BEST READS from 2019

     

I was willing to forego last year’s best list, then again, how can I say I was satisfied with my read list if I didn’t actually say why I was satisfied in the first place. So, weeks went by and here I am, late as usual.

In no particular order, here are the best books I read last 2019:

   

Winter of the Witch by Katherine Arden:
The Winternight Trilogy may not be the most epic trilogy there is but it definitely holds power that I will always embrace it close to heart. The mixture of old tales I knew as a child with grand history is both fascinating and immersive. And Ms. Arden writes so beautifully, too. She ended this trilogy on a very high note. Not many had been successful in that attempt. You may want to try the audio version as well, read by Kathleen Gati.

The Library of Lost and Found by Phaedra Patrick:
I love reading books about books and library settings. Book lovers are the most interesting people, right? A reminder that we should protect all the Marthas in the world. I read this twice in a row. Simply wonderful. And Ms. Patrick picks the most curious protagonist.

The Strawberry Thief by Joanne Harris:
There are very few series I follow through the years and Chocolat is one of them. Lansquenet-sous-Tannes and its people feel like home to me. And I will continue reading them for as long as they exist.

The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg:
I love Berg’s take on people. I love her characters, including their flaws. I’m glad she gave her characters another motivation in life. I’m glad to have met Arthur and wishing there’d be more like him in the world. I’m happy knowing that his kindness survived him and will continue effecting.

The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay:
I breezed through this. I love that this book loves the books I love. And the life lessons are spot on. Ms. Raey wrote these different facets of womanhood profoundly that oftentimes hit closer to home. Very keen and inspiring.

Find Me by André Aciman:
You should see the quotes I tabbed in this book! But that is not why this book is special. It is because of the hope it carries, not just for Elio and Oliver, but for everyone who may read it. It says that having an unlived life is living the wrong life and that we owe it to ourselves to find it. The audiobook was read by Michael Stuhlbarg.

Killer Instinct by James Patterson and Howard Roughan:
I love my share of action and espionage and this one didn’t fail to deliver. I (maybe) love this more than I love the first one. I am patiently waiting for the next installment.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern:
Enchanting! This is a nod to many stories I’ve read before and more. A sharp reminder of why I love reading books in the first place. We live for stories - we love reading them, hearing them, creating our own, and reliving them inside our heads. It says that "A book is made of paper, but a story is a tree." Just imagine all the branches and buds it sprouted. The cast of narrators did a wonderful job in the audiobook version, I highly recommend it.

As always, I'm excited to meet my next best reads. I'm sure you are too, friends!



TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | BLOGLOVIN | GOODREADS

Read more →

Book Review | SUCH A FUN AGE by Kiley Reid

Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid
Publication: December 31, 2019
Publisher: GP Putnam’s Sons
Genre: Fiction
Rating: ★★★★

A striking and surprising debut novel from an exhilarating new voice, Such a Fun Age is a page-turning and big-hearted story about race and privilege, set around a young black babysitter, her well-intentioned employer, and a surprising connection that threatens to undo them both. - Goodreads

Kiley Reid chronicled an absorbing story from the standpoint of two different women –different history, different status, different colors.

Alix Chamberlain has everything moving up for herself, except, she is no longer living among Manhattan’s finest, meaning there are no rich friends and no in-laws to rely on. Down in Philadelphia, she needs help taking care of her children if she wants to finish her debut book in time. So she was very fortunate to employ Emira Tucker as Briar Chamberlain’s part-time sitter. Meanwhile, Emira is grappling for resources, whose major concern at present is being twenty-five and soon-to-be kicked out of her parents’ health care. Beneficially, Briar is her “favorite little human” and happy as a pea to stay as her sitter for as long as possible. Then a much unforeseen, but not surprising, incident happened at a nearby grocery store, wherein Emira was stopped by a security guard and accused her of kidnapping Briar. A lot has span off since – news got around, people came and people went, privacy and consent were breached. Culpability may be the operative word here. This story shows that any good intention, no matter how noble, can be soiled by any hint of personal agenda.

