Vanja, the adopted goddaughter of Death and Fortune, was Princess Gisele’s dutiful servant up until a year ago. That was when Vanja’s otherworldly mothers demanded a terrible price for their care, and Vanja decided to steal her future back… by stealing Gisele’s life for herself. The real Gisele is left a penniless nobody while Vanja uses an enchanted string of pearls to take her place. Now, Vanja leads a lonely but lucrative double life as princess and jewel thief, charming nobility while emptying their coffers to fund her great escape. Then, one heist away from freedom, Vanja crosses the wrong god and is cursed to an untimely end: turning into jewels, stone by stone, for her greed. Vanja has just two weeks to figure out how to break her curse and make her getaway. And with a feral guardian half-god, Gisele’s sinister fiancé, and an overeager junior detective on Vanja’s tail, she’ll have to pull the biggest grift yet to save her own life.

@bookishswiftiesclub June YA read! This is a retelling of The Goose Girl, a fairytale I was not familiar with going into my read. I think the book did a really good job of keeping the fantasy vibes while also mixing in a fair amount of adventure and drama. At first Vanja comes across as a bit of a selfish antihero, but throughout the book her motivations and background are revealed, making her a complex character and endearing her to the reader. I enjoyed her growth throughout the story, as well as her quest for independence. I also really enjoyed the medieval German setting of this book, which overall really added to the fairytale atmosphere. There were a lot of different side characters that also had their own back stories and complexities, and I really loved their relationships with one another. There were a lot of characters, but I never felt overwhelmed by the amount or had trouble keeping them straight. The book also had great queer representation! If you’re a fan of fantasy or fairytale retellings, definitely pick this up.

Shane works with her mother and their ghost dogs, tracking down missing persons even when their families can’t afford to pay. Their own family was displaced from their traditional home years ago following a devastating flood and the loss of Shane’s father and her grandparents. Shane’s mother and a local boy go missing after a strange interaction with a fairy ring. Shane, her brother, her friends, and her lone, surviving grandparent—who isn’t exactly trustworthy—set off to find them. But they may not be anywhere in this world—or this place in time. 

I absolutely loved this book and the entire Elatsoe universe that Darcie Little Badger has created! This book solidified Little Badger as an auto-buy author for me and I am respectfully BEGGING for stories about all of Elatsoe’s ancestors all the way back to six-great grandma! I absolutely love the atmosphere of these stories—the mystic is grounded in reality, and the strong female protagonists are such wonderful characters, making the books a true joy to read. I loved that in this book, much like in Elatsoe, Little Badger was able to capture much of the Lipan mythology and lore and intertwine it into a fascinating coming of age story about the importance of family and heritage. But what took this above and beyond was that she also addressed many of the hardships and cultural/generational trauma that Native Americans have suffered through throughout history, particularly displacement. I love that Little Badger is able to write about her heritage in a way that is as informative as it is entertaining, and there is something very special about the accessibility and magic of her writing. All the starts to this book. I highly recommend this series and this author, and can’t wait for what comes next!

In eighth grade, Amy was voted “Most likely to appear on Jeopardy!” by her classmates. Decades later, she finally got her chance. Not only did she walk away with $1.3 million while captivating the world with her impressive forty-game winning streak, but she made history and won an even greater prize—being herself on national television and blazing a trail for openly queer and transgender people around the world. Now, she shares her journey that led to becoming an unlikely icon and hero to millions.

I loved Amy’s run on Jeopardy, and I was excited when I saw she had written a memoir. She is obviously insanely smart, and that definitely came across in her storytelling ability. I listened to this on audio, and she read it, which was a fun and special treat. I really loved getting to know more about her history and background, and appreciate how candid she was with sharing things that have happened throughout her life and in her transition. One thing, however, that really bothered me was how flippant she was about drug use. She spent a lot of time talking about how drug use has helped her cope through different difficulties throughout her life, but without at all addressing or acknowledging the dangers of using drugs. I understand that that is her personal experience, but I think it is very dangerous to talk about drug use to any audience without discussing any of its repercussions. This detracted from how much I otherwise enjoyed the book. At times, the chapters felt disjointed and felt more like an unconnected series of essays. For these reasons, I probably wouldn’t recommend this unless are very interested in learning more about Amy.

