Book Review - Lake Silence by Anne Bishop

 

Lake Silence by Anne Bishop is about a human woman, Vicki DeVine, who is trying to get her life back in order after going through a divorce. Vicki was awarded her husband, Yorrick’s, family resort as part of her divorce settlement. She decides to fix up the place and open it up as a resort for both humans and Others alike. She hopes that she can get enough visitors to help support herself.

In this world, humans and animals are not the only beings that populate the world. There are extraordinary creatures that are called Others. They can be elemental, vampires, shape shifters, and even other scary things that go bump in the night.  The area that her resort is located on, Lake Silence, is controlled by these Others. Human laws do not apply here. It is something that every visitor and resident of Lake Silence must remember because if someone breaks the rules, they will face the consequences. 

As Vicki hopes to finish renovating the resort and start over, her lodger, Aggie Crowe, found a dead body on the property. Aggie is a member of the shape shifting Crow Other group. Vicki worries that the dead body would cause more trouble to be stirred up and may interfere with her renovating plans.

Detectives are called to the scene to help figure out who the victim is. As they investigate the murder, it is made very clear that nothing human could have killed the victim based on the condition the body was left in. However, the detectives still try to pin the death on Vicki. Vicki is desperate to prove that she is innocent and tries to find out who is behind the murder. As Vicki enlists her friends for assistance, it is discovered that someone has broken one of the rules set by the Others, and the Others will stop at nothing to enact punishment.

The novel is a standalone but takes place in the same world as another book series by the author. The book was easy to follow even though I am not familiar with the world. It did move a bit slowly with chapters after chapters of nothing happening. There were a few things I had to learn, like the days of the week in this fictional world, and the different types of Others. The author included a nifty section detailing some aspects of the world to make it easier for readers who are not familiar with her books and characters. I was confused that they put the “Lady of the Lake” on the cover as she was a minor character and didn’t really have much to do with the plot. It was a bit annoying because I had picked up this book based on the cover alone. I guess this teaches me not to judge a book by the cover.

The book started off okay but after a few chapters in I couldn’t stand Vicki DeVine. She was an annoying, blubbering fool. She sits there and feels sorry for herself yet does nothing. The only thing she does is talk about how “yummy” her vampire lawyer is and about various characters’ “vigorous appendages”. This novel reads like amateur and juvenile fan fiction.  Vicki’s behavior doesn’t seem like it would be something a grown woman in her thirties would be acting like. She constantly mentions the sex thoughts about the men around her.  Some of the other elements in the book are just plain laughable. For example, the “club” that the bad men belong to is called the “Tie Clip Club”. That name  seems like something a child came up with, and does not jive with the adult theme of the book.

If the book didn’t include Vicki, I would have enjoyed it alot more. She was a completely useless character and I found her annoying. She and other characters kept mentioning she had body issues and anxiety but the story never did anything to address them. Instead, Vicki would just shut down around men who were mean to her. And for some odd reason, men either acted cruel to her or treated her really nicely. Those same men are the ones who make all of her decisions. It feels at times, she is just a secondary character in her own story.  While I am in no rush in reading more of the author’s books, I will say that she is skilled in creating detailed worlds. In my opinion, her main characters were not so great.

Book Review - On a Night of a Thousand Stars by Andrea Yaryura Clark

 

 

On a Night of a Thousand Stars by Andrea Yaryura Clark is about a young woman’s quest to find out the truth about her father’s past. In 1998 New York City, Santiago Larrea was a wealthy Argentinian diplomat and celebrated polo player. He was married to Lila, and they have one daughter, Paloma, who is a fashion student in NY and a budding jewelry designer.

Santiago and his family are well known for their love of throwing huge parties. The family was holding court at their latest party and everything seemed well until a guest showed up. The woman had an unflappable demeanor and made cryptic comments to Santiago. Paloma noticed that her father’s behavior had changed after the interaction, causing her to wonder who this guest was and what her relationship to her father was. Paloma realizes that she doesn't know much of her father’s past.

Shortly after the party, Paloma and her family travel to Buenos Aires for Santiago’s UN ambassadorial appointment. When they arrive, a cryptic and ominous note arrives for Santiago. Paloma is wary when he refuses to share what the message says with the family. Paloma is determined to find out what her father is hiding.

