This book was a well-earned 5-star read for me, and I can definitely see myself returning to this story and these characters. It was so interesting seeing 2 people in such different stages of healing and self-awareness try to make it work. Both characters had to learn how to trust the other again in their new and vulnerable state. Second-chance romances are interesting because you have two people who are learning to love a new iteration of a person they know intimately; the old-them is constantly at war with the new-them, and it was fascinating to see Ryan tackle this concept with Yasmen and Josiah. Speaking of our brooding and hard-headed father of the hour, Josiah takes so long to begin to learn how to heal and express his emotions, but it’s so worth it when he finally makes a breakthrough. There were times where I seriously frustrated with him and his blatant rejection of emotional availability, and I was waiting for this to be addressed, and I’m glad it was.

BEFORE I LET GO has incredible writing; it’s heartfelt, complex, dynamic, and funny. I’ve highlighted several passages and lines that made my soul thing, and I’m itching for the Soledad’s story. I loved Yasmen's friendship with Hendrix and Soledad; it was robust, funny, and had a strong sense of well-earned sisterhood that can only be found between Black women. I also appreciated Yasmen’s therapist reminding her (and us, as readers) that healing is cyclical and that Depression is a trickster. The work Ryan did to show how far Yasmen had come since her divorcing Josiah and the work she was continuing to do was well-researched and heartfelt.

This was one of my more enjoyable reading experiences for a fantasy book that previously wasn’t on my radar. I liked how blended the world is, as it seems that it’s inspired by several real-world cultures, even though this was never explicitly stated. I’m hoping that in Book 2, The Midnight Kingdom (which releases next month), we get a lot more expansion of the different countries surrounding the city of Nexus. I found the characters complex and compelling (even tho I def wanted to stab Angelica thru the eye for 90% of the book ), and I’m looking forward to the expansion of the side characters. Nik’s character arc is definitely the most rewarding, and Risha is definitely the most grounded character (and probably the most emotionally stable of the heirs lol).

That 4th quarter, tho! That last 25% of the book hit DIFFERENT, and I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough! The slow pacing for most of the book definitely helps build up and set us up for how action-packed and wild of a ride the last 25% of the book is. Now that we know the stakes, tho, I’m expecting The Midnight Kingdom to grab us by our throats and not let go until the very end, cuz it’s clear Tara Sim knows how to write action, character, and reveals! 

SUNSHINE NAILS is a character-focused tale of the Trans, a Vietnamese-Canadian family, led by husband and wife Phil and Debbie and consisting of siblings Jessica and Dustin, as well as their cousin Thuy. What’s most striking about this novel is the character work that went into it. The characters feel fleshed out, believable, and real. The only exception is Phil and Debbie’s niece Thuy; I was initially intrigued by Thuy and her perspective on things, being that she recently emigrated to Canada to work in Phil and Debbie’s nail salon. As the story progresses, though, Thuy falls by the wayside and doesn’t get enough development, especially compared to the other characters. 

SUNSHINE NAILS talks about the harmful nature of white guilt, especially its impact on small businesses, specifically those run by immigrants and those in other marginalized groups. I found this to be poignant and precise, and it definitely made me take a step back and reflect. This novel also confronts the question: What is the American Dream and who is it for? SUNSHINE NAILS mixes societal commentary on gentrification, the American Dream, and “subtle” racism with humor and evolving family dynamics through brevity and quick pacing.