SUCH A FUN AGE is a breezy story on the surface that it is easy to miss some minute details that Reid has meticulously incorporated. With a closer look, it has multiple layers, and peeling back reveals that only a keen observer can write a story like this one. Her use of English argots is rich and realistic, giving a partition to fully visualize the characters. In her debut, Reid provided distinctions and displays of insecurities, and incisively shows how they manifest generally in everyone. These pages are clearly a product of hard work and good research.

Start your year 2020 with this one!

About the Author:

Kiley Reid (born 1984) is an American novelist. She is a recent graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop where she was the recipient of the Truman Capote Fellowship. She lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Such A Fun Age is her first novel.

*Thanks to GP Putnam's Sons and Edelweiss for the galley in exchange for this unbiased review.
*This post is a part of the monthly linkups organized by Lovely Audiobooks! You can click here to check it out and be a part of it.

Read more →

THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV by Elizabeth Berg

  

The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg
Publication: November 21, 2017
Publisher: Random House
Genre: Fiction
Rating: ★★★★★

A beautiful, life-affirming novel about a remarkably loving man who creates for himself and others second chances at happiness.

A moving novel about three people who find their way back from loss and loneliness to a different kind of happiness. Arthur, a widow, meets Maddy, a troubled teenage girl who is avoiding school by hiding out at the cemetery, where Arthur goes every day for lunch to have imaginary conversations with his late wife, and think about the lives of others. The two strike up a friendship that draws them out of isolation. Maddy gives Arthur the name Truluv, for his loving and positive responses to every outrageous thing she says or does. With Arthur’s nosy neighbor Lucille, they create a loving and unconventional family, proving that life’s most precious moments are sweeter when shared.-Goodreads

Elizabeth Berg put together [probably] the most unlikely people together in this story… and they turned out to be very charming.

Arthur is an octogenarian and a widower, whose everyday highlight is visiting his dead wife at the local cemetery. Meanwhile, Maddy is a bullied teenager, who lost her mother very early after she was born, leaving her to his distant and unaffectionate father. And Lucille is Arthur’s neighbor, who waited all her life for true love to happen.

At the center of this heartwarming story is a makeshift family. They’ve built a home abound with kindness and rooms for consideration. A simple structure, really, allowing them to forget the troubles and awful of the outside world, and focus on seeing the good in people. Unlikely people, yes, but home nonetheless.

I love Berg’s take on people. I love her characters, including their flaws. I’m glad she gave her characters another motivation in life. I’m glad to have met Arthur and wishing there’d be more like him in the world. I’m happy knowing that his kindness survived him and will continue effecting.

THE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULUV is Book #1 of the Mason series.

About the Author:

Elizabeth Berg is the New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including We Are All Welcome Here, The Year of Pleasures, The Art of Mending, Say When, True to Form, Never Change, and Open House, which was an Oprah’s Book Club selection in 2000. Durable Goods and Joy School were selected as ALA Best Books of the Year, and Talk Before Sleep was short-listed for the ABBY Award in 1996. The winner of the 1997 New England Booksellers Award for her body of work, Elizabeth Berg is also the author of a nonfiction work, Escaping into the Open: The Art of Writing True. She lives in Chicago.

Read more →

Book Review | LOST AND FOUND by Orson Scott Card

September 10, 2019,
Blackstone Publishing

Master storyteller Orson Scott Card delivers a touching and funny, compelling and smart novel about growing up, harnessing your potential, and finding your place in the world, no matter how old you are. - Goodreads

Orson Scott Card is a staple name in the Science Fiction and Fantasy arena. He is a diverse writer who captured both the adult and younger audiences.

I’m not here to review OSC as a writer. I’m stating all this because he is more than justified in writing LOST AND FOUND. I understand that it’s not an Ender’s book –no space battles, no aliens. And I totally get why he low-keyed the characters as micropots (people with micropowers). He literally dragged us away from admiring superheroes into looking deeper at the most probable, odds-on, overlooked human gifts.