I thought the book was an interesting read. It was a bit slow moving at times. The book was told from alternating narrators. Paloma narrated the present as she was searching for the truth. And the other narrator was Santiago from the 1970s in his youth, describing his experience with the military dictatorship under Juan Peron. At times, it did get confusing when the narration switched back and forth as some of the characters were in both storylines, and the past had quite a few different characters. There were times that I wanted to read more about a specific timeline but it would switch perspectives. I did find the characters to be dull and bland though I was interested in Santiago’s narration. It was interesting to learn about Argentina’s past and political landscape. The book is a straightforward read but did have unexpected twists. If you like reading slow burn political historical fiction books, then you might enjoy it.

Book Review - Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler

 

Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler is about a young woman who experiences love for the first time. Adelaide Williams is a twenty six year old American living in London. She and her friends love the city but they need to find permanent jobs to secure a visa in order to stay longer.  Adelaide has a passion for publishing but takes on a high paying tech job to be able to stay in London. Adelaide is in love with the city and her life but she still thinks there’s something missing: companionship. She decides that she wants to start dating and downloads a dating app.

After a string of meaningless one night stands that taper out, Adelaide feels that maybe she isn’t meant to be loved. All that changes when she crosses paths with Rory Hughes, who feels like a breath of fresh air. He looks like a Disney prince and looks exactly like what Adelaide would consider her dream guy to be.

As Adelaide and Rory start spending time together, she feels that something is missing from their relationship. She realizes that he isn’t attentive to her, he doesn’t honor their plans, he doesn’t make advance plans, he doesn’t always respond to texts, and he makes her sleep in a separate bed.  However, when they do meet up and do spend time together, Rory is a bright light that chases all the darkness from her life. Adelaide is convinced that deep down in his heart, Rory feels the same way about her as she does about him. He just has a hard time displaying his love for her.

An unexpected tragedy occurs that rocks both of their worlds. Rory seems to be drifting and unable to cope with life and how things are going. As Adelaide tries to be a pillar for Rory and to be a shining light in his life, she stops at nothing to cheer him up even if it means losing herself in the process.

The novel started off with Adelaide checking into a hospital because she has suicidal thoughts after a breakup. The novel is broken into past and present with Adelaide narrating most of the story. We did occasionally get a sneak peek into Rory’s life.

The novel started off interesting. I tried to understand why Adelaide was feeling suicidal as in the beginning her life seems like it was going great. However, it quickly becomes clear when we read about her and Rory’s relationship. The book goes on for pages after pages of Adelaide staying in a relationship in which she isn’t treasured. She is so desperate to be loved that she is willing to put up with being in a relationship with a  guy who clearly doesn’t love her and she even admits to knowing he would never love her.

I like romantic novels as much as any other person but, there was only so much of Adelaide’s flawed relationship I could read. I am not sure why she kept putting up with Rory’s inattentiveness and harsh behavior. It was like seeing a friend constantly  being used as a punching bag, after a while you feel upset and annoyed at your friend for not sticking up for themselves. The book goes on like that for a while and then the author explains why Adelaide stays with Rory. It does explain why she stayed with him but, it doesn’t erase the annoyance of having her basically hanging by a thread before she seeks help. 

The book also goes into so much detail about random things that just seemed pointless. I felt like the book could have been shorter with less mini plotlines.  Unless you want to read a book where a young woman ignores every single red flag and read about every single tedious detail about her life, then skip this book.

Book Review - Starting Over on Sunshine Corner by Phoebe Mills

 

 

 

Starting Over on Sunshine Corner by Phoebe Mills is about a single mom who made a split second decision to hook up with her best friend one night, and that decision ended up changing both of their lives. 

Rebecca (Becca) Hayes has been so focused on raising her daughter, Sofia, and furthering her finance career that she feels her life is missing companionship. She decides that she wants to start dating again but she isn’t sure how to go about it. She hasn’t been on a date since her daughter was born a few years ago. She hasn’t talked to a romantic partner in a while either and she is afraid of embarrassing herself on a date. 

