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1.16k reviews by:
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*
What a gem!
I'm not a particularly die-hard fantasy reader, but this book was so hard not to love. There's romance, there's suspense, there's shadows, there's spicy scenes, there's LGBTQ representation... there's literally so much. The main character, Meren, is a twin forced to live her life in the shadows. A secret stand in for her twin sister, the crown princess, she has literally lived her life waiting to die in her place. When she was kidnapped by the mysterious (and very complex character), Reven, she finds her world widened to beyond her own country's borders.
Perfect for fans of the famed ACOTAR, the sequel can't come soon enough!
What a gem!
I'm not a particularly die-hard fantasy reader, but this book was so hard not to love. There's romance, there's suspense, there's shadows, there's spicy scenes, there's LGBTQ representation... there's literally so much. The main character, Meren, is a twin forced to live her life in the shadows. A secret stand in for her twin sister, the crown princess, she has literally lived her life waiting to die in her place. When she was kidnapped by the mysterious (and very complex character), Reven, she finds her world widened to beyond her own country's borders.
Perfect for fans of the famed ACOTAR, the sequel can't come soon enough!
*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*
Living as a 'muggle' in San Francisco, Scarlet had all but turned her back on her messy family and even messier personal life-- but when her older sister leaves her a desperate phone call begging for her help, she has no choice but return to her beloved, and magical, hometown of Oak Haven. However, when faced with the very real possibility of Oak Haven losing its magic, as well as her own past mistakes, Scarlet has to decide how much of herself she's willing to sacrifice for the sake of her loved ones.
As you can tell based on the reviews, IMPRACTICAL MAGIC is a bit of a mixed bag. The author did a great job of capturing the quirky feel and dialogue of Gilmore Girls-- but that fast paced, randomness doesn't always translate well into print. Additionally, I spent the entire book feeling like I was reading a sequel. I constantly felt two steps behind on character relationships, inside jokes, and even plot lines... which made the reading experience a little difficult.
5/5 fall vibes, 2.5/5 (rounded up) plot.
Living as a 'muggle' in San Francisco, Scarlet had all but turned her back on her messy family and even messier personal life-- but when her older sister leaves her a desperate phone call begging for her help, she has no choice but return to her beloved, and magical, hometown of Oak Haven. However, when faced with the very real possibility of Oak Haven losing its magic, as well as her own past mistakes, Scarlet has to decide how much of herself she's willing to sacrifice for the sake of her loved ones.
As you can tell based on the reviews, IMPRACTICAL MAGIC is a bit of a mixed bag. The author did a great job of capturing the quirky feel and dialogue of Gilmore Girls-- but that fast paced, randomness doesn't always translate well into print. Additionally, I spent the entire book feeling like I was reading a sequel. I constantly felt two steps behind on character relationships, inside jokes, and even plot lines... which made the reading experience a little difficult.
5/5 fall vibes, 2.5/5 (rounded up) plot.
*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*
Eliza Levinger is many things-- she's the beloved best friend of Mo, annoying little sister for Scott, powerhouse nonprofit employee, and, now, an orphan at almost thirty. After losing her mother at only sixteen, Eliza struggled with the decisions her father made in the years after her mother's passing (especially in regards to his quick remarriage and choice of wife). Now, after a sudden death, Eliza will never have the chance to reconcile with the man who raised her.
However, an unexpected (and in many ways, unwelcome) letter from her long-gone mother reveals a family secret that turn's Eliza's family inside out. Suddenly, her rock-solid older brother feels more distant than ever, her step-mother has let her know Eliza's cut from her father's will, and Eliza... well Eliza has to come to terms with the fact that the man she's mourning isn't her biological father.
DEAR ELIZA tenderly explores the deeply complex web of grief and familial relationships. As you read, you can feel how personal this story is to the author-- how much of herself Stein wove into the characters and plot. What stuck out most personally while I was reading this book, was how real the story felt. While the plot was never action packed, it was still gripping and familiar in that this story, Eliza's story, could be about anyone.
Eliza Levinger is many things-- she's the beloved best friend of Mo, annoying little sister for Scott, powerhouse nonprofit employee, and, now, an orphan at almost thirty. After losing her mother at only sixteen, Eliza struggled with the decisions her father made in the years after her mother's passing (especially in regards to his quick remarriage and choice of wife). Now, after a sudden death, Eliza will never have the chance to reconcile with the man who raised her.
