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anabel_unker
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
Tender and heartwarming, BROTHER DO YOU LOVE ME, gives the readers a glimpse into the lives of brothers Reuben and Manni. Manni, the legal guardian of his younger brother Reuben, receives a heartbreaking text asking “brother. do. you. love. me.” prompting a swift removal from Manni’s group home to in England to the quiet countryside. There, the two brothers fall into a domestic routine of mealtimes and walks in crisp winter air while Manni tries to tenderly restore Reuben’s broken spirit.
The amount of love woven into every word of the story is palpable, and is a beautiful monument to true brotherhood. Manni’s deep rooted love for his brother, his desire for Reuben’s happiness and fulfillment, is the core of this memoir– but Reuben is absolutely the heart.
Tender and heartwarming, BROTHER DO YOU LOVE ME, gives the readers a glimpse into the lives of brothers Reuben and Manni. Manni, the legal guardian of his younger brother Reuben, receives a heartbreaking text asking “brother. do. you. love. me.” prompting a swift removal from Manni’s group home to in England to the quiet countryside. There, the two brothers fall into a domestic routine of mealtimes and walks in crisp winter air while Manni tries to tenderly restore Reuben’s broken spirit.
The amount of love woven into every word of the story is palpable, and is a beautiful monument to true brotherhood. Manni’s deep rooted love for his brother, his desire for Reuben’s happiness and fulfillment, is the core of this memoir– but Reuben is absolutely the heart.
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
Definitely a contender for most unique contemporary romance I’ve ever read, MORBIDLY YOURS has stolen my heart! Incredibly unique and very steamy, this book was a fresh take on many romance cliche’s– and made the genre feel new again. The romantic tension was impecunious, the main characters impossible to not love, and (even though I normally can’t stand a will-they-won’t-they) the story genuinely enjoyable.
If you’re willing to take a chance, this story will definitely not disappoint!!
Definitely a contender for most unique contemporary romance I’ve ever read, MORBIDLY YOURS has stolen my heart! Incredibly unique and very steamy, this book was a fresh take on many romance cliche’s– and made the genre feel new again. The romantic tension was impecunious, the main characters impossible to not love, and (even though I normally can’t stand a will-they-won’t-they) the story genuinely enjoyable.
If you’re willing to take a chance, this story will definitely not disappoint!!
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
Back for another adventure, this time five years older and (potentially) wiser, Gay Uncle Patrick (affectionately known as Gup), and his nibilings Maisie and Grant, take on Europe as Patrick attempts to impart wisdom and humor on a younger generation.
Patrick’s brother, Gary (and the father of aforementioned Maisie and Grant), surprises everyone by announcing his impending nuptials to Italian marchesa Livia, much to the dismay of his children. In an effort to give the engaged some space to plan their extravagant wedding, Patrick and the kids take Europe by train (and car and Sound of Music tour bus)– meeting the rest of the family at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo at Lake Como in Italy.
Dealing with not only his beloved niece and nephew’s attempts to thwart the marriage, his sister’s decision to land a rich, Italian husband, his own relationship ending, and the impending 50th birthday that looms– Patrick also has to handle the unwelcome introduction of the launt, or Lesbian Aunt.
Sequels rarely capture the magic of the first, but, somehow, THE GUNCLE ABROAD proves to be special in its own right. A touching story about grief and the acceptance of moving forward in life and love, I can admit I was teary eyed more than a few times while reading– but Patrick’s characteristic banter and self-deprecation, as well as the heartwarming love between the GUP and his wards, kept the book light enough for me to enjoy in a single sitting.
Back with just the right amount of wit and warmth, THE GUNCLE ABROAD is a European delight for old (and new) fans of Steven Rawley.
Back for another adventure, this time five years older and (potentially) wiser, Gay Uncle Patrick (affectionately known as Gup), and his nibilings Maisie and Grant, take on Europe as Patrick attempts to impart wisdom and humor on a younger generation.
Patrick’s brother, Gary (and the father of aforementioned Maisie and Grant), surprises everyone by announcing his impending nuptials to Italian marchesa Livia, much to the dismay of his children. In an effort to give the engaged some space to plan their extravagant wedding, Patrick and the kids take Europe by train (and car and Sound of Music tour bus)– meeting the rest of the family at the Grand Hotel Tremezzo at Lake Como in Italy.
