Twelve Hours in Manhattan

By: Maan Gabriel
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: She Writes Press
Pages: 312

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Two worlds. One heart. Twelve hours.

Bianca Maria Curtis is at the brink of losing it all when she meets Eric at a bar in Manhattan. Eric, as it turns out, is the famous Korean drama celebrity Park Hyun Min, and he’s in town for one night to escape the pressures of fame. From walking along Fifth Avenue to eating ice cream at Serendipity to sharing tender moments on top of the Empire State building, sparks fly as Bianca and Eric spend twelve magical hours far away from their respective lives. In that time, they talk about the big stuff: love, life, and happiness, and the freedom they both seek to fully exist and not merely survive.

But real life is more than just a few exhilarating stolen moments in time.

As the clock strikes the twelfth hour, Bianca returns back to the life she detests to face a tragedy that will test her strength and resolve—and the only thing she has to keep going is the memory of a man she loves in secret from a world away.

First Impressions

Ooooo! This cover is pretty. I’m also a total sucker for books that have a secret celebrity too. It kind of sounded like an adult version of one of Maureen Goo’s books, so I was totally sold.

What I thought

This book was a little bit of a letdown and I don’t know if it’s because my expectations were too high or what.

Bianca is a Filipino-American living in Jersey and interviewing for a job in Manhattan. She meets a bar at a stranger and they hit it off. She recognizes that he’s a famous Korean Drama (K-drama) actor and lets him know. But because of their connection, they spend 12 hours together. When their 12 hours are over, they each return to their respective lives. Or at least, they try to.

I expected this book to be a lot about the 12 hours they spent together and less about Bianca’s life and then their eventual reconnection. The beginning was cute. It had their 12 hours together and each chapter was titles by the time, so you knew how much longer they have left. I enjoyed Bianca and Eric/Park’s initial connection, but will warn it then turns it over the top insta-love. I understand the chemistry attraction and meeting someone and immediately feeling like you know them. But then to not see them again for two years and yet somehow know you’re both in love? I struggled with that a bit.

The book takes an almost concussion inducing turn after Bianca gets home. The stuff revealed about her real life is wild, and while I did enjoy it, it took me a second. Between the cover and what I thought was the premise, I felt like I had to digest that this was going to be a very different book.

What I liked about this book were the relationships. I liked Bianca, Eric, and her friends Pam and Marco. I didn’t like the 17 different storylines. There was one weird one with her friend Miguel being in love with her that literally had nothing to do with anything in the story. It could’ve been eliminated and made zero difference. I tend to get irritated with those kinds of plotlines when there is so much else going on. I definitely feel like the editor could’ve done a better job.

The ending was another whirlwind and I was a little confused. There was something about Bianca being used in some way but I’m still not sure how she was used or why it was effective? And then her third act conflict with Eric made little to no sense and I wasn’t quite sure why they stopped talking. I did read an advanced copy so, again, I hope the editor went back and fixed the ending a little bit. There was just too much going on and not very clear or well written at all.

It was still a fun book with the concept and the characters, I just think there was way more content than pages. I don’t know if I would add Gabriel as a new go-to author because the writing wasn’t my favorite, but it’s not bad. I didn’t dislike the book but it did disappoint me a little and I feel like I will forget about it in a few weeks. If you enjoy books that have a lot of drama going on, I recommend checking it out. Otherwise you can probably pass.

The Last Russian Doll

By: Kristen Loesch
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 406

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): In a faraway kingdom, in a long-ago land...

...a young girl lived happily in Moscow with her family: a sister, a father, and an eccentric mother who liked to tell fairy tales and collect porcelain dolls.

One summer night, everything changed, and all that remained of that family were the girl and her mother.

Now, a decade later and studying at Oxford University, Rosie has an English name, a loving fiancé, and a promising future, but all she wants is to understand--and bury--the past. After her mother dies, Rosie returns to Russia, armed with little more than her mother’s strange folklore--and a single key.

What she uncovers is a devastating family history that spans the 1917 Revolution, the siege of Leningrad, Stalin’s purges, and beyond.

At the heart of this saga stands a young noblewoman, Tonya, as pretty as a porcelain doll, whose actions—and love for an idealistic man—will set off a sweeping story that reverberates across the century....

First Impressions

A few years ago I read The Bear and the Nightingale which deals with Russian folklore. I was sucked in and wished that there was more Russian historical fiction I could read. At the time, there wasn’t really anything so when I was offered this book for review I was very excited. It’s not my favorite cover but it’s not bad.

What I thought

Ugh this book.

This book is a combination of romance, historical fiction, mystery, and paranormal fantasy. There was way too much going on and it took until at least 50% for me to even get into the book.

