Book Review: Studies at the School by the Sea (Maggie Adair, #4) by Jenny Colgan

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Studies at the School by the Sea
Series: Maggie Adair / School by the Sea
Author: Jenny Colgan
Narrator: Eilidh Beaton
Publisher: Avon
Publication date: March 26, 2024
Print length: 288 pages
Audio length: 7 hours, 19 minutes
Genre: Contemporary fiction
Source: Purchased (audiobook); E-book ARC from the publisher/NetGalley
Rating:

The long-awaited and never-before published finale in New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan’s delightful School by the Sea series. After all those lessons, it’s time to graduate…. Beloved literature teacher Maggie Adair loves her life at the prestigious Downey House boarding school on the gloriously sunny, windy English coast. It was there that she found her footing as a teacher and fell in love with her colleague David—the two great anchors of her life. But these days Maggie’s feeling restless, lured by the promise of a different life back in her Scottish hometown. How can you follow your heart when it seems to be taking you in two directions at once? Meanwhile, Maggie’s favorite students are abuzz at the thought of graduation and set to fly the nest to their next adventure. What will life hold for mercurial Fliss, glamorous Alice, and shy, hard-working Simone when they finally finish their studies at the school by the sea? Will Maggie stay to welcome the next class of girls, or will she too graduate to new adventures?

Oh dear. I hate to say it, but after eagerly awaiting this 4th and final book in the School by the Sea series… I sort of wish the author had left things as they were.

The original three School by the Sea books were published between 2008 and 2018, and were more recently reissued over the past few years. I’ve loved this sweet series, focusing on Scottish teacher Maggie’s adventures at a posh girls’ boarding school in Cornwall and her professional and romantic entanglements — which also introduces us to the girls of the school and other staff members, and creates it own special little world.

I was so excited for this 4th book, but sadly, I found the entire thing sort of perfunctory and unsatisfying. In Studies at the School by the Sea, Maggie returns to Downey after a summer back in Scotland with her family, feeling torn between family expectations and the new life she’s chosen for herself. She’s eager to explore her developing relationship with David, a fellow English teacher now working at an underfunded, low-performing local school.

Meanwhile, the main student characters we’ve gotten to know — Simone, Fliss, and Alice — are also back, navigating friendships and rivalries and dealing with serious stress over their upcoming GCSEs. There’s added pressure as Maggie and David create plans for shared school activities, inducing all sorts of culture and social shock among their students.

Somehow, none of the plot lines feel particularly well-developed. The girls’ dynamics get fairly short shrift, we spend no time at all with the Downey headmistress, who had some lovely story arcs in previous books, and Maggie herself seems to have undergone a major personality transplant.

Suddenly, she’s whiny and guilt-ridden, dumping an entire summer’s worth of plans to rush home to Scotland when her ex-fiance is injured — despite there being no actual purpose for her there and having no interest in picking back up with the relationship. Again and again, Maggie makes strange choices, and also seems to have lost her way professionally. A major conflict and almost-breakup occurs between her and David when they escort their students on an Outward Bound program and she feels that he’s focusing too much on the students rather than stealing romantic moments with her. Seriously?

Sigh. I adore Jenny Colgan’s books, and really enjoyed the characters of this series until now. Yes, it’s a nice idea to have a wrap-up book giving everyone a happy ending — but I just never felt that I was reading a particularly engaging story.

My recommendation? Do check out books 1 – 3… and maybe stop there! Or, at the very least, give yourself a pause before reading this one. And if you have time to kill, check out any of the author’s other terrific books. There are plenty to choose from, and so many to love!

PS – The world of British boarding schools — their traditions, grades, exams, etc — remains fairly impenetrable for an uncivilized American like me. However, I did learn two words that I’d never heard before… and I just love how they sound:

Rusticate: Basically, suspension. From Wikipedia: Whereas expulsion from a UK independent school means permanent removal from the school, rustication or suspension usually means removal from the school for a set period, for example, the remainder of the current term.
Invigilate: Supervise candidates during an examination; to watch over the administration of a test to ensure that no cheating occurs.

4Feb2024

Book Review: To Woo and To Wed (The Regency Vows, #5) by Martha Waters

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: To Swoon and To Spar
Series: The Regency Vows, #5
Author: Martha Waters
Publisher: Atria
Publication date: February 6, 2024
Length: 336 pages
Genre: Historical fiction/romance
Source: Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
Rating:

The final installment in the Regency Vows series follows the heir to a dukedom and a young widow, once very much in love, as they reunite years later to fake an engagement for the benefit of her sister.