However, an unexpected (and in many ways, unwelcome) letter from her long-gone mother reveals a family secret that turn's Eliza's family inside out. Suddenly, her rock-solid older brother feels more distant than ever, her step-mother has let her know Eliza's cut from her father's will, and Eliza... well Eliza has to come to terms with the fact that the man she's mourning isn't her biological father.
DEAR ELIZA tenderly explores the deeply complex web of grief and familial relationships. As you read, you can feel how personal this story is to the author-- how much of herself Stein wove into the characters and plot. What stuck out most personally while I was reading this book, was how real the story felt. While the plot was never action packed, it was still gripping and familiar in that this story, Eliza's story, could be about anyone.
*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*
The second installment of the beloved Kamogawa Food Detectives, THE RESTAURANT OF LOST RECIPES is a perfect choice for a cozy, heartwarming book. Set up as six interconnecting, but stand alone, installments-- each patron of the Kamagowa Diner is welcomed in as family. Always given a comforting, skillfully crafted meal to start, Chef Nagare and his daughter Koishi also offer their popular food detective service. Patrons often come searching for this particular skill set, not just to rediscover a lost favorite food, but also to re-experience or uncover a hidden part of themselves.
LOST RECIPES was a lovely look into the very human connection between food and memories-- how the taste of a forgotten dish can reignite someone's spark or uncover a heartwarming memory of a loved one. Perfect for fans of Toshikazu Kawaguchi, or even just someone looking for a quick, but comforting book, THE RESTAURANT OF LOST RECIPES will not disappoint.
The second installment of the beloved Kamogawa Food Detectives, THE RESTAURANT OF LOST RECIPES is a perfect choice for a cozy, heartwarming book. Set up as six interconnecting, but stand alone, installments-- each patron of the Kamagowa Diner is welcomed in as family. Always given a comforting, skillfully crafted meal to start, Chef Nagare and his daughter Koishi also offer their popular food detective service. Patrons often come searching for this particular skill set, not just to rediscover a lost favorite food, but also to re-experience or uncover a hidden part of themselves.
LOST RECIPES was a lovely look into the very human connection between food and memories-- how the taste of a forgotten dish can reignite someone's spark or uncover a heartwarming memory of a loved one. Perfect for fans of Toshikazu Kawaguchi, or even just someone looking for a quick, but comforting book, THE RESTAURANT OF LOST RECIPES will 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*
Excuse me? Is this the sleeper hit (for me) of 2024? I do believe it is!!
Utterly charming and hilarious in equal parts, MURDER IN HIGHBURY is the perfect choice for fans of the classic Jane Austen novel and cozy mysteries. Kelly did a magnificent job of capturing the quirky and universally adored characters of Emma, making them not only approachable for the modern audience (for those of us who struggle with 'classic literature') but still reminiscent for the others that wouldn't change a single hair on Emma's nosy, intrusive, and chaotic little head.
The perfect fan-fiction inspired extension of Emma (the book), HIGHBURY picks up a year after Emma and Mr. Knightly's wedding. Fully of marital bliss and fulfilling her promise to keep her nose out of other's business, Emma finds herself right in the middle of a murder investigation. And any investigating on her part that follows is purely coincidental.
Narrator Polly Lee also did a fantastic job of capturing the large casts of character's unique voices. She delivered Emma's witty lines with perfect timing and I loved every moment of the audiobook.
This was my first of Vanessa Kelly's books, but it certainly will not be my last!
Excuse me? Is this the sleeper hit (for me) of 2024? I do believe it is!!
Utterly charming and hilarious in equal parts, MURDER IN HIGHBURY is the perfect choice for fans of the classic Jane Austen novel and cozy mysteries. Kelly did a magnificent job of capturing the quirky and universally adored characters of Emma, making them not only approachable for the modern audience (for those of us who struggle with 'classic literature') but still reminiscent for the others that wouldn't change a single hair on Emma's nosy, intrusive, and chaotic little head.
The perfect fan-fiction inspired extension of Emma (the book), HIGHBURY picks up a year after Emma and Mr. Knightly's wedding. Fully of marital bliss and fulfilling her promise to keep her nose out of other's business, Emma finds herself right in the middle of a murder investigation. And any investigating on her part that follows is purely coincidental.
Narrator Polly Lee also did a fantastic job of capturing the large casts of character's unique voices. She delivered Emma's witty lines with perfect timing and I loved every moment of the audiobook.
This was my first of Vanessa Kelly's books, but it certainly will not be my last!
*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*
Olivia Davenport is the eldest daughter that can do no wrong. Poised, polite, and beautiful, Olivia is on the cusp of deciding upon an advantageous match that will further secure her family's future in Chicago's elite upper-crust. However, when her eyes are opened to the world outside the ballroom, Olivia struggles to reconcile her expected roles as wife and eventual mother with a growing passion for civil rights.