Rosie, aka Raisa, decides to return to Russia after the death of her mother to try to find out who killed her father and sister 14 years prior. This story alternates with Tonya in 1917 during the Russian revolution who is in love with a Bolshevik.

The writing for this story dragged and there was so much going on that it was hard to connect to anyone. The first half of Tonya’s story was all a love story. Then it would jump back to Rosie who was in Russia trying to solve the mystery. I was annoyed because I was more intrigued by the mystery/present day but when it went back to the past it didn’t feel like we were learning anything to help move that storyline forward. And when we finally did get to the mystery being solved, it wasn’t?

The entire historical story is based around Tonya’s romance and I never connected with it. I didn’t understand why she kept putting herself in danger over and over again for the man she loved when it seemed like he wasn’t worth it. There also was a love story in the present day that felt like it came out of no where and was unnecessary.

Add in the random kind of sort of haunting that only appeared when it was convenient to move the story forward and you had a lazy story that was confusing and poorly written.

I truly cannot find a single positive thing to say about this book. It took me forever to get through and I would’ve given up on it had it not been for review. The second half of the book was definitely better than the first and the only reason this didn’t become a one star review.

Hell Bent (Alex Stern #2)

By: Leigh Bardugo
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: Flatiron Books
Pages: 496

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Find a gateway to the underworld. Steal a soul out of hell. A simple plan, except people who make this particular journey rarely come back. But Galaxy “Alex” Stern is determined to break Darlington out of purgatory―even if it costs her a future at Lethe and at Yale.

Forbidden from attempting a rescue, Alex and Dawes can’t call on the Ninth House for help, so they assemble a team of dubious allies to save the gentleman of Lethe. Together, they will have to navigate a maze of arcane texts and bizarre artifacts to uncover the societies’ most closely guarded secrets, and break every rule doing it. But when faculty members begin to die off, Alex knows these aren’t just accidents. Something deadly is at work in New Haven, and if she is going to survive, she’ll have to reckon with the monsters of her past and a darkness built into the university’s very walls.

Thick with history and packed with Bardugo’s signature twists, Hell Bent brings to life an intricate world full of magic, violence, and all too real monsters.

First Impressions

I loved the first book in this series, Ninth House, when I read it 3 years ago and have been patiently waiting ever since to read the sequel. Complerely honest, the cover kind of creeps me out and I wouldn’t have picked it up based off of that alone.

What I thought

I did enjoy this book and it sparked a desire to get back into reading fantasy again, but I think I would’ve enjoyed it more had it come out closer to the original. If you haven’t read the first one and want to, I would recommend skipping this review because there will be some spoilers.

Darlington is stuck in Hell and Alex and Dawes are trying to save him. Alex’s past is coming back to make life difficult and she is unsure how far she will be able to go to accomplish her mission.

The hardest part of this book for me was that it had been so long since I had read the original. I should’ve done a re-read, but I didn’t have time. As a result, I was very confused for the first part of the book. I couldn’t remember some of the characters or their back stories, even though I read a review of the book. As much as previous book summaries kind of drive me nuts in series, I would’ve appreciated a little bit of a reminder.

As a result, it took me a little time to get sucked into the book, but eventually I did and I enjoyed the journey. Alex is an interesting character. I don’t think she’s what you would usually call likable, but somehow you still are on her side and cheer for her every step of the way.

Bardugo has created a really good world within Yale and Lethe. It made me realize that I’m a big Urban Fantasy fan, where demons and ghosts and other creatures exist within our world. A lot of what Alex does seems feasible, even though you know it’s fantastical.

I’m a little frustrated because even though there was a lot of resolution in this book, it’s left open to be continued in a series. I’m worried it’s going to be another 3 years before the next part of the story comes out and I will yet again be forgetful and confused.

I didn’t love this one quite as much as the first one. I think part of that was due to my memory, but I also think it moved a little slower than the first. I do appreciate that this series is more centered around mystery and personal growth than love or trying to save the world from ending. I think sometimes fantasy series reach too far and big or get swept up with the heroine falling in love and this one doesn’t. I highly recommend checking it out and still need to read more by Bordugo in the future.

The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise

By: Colleen Oakley
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 352

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Twenty-one-year-old Tanner Quimby needs a place to live. Preferably one where she can continue sitting around in sweatpants and playing video games nineteen hours a day. Since she has no credit or money to speak of, her options are limited, so when an opportunity to work as a live-in caregiver for an elderly woman falls into her lap, she takes it.

One slip on the rug. That’s all it took for Louise Wilt’s daughter to demand that Louise have a full-time nanny living with her. Never mind that she can still walk fine, finish her daily crossword puzzle, and pour the two fingers of vodka she drinks every afternoon. Bottom line -- Louise wants a caretaker even less than Tanner wants to be one.

