thelovelylibrarylady's Reviews (1.1k)

I enjoyed the first half of this book. Inspired by Saturday Night Live, Sally, the protagonist is a writer for a late-night live comedy show. She meets Noah Brewster when he is the host and musical guest for the week’s show. I loved the banter between the two love interests and Sally’s coworkers on the show. However, this book takes a major turn when the Covid-19 pandemic arrives and turns Sally’s life upside down. While this accurately describes what the pandemic did for most people, I still have a hard time reading about it, especially in fictional accounts. It does not feel like it is possible that we are far enough from the event to have it be featured in published titles. I probably would not have read it if I had known that it would have such a prominent presence in this story.

(PUB DATE: AVAILABLE NOW)

(I received an audio recording of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.) 

This atmospheric romance was adorable! McKinlay’s writing transported me to Ireland and I loved all of the vivid descriptions of the small village where the story takes place. The slow-burn romance between Emily and Kieran was written beautifully, giving me enough that I did not get bored as I sometimes do with this trope. This title is a must-read for romance lovers due to its extremely loveable cast and charming setting. 

(PUB DATE: 05/14/2024)

(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.) 

The Cat Man of Aleppo is a short children’s picture book that tells the story of Mohammad Alaa Aljaleel, a man who took care of abandoned cats and other animals during the Syrian Civil War. This story is uplifting but made me cry because I was so moved by Aljaleel’s actions. The illustrations were stunning and the book is well deserving of its Caldecott Medal. 

This translated title focuses on the themes of loneliness and the importance of human connection. Fuyuko, the protagonist, lives a solitary life with all of her interpersonal interactions happening at work. Unfortunately, these interactions are harmful and when Fuyuko gets the opportunity to leave her hostile work environment for freelance work, she jumps at the opportunity. This literary title follows Fuyuko while she tries to seek out human connection in her new, even more isolated life. The plot is slow, but the writing is beautiful. All the Lovers in the Night is a character-driven novel that ultimately left me underwhelmed. 

Focusing on a couple who has recently experienced a miscarriage, Hill expertly blends the emotions of grief and fear in this story. The Pram was both immersive and unnerving and was a great addition to this collection. 

It Waits in the Woods was my least favorite story from the Creature Feature collection. Brenda, the protagonist, takes it upon herself to find out the truth about a forest that has a history of being a place where people go missing including her sister. While the premise was promising, the story itself ended up being so far-fetched that it bordered into ridiculousness 

 As a New Englander, I loved the Cape Cod setting of this story. Compared to the other stories in the collection, I found this title to lean more sci-fi than horror, but it was well-written as you would expect from Tremblay. 

This was my first taste of Mott’s writing and I can’t wait to pick up more of his work. Best of Luck focuses on the true testament of friendship and was an enthralling read. 

I loved this creepy short story. In just under 60 pages, Baker manages to shock the audience with unimaginable twists. I loved the trickery of this title and it was my favorite story from the collection. 

Page reflects upon his experiences as a queer person in Hollywood and a heteronormative society in this memoir. This book is a difficult, but necessary read as it gives readers of all identities insight into the hardships transgender/queer individuals endure. Pageboy is a poignant title that belongs on the shelf at every library.