The only man she has been talking to or is close with is her best friend, Jackson Lowe. Becca knows that Jackson is objectively very attractive but she doesn’t want to ruin their friendship. She has always put her feelings for him on the back burner. Until one day, she asks Jackson to help her get back into the dating game. One thing led to another and the pair ended up spending the night together. A few weeks later, Becca realizes that she is pregnant with Jackon’s baby. She knows she was able to count on him before but she doesn’t know if he is mature enough to be a father.

Jackson isn’t sure what he wants to do in life. He certainly wasn’t ready to be a father. He thought he was going to spend his days working as team lead at his family’s landscaping business and spend his free time surfing while being a bachelor. However, for years he has been secretly in love with Becca but he felt that he wasn’t good enough for her. She was also the real reason why he never settled down with anyone else. He felt that no one could compare to her.

After finding out that Becca is pregnant, Jackson realizes that he wants to have a life with Becca. He wants to have a family and grow old with her. Jackson knows he will need to put in the work if he wants to become the father and man Becca needs him to be.

The book was a quick and cozy romantic read. There was some mention of adult themes but the love scenes were behind closed doors. I thought the book was an okay read. I wish the author had given more details about how the main characters’ relationship had changed after spending the night together. It was like they talked about it and the story mentioned the time spent but that was about it. I wanted to know: how did they feel after the night together? Was it something they wished happened sooner?

I didn’t really understand why Becca was being so hard on Jackson. He was a single adult that had no responsibilities. If he wanted to spend his day on a job that was relatively stress free and enjoyable to him so he can spend his free time surfing, why was it a big deal for her? When he found that she was pregnant, he continued trying to be present for her and her daughter, though Becca said she was surprised at how much she could rely on him throughout the book. The book spends so much time going over the same thing about Jackson not being responsible enough and the last few pages is their blowup argument that just seemed like a token conflict scene before the book ends.

Another thing that confused me was that Jackson seemed very considerate of Becca’s feelings. He would try to arrive early to drive her to events because she didn’t like driving long distances by herself. He would also babysit her daughter when she had to do something. He seemed to get along with kids and enjoyed playing with them. I felt like Becca judged him for not being mature without realizing he never had the reason to be that way and when he did step up or try to, she had her own preconceived notions that were hard to get past.

I also didn’t see why Jackson was so loyal to Becca. He bent over backwards and consistently tried to better himself to be a good partner to her. When he was asking for support for something he was passionate about and did try to put in the work (but mentioned that he had some details to iron out), Becca immediately dismissed him. It just didn’t seem like they weren’t on fair or equal ground when it came to emotionally supporting each other. 

Another aspect of the story that gave me pause was that I felt like all of Becca’s and Jackson’s friends all had kids. They failed to remember that if you are not a parent or caregiver for a child, you might not know or have all the parenting skills that they seem to think that everyone needs to have to be a parent. 

The book is part of a series but can be read as a standalone. If you like straightforward romance novels, then you would enjoy reading this book.

 

Book Review - This Time It's Real by Ann Liang

 

This Time It's Real by Ann Liang is about two young adults who agree to fake date each other to bolster their careers.  Seventeen year old Eliza Lin spent her entire life traveling the world due to her mother’s job. At her new international school in Beijing, she is given an assignment to write about her personal life. However, she isn’t comfortable sharing her personal life with complete strangers. Instead of writing a true story based on her life, she decides to write a fictionalized version of her non – existent love life, taking snippets from her parents' love story.

Eliza didn’t expect much attention to her essay since she is a new student with no friends. However, her story goes viral overnight and Eliza is now famous and her classmates all want to know more about her secret boyfriend. Eliza loves the attention her article has garnered her but she is afraid of her lie being exposed.

Eliza is desperate to keep her secret, so she enlists the help of a famous actor in her class. Caz Song is a charming and charismatic actor who has fans following his every move. She proposes a mutually beneficial agreement between the two of them. Caz pretends to be her boyfriend so she can keep her journalism internship opportunity and in return she will help him write his college applications.

While Caz is pretending to be her boyfriend, Eliza realizes how great he is. Caz is sweet to her little sister, he passes her notes in class, he is thoughtful towards her requests, and he takes her out on motorcycle rides all over the city to try new snacks. Eliza finds herself falling for Caz but she isn’t sure if he feels the same way. Is Eliza willing to give up her dream internship for her chance at real love, seeing as the reason for her internship was to give readers an exclusive look into her relationship?