The two start off their living arrangement happily ignoring each other until Tanner starts to notice things—weird things. Like, why does Louise keep her garden shed locked up tighter than a prison? And why is the local news fixated on the suspect of one of the biggest jewelry heists in American history who looks eerily like Louise? And why does Louise suddenly appear in her room, with a packed bag at 1 a.m. insisting that they leave town immediately?

Thus begins the story of a not-to-be-underestimated elderly woman and an aimless young woman who—if they can outrun the mistakes of their past—might just have the greatest adventure of their lives.

First Impression

I’ve read a lot of books by Oakley and they have really run the gambit when it comes to type of story. This cover isn’t my favorite and I was even a little iffy on the synopsis. To be honest, if I hadn’t previously read and enjoyed books by Oakley, I don’t know if it would’ve made a good first impression.

What I thought

Tanner is in her early 20s. She has recently moved back home after an accident that caused her to lose her soccer scholarship. Louise is in her 80s. Her daughter has decided she needs a caregiver after she broke her hip. When Louise finds out that a long lost friend from her past is in danger, she takes off in the middle of the night and brings Tanner along with her.

While I enjoyed a lot of this book, it felt very long to me and a little bit slow. I think I would’ve enjoyed it a lot more if like 50-60 pages had been edited out. I think there were definitely parts of the journey that could’ve been taken out without making any change to the major points of the story.

I definitely preferred Louise to Tanner. I don’t know if I would’ve liked her a little more if I had been reading this book when I was in my 20s, but she came off a little whiney and immature to me. I didn’t care much for the chapters that were from her point of view and wanted to shake her a little bit and tell her to get over herself.

I did enjoy that the chapters not only alternated with Louise and Tanner’s points of view, but with text exchanges between Louise’s kids, Tanner’s mom, and even the police. I liked the mystery of the story more than I liked the journey and there was a small twist I didn’t expect.

This wasn’t my favorite of Oakley’s novels. The story felt a little cliché and the characters a little boring. I think if it had been shorter I would’ve been much more entertained. I also think that novels with main characters where the focus of the relationship is geriatric and young adult it’s not for me. I think Oakley has some much better books than this one, and while I didn’t dislike it, I was a little disappointed.

The Love Wager

By: Lynn Painter
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: Berkley Books
Pages: 320

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Hallie Piper is turning over a new leaf. After belly-crawling out of a hotel room (hello, rock bottom), she decides it's time to become a full-on adult. She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe, but when she logs onto the dating app that she has determined will find her new love, she sees none other than Jack, the guy whose room she snuck out of.

After the joint agreement that they are absolutely not interested in each other, Jack and Hallie become partners in their respective searches for The One. They text each other about their dates, often scheduling them at the same restaurant so that if things don't go well, the two of them can get tacos afterward.

Spoiler: they get a lot of tacos together.

Discouraged by the lack of prospects, Jack and Hallie make a wager to see who can find true love first, but when they agree to be fake dates for a weekend wedding, all bets are off. As they pretend to be a couple, lines become blurred and they each struggle to remember why the other was a bad idea to begin with.

First Impressions

The cover isn’t my favorite. I appreciate that it’s different and yellow and might’ve caught my eye based on color alone, but I’ve seen better illustration. The summary on the other hand immediately caught my attention. I loved the idea of a couple that started being friends as a bet but fell for each other over time. This is the second book in the series, but since it’s a romance series you don’t have to read the first one to understand this one.

What I thought

Hallie and Jack met at his sister’s wedding where they had a one night stand. After that night, they are both convinced that it’s time for them to enter the dating app world. When Hallie comes across Jack on the app, she teases him over message and they begin to chat. Over time, they decide to motivate each other to find their soulmates on the app by making a bet. Whoever falls in love first wins.

Jack and Hallie were so good. They had amazing banter which I’m always a sucker for in romance novels. I immediately fell in love with Jack. I loved that even though he had his personal issues, they weren’t massive. Hallie also had some small issues, but everything felt very relatable. Their chemistry was off the charts. I honestly couldn’t understand how it took them so long to get together.

I also felt like Painter did a great job accurately writing about the world of online dating. The few dates that they went on made me laugh and I definitely understood Hallie being heart broken over the possibility of something more than losing the person you were dating.

One other thing I loved about this novel was that the conflict wasn’t ridiculous and was resolved quickly. I hate when the conflict is a huge overreaction that takes forever to get resolved. This didn’t happen in the book and it made me like it so much more.

I flew through this book. I thought it was funny, light, romantic, and a complete joy. Painter writes clever and relatable characters who I was rooting for the entire time. I will definitely check out more of her novels in the future and highly recommend looking into her if you like banter in your romance novels.

Book Club February 2023- Remarkably Bright Creatures

By: Shelby Van Pelt
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: Ecco
Pages: 368

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.

