties the story together in some really beautiful ways.

Author L. C. Rosen (who also writes adult fiction as Lev AC Rosen) proves yet again what a gifted writer he is. Emmett’s story is terrific, the infusion of Austen themes is subtle enough to be recognizable yet not feel like we’re being hit over the head with it, and even knowing the major beats of an Emma story, Emmett still delivers surprises, twists, and plenty of delight.

Emma is one of my favorite Jane Austen novels — I’ve read the original several times, and have watched at least 3 or 4 adaptations. In fact, my only difficulty with reading Emmett is how ingrained the character of Emma is in my mind, so that I often had to stop and remind myself that I was reading about a teen boy, not Emma herself.

Overall, I loved every bit of Emmett. The characters are terrific, the storytelling is a great piece of entertainment, and the writing hooked me from the very first page. I’d say Emmett is a must-read!

24Dec2023

Book Review: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store by James McBride

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
Author: James McBride
Publisher: Riverhead Books
Publication date: August 8, 2023
Length: 385 pages
Genre: Historical fiction
Source: Purchased
Rating: n/a

The new novel from the bestselling, National Book Award-winning, Oprah Book Club-picked, Barack Obama favourite James McBride.

In 1972, when workers in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, were digging the foundations for a new development, the last thing they expected to find was a skeleton at the bottom of a well. Who the skeleton was and how it got there were two of the long-held secrets kept by the residents of Chicken Hill, the dilapidated neighbourhood where immigrant Jews and African Americans lived side by side and shared ambitions and sorrows.

As these characters’ stories overlap and deepen, it becomes clear how much the people who live on the margins struggle and what they must do to survive. When the truth is finally revealed about what happened on Chicken Hill and the part the town’s white establishment played in it, McBride shows us that even in dark times, it is love and community-heaven and earth-that sustain us.

I was tempted to skip writing a review of The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, because I simply didn’t know quite how to summarize my reading experience.

In terms of artistry, it’s an impressive achievement. Probaby 4 – 5 stars. And yet, I didn’t actually enjoy the process of reading this book all that much… so 3 stars? Rather than attach a number, I’ll just share a few thoughts, and leave it at that.

Let me start by saying that “literary fiction” isn’t especially my jam, precisely because of the sort of dilemma I’m having here. I can appreciate beautiful use of language and original, artistic storytelling — but if the plot doesn’t pull me in and make me hate to put the book down, it’s just not going to be all that fun for me.

For The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, I was intrigued by what I’d heard even before picking up the book. In brief, the book tells the story of the poor neighborhood of Chicken Hill in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. In the 1930s, Chicken Hill is where the Jewish and Black communities find a home, since the white, Protestant residents of Pottstown — including the town doctor, who dons a hood and marches with the KKK each year — don’t want them polluting the nicer areas of their town.

Here in Chicken Hill, there are jazz theaters and speakeasies, a synagogue and mikveh, and the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, run by Chona, the daughter of the man who first built the store, who was also the local rabbi. Chona’s husband Moshe runs the theater and is madly in love with Chona. Chona has a beautiful heart and welcomes the entire neighborhood to her store, where she isn’t particularly picky about who can pay and who can’t — she makes sure people have enough to eat, and sends the children on their way feeling cared for and loved.

The book opens in 1972, when a body is found in a well. We then go back 50 years to the main story of the book, which is essentially a profile of the lives of Chicken Hill’s families, showing their connections, stories, conflicts, and secrets, building up by the end to the revelation of the truth about that body.

The resolution of the mystery isn’t what drives the book, though. Instead, the book weaves in and out of people’s lives, showing their relationships, their differences, and how the people of the different communities within Chicken Hill hold themselves separate yet also come together in a crisis.

The storytelling meanders quite a bit, especially for the first third or so of the book, as we get to know the essence of the neighborhood and its people. This is probably why I didn’t have a great time reading this book — I wanted a bit more forward motion, and that’s hard to come by until later in the book.

Ultimately, the intricate interconnections between the various characters, as well as their backstories and hidden motivations, make this book a literary achievement. While the style wasn’t what I typically enjoy, I still appreciated the historical elements, the sprawling cast of characters, and the depiction of a memorable time and place.

This is just one reader’s response! The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store is listed on a huge number of notable and “best of” lists for 2023, and I recommend looking into it further if you think this might be a book for you.

To read more about The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store:

New York Times review
NPR review
Washington Post review
The Guardian review

22Dec2023

Book Review: My Roommate Is A Vampire by Jenna Levine

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: My Roommate Is A Vampire
Author: Jenna Levine
Publisher: Berkley
Publication date: August 29, 2023
Length: 341 pages
Genre: Contemporary romance
Source: Library
Rating:

True love is at stake in this charming, debut romantic comedy.