Ezekiel had been ostracized as a thief since grade school because of his gift to recognize lost things and the compulsion to return them to the owners without a credible reason. And he has a standing mistrust of the Police Force after his many heated brushes with them. But his trudge on anti-social life was halted when Beth decided to walk with him to and from school every day and when a desperate (but broad-minded) detective asked his help to find a missing girl.

“It means that I trust you and you can trust me. It means that if something goes wrong for you I help as much as I can. It means that if you’re not where you’re expected, I look for you. It means that if good stuff happens I’m happy for you. It means that no matter what you say to me I still care about you. It means that when nobody else will tell you shit that you have to know, even if you’ll hate hearing it, I’m the one to say it."

I love the snarky dialogues Card employed. It helps in many ways to soften the hard subjects of the story (kidnapping, white slavery, death, etc.) And the pacing of the story was apposite, it enables to both pad out the characters and ties concepts together. The whole book is replete of wisdom in understanding family, people, and what works from what doesn’t. It simply says that everybody may look ordinary or nonspecial until they are not. The last 15% of the book sort of slowed down for me (maybe there’s a sequel in the works) and there are some descriptive terms I may not agree with, but overall this book is legitimately remarkable.

Book details:

Title: Lost and Found

Author: Orson Scott Card

Publication: September 10, 2019, by Blackstone Publishing

Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy

Rating: ★★★★

*Thank you, Blackstone and Edelweiss for the DRC in exchange for this unbiased review.

Read more →

Book Review | THE DREAMERS by Karen Thompson Walker

The Dreamers
by Karen Thompson Walker
Random House
January 15, 2019
Literary Fiction
Rating: ★★★★

In an isolated college town in the hills of Southern California, a freshman girl stumbles into her dorm room, falls asleep—and doesn’t wake up. She sleeps through the morning, into the evening. Her roommate, Mei, cannot rouse her. Neither can the paramedics who carry her away, nor the perplexed doctors at the hospital. Then a second girl falls asleep, and then another, and panic takes hold of the college and spreads to the town. As the number of cases multiplies, classes are canceled, and stores begin to run out of supplies. A quarantine is established. The National Guard is summoned.

Mei, an outsider in the cliquish hierarchy of dorm life, finds herself thrust together with an eccentric, idealistic classmate. Two visiting professors try to protect their newborn baby as the once-quiet streets descend into chaos. A father succumbs to the illness, leaving his daughters to fend for themselves. And at the hospital, a new life grows within a college girl, unbeknownst to her—even as she sleeps. A psychiatrist, summoned from Los Angeles, attempts to make sense of the illness as it spreads through the town. Those infected are displaying unusual levels of brain activity, more than has ever been recorded. They are dreaming heightened dreams—but of what?

... Apocalyptic novels are not among my picks for casual reading, because they usually employ chaos and human degradation. They simply hollow me out for days after reading. Death with Interruptions by José Saramago is one of the few that I really like because of its atypicality.

THE DREAMERS may be one of those atypical too. In the small town of Santa Lora California, a sleeping virus had spread. There were no symptoms. Patients simply went to sleep and cannot be awakened.

“...how much quieter that ending would be, a whole world drowned in sleep, than all the other ways we have to fail.”

The first victim was a student from a local college. Karen staggered into her dorm room, after a decent night of partying and drinking, fell asleep, and cannot be woken the following day. Initially, Karen’s dorm floor was quarantined. Over the following weeks, though, the sleeping virus spread and a cordon sanitaire were pitched around the small town. No one can get in or out. Military Humvees patrol the streets, while helicopters scan from the air. The whole town went into a meek, mutual panic. Each day, more people are sporting facemasks and latex gloves. But the doctors were baffled by the cause and how exactly the virus is spreading. Only one thing was determined, these sleepers have intense brain activity. They are all dreaming deeply.

“This is how the sickness travels best: through the same channels as do fondness and friendship and love.”

Walker’s narrative is both spellbinding and evocative. She paraded this host of people in different states and examined each one from within. There is no hysteria or visible menace, instead, we are asked to quietly recognize humanity amidst loss and fear of the unknown and to be in awe of how a spark of life can strive despite the odds.