West, the Marquess of Weston, and Sophie, Lady Fitzwilliam Bridewell, have lately been spending a considerable amount of time together. But West and Sophie are not new acquaintances. In fact, years ago, they had once been nearly engaged until West’s almost fatal curricle accident and his meddling father threw them off course.

Now recently widowed, Sophie has put aside all thoughts of romance. But when her widowed sister, Alexandra, mentions a fondness for an earl, Sophie realizes that she may be holding her sister back. Alexandra won’t move forward with an engagement until Sophie, too, settles down again, and so Sophie approaches West with a plan. They will announce their engagement and break things off once Alexandra is happily married. It’ll be simple. After all, it’s not like she is going to fall for West a second time, not when Sophie has sworn not to risk her heart again.

To Woo and To Wed is a fitting, satisfying wrap-up to a consistently entertaining series about love, friendship, and offbeat relationships. The series as a whole balances light-hearted romps and banter with some serious (but not too heavy) themes about family obligations and expectations. Book #5 ties the entire series together in a way that’s sure to please its faithful readers.

Throughout the series, West (Marquess of Weston, and future Duke) and Sophie (a lovely young widow) have been in the background — not driving the previous books’ plots, but factoring into the overarching storylines nonetheless. Over the course of these books, we’ve learned bits and pieces of their (mostly sad) history: At one point madly in love and on the verge of betrothal, West was in a tragic accident that killed his closest friend and left him severely injured, and upon his recovery, he discovered that Sophie had married another man. Widowed after three years of marriage, Sophie has carried an air of sadness with her, and she and West have kept their distance. More recently, however, West and Sophie have been thrown together much more frequently as their circle of friends and relatives have overlapped (in the four books of the Regency Vows series). Here in book #5, West and Sophie finally take center stage, and we learn much more about their backstory and how their lives continue to intersect.

In To Woo and To Wed, Sophie finds herself in a bind when her younger sister, also a widow, hints at being in love and ready to marry, but seems to be holding off out of concern for Sophie’s well-being. Sophie is perfectly fine on her own, yet doesn’t want to be responsible for delaying her sister’s happiness. Thrown together with West yet again due to their mutual social connections, she makes a startling proposal: She and West will announce their betrothal, ensuring her sister’s comfort in getting married. Once Alexandra is safely wed, she and West can break things off and go their separate ways.

West is amenable — he still loves Sophie, for one thing, and he’s also getting pressure from his awful, domineering father to marry and produce heirs. In fact, his father is now using outright extortion — if West doesn’t get married (and soon), his father will sell the property that once belonged to his late mother, the place that West most considers home.

Of course, a fake betrothal is bound to get complicated. First of all, their friends are rightfully skeptical, and even Alexandra seems suspicious, forcing ridiculous wedding plans (such as overly ruffled matching gowns, a double ceremony, and departure on horseback) on Sophie… in hopes of making her confess the truth?

And then there’s the undeniable fact that neither Sophie nor West has ever gotten over one another. All this forced proximity and pretend intimacy gets harder and harder to endure while denying feelings… and those feeling keep bubbling up each time they meet.

It’s quite lovely to see West and Sophie together at long last, and very satisfying to finally get their full backstory and understand just went wrong seven years earlier. They’re both great characters — smart, caring, and sensitive — and they deserve happiness. Getting there isn’t easy, but their ups and downs give us readers plenty of time to cheer them on.

All of the characters from the previous books participate in the events of To Woo and To Wed, and it’s extremely enjoyable to see them all come together, in various combinations to move the plot forward (and to meddle in Sophie and West’s romance).

The Regency Vows series is a lot of fun, and this 5th book is a terrific conclusion to the characters’ romantic adventures. Many romance series are only loosely connected, so a reader can jump in at any point. Here, there is so much involvement of other characters and winking references to past events that I can’t see the reading experience being nearly as enjoyable if someone started anywhere but with book #1, To Have and To Hoax. My recommendation? Start at the beginning, and enjoy the ride all the way through to the end!

19Nov2023

Book Review: Brothersong (Green Creek, #4) by TJ Klune

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Brothersong
Series: Green Creek, #4
Author: TJ Klune
Publisher: Tor Books
Publication date: October 13, 2020 (new hardcover to be published August 2024)
Length: 480 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Source: Purchased
Rating:

In the ruins of Caswell, Maine, Carter Bennett learned the truth of what had been right in front of him the entire time. And then it—he—was gone.