The book was a clean romance with minimal hand holding or touching involved. The novel had funny moments sprinkled throughout. There weren't any twists or surprising events. The characters were fun and relatable as they navigate their lives. Eliza tries to work through her feelings of always being the new girl and not having anywhere she can call home. She rarely tries to make any new friends because in her mind they will just end up leaving her. Caz’s parents are never home and he spends most of his time being an actor and proving himself. They both had challenges of not belonging and not having someone in their corner. I do feel that fans of K-dramas or romcoms might really enjoy the book.

Book Review - Burntcoat by Sarah Hall

 

In a British city, a virus is spreading through the city and a renowned sculptor Edith Harkness decides to isolate with her boyfriend, Halit, in her immense studio, Burntcoat. As Edith learns more about Halit and herself, the outside world is changing. Together Halit and Edith comes to term with their new norm.

I thought this would have been an interesting read especially, with COVID still ongoing. However, I wasn't fond of the writing style. The narrator switched back and forth from present to past on whim. The prose was interesting but, not worth the effort it took to get through. I read more quite a few pages (around 75ish) and I failed to see the point and plot of the story. If you like artsy books, perhaps you will enjoy this book more than I did.

Book Review - Black Girls Must Be Magic by Jayne Allen

 

Tabitha Walker is thrown into a head-spin when she finds out she is pregnant after being told she might not be able to have biological children. She devotes herself to becoming a "single mother by choice". She is exhausted from going to doctor's appointments, her job, and preparing for the baby. And that's before her boss at the new station started receiving complaints from viewers about her natural hair.

After an unexpected turn of events, her on and off again ex-boyfriend, Marc, makes an entry back into her world with surprising demands. When the situation at work escalates and her livelihood and her identity is threaten, Tabitha needs to make some tough decisions for her and her baby’s future. Tabitha knows it takes a village to raise a child and turns to the women who have been there for her.  Will Tabitha be able to harness the energy from her village to help maintain order in her life?

This was the second book in the series but, it can be read as a standalone. I thought it was an entertaining read but, a few times there were some "eye-rolling" moments.I felt the ending was also a bit abrupt and felt rushed. I feel like the author left it open for a third novel but, I wasn't interested in the series to continue reading as some of the characters felt flat. Overall, it was a quick read with interesting topics but, not much story.

Book Review - Vladimir by Julia May Jonas

 

The narrator mentions in the beginning of the novel that when she was younger, she knew old men loved her and she loved them back. She is a popular English professor who teaches at the same small liberal arts college as her husband. Her husband, John, is a charismatic professor but, he's also under investigation for having affairs with his former students. The couple have a long standing agreement when it comes to their extra-marital pursuits, but with these allegations, it has made life far more uncomfortable for the both of them. Then our narrator becomes obsessed and falls head over heels in love with Vladimir, a new highly celebrated young married novelist who joins the department. 

I thought this was going to be an interesting spin on "Lolita" but, this novel was an absolute bore. The short novel goes on and on about random and meaningless details. For example, on two separate occasion the author decides to write out a ten plus item grocery list or she gives step by step description of items she is cooking. I also don't like how the author switches her train of thought randomly and constantly. I feel like this distracting and makes the dialogue feel disjointed. For example, the narrator starts analyzing her workload and then she starts thinking about her relationship with her husband and then jumps back to her workload all in the same thought. And then her inner self reflections go on and on and add nothing to the story. I was more than 75% done with the novel before I lost interest in the novel as I am yet to see a story emerge. If you like long self reflections with tons of details, then you will enjoy this book.

Book Review - The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard

 

 

Teenagers Colt and Julia has secretly spent the entire year together and no one ever knew, not even her boyfriend. They felt like they needed to keep their love a secret because they were from two different backgrounds. Julia's family was rich and was surrounded by opulence while Colt's family wasn't.

One weekend, Colt's life changes when he hears that Julia dies in a car accident. He is devastated but, he can't mourn in public because their relationship was kept a secret. Colt feels like he played a role in her demise.  When Colt receives Julia's journal, he relives their romance through her words. Will be able to move on?

I am not sure what the point of this book was. I felt like if you read the blurb of the book, you already knew the most potent parts of the books and the rest is just filler. There was barely any character development or backstory and the plot barely progressed. I didn't bond with any of the characters in the book and felt like this book was an epic waste of time.