If you are into audiobooks, Cassandra Campbell recorded a very convincing narrative.

* I won this book from Goodreads Giveaway.

Read more →

WAKING LAZARUS by T.L. Hines

Have you died? No, of course not. Not yet anyway.  Jude Allman did. Three times, in fact, since he was eight years old. This is not about a few minutes of crossing over and getting revived at the last second. No, this is the declared, in-the-morgue, ready-for-autopsy, kind of dead. I mean, this is the hallelujah, miracle kind of waking up from the dead.

“There must be a very good reason why you're still here, because there are thousand reasons why you shouldn't be.”

Unfortunately, Jude has "Jonah Syndrome". He wants to run from God and his calling. He's a simple chap, who wants a simple life with no complication from the Higher Being's manipulations. No, it wasn't a whale that swallowed him whole, it was a life of self-ostracism. Not acknowledging God's purpose is one thing -waking up from death three times but not living life to the fullest- while ignoring your gift is another.

This book is T.L. Hines' debut. The first line of this book hooked me instantly. Pushed all the right buttons for me. I love the twists and turns. The blend of spirituality and thriller is brilliant. See how Jude Allman embraced God, and his gift; while getting the most of the nerve-racking suspense in this novel.

Book details:
Title:  Waking Lazarus
Author:  T.L. Hines
Publication:  May 1, 2007; Bethany House
Genre:  Christian Fiction, Mystery
Rating:  ★★★★

Read more →

Book Review | HERE THERE ARE MONSTERS by Amelinda Bérubé

August 1, 2019 
Sourcebooks Fire

Sixteen-year-old Skye is done playing the knight in shining armor for her insufferable younger sister, Deirdre. Moving across the country seems like the perfect chance to start over.

In their isolated new neighborhood, Skye manages to fit in, but Deirdre withdraws from everyone, becoming fixated on the swampy woods behind their house and building monstrous sculptures out of sticks and bones.

Then Deirdre disappears.

And when something awful comes scratching at Skye's window in the middle of the night, claiming she's the only one who can save Deirdre, Skye knows she will stop at nothing to bring her sister home. - Goodreads

I should like this - it is of the horror genre- but I can’t for good reasons.

I was instantly hooked by the book cover; it’s an absolute eye-catcher. The writing started off really good. The choices of words are pleasantly invoking and creepy enough. But then, the plot started going sideways in the middle. There are more than enough “sort of” scenarios that are difficult to picture. I cannot take hold of what exactly is going on and where it’s actually moving. I never abandon a book, so, I plowed on and read it to the end.

I have to admit, there is plenty of substance here. The book’s premise is absolutely interesting; the setting could be perfect, and the character foundations are there. In other words, the backbone for a good horror book is present, but not fully developed.

Book details:
Title: Here There Are Monsters
Author: Amelinda Bérubé
Publication: August 1, 2019, by Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: YA, Horror
Rating:  ★★


*Thanks to Sourcebooks Fire and Netgalley for the DRC in exchange for this honest review.

Read more →

Book Review | RED, WHITE, & ROYAL BLUE by Casey McQuiston

   

14 May 2019;
St. Martin's Griffin

What happens when America's First Son 
falls in love with the Prince of Wales?

When his mother became President, Alex Claremont-Diaz was promptly cast as the American equivalent of a young royal. Handsome, charismatic, genius—his image is pure Millennial-marketing gold for the White House. There's only one problem: Alex has a beef with the actual prince, Henry, across the pond. And when the tabloids get hold of a photo involving an Alex-Henry altercation, U.S./British relations take a turn for the worse.