Desperate for answers, Carter takes to the road, leaving family and the safety of his pack behind, all in the name of a man he only knows as a feral wolf. But therein lies the danger: wolves are pack animals, and the longer Carter is on his own, the more his mind slips toward the endless void of Omega insanity.

But he pushes on, following the trail left by Gavin.

Gavin, the son of Robert Livingstone. The half-brother of Gordo Livingstone.

What Carter finds will change the course of the wolves forever. Because Gavin’s history with the Bennett pack goes back further than anyone knows, a secret kept hidden by Carter’s father, Thomas Bennett.

And with this knowledge comes a price: the sins of the fathers now rest upon the shoulders of their sons.

Brothersong is the 4th and final book in TJ Klune’s powerful Green Creek series… and, hold on, excuse me a minute while I dry my tears.

In Brothersong, the story is told through the eyes of Carter Bennett, oldest son of the Bennett clan, big brother to Kelly and Joe. Carter is brave, fierce, and funny, and up to now, never seemed to dive too deeply into emotions, particularly when it comes to love and relationships. But as of the end of Heartsong, Carter was forced into a startling awakening, and here in Brothersong, he’s desperate to recover a connection that he only recently realized existed.

Carter has spent the last few years shadowed by a werewolf stuck in his wolf form, which has mainly exasperated Carter… but when this wolf finally reclaims his human form and is then ripped out of Carter’s life, he experiences heartbreak and a conviction that he needs to find this person, no matter what. Leaving his pack and his brothers, Carter sets out alone on the road, chasing clues, haunted by visions and ghosts, on the verge of losing his mind, but unable to give up and go home without the person who might truly be his mate.

Without giving away too many plot points — eventually, all are reunited, and the dangerous confrontation that’s been building for four books finally becomes reality. The big bad is truly terrifying, and the violent battle toward the end of Brothersong threatens the entire pack as well as the humans of Green Creek.

I really can’t go into details without entering major spoiler territory, which would be a shame. I will say that I spent most of the last batch of chapters absolutely breathless, terrified for all these characters that I’ve come to know and love, and — I admit it — a soppy, teary mess.

As a whole, the Green Creek series surprised me with its depth, its beautiful depictions of family and pack bonds, its humor, and its superb plotting. The characters are well-developed, and while it’s a sprawling cast, we’re able to truly get to know them all over the course of these four books.

Despite the drama, the themes of past hurts and the unintended consequences of mistakes and secrets, and the ever-present threat of destruction, the Green Creek books are also prime examples of TJ Klune’s excellent use of humor. Even in the midst of tragedy and sorrow, some of the dialogue had me keeling over with laughter.

Once again, I was reading so intently that I neglected to highlight much, but even this silly scene captures the goofy (and sometimes cringey) way these characters think and act (when they’re not in mortal peril):

I stood quickly, tripping over my own feet as I surged toward the book, trying to beat her there. I should have won. She was a human. I was a wolf. I was a killing machine capable of great power with my fangs and claws. Yes, she was deadly, but I was a creature of the night. I was the monster in the dark. I was—

Falling face-first onto the floor.

The pack is amazing. They jokingly refer to themselves as “the gayest pack in the entire world” (which is likely true), and nobody blinks an eye over this — although it does lead to some random conversations such as :

“Question.” A man. One of Will’s friends. “Is everyone in the pack gay?”

“So what if they are?” I snapped.

The man shrugged. “I don’t give two shits either way. I just didn’t know if that was, like, a prerequisite for being a shape-shifter or whatever.”

It is amusing, but not a negative, to recognize certain lines and phrases that pop up in other books by the author, including this bit that never fails to make me laugh (and that I can’t help hearing in the mortified voice of Nicky Bell from The Extraordinaries):

“Why are you like this?”

And another one that’s also very Nicky:

“Straight people are are so weird,” Kelly whispered to Robbie.

On a more serious note, if you’ve read the Green Creek books, you’ll understand why this one little paragraph got me all emotional:

It was warm like a summer day. It was candy canes and pinecones, it was epic and awesome, it was dirt and leaves and rain, it was grass and lake water and sunshine.

The Green Creek books have vaulted right into my list of favorite-of-all-time series. I’m feeling totally bereft now that I’ve reached the end. How can the universe expect me to leave these books and characters behind?

One quick answer? I’m not going to. I’ve already decided that my 2024 reading plans will include a Green Creek audiobook binge.

