Read in September

His and Hers

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“Tell a person they’re wrong, and they’ll cover their ears. Tell a person they’re right, and they’ll listen to you all day long.”

This is the story that is told from three pov’s: His, Hers, and Truth. When a young woman is murdered in Blackdown, a quintessentially British village, everyone is on high alert. The case begins to unfold as Jack London, a detective covering the case is suspicious of Anna Andrews, a newsreader who is reluctantly covering the case. But before Jack can make any movements, he becomes a suspect is his own murder investigation. Danger lurks in the shadows as someone isn’t telling the truth and some secrets are worth killing to keep.

What a fascinating murder mystery as I found myself deeply immersed into the characters, the plot, and how the story was told. This the first book by Feeney that I’ve read and I will reading more of her books as this was truly enjoyable and a true thriller. Anna, works as a BBC Commentator and Jack is a chief police officer who find themselves tangled in web of lies, seduction and murder. Anna tells her story while Jack tells his and we also get a POV from the killer! The way the POV’s are told really makes you turn the page in anticipation to find what out what will happen next and I really enjoyed how Feeney wrote the POV’s and the way she set up the atmosphere, it really felt like I was there. There are just some books that reel you in and you can’t set it down because you want more and yo don’t want to wait to find out. Well, that’s how I felt with this book as it really felt like a thriller and didn’t have silly plot points but the development of the characters, the plot, and eventually the ending made this story truly satisfying and enjoyable. I highly recommend it especially if you’re into thrillers and mysteries!

The Bronzed Beasts

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“If you think what we are doing is impossible, then let us rewrite what possibility means. Together.”

Still reeling over Severin’s betrayal, the crew is fractured and while they armed with only a handful of hints, they must find their way through the snarled and haunted waterways of Venice, Italy to locate Severin. Meanwhile, Severin is on his own journey and one that could see him facing dangerous consequences as he faces the deranged whims of the patriarch of the fallen house and discover the location of a temple between a plague island where the divine lyre can be played and all his desires will come to pass. With only ten days until Lalia expires, the crew will face plague pits and dangerous masquerades, unearthly songs, and the shining steps of a temple whose powers might offer divinity itself but at a price that they’re not willing to pay.

Well this was a bit of letdown as I was anticipating that this would be a four or five star review. I was delighted to see the characters especially Zofia and Hypnos as they’ve been my favorites from the first book. I felt like they were fleshed out even more with growth as well as the other characters. Chokshi’s writing has really improved over the course of the trilogy and it really shows in this last book. I admire how she’s able to bring you into the world of the characters and make you feel like you’re apart of it. Now that I’ve talked about what I loved, it’s time to get what didn’t work for me. First off, the pacing was a little off at times and also didn’t match up to the plot in some parts so I felt confused during some parts. I felt like I was missing something and had to go back and reread certain sections. Which is why the ending didn’t really make a lot of sense to me because it felt rushed and forced as there were quite a few things that weren’t explained. So I feel like this book could’ve been a little better if things were explained better and not so forced as it felt. But, I’m sure others will enjoy it and that’s all that matters.

The Silvered Serpents

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“Then again, the names we are born with can end up meaning so little. The names we give ourselves, well, perhaps that’s the truth of us.”

Severin and his crew might have successfully thwarted the fallen house, one victory that has come at a terrible cost. A cost that haunts them all leaving Severin desperate to make amends, he pursues a dangerous lead to find a long lost artifact rumored to grant it’s possessor the power of God. Their hunt lures them far from Paris, and into the icy heart of Russia where crystalline ice animals stalk forgotten mansions, broken goddesses carry deadly secrets and a string of unsolved murders makes the crew whether a myth is really a myth at all. As hidden secrets come to light and the ghosts of the past catch up to them, the crew will discover new dimensions of themselves but what they may find out will lead them down paths they never expected.

Besides the writing, what really stands out in particular with this book is the diversity and Chokshi really does a good job with fleshing them out and giving them growth from the first book. I struggled to like Lalia in the first one as I wasn’t sold on her narrative but she grew on me as I got to know her more in this book. The characters are all emotionally engaging and have their own struggles and flaws which helps with understanding their motives. Out of all the characters, my favorite is the relatable queen, Zofia who is such an interesting and emotionally intelligent character. This book is where you see a lot of group dynamics develop just as much as the characters and that is always a treat to see. The only thing I hated was the cliffhanger at the end, I remember when I read it for the first time, I threw the book across the room. But, since I reread this closer to the release of the new book, I wasn’t as angry.

I will have a review of the third and final book very soon, stay tuned!