Heads of family, state, and other handlers devise a plan for damage control: staging a truce between the two rivals. What at first begins as a fake, Instragramable friendship grows deeper and more dangerous than either Alex or Henry could have imagined. Soon Alex finds himself hurtling into a secret romance with a surprisingly unstuffy Henry that could derail the campaign and upend two nations and begs the question: Can love save the world after all? Where do we find the courage, and the power, to be the people we are meant to be? And how can we learn to let our true colors shine through? Casey McQuiston's Red, White & Royal Blue proves: true love isn't always diplomatic. -Goodreads

I can easily see why many are raving about this book. It's a modern fairy tale - cute, sexy, and posh. Two of the world's most sought-after eligible bachelors are secretly in love with each other. And by heavens, if only they are real and everything they stand for, then life is so much better. A dream novel where everything is made possible and good. But it is not for me. It's just too surreal (even for fiction). It tried to be deep in some places, but it didn't work, especially when it dragged in the middle. Have no mistake, I do like the all-is-gay-and-well theme. Even so, I am still looking for character depth other than the Instagramable people leading a posh life, camouflaged yet thriving. I believe that Romance books can also be sagacious and thought-provoking, aside from being titillating, if given enough exploration.

Like I said, this book is not exactly for me, but [you are not me and] readers who like cute and controversial romances will enjoy this.

Book details:

Title:  Red, White & Royal Blue

Author:  Casey McQuiston

Publication: 14 May 2019: St. Martin's Griffin

Genre: LGBTQIA, Romance

Rating: ★★

*Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin Griffin for the DRC in exchange for this unbiased review.

Read more →

Book Review | THE BRIDE TEST by Helen Hoang

    

May 7, 2019
Berkley

From the critically acclaimed author of The Kiss Quotient comes a romantic novel about love that crosses international borders and all boundaries of the heart...

-Goodreads

Reading THE BRIDE TEST made me realize that I have not had a romance novel for quite some time now. It was absolutely refreshing and exciting. I now understand why readers are raving about Helen Hoang.

Imagine yourself as a provincial bred girl who spent your life crammed in a single-spaced dwelling, trying to make ends meet by scrubbing toilets; then, you are literally commissioned to play the vixen and seduce a well-educated and rich hunk of a man from across the globe. 

Here begins Esme's adventure to hook and secure her future.

Kai is in the spectrum and has difficulty forming any passionate relationship. Esme, on the other hand, is patient and charming. I like how Kai and Esme bounce off each other a lot but manages to compromise every time. There's just the right amount of smuttiness to keep the taste buds sated, and was definitely needed for the progression of the story. This book has the ability to keep me in an electrified bubbly state while reading. (I'm not sure if that makes any sense to you, but it does to me.) Spoiler alert: My favorite is the haircut scene. It's the most personal and revealing for me.

Romance enthusiasts will take pleasure in this. Preorder your copy soon.

Book details:
Title: The Bride Test
Author:  Helen Hoang
Publication:  May 7, 2019, Berkley
Genre: Romance, Fiction
Rating:  ★★★★



*Thank you, Berkley and Edelweiss for the DRC in exchange for this unbiased review.

Read more →

Book Review | WHERE THE HEART IS by Jo Knowles

April 2, 2019,
Candlewick Press

If a home is where the heart is, what would happen if you lost it? Compassion and humor infuse the story of a family caught in a financial crisis and a girl struggling to form her own identity. -Goodreads

WHERE THE HEART IS is an important book that kids and teens will definitely relate to. Jo Knowles handled a topic, not most adults will discuss with their kids. Rachel's parents are almost always arguing about finances and unpaid bills. As the story unfolds, it's easy to surmise that the family could hardly afford their basic needs, let alone their house mortgage, even with Rachel's summer job. 

Rachel is a very responsible young girl. She carries a huge weight on her shoulders at this early age, but she does it anyway. She cannot even focus on herself and understand her feelings about boys and girls -Why she wants to be best friends with Micah but doesn't like boys? And why can a girl give her hummingbird feelings? She cannot discuss it with her parents because she doesn't want to add to their worries. On top of that, she has her little sister, Ivy, to shield from all the pain their family is going through.