Brothersong is a beautiful, heartbreaking, uplifting conclusion to this amazing series. Green Creek is a story of a werewolf pack, but put aside the fangs, fur, and claws, and at its heart it’s a story about love and families of all dimensions — parents and their children, brothers, found families and chosen families. The relationships are what make these books “sing” as they do.

I’m so glad that Tor is reissuing the series as new hardcover books — the series deserves a much wider audience, and I hope these gorgeous new editions attract many more readers. All books are available now as ebooks; the new hardcover editions of Wolfsong and Ravensong are both currently available as well, and the hardcover editions of the last two books will be released in 2024 (Heartsong in January; Brothersong in July).

I simply can’t recommend Green Creek highly enough. These books have it all, and should not be missed.

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11Feb2023

Audiobook Review: The Galaxy, and the Ground Within (Wayfarers, #4) by Becky Chambers

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: The Galaxy, and the Ground Within
Series: Wayfarers, #4
Author: Becky Chambers
Narrator: Rachel Dulude
Publisher: Harper Voyager
Publication date: April 20, 2021
Print length: 336 pages
Audio length: 9 hours, 55 minutes
Genre: Science fiction
Source: Library
Rating:

With no water, no air, and no native life, the planet Gora is unremarkable. The only thing it has going for it is a chance proximity to more popular worlds, making it a decent stopover for ships traveling between the wormholes that keep the Galactic Commons connected. If deep space is a highway, Gora is just your average truck stop.

At the Five-Hop One-Stop, long-haul spacers can stretch their legs (if they have legs, that is), and get fuel, transit permits, and assorted supplies. The Five-Hop is run by an enterprising alien and her sometimes helpful child, who work hard to provide a little piece of home to everyone passing through.

When a freak technological failure halts all traffic to and from Gora, three strangers—all different species with different aims—are thrown together at the Five-Hop. Grounded, with nothing to do but wait, the trio—an exiled artist with an appointment to keep, a cargo runner at a personal crossroads, and a mysterious individual doing her best to help those on the fringes—are compelled to confront where they’ve been, where they might go, and what they are, or could be, to each other.

Reading (or listening to) Becky Chambers’ Wayfarers series is like being immersed in a cultural study, learning traditions, histories, and sociological norms… but here, the cultures are alien rather than human, and the action takes place in far-flung locations within the Galactic Commons.

In fact, in book #4 of the series — the final book — there’s not a human to be found. Instead, we settle in with a group of sapient non-humans from four different species as they wait out a space emergency that leaves then all stuck at a transit point, with only one another for company, support, and distraction.

Ouloo runs the Five-Hop with her exuberant child Tupo. Together, they welcome travelers with snacks, a garden, a bath house, and a place to restock and refuel before continuing on their way. Most visitors only stay for a couple of hours. There’s really nothing of interest on the planet Gora, but it is conveniently located between wormhole tunnels, so Ouloo does a pretty good business at her interplanetary version of a truck stop.

However, an accidental satellite collision leads to explosions and debris, and all travel on and off planet is halted while the emergency is dealt with. This strands the current batch of travelers at the Five-Hop, with no way to leave and no communications with the outside world. With no other options, the visitors settle in and start getting to know one another.

As with the other books in the series, The Galaxy, and the Ground Within is fairly gentle for a science fiction story. In fact, when the first explosions rocked Gora, I thought for a split-second that the planet was under attack… but no. Such violence would not be in keeping with the overall tone of the series. Yes, war and battles and calamities occur, but mostly as background or off the page. Throughout the Wayfarers books, the focus is on the people and their relationships, and the same is true in the 4th book.

One of the characters in this book is familiar from book #1 — Pei, of the Aeluon species, a cargo ship captain who faces a life-changing decision about her own destiny. The others, however, are all new, although most belong to species we’ve at least seen in passing before. As they spend time together, they learn about their lives, their differences and similarities, and find ways to bridge the cultural gaps between them.

In many ways The Galaxy, and the Ground Within feels like an anthropological study (although maybe that’s not the right word for a book about non-human species?). Through the characters, we’re introduced to the different species’ societal norms, traditions, physical features, dietary needs, and more. It’s all quiet fascinating, and a real tribute to the author’s skilled world-building and imagination.

At the same time, there’s not a ton of plot going on, other than strangers are stuck together, forge bonds, then go their separate ways. There are ups and downs, arguments and reconciliations, and even a medical emergency that requires everyone to put aside their differences and work together… but honestly, that’s about it.

That doesn’t mean this book is boring. It’s not! As I said before, for a science fiction novel, it’s very gentle. That’s not a bad thing, just unusual for the genre.