The Gilded Wolves

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“Make yourself a myth and live within it, so that you belong to no one but yourself.”

The Gilded Wolves starts out in 1889 Paris when the city is on the cusp of power and industry and the exposition universelle has breathed new life into the streets and dredged up ancient secrets. In the city, no one keeps tabs on the dark truths better than treasure-hunter and wealthy hotelier Severin Montagnet-Alarie. When the elite, ever-powerful Order of Babel coerces him to help them on a mission. A mission that will deliver Severin with the prize that he never thought he would able to get: his true inheritance. To make this mission successful, Severin recruits Lalia, Hypnos, Zofia, and Enrique as they embark on a journey that will change the course of their lives and test the bonds of loyalty that they to each other.

Ah rereading this book made me realize how much I love Chokshi’s writing and how much it’s improved. She has a way with words and how her world-building is developed is truly amazing. It makes you feel like you’re actually in the world that she’s created. The premise is what hooked me in as I’m sucker for heist stories just like Six Of Crows, but this is very different than Leigh Bardugo’s band of misfits. What I really loved about the book were the characters especially Zofia and Hypnos as they were unique, interesting, and well written. There was a lot of development with each of the characters so it’s hard to pick a favorite and the dynamics between the group was great with banter, flirtation, and realizing that they have more in common than they first thought. This is truly a delight but I will say that the pacing in the beginning is slow but it does pick up and you find yourself turning the page in anticipation of what will happen next.

I am reviewing the second book next so stay tuned!

Five Feet Apart

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“How long will I live my life afraid of what-ifs?”

Stella Grant loves to be in control except when it comes to her health, she has no control over her lungs that keep her in and out of hospitals for the majority of her life. The only thing Stella needs is to stay away from anything and anyone who may jeopardize her chance to get a lung transplant so she can be free do what she wants. That means staying six feet apart at all costs, no exceptions. Will Newman is exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. The only thing Will is concerned about is getting out of the hospital, he could care less about treatments, transplants, and anything medical related. Once, he turns eighteen he’ll be able to get out and experience the world and start a life of his own. They are exactly what the other needs to stay away from, if they get close to each other they could run the risk of death. But, six feet away doesn’t feel like safety but more like punishment.

I’m a sucker for love stories but this is one love story that I wish I didn’t read. There’s a lot to unpack here so let’s get started. First, let’s talk about the characters which Stella and Will who were one dimensional and stereotyped. Stella is a type A personality who has to be in control of everything and Will is the rebel and the two completely disregard their illness and risk everything over one chance meeting. They were so focused on getting better and staying healthy so they wouldn’t run the risk of something happening.Which is problematic in itself and doesn’t send a very good message to readers in particular those who are living with a life threatening illness. It’s also a dangerous message to send to readers that if you’re not able bodied then you can’t live the life that you want and that is utterly wrong. It’s a message that is portrayed over and over and I wish writers would stop doing it.

Please quit killing off POC/LGBTQ leads just for the sake of the story. It’s so overdone, this book was hot mess in my opinion. There was a lot of aspects that could’ve been handled in a much better way and maybe I would’ve liked it more.

The Witch’s Tale by Genevieve Gornichec

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“There is a difference between understanding and forgiveness. It’s possible to have one without the other.”

What a beautifully written retelling of norse mythology and in particular the relationship Angrboda and Loki. The retelling makes you feel like you’re a part of a world with gods, monsters, and other magical creatures. In this retelling, Angrboda’s story starts out where many witches meet their end: a burning. The most powerful Norse god, Odin punishes Angrboda for refusing to provide him with knowledge of the future and the fire leaves her powerless and injured. She flees into the woods and soon meets a mysterious man by the name of Loki, and at first the two are at odds but soon fall in love. The union produces three children all with unique magical abilities, as they grow closer, the pair especially Angrboda wants to keep her family out of Odin’s watchful eye.

But, as time passes and Angrboda’s injuries begin to heal, she soon learns that everything she holds dear, including her precious family is is grave danger. Angrboda’s leans on Skadi, a skilled huntress with whom she shares a growing bond to help her. Angrboda will have to choose between remaking their future or accepting the fate that she has forseen for them.

What I truly loved about this book is the retelling and fleshing out of Angrboda with making her real and relatable and giving her a story where you really feel for her. The character development that she goes through during the trying and blissful events throughout the book stood out the most. I was intrigued by the development and you could see her growth and I loved how the book really focused on her. She demonstrated a lot of emotional intelligence, stability, resilience, and empathy and when you have a character with qualities that like, it’s hard not to be invested in them. This along with the plot and other characters made it a very enjoyable novel and I think many people will enjoy it just as much as I did.