When you learn vocabulary words in school, you memorize the definition. And you have a good idea of what the words mean. But it’s not until you feel them that you really grasp the definition. I have known what the word ‘helpless’ means for a long time. And ‘desperate.’ But I’ve never felt them. Feeling them is different. They fill your chest with a horrible sense of ‘dread’ and ‘guilt’ and ‘despair.’ Those are more vocabulary words that you can’t fully understand until you feel them.

This is a complex and rich coming-of-age-book. Both poverty and sexual orientations are sensitive matters and families need all the help and ideas so they can be more open about it. I recommend this book, especially for a classroom setting or book club discussion.


Book details:
Title:  WHERE THE HEART IS
Author:  Jo Knowles
Publication:  April 2, 2019; Candlewick Press
Genre: Middle-Grade Fiction
Rating: ★★★★

*Thank you Netgalley and Candlewick Press for the DRC in exchange for this unbiased book review.

*This review contains a quote from an uncorrected proof.

Read more →

Book Review | THE DREAM PEDDLER by Martine Fournier Watson

   

April 9th, 2019
Penguin Books

A page-turning debut novel about a traveling salesman who arrives to sell dreams to a town rocked by a child’s disappearance—both a thoughtful meditation on grief and magical exploration of our innermost desires. -Goodreads

An unusual man, Robert Owens, came to town to sell bottled dreams, each specifically made for the buyer's hidden cravings. In spite of subtlety, it became apparent that almost everyone in town is buying from Mr. Owens. People want to live inside their dreams more and more. And soon enough, varied motives are pushing Mr. Owens out of town - suspicions, gossips, and lies.

Beautiful words. 
Ms. Martine can weave exquisite phrases, fully vivid, it can transport the reader. She assembled a dynamic cast for her story. Between them, layers of character development and contrasting emotions pushed the narrative forward. Themes of holding on and letting go are evocatively knitted. The ending could have been better, though. I believe it does not give the well-built plot justice.

Overall, THE DREAM PEDDLER is an engaging book. Anyone who loves good tension and emotional examinations in the plot will enjoy this. And I will look forward to Ms. Martine's future works.

Book details:
Title:  The Dream Peddler
Author: Martine Fournier Watson
Publication:  April 9, 2019; Penguin Books
Genre:  Historical Fiction
Rating:  ★★★ 1/2



*Thank you Penguin Books and Edelweiss for DRC, in exchange for this unbiased review.

Read more →

Book Review | THE CONFESSIONS OF FRANNIE LANGTON by Sara Collins

April 4, 2019
HarperCollins

They say I must be put to death for what happened to Madame,
and they want me to confess. 
But how can I confess what I don’t believe I’ve done?

Sara Collins presented a very strong narrative. Her approach to scientific racism is intriguing. And her command for intricate language is captivating. Every other paragraph is amazingly quotable.

It’s 1826, and Frannie Langton stands in a trial for the murder of her master and his wife. The enigma lies in the fact that Frannie cannot remember if she did murder them or not. As her lawyer prepares for her defense, she was asked to write her story. But Frannie’s story did not begin in London; it began in Jamaica, where horror is next to existing.

THE CONFESSIONS OF FRANNIE LANGTON is dark and disconcerting. Frannie wants so much out of life, but she is always tethered against her will. The oddity struck me, though, that for a self-proclaimed learned woman, Frannie was not level-headed. Maybe, that is not actually sine qua non, especially for someone overwhelmed by both love and detriment. It felt like her efforts for recognition was justifiable but goalless. These certainly stirred emotions and opinions.

This book is a unique take and exploration of black slavery and homosexuality. It’s a well-researched book and I like the unraveling details that were spread out. Unfortunately, the narrative dragged itself towards the ending. There are too many layers in the story vying for attention. It was that beautiful language and the mystery behind the crime that mostly kept me reading. I look forward to Ms. Collins's future works.

Book details:
Title: The Confessions of Frannie Langton
Author: Sara Collins
Publication: April 4, 2019, HarperCollins
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: ★★★1/2


*Thank you HarperCollins and Edelweiss for the DRC in exchange for this unbiased review.