Olivia's younger and more rebellious sister, Helen Davenport, has no desire to get married. More comfortable in her father's garage disassembling a Model-T than wearing a corset, the restrictions of her gender and familial expectations mean she's labeled as the family trouble maker. But unexpected acceptance from her sister's beau may have her heart leading her down a dangerous path...
Amy-Rose Shepherd has served in the Davenport household since she was a young girl, acting as playmate for Olivia and Helen while her mother worked in the kitchens. Desperate to make her own way in the world, out from under the thumb of the Davenport influence, Amy-Rose has her eyes set on a storefront for her own salon specializing in the care and maintenance of black hair textures. But just as she's ready to take the leap, everything around her begins to fall apart.
Family friend and confidant of Olivia, Ruby Tremaine has dreamed of officially becoming a Davenport (by marrying John, Olivia and Helen's brother) for most of her life. Her father's campaign for the first black mayor of Chicago has left the family's coffers nearly depleted, and suddenly the weight of her family's future rests on securing the match. However, John's eyes are wandering and the scheme to bring his jealous gaze back onto her has backfired in the best way.
Set in the 1910s, THE DAVENPORTS follow four black women during a time of lavish wealth for some and social upheaval for others. Often compared to the Bridgerton series, Downtown Abbey, or Gossip Girl, I feel like a more accurate comparison would be American Royals. Full of drama, teenage angst, complicated romantic entanglements, and four perspectives (that can, admittedly, get very confusing at times), THE DAVENPORTS fees like a historical, African-American version of Katharine McGee's popular YA series.
Olivia Davenport is the eldest daughter that can do no wrong. Poised, polite, and beautiful, Olivia is on the cusp of deciding upon an advantageous match that will further secure her family's future in Chicago's elite upper-crust. However, when her eyes are opened to the world outside the ballroom, Olivia struggles to reconcile her expected roles as wife and eventual mother with a growing passion for civil rights.
Olivia's younger and more rebellious sister, Helen Davenport, has no desire to get married. More comfortable in her father's garage disassembling a Model-T than wearing a corset, the restrictions of her gender and familial expectations mean she's labeled as the family trouble maker. But unexpected acceptance from her sister's beau may have her heart leading her down a dangerous path...
Amy-Rose Shepherd has served in the Davenport household since she was a young girl, acting as playmate for Olivia and Helen while her mother worked in the kitchens. Desperate to make her own way in the world, out from under the thumb of the Davenport influence, Amy-Rose has her eyes set on a storefront for her own salon specializing in the care and maintenance of black hair textures. But just as she's ready to take the leap, everything around her begins to fall apart.
Family friend and confidant of Olivia, Ruby Tremaine has dreamed of officially becoming a Davenport (by marrying John, Olivia and Helen's brother) for most of her life. Her father's campaign for the first black mayor of Chicago has left the family's coffers nearly depleted, and suddenly the weight of her family's future rests on securing the match. However, John's eyes are wandering and the scheme to bring his jealous gaze back onto her has backfired in the best way.
Set in the 1910s, THE DAVENPORTS follow four black women during a time of lavish wealth for some and social upheaval for others. Often compared to the Bridgerton series, Downtown Abbey, or Gossip Girl, I feel like a more accurate comparison would be American Royals. Full of drama, teenage angst, complicated romantic entanglements, and four perspectives (that can, admittedly, get very confusing at times), THE DAVENPORTS fees like a historical, African-American version of Katharine McGee's popular YA series.
*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*
VERSAILLES is a book that attempts to capture the elusive spirit of Marie Antoinette and the opulence of Versailles at its peak. A fluid combination of poetry, screenplay, first-person and third-person perspective, I never really knew what was going on while I was reading but I could sense the emotion of the story.
Reading it felt like a fever dream mixed with an interpretive dance (or maybe like when you're a child with the flu and are passing in an out of consciousness with the History Channel playing on the tv)-- not quite suited to my tastes, but maybe you're up for the challenge?
VERSAILLES is a book that attempts to capture the elusive spirit of Marie Antoinette and the opulence of Versailles at its peak. A fluid combination of poetry, screenplay, first-person and third-person perspective, I never really knew what was going on while I was reading but I could sense the emotion of the story.
Reading it felt like a fever dream mixed with an interpretive dance (or maybe like when you're a child with the flu and are passing in an out of consciousness with the History Channel playing on the tv)-- not quite suited to my tastes, but maybe you're up for the challenge?