Set Boundaries, Find Peace

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“People who use guilt trips are trying to get their needs met, but their needs may violate the requirements you have for yourself.”

Boundaries? They so simple and easy, all you have to do set and implement one and you’re good to go. Except that’s not how boundaries work and it is easier said than done as being able to assert your own needs and being able to feel confident with setting the boundary can be tricky as not everyone is going to respectful that the boundary the other person setting. Whether it be family, coworkers, friends, loved ones, toxic people etc., setting boundaries can be a challenge because many people don’t fully understand what healthy boundaries are until much later than in life. The focus on this book talks about a variety of different obstacles that can impact boundaries and how to set them with others in your life.

As someone who struggles with boundaries, I found this book incredibly helpful and enlightening as it helps things make sense for why I struggle with boundaries so much. I’ve been following Tawwab on Instagram for the last year or so and I have enjoyed her posts and find her words encouraging so I decided to start reading her books. Boundaries are something that many people struggle with and that struggle begins in their environment and how they raised and that follows people in adulthood and comes out in behaviors such as having hard time say no, ignoring your own needs for others, people pleasing among others. Many of of us including myself have grown up in dysfunctional environments and aren’t aware of how the dysfunction impacted the environment and only become aware of it when other issues are brought to light. I found her words, examples, stories that she used throughout the book very relatable and real and I did learn more about myself and how I can do this without feeling guilty. That is something that I’ve been trying to work on my my whole life and all we can do is take one day at a time and embrace growth.

Dating Makes Perfect

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“You want me to say that you’re stunning? That I wish I could take a photo, so that I can look at you all day? That the material is soft and touchable–and as skimpy as it is, it still covers way too much?” His eyes are black and furious and mesmerizing. I couldn’t look away if I tried. “Yeah, I could have said all that. No doubt, that’s what Taran’s going to be thinking. But I didn’t, because I have too much respect for you. Even after everything we’ve been through.”

The Tech Sisters don’t date in high school. Not because they don’t want to, not because they’re not interested but it’s all because their not allowed to do so. In a move that other Asian-Americans know all too well, six months after the oldest Tech sisters go to college and get asked by their parents about not being in a relationship or marriage. The sisters retaliated by saying that they won’t marry for ten years as they need to dating practice and that could take longer depending on other life events. But now things are different, the youngest sister Winnie must practice fake dating until her parents watchful eye. But as we all know, things don’t always go so easily and when Winnie’s parents pick the preferred match for Winnie to date, she could be less than pleased at the thought of dating her worst enemy.

This is probably one of the cutest ya rom-coms that I’ve read in awhile. The premise, plot, characters, atmosphere and writing really made this a fun and interesting story from beginning to end. Before I go into what made this book so wonderful, I did want to point how much I enjoyed learning about the thai experience. As someone who has been accustomed to privilege my entire life, I understand how important it is for #ownvoices and having their stories told so I appreciated learning more about the culture. Not only did I love the characters but the dynamics between especially within the family and between the sisters, it was hard not to feel for them especially with wanting to be respected for who they want to be and the struggle of choosing their own identity and how differing from that can cause conflict within the family. The romance was very cute and I did feel like it was well written and not forced like other romance books that I’ve read. Overall, this is super cute and fun rom-com so be sure to check it out if it sounds like something you want.

The Vanished Birds

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“Take my day, they sang, but give me the night. Feed the hearth and ready the brew, for I am coming home to you.”

The Vanished Birds follows Nia Imani is a woman out of time and place traveling through space and the stars throughout the years as so many things have happened. Her friends and lovers have aged past her and all that she has left is her work. Alone and adrift, Nia finds herself longing for something more and soon she finds herself wrapped up in a new adventure, one of which will change the course of her life and make her question everything she thought she knew.

I would’ve given it a higher rating but there were parts where i felt very confused and not as invested in the story as I wanted it to be. The plot and writing is top notch but I felt other parts of the story and even the characters felt under developed and under utilized. It’s a space opera which is pretty freaking cool and I don’t read enough of those. Normally, you meet the main character in the first chapter but not this story which I think also contributed to my interest level. The first chapter was filled with lots of historical information and felt like more of a prologue than an introduction to the story. Besides the main character, Nia I didn’t have an interest in the others. While i enjoy reading about the main character, I want to invest in other characters in the book as they have interesting stories and when I can’t, I lose interest real quick. The story had great potential but I just didn’t click with it for several reasons. But, I’m sure others will enjoy for different reasons so to each their own.