Read more →

Book Review | THE EDITOR by Steven Rowley

   

April 2nd, 2019
G.P. Putnam's Sons

From the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus 
comes a funny, poignant, and highly original novel 
about an author whose relationship
with his very famous book editor 
will change him forever
--both as a writer and a son. -Goodreads

James Smale and I have one thing in common - both of our mothers love the Kennedys. And for a time, my mother used to dress like Jackie O. too, accessories included. My siblings and I were never prouder than when introducing her to everyone in any school functions. I am sure James feels the same for her mother, she was his greatest ally. Most mothers would be excited if their son writes a novel based on them... but unexpectedly, not here.

This is a story of a young author in the cusp of publishing his debut novel, The Quarantine. But his editor, Mrs. Onassis, insists on a great ending. So, she sends James home, to his mother, to get it. In his heart, James knows he must face his own quarantine. Little did he expect that seeking his book's ending is going to be turbulent and exacting.

THE EDITOR is an absolute precious read. I enjoyed Rowley’s writing style and wit. The book is not mawkishly sentimental and replete of ruminations. It is a son’s journey to understand his mother, just as much about having the courage to discover one’s past and about living forward.

Hard truths can drive people apart. But great art can bring them back together.

And by-the-way, this book has a particularly sensitive portrait of Jacqueline Kennedy and a plot -a very good one in fact.

Book details:

Title: The Editor

Author: Steven Rowley

Publication: April 2nd, 2019 by G.P. Putnam's Sons

Genre: Historical Fiction

Rating: ★★★★★

*Thank you, G.P. Putnam’s Sons and Edelweiss for the DRC in exchange for this unbiased review.

*Kudos to Francesca Belanger for the beautiful book design.

*Review contains a quote from an uncorrected e-galley.

Read more →

Book Review | THE LIBRARY OF LOST AND FOUND by Phaedra Patrick

March 26, 2019; Park Row

A librarian’s discovery of a mysterious book 

sparks the journey of a lifetime 

in the delightful new novel 

from the internationally bestselling author of 

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper.

-Goodreads

I’ve read both previous books by Phaedra Patrick, THE CURIOUS CHARMS OF ARTHUR PEPPER and RISE AND SHINE, BENEDICT STONE. As I’ve said before, Ms. Patrick has a gift for creating the most charming character. Martha Storm, our main character here, is no exception. Reading Martha, it felt like no one can hate her. There are times I wanted to shake her silly; others, I just want to give her a good hug. She’s an absolute gem – selfless, unassuming and endearing. (Honestly, Ms. Patrick, how do you come up with these characters? We should have a good chat about it.)

THE LIBRARY OF LOST AND FOUND is a familial story, one that can happen to anybody. The most interesting is how fairytales are employed to give weight to the unfolding of fresh truths. Each reflecting a bottled emotion – absolutely challenging and tugging. The naive language and structure of fairytales actually help deliver a moral lesson, meanwhile, reshaping allows new authors to provoke the mind and instinct, like, examine our position on gender roles, color, or social relations. This story is about three generations of women and how their choices have fermented such consequences for their family, and yet, I find it really difficult to blame them.

It’s very rare that I reread a book straight away after, but I really felt that I must with this one. I enjoyed every minute of this book. It is simple and sincere. Please, do put THE LIBRARY OF LOST AND FOUND on your TBR. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Book details:

Title: The Library of Lost and Found

Author: Phaedra Patrick

Publication: March 26, 2019; Park Row

Genre: Fiction

Rating: ★★★★★

*Thanks to Edelweiss and Park Row for the DRC in exchange for this unbiased review.

Read more →

Book Review | GINGERBREAD by Helen Oyeyemi

March 5, 2019;
Riverhead Books

The prize-winning, bestselling author of
Boy, Snow, Bird and
What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours 
returns with a bewitching and inventive novel.

Read more →

KATY-NO-POCKET by Emmy Payne, H.A. Rey

Once, a long time ago, my father gave me a copy of this book. It’s a story about a mother kangaroo who doesn’t have a pouch to carry her joey with. So, she starts her adventure searching for a way.