As with the other three books in the series, the audiobook narration by Rachel Delude is very well done. She provides distinct voices and inflections for each of the characters, and it’s quite a wonderful listening experience.

The Wayfarers series has been a reading goal of mine for a while now, and I’m delighted that I finally took the time to make it a priority. It’s a lovely feat of storytelling. Rather than a continuous narrative broken into four books, this series is built on the concept of taking a singular galactic society and examining it through four separate stories. It’s unusual, it’s all rather peaceful and beautiful, and it absolutely works.

9Apr2022

Book Review: Leviathan Falls (The Expanse, #9) by James S. A. Corey

Posted in Book Reviews by Lisa @ Bookshelf Fantasies

Title: Leviathan Falls
Series: The Expanse, #9
Author: James S. A. Corey
Publisher: Orbit
Publication date: November 30, 2021
Length: 528 pages
Genre: Science fiction
Source: Purchased
Rating:

The Laconian Empire has fallen, setting the thirteen hundred solar systems free from the rule of Winston Duarte. But the ancient enemy that killed the gate builders is awake, and the war against our universe has begun again.
In the dead system of Adro, Elvi Okoye leads a desperate scientific mission to understand what the gate builders were and what destroyed them, even if it means compromising herself and the half-alien children who bear the weight of her investigation. Through the wide-flung systems of humanity, Colonel Aliana Tanaka hunts for Duarte’s missing daughter. . . and the shattered emperor himself. And on the Rocinante, James Holden and his crew struggle to build a future for humanity out of the shards and ruins of all that has come before.
As nearly unimaginable forces prepare to annihilate all human life, Holden and a group of unlikely allies discover a last, desperate chance to unite all of humanity, with the promise of a vast galactic civilization free from wars, factions, lies, and secrets if they win.
But the price of victory may be worse than the cost of defeat.

And so, my friends, we come to the end. Excuse me while I wipe away my tears…

The Expanse series has been a thrilling ride since the very beginning, and the key to its glory is not just the politics and space adventures and battles (which are all excellent), but the people. Simply put, the characters in this series are incredibly human and real, and I love them all so much… which is why I’m feeling a bit emotional over reaching the conclusion to their journeys.

I won’t go into plot details for this book, because there’s little point when this is the 9th book in a huge, sprawling, intricately detailed series. What I will say is that the tension continues to ratchet up, almost unbearably. Even at 80%, I couldn’t imagine how the authors would manage to provide an ending that addresses the central conflict in a way that works.

Well, they did. And it works. And it’s devastating in many ways, but also right and satisfying and deeply moving.

As with the rest of the series, in Leviathan Falls I once again had to concentrate hard and still accept that some of the science and terminology and concepts would go completely over my head. That’s fine — the fact that I don’t really grasp the technological details doesn’t in any way keep me from becoming totally immersed in the story. I also struggle at times to visualize where the various systems and ships and planets and moons are in relation to one another, especially when all the different players are in transit and engaging and disengaging… but again, it only matters up to a point. There’s a lot of action and a lot going on, and I got enough to understand the basics of who’s where and what they’re doing.

The fates of certain characters absolutely broke my heart, but there’s a rightness and satisfaction in how it all ends.

It’s not easy to tie up such a huge story as The Expanse. After nine books (all 500+ pages) and eight novellas, there’s a lot of plot to resolve, but the authors pull it off magnificently.

I’m sorry to see it all come to an end, but wow, it’s been an incredible journey.

After finishing Leviathan Falls, what remains for me to read are:

The Vital Abyss: A novella that takes place between books 5 & 6. (Note: Between when I started writing this post and when I finished, I also managed to read this novella. Fascinating.)
The Sins of Our Fathers: This novella takes place after the events of Leviathan Falls, and I’m really excited to read it, probably coming up next in my reading queue. After a quick peek, I realized that it’s about a character whose fate I’d expected to see addressed by the conclusion of the main series, but wasn’t. Can’t wait to start!
Memory’s Legion: This newly released hardcover is a collection of all the previously novellas (The Sins of Our Fathers is new to this edition, as well as being available as a stand-alone e-book). I’ve already read the rest of the novellas, but I’m thinking I might read through them all again, either in print or via audiobook.

The Expanse series is truly a science fiction masterpiece, and Leviathan Falls is a fittingly excellent conclusion to the series.

All that’s left for me to say is what I’ve been saying all along: If you’re a science fiction fan and haven’t read these books, you absolutely must give them a try!