In the near-future United States, where advanced technology can create egg or sperm from any person’s cells, celebrities face the alarming potential of meeting biological children they never conceived. Famous singer Trace Thorne is tired of being targeted by the Vault, a black market site devoted to stealing DNA. Sick of paying ransom money for his own cell matter, he hires bio-security guard Ember Ryan to ensure his biological safety. Working for Thorne, her focus becomes split when she begins to fall for him, but she knows she hasn’t let anything slip–love or not, his DNA is safe. But then she and Thorne are confronted by a pregnant woman, Quinn, who claims that Thorne is the father of her baby, and all bets are off.

Thank you @netgalley for this ARC! This book had an interesting premise but I found the execution to be a hot mess. I really wanted to like it but the writing. Was. SO. Bad. The syntax was all over the place, making everything seem incredibly choppy. The characters also came across as quite flat and I couldn’t bring myself to care for or be invested in any of their stories. Their motivations are very murky for the majority of the book. There was kind of a twist at the end but it wasn’t enough to make up for the chaotic plot structure. I wouldn’t classify this as a thriller as there was really no suspense. The sci-fi elements were also kind of strange and rooted more in fantasy than science. The book also had an opportunity to delve into deeper themes of medical ethics and surrogacy, but those were more surface level plot elements and I was disappointed by that. Overall this had some potential but the execution made this a miss for me.

Patrick, or Gay Uncle Patrick (GUP for short), has always loved his niece Maisie and nephew Grant. That is, he loves spending time with them when they come out to Palm Springs for weeklong visits, or when he heads home to Connecticut for the holidays. But in terms of caretaking and relating to two children, Patrick is overwhelmed. So when tragedy strikes and Maisie and Grant lose their mother and Patrick’s brother has a health crisis, Patrick finds himself suddenly taking on the role of primary guardian. Despite having a set of “Guncle Rules” ready to go, Patrick has no idea what to expect, having spent years barely holding on after the loss of his great love, a somewhat-stalled acting career, and a lifestyle not-so-suited to a six- and a nine-year-old. Quickly realizing that parenting—even if temporary—isn’t solved with treats and jokes, Patrick’s eyes are opened to a new sense of responsibility.

Full of heart and humor, this book was a wonderful read about family, grief, identity, and healing. This book is binge worthy and full of delightful characters! They all experience a rollercoaster of emotions pad they deal with their grief together and individually, and they all felt so raw and real. Grief can be a challenging subject to both read and write about, and Rowley handled it so beautifully in this book. There was so much warmth and the perfect amount of humor mixed in with the more somber moments. The children Maisie and Grant were so adorable and hilarious, and I loved how they grew throughout the book and also challenged Patrick to grow as well. All around this was a great feel good story about family and moving on, and I definitely recommend it!

As boys, best friends Jeremy Cox and Rafe Howell went missing in a vast West Virginia state forest, only to mysteriously reappear six months later with no explanation for where they’d gone or how they’d survived. Fifteen years after their miraculous homecoming, Rafe is a reclusive artist who has no memory of what happened during those months. Meanwhile, Jeremy has become a famed missing persons’ investigator. With his uncanny abilities, he is the one person who can help vet tech Emilie Wendell find her sister, who vanished in the very same forest. Jeremy alone knows the fantastical truth about the disappearances, for while the rest of the world was searching for them, the two missing boys were in a magical realm filled with impossible beauty and terrible danger. He believes it is there that they will find Emilie’s sister. But the time for burying secrets comes to an end as the quest for Emilie’s sister begins. The former lost boys must confront their shared past, no matter how traumatic the memories.

Thank you so much @netgalley and @meg_shaffer for this ARC! The author of The Wishing Game is back with an other fantastical tale full of heart and whimsy. This book leans more into the fantasy world than the magical realism of The Wishing Game and I really enjoyed it. I really l loved the themes of making your own home, found family, the power of magical believing in changing unfortunate circumstances, forgiveness, and never giving up on fantasy. Shaffer created such a beautiful fantasy world in Shanandoah and I could easily escape into that world while reading! All of the characters were so endearing and I loved how they all worked together. And I REALLY enjoyed all of the Fleetwood Mac references! Definitely look for The Lost Story when it hits shelves in July!

Book 71 of 2024: The Forbidden Book by Sacha Lamb

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

On the night before her wedding, 17-year-old Sorel leaps from a window and runs away from her life. To keep from being discovered, she takes on the male identity of Isser Jacobs — but it soon becomes clear that there is a real Isser Jacobs, and people want him dead. Her mistaken identity takes Sorel into the dark underworld of her small city, where smugglers, forgers, and wicked angels fight for control of the Jewish community. In order to make it out, Sorel must discover who Isser Jacobs really is — and who she wants to be.