Read more →

MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF 2019

'Tis the season for lists and I have time to spare. I thought of jotting down books, come 2019, that I cannot wait to get my hands on. It turned out to be longer than I intended, but I'm pretty sure there'll be more. 

There is no particular theme to this list. It's a mix of debut authors, authors I've read before, some new plots, and series I've been following. Eclectic as before, of course. I am not sure if I'll ever get to read all of them once they are out, but maybe putting them right here will give me a good perspective.

If you've made your own list, do let me know.

• ✔THE WOLF IN THE WHALE by Jordanna Max Brodsky
                                                         January 29, 2019, by Redhook

• ✔WHEN ALL IS SAID by Anne Griffin
                                                         January 24, 2019, by Sceptre

• THE HUNTRESS by Kate Quinn
                                                         February 26, 2019, by William Morrow

• THE CITY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT by Charlie Jane Anders
                                                         February 12, 2019, by Tor Books

• ✔BOWLAWAY by Elizabeth McCracken
                                                         February 5, 2019, by Ecco

• ✔GOOD RIDDANCE by Elinor Lipman
                                                         February 5, 2019, by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

• ✔GINGERBREAD by Helen Oyeyemi
                                                         March 5, 2019, by Riverhead Books

• ✔THE LIBRARY OF LOST AND FOUND by Phaedra Patrick
                                                         March 26, 2019, by Park Row

• KADDISH.COM by Nathan Englander
                                                         March 26, 2019, by Knopf Publishing Group

• ✔WHO SLAYS THE WICKED by C. S. Harris
                                                         April 2, 2019, by Berkley Books

• ✔THE EDITOR by Steven Rowley
                                                         April 2, 2019, by Putnam

• THE BOY WHO STEALS HOUSES by C.G. Drews 
                                                         April 4, 2019, by Orchard Books

• ✔THE STRAWBERRY THIEF by Joanne Harris 
                                                         April 4, 2019, by Orion

• ✔THE CONFESSIONS OF FRANNIE LANGTON: A Novel by Sara Collins 
                                                         April 4, 2019, by Penguin

• MACHINES LIKE ME by Ian McEwan
                                                         April 18, 2019, by Jonathan Cape

• ✔THE 18TH ABDUCTION by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro
                                                         April 29, 2019, by Little, Brown, and Company

• ✔THE BRIDE TEST by Helen Hoang
                                                        May 7, 2019, by Berkley

• ✔THE PRINTED LETTER BOOKSHOP by Katherine Reay
                                                        May 14, 2019, by Thomas Nelson

• WHERE I END AND YOU BEGIN by Preston Norton
                                                         June 4, 2019, by Disney-Hyperion

• MOSTLY DEAD THINGS by Kristen Arnett
                                                         June 4, 2019, by Tin House

• THE ALIENIST AT ARMAGEDDON (Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, #3) by Caleb Carr
                                                         September 1, 2019, by Mulholland Books

• ✔LALANI OF THE DISTANT SEA by Erin Entrada Kelly 
                                                        September 3, 2019, by Greenwillow Books

• ✔KILLER INSTINCT (Instinct #2) by James Patterson, Howard Roughan
                                                         September 9, 2019, by Little, Brown, and Company

• SI JANUS SILANG AT ANG HIWAGANG MAY DALAWANG MUKHA (JS #4) by Edgar Calabia Samar
                                                         September 14, 2019, by Adarna House Publishing

• ✔THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY and THE RIDDLE OF AGES (TMBS #4) by Trenton Lee Stewart
                                                         September 24, 2019, by Mulholland Books

• POISON FOR BREAKFAST by Lemony Snicket
                                                         October 1, 2019, by Tundra Books

• ✔FIND ME (Call Me By Your Name #2) by André Aciman
                                                         October 29, 2019, by Farrar, Straus, and Girouxs

• ✔THE STARLESS SEA by Erin Morgenstern
                                                         November 5, 2019, by Doubleday

BTW, this marks as my 300th post thru Blogger.

Read more →