Dealing with not only his beloved niece and nephew’s attempts to thwart the marriage, his sister’s decision to land a rich, Italian husband, his own relationship ending, and the impending 50th birthday that looms– Patrick also has to handle the unwelcome introduction of the launt, or Lesbian Aunt.
Sequels rarely capture the magic of the first, but, somehow, THE GUNCLE ABROAD proves to be special in its own right. A touching story about grief and the acceptance of moving forward in life and love, I can admit I was teary eyed more than a few times while reading– but Patrick’s characteristic banter and self-deprecation, as well as the heartwarming love between the GUP and his wards, kept the book light enough for me to enjoy in a single sitting.
Back with just the right amount of wit and warmth, THE GUNCLE ABROAD is a European delight for old (and new) fans of Steven Rawley.
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
Natalie Hart has a lot riding on winning this $100,000 scholarship. Of course, competing on the nature reality TV show Wild Adventures in her own backyard gives her the home court advantage-- if only she knew how to play the game. And, while being randomly placed on a team with a grumpy outdoorsman may not be the worst thing when braving the Appalachian Trail, it doesn't exactly make great footage or good trail conversation. However, as the two continue to place in the competition, Natalie begins to find hidden depths to Finn Markham that may have Natalie fighting for a prize besides the scholarship.
It has been a long time since I've loved a YA book. Sure, I've read some good ones in the past few years, but WILD ABOUT YOU reminded me what it was like to be a high schooler reading about love-- the butterflies and silly smiles you get when reading something sweet (rather than spicy). This book was a lot of fun, and sure, it was silly in certain places, but it also dealt with some pretty intense topics such as grandparent and parental death, anxiety, bullying, and difficult family dynamics in a very realistic and healthy way. If you're looking for a sweet, outdoorsy, grumpyxsunshine book to read this summer-- look no further!
Natalie Hart has a lot riding on winning this $100,000 scholarship. Of course, competing on the nature reality TV show Wild Adventures in her own backyard gives her the home court advantage-- if only she knew how to play the game. And, while being randomly placed on a team with a grumpy outdoorsman may not be the worst thing when braving the Appalachian Trail, it doesn't exactly make great footage or good trail conversation. However, as the two continue to place in the competition, Natalie begins to find hidden depths to Finn Markham that may have Natalie fighting for a prize besides the scholarship.
It has been a long time since I've loved a YA book. Sure, I've read some good ones in the past few years, but WILD ABOUT YOU reminded me what it was like to be a high schooler reading about love-- the butterflies and silly smiles you get when reading something sweet (rather than spicy). This book was a lot of fun, and sure, it was silly in certain places, but it also dealt with some pretty intense topics such as grandparent and parental death, anxiety, bullying, and difficult family dynamics in a very realistic and healthy way. If you're looking for a sweet, outdoorsy, grumpyxsunshine book to read this summer-- look no further!
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
I thought this book would have it all: romance, travel, friends/enemies to lovers. However, too much of it fell flat for me to really fall in love. I have two BIG issues with the book overall, the first being the whole drama between the two main characters relies on a lack of communication (which is so frustrating as a reader and way overused in the romance genre as a whole), the second problem lies in the fact that Dylan and Jack are pretty incompatible as people and their chemistry fell flat.
Dylan is fun and free, she thrives on spontaneity and feels restricted by her position as a staff writer for Buxom-- she very much flies by the seat of her pants and enjoys doing so. Jack, on the other hand, is a straight laced guy who seems to thrive within a plan-- something Dylan teases him for pretty relentlessly throughout the book. In the end, it felt like it was Jack who changed to make the relationship work, with Dylan dragging him along behind her.
And the communication. It felt like the majority of the conflicts could have been resolved with open and honest communication. For goodness sake, it felt like Jack genuinely hated Dylan for a good majority of the book and it was never explained why-- was it because she ghosted him? Was it because of family or job issues? Or does he always just act like he has a stick up his butt until he has a chance to warm up to someone?
Additionally, while Jack's staunch hatred of social media seems a little heavy handed for anyone living in the 21st century (I'm not doubting that some people do hold his beliefs, but I also doubt the same people would give their initial consent to be written about for a popular magazine), it was definitely not professional or honestly even kind of Dylan to publish an article about Jack without allowing him to read it first?
While the locations of the book sounded beautiful (but only briefly explored), the settings weren't enough to make me fall in love with WANDERLUST.