Thank you @netgalley and @sachalamb.author for this ARC! This was a super fun read! I loved the queer representation and the Jewish folklore in this story. If anything I wish the book was longer so the reader could enjoy more of the adventure and escapades of Sorel, Adela, and Isser. The pace was excellent and this was a super quick read for me as I wanted to find out what would happen. The magical elements were so cool and I loved the incorporation of Jewish culture and stories. I also really enjoyed the historical Russian setting. This book was really well researched and very enjoyable. The Forbidden Book will be published on October 1–check it out!

Book 65 of 2024: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch 

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Are you happy with your life?” Those are the last words Jason Dessen hears before the kidnapper knocks him unconscious.  When he awakes, he finds himself strapped to a gurney, surrounded by strangers in hazmat suits. Before a man he’s never met smiles down at him and says, “Welcome back, my friend.” In this world he’s woken up to, Jason’s life is not the one he knows. His wife is not his wife. His son was never born. And Jason is not an ordinary college professor but a celebrated genius who has achieved something remarkable. Something impossible. Is it this life or the other that’s the dream? And even if the home he remembers is real, how will Jason make it back to the family he loves?

Thriller meets sci-fi in this gripping tale that challenges the boundaries of reality and imagination! This story is ultimately about all of the different paths our lives could take, and how many things would be different depending on seemingly insignificant choices. The book was super fast paced and I sped through it. It was almost like an old episode of The Twilight Zone—my mind was blown and I couldn’t look away. Jason was a super interesting character and I loved how he was able to examine different versions of his life and be grateful for the one that he had. Some of the science elements got a little complex for me but I found the premise behind the science so interesting and unique that the more scientific moments didn’t bother me. I really liked the book’s examination of the themes of the consequence of choice and the endless possibilities of existence. This book will definitely get you thinking! And hopefully appreciate the life that you have. Great read!

Book 62 of 2024: The Women by Kristin Hannah

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Raised in the idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, nursing student Frankie McGrath has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path. As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. In war, she meets―and becomes one of―the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost. But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, angry protesters, and a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

Phyllis’s former student book club read for May! Kristin Hannah is the queen of historical fiction and she’s nailed it again with this book. I learned so much about the Vietnam war, and particularly women’s role in it, and the struggles of returning to civilian life post-service. This book was incredibly well researched, as I’ve come to expect with Hannah‘s books. It covered a lot of topics, including sexism, the ethics of war, treatment of veterans, women’s rights, mental health, the sexual and cultural revolution of the 1960s and 70s, and civil rights. Hannah does such an incredible job of creating characters that are so human and layered. I learned a lot through Frankie’s experience and stories. The pacing of this book was excellent; I read it in two days and I couldn’t put it down. While the scenes in Vietnam were filled with action, I found Frankie’s grappling with her mental health upon returning to the United States just as compelling. I also really loved Frankie’s female friendships. Definitely can’t recommend this one enough!

Book 61 of 2024: Middletide by Sarah Crouch

Rating: ⭐️⭐️💫/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One morning, in the small Puget Sound town of Point Orchards, the lifeless body of Dr. Erin Landry is found hanging from a tree on the property of Elijah Leith. Sheriff Jim Godbout’s initial investigation points to an obvious suicide, but upon closer inspection, there seem to be clues of foul play when he discovers that the circumstances of the beautiful doctor’s death were ripped straight from the pages of Elijah’s own novel. Out of money and motivation, Elijah returns to his empty childhood home to lick the wounds of his failed writing career. He throws himself into restoring the ramshackle cabin his father left behind and rekindling his relationship with Nakita, the extraordinary girl from the nearby reservation whom he was never able to forget. As the town of Point Orchards turns against him, Elijah must fight for his innocence against an unexpected foe who is close and cunning enough to flawlessly frame him for murder.

This book had a lot of potential, but I found the execution a little lackluster. The majority of the book was a very slow. The story was told in dual timelines, switching between present day, murder investigation, and Elijah‘s past I found myself struggling through Elijah‘s past sections quite a bit; while they were laying the ground for the story and introducing all of the complexities of the various characters, they were sometimes a bit long-winded, and I found myself wanting to figure out more about what happened. The story developed slowly and the last quarter of the book moves much faster. I also feel weird about the author and venting a Native American tribe for the sake of the story. I didn’t really find that the Native American tribe had much influence over the story so I kept questioning why it was necessary for the author to do this. I understand that perhaps she did not want to misrepresent an existing tribe, but it felt like a strange choice. The ending of the novel was satisfying and wrapped up everything nicely, and the writing was quite good, but there were just a few things I could not get past that made this book fall short of my expectations.