Cassie Greenberg loves being an artist, but it’s a tough way to make a living. On the brink of eviction, she’s desperate when she finds a too-good-to-be-true apartment in a beautiful Chicago neighborhood. Cassie knows there has to be a catch—only someone with a secret to hide would rent out a room for that price.

Of course, her new roommate Frederick J. Fitzwilliam is far from normal. He sleeps all day, is out at night on business, and talks like he walked out of a regency romance novel. He also leaves Cassie heart-melting notes around the apartment, cares about her art, and asks about her day. And he doesn’t look half bad shirtless, on the rare occasions they’re both home and awake. But when Cassie finds bags of blood in the fridge that definitely weren’t there earlier, Frederick has to come clean…

Cassie’s sexy new roommate is a vampire. And he has a proposition for her.

In My Roommate Is A Vampire, Cassie’s life is a mess — working low-paying part-time jobs instead of putting her MFA to use as an artist, and living in a terrible apartment that she can’t afford (and is about to get kicked out of). No wonder she’s desperate enough to answer a Craigslist ad that seems sketchy. How can someone possibly be offering a roommate situation in an upscale Chicago neighborhood for only $200 per month?

Despite serious misgivings, she decides to check it out, and discovers a huge luxury apartment with gorgeous views of the lake. Sure, the roommate seems odd, dressed in three-piece suit, referring to her as “Miss Greenberg”, and behaving stiffly formal at all times — but he’s also incredibly attractive, very polite, and very willing to accommodate Cassie’s every need. With nowhere else to live and no obvious reason to say no, Cassie moves in.

Frederick’s weirdness is oddly charming, as he interacts with Cassie mainly through handwritten notes (with gorgeous penmanship, fancy paper, and even wax seals). Still, Cassie just knows there’s something going on with Frederick that’s not normal, starting with when she goes to make herself food and finds that the beautiful kitchen has not a single cooking implement or utensil in it. When she asks Frederick about it, he buys out an entire store’s worth of Le Creuset on her behalf… but still. How was he eating, before Cassie arrived?

As the title of the book makes clear, Frederick is a vampire — hence the empty kitchen, odd behavior, and old-fashioned manners. After a 100-year sleep, Frederick has to learn to cope in the 21st century, and he’s hoping that Cassie will guide him through modern customs, clothing, and daily life. Plus email, internet, and Instagram.

After her initial horror at learning the truth, Cassie ultimately agrees with Frederick’s plan, and soon guides him through buying jeans and henleys (making him look even hotter), ordering complex coffee at pretentious coffee shops, and making small talk at parties. He even watches Buffy the Vampire Slayer with her (which is hilarious, even though he’s shocked by her statement that Giles is the hottest man on the show).

Obviously, there’s a romance brewing, contemplated by some silly drama with Frederick’s family and a century-old betrothal. Clearly, from the tone of the book and the cover, this is a happy, upbeat story, so we know that all will end well (and it does).

I liked My Roommate Is A Vampire well enough, although there are some flaws that made me roll my eyes a little too often to consider this a great read. Among my quibbles:

There’s a lot of time spent explaining Cassie’s art, and it sounds awful. (OK, I’m no art expert, so maybe that’s just me…).
Certain plot points never get explained or followed up, especially some elements of Frederick’s history, and also Cassie’s career path.
The sex scenes are unnecessarily explicit. (Again, this maybe has more to do with my reading preferences, but then again, the details seem jarring against the overall light and fluffy tone of the book).
The whole dramatic climax of the book, involving a threat and danger and a big rescue, is utterly bland. Nothing actually happens, and it’s resolved way too easily.
Vampire books need rules! While Frederick explains a few facts of his life to Cassie, pointing out what Buffy gets right, there’s still a lot left unexplained. How does he have sex? Does he breathe or not? Why is he described as having stubble in one scene? Inquiring minds want to know.
Vampires in this book apparently have random magical abilities, and Frederick’s is… well, I’m not going to say, but it’s so oddly random and weird. Maybe it was intended to be funny (and okay, it kind of is), but it’s also something that the story doesn’t need at all, and could have been left out entirely.

I know I’m being picky (perhaps overly picky) about a book that clearly is not intended to be taken seriously in any way. But still, I need my fiction — even my light-hearted, fluffy fiction — to be a little more tied up and have stakes (ha!) that make more sense.

Still, there’s plenty of fun to be had within the pages of My Roommate Is A Vampire. Frederick’s letter, texts, and emails are very funny, and seeing him get past his ideas of propriety and social norms in the 21st century can be a total hoot.

As a silly snack in between some heavier reads, My Roommate Is A Vampire was a fun choice this week.