Book Review - The Stories You Tell (Roxane Weary, #3) by Kristen Lepionka

 

Roxane Weary knows a late night phone call is never good news. Andrew, her brother called to tell her that Addison, a one-time fling, turned up to his apartment frightened and requested to use his phone. After she made a phone call, she disappears and Andrew is worried. He asks Roxane to help because Allison never made it home and her friends and family are worried about her.

The police believe something happened to Roxane and they suspect Andrew might be involved.  Roxane decides to check Addison's digital footprint and finds herself getting more involved in her disappearance. When a cop is found dead on the opposite side of town, it makes the case more muddled. The staff at the dance club where Addison works goes missing suddenly, the case becomes more convoluted. Roxane tries to decipher the clues that Addison left behind, will she be able to find Addison in time?

When I first picked up this book, I didn't realize it was a part of a series. I was able to read the story and follow along without issue. However, I felt like there was some nuances I was missing between the characters. I thought the book was an interesting read but, I felt like it went a bit slowly. I was able to figure out the person behind the disappearance around half way through the book. I would be open to reading other books from the series.

Book Review - Processed Cheese by Stephen Wright

Photo Credit - Amazon

Graveyard is on his way to look for a job when a bag of money drops from the sky and falls into his path. Graveyard hurries home to his wife, Ambience to share in the good news. Together they go on a spending journey to have everything they always wanted. The owner of the money bag begins to search for his money and is willing to do whatever is necessary to get it back.

At first, I thought the character's names were a bit weird but, I thought I can just ignore it. But, when everything started having wack-a-doo naming, even the days of the week. I started losing interest in the novel very quickly. It took more effort to remember the weird names and what they meant. I spent more time trying to decipher the names than I was focusing on the novel. I couldn't even make it past a few chapters before I realized this book isn't for me.

 **Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Book Spotlight - As Many Nows as I Can Get by Shana Youngdahl

Photo Credit - Amazon

In one impulsive moment the summer before they leave for college, overachievers Scarlett and David plunge into an irresistible swirl of romance, particle physics, and questionable decisions.

Scarlett and David have known each other all their lives in small-town Graceville, Colorado, where David is just another mountain in the background, until, one day, he is suddenly so much more than part of the landscape. Magnetic, spontaneous, David is a gravitational force. And Scarlett, pragmatic, wry, eye on the future, welcomes the whirlwind he brings even as she resists it.

Moving between the present and the past, this is the story of a seemingly grounded girl who's pulled into a lightning-strike romance with an electric-charged boy, and the enormity of the aftermath. Smart, bold, and unconventionally romantic, Shana Youngdahl's debut explores grief, guilt, and reconciling who you think you need to be with the person you've been all along. It's an aching, transporting reminder that between the past that shapes us and the unknowable future, we have only the present to forgive ourselves and forge ahead.

  **Disclosure - I received a free  copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

 

Book Review - Still Here by Lara Vapnyar

Photo  Source - Amazon

**Disclosure - I received a free uncorrected advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion**

Four immigrant Russian friends are bought together by an act of betrayal. They wade through their complicated relationships with each other and dealing with the drudgery of everyday complications.  Each of the four friends leave their homeland for a better life but they are haunted by death, love, happiness, forgiveness and finding themselves in a digital age.  Vica and Sergey are a couple who are struggle as Sergey loses one job after another. Regina who was once a famous translator is married to a rich tech startup owner, Bob and is dealing with losing a loved one. While, Sergey's best friend is a programmer who is unsuccessfully searching for love and his true self.

Sergey develops an app called "Virtual Grave", which preserves a person's online presence. While, each one of the friends are dealing with loss, they view his app as a waste of time. However, it sparks a debate within the group on how someone's death should affect their virtual selves. When a person dies who should take over their online persona? How does our virtual lives define us? Will the friends be torn apart while trying to figure out what they want? 

The book was an interesting read. As a person who lives in NY and used to live in Staten Island and Brooklyn, it was fun to hear familiar places. However, the book was a bit boring and tedious at times. I fell like there was no story or real purpose to the novel. It  was like a cross between a "Friends" and "Seinfeld" episode. The title of the book "Still Here", is basically asking readers -- "Are You Still There"?