I thought this book would have it all: romance, travel, friends/enemies to lovers. However, too much of it fell flat for me to really fall in love. I have two BIG issues with the book overall, the first being the whole drama between the two main characters relies on a lack of communication (which is so frustrating as a reader and way overused in the romance genre as a whole), the second problem lies in the fact that Dylan and Jack are pretty incompatible as people and their chemistry fell flat.
Dylan is fun and free, she thrives on spontaneity and feels restricted by her position as a staff writer for Buxom-- she very much flies by the seat of her pants and enjoys doing so. Jack, on the other hand, is a straight laced guy who seems to thrive within a plan-- something Dylan teases him for pretty relentlessly throughout the book. In the end, it felt like it was Jack who changed to make the relationship work, with Dylan dragging him along behind her.
And the communication. It felt like the majority of the conflicts could have been resolved with open and honest communication. For goodness sake, it felt like Jack genuinely hated Dylan for a good majority of the book and it was never explained why-- was it because she ghosted him? Was it because of family or job issues? Or does he always just act like he has a stick up his butt until he has a chance to warm up to someone?
Additionally, while Jack's staunch hatred of social media seems a little heavy handed for anyone living in the 21st century (I'm not doubting that some people do hold his beliefs, but I also doubt the same people would give their initial consent to be written about for a popular magazine), it was definitely not professional or honestly even kind of Dylan to publish an article about Jack without allowing him to read it first?
While the locations of the book sounded beautiful (but only briefly explored), the settings weren't enough to make me fall in love with WANDERLUST.
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity.*
ANIMAL LIFE is centered around a midwife, Dómhildur, and follows the twists and turns of her great-aunt's uncovered manuscripts. At it's core, this book is about inheritance of professions and stewardship. Dómhildur followed her maternal lineage's tradition of becoming a midwife, and while this book touches on the darkness and light that can be found in deliveries-- it also dives in and out of so many subjects of life. The book often feels disjointed, but is tied together with Dómhildur's own experiences and day-to-day life.
This book feels more philosophical and contemplative than anything else. Many readers will (and do) struggle with its lack of plot or direction-- but I thoroughly enjoyed ANIMAL's transcendent structure and am grateful I had the opportunity to listen to this beautifully narrated version.
ANIMAL LIFE is centered around a midwife, Dómhildur, and follows the twists and turns of her great-aunt's uncovered manuscripts. At it's core, this book is about inheritance of professions and stewardship. Dómhildur followed her maternal lineage's tradition of becoming a midwife, and while this book touches on the darkness and light that can be found in deliveries-- it also dives in and out of so many subjects of life. The book often feels disjointed, but is tied together with Dómhildur's own experiences and day-to-day life.
This book feels more philosophical and contemplative than anything else. Many readers will (and do) struggle with its lack of plot or direction-- but I thoroughly enjoyed ANIMAL's transcendent structure and am grateful I had the opportunity to listen to this beautifully narrated version.
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
This novella manages, with its sparse language and rousing narration, to tell a wide story of a little girl. She is not abused by her family, and the only neglect comes from being lost in a large family, but there is a sense that the unnamed narrator knows her own worthlessness. And, when fostered to a welcoming home with unconditional love and genuine affection, she blossoms into someone with self worth and has the necessary resources to grow.
Set in the 1980s, FOSTER is the story of a little girl's summer spent with a foster family to alleviate her birth family's financial burden for a season. She is unfamiliar with modern comforts such as hot water on tap, and slowly begins to find her place in the new house. FOSTER is written in a very calculated way-- not a single word is wasted, and each sentence weaves into the larger tapestry with purpose. Though it's a relatively quick read, FOSTER is not easy to forget.
This novella manages, with its sparse language and rousing narration, to tell a wide story of a little girl. She is not abused by her family, and the only neglect comes from being lost in a large family, but there is a sense that the unnamed narrator knows her own worthlessness. And, when fostered to a welcoming home with unconditional love and genuine affection, she blossoms into someone with self worth and has the necessary resources to grow.
Set in the 1980s, FOSTER is the story of a little girl's summer spent with a foster family to alleviate her birth family's financial burden for a season. She is unfamiliar with modern comforts such as hot water on tap, and slowly begins to find her place in the new house. FOSTER is written in a very calculated way-- not a single word is wasted, and each sentence weaves into the larger tapestry with purpose. Though it's a relatively quick read, FOSTER is not easy to forget.