What I thought

I heard about this book from multiple people last year. They all raved about how it was one of the best books they read that year so when it was my turn to pick for book club I knew I needed to pick this one.

Tova is 70 years old and cleans the small town aquarium each night. 30 years ago she lost her son to a mysterious disappearance and she hasn’t been the same since. She also lost her husband a few years ago and feels very alone. When she meets the Pacific Octopus Marcellus on one of her shifts, her world slowly begins to change.

This book alternates between a whole bunch of perspectives, one of which belongs to the octopus. That’s right, the octopus. I was worried that it would be weird and cheesy, but his ended up being my favorite chapters. We all know octopi are smart creatures, so hearing his inner thoughts and observations was so fun. I wish that he had more chapters because towards the end he had less and less and I wanted more of Marcellus. The other main perspectives are Tova and Cameron, but you do get chapters from other characters’ perspectives which is nice because it helps to connect you to smaller sider characters and not just the main ones.

This book is one that is built around connection. Are you connected to others? Who connects you to this world? What happens when you feel like you have no connection? I’ve read some books similar to this one, with The Authenticity Project specifically coming to mind, so I don’t think this book hit me as hard as it did others. Don’t get me wrong, I loved this book. But I think if you haven’t read this type of book before it’ll speak to you more.

The chapters were short and sweet, making this a quick read. The characters were all intriguing and lovable in their own way (mostly). I think it’s a well written story and I understand why it spoke to so many people.

What Book Club Thought

Book club success! Not only did everyone finish it, but everyone enjoyed it. I think the overall consensus was that parts of it were predictable, but that it was overall very enjoyable and well-written. I’m curious to see Van Pelt’s sophomore novel. It was interesting to see how we had all predicted different parts but still enjoyed it. I definitely would recommend this as a book club pick and I think if you haven’t read something similar you’ll really enjoy it.

Best Served Hot

By: Amanda Elliot
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: Berkley Books
Pages: 352

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): By day, Julie Zimmerman works as an executive assistant. After hours, she’s @JulieZeeEatsNYC, a social media restaurant reviewer with over fifty thousand followers. As much as she loves her self-employed side gig, what Julie really wants is to be a critic at a major newspaper, like the New York Scroll. The only thing worse than the Scroll’s rejection of her application is the fact that smarmy, social-media-averse society boy Bennett Richard Macalester Wright snagged her dream job.

While at the Central Park Food Festival, Julie confronts the annoyingly handsome Bennett about his outdated opinions on social media and posts the resulting video footage. Julie's follower count soars—and so does the Scroll’s. Julie and Bennett grudgingly agree to partner up for a few reviews to further their buzz. Online buzz, obviously.

Over tapas, burgers, and more, Julie and Bennett connect over their shared love of food. But when the competitive fire between them turns extra spicy, they'll have to decide how much heat their relationship can take.

First Impressions

Elliot’s debut novel, Sadie on a Plate, was one of my top reads of 2022. When I was given the opportunity to read and review her second novel, I accepted without a second thought. Admittedly, the cover isn’t my favorite. I think it’s much cuter after you’ve read the story, but I don’t know if I would’ve picked it up based off of the cover alone.

What I thought

Elliot is starting to cement herself as one of my auto-read authors.

Julie is a food review influencer. Or at least, she’s trying to be. She has a solid following, but not enough to only review full time. She applies to be a reviewer for a newspaper, but loses out to a rich white male who she immediately decides she dislikes. When she runs into him at a food festival, she gives him a piece of her mind. Her friend records their fight, and Julie decides to post it to point out the disparity growing between food critics and food influencers. The fight goes viral, leading the newspaper to want to capitalize on the publicity and have Julie and Bennett complete reviews together.

This book has a bit of a different vibe from Sadie on a Plate, but it does exist within the same universe which I always love. There is less of a Jewish influence in the story, but it is mentioned a handful of times that Julie is Jewish. I always love a good enemies to lovers trope and I think Elliott handled it well. A lot of the dislike comes from Julie’s side, which helps to make their eventual liking of each other a lot easier to handle. I never found him to fall into the “I like her so much so I must be mean to her” type of situation which can sometimes happen.

I did love the food based storyline and loved reading about all of the different types of restaurants Julie and Bennett got to review. I did find that towards the end it got a bit much and I found myself skimming Julie’s thoughts on everything that she ate as she described it.

I was intrigued by the supposed beef between food critics and influencers. I never would’ve thought about it or any issues it caused, but it made a lot of sense. Food critics are known for being stuffy old men, so I loved reading about how women and women of color were making their way into the industry by their own rules.

Of course, most importantly, I loved the chemistry between Bennett and Julie. It was believable and I liked both of them. I think it could’ve been easy to make Bennett dislikable or make him fall flat, but I enjoyed him, though I do wish we could’ve gotten a little bit more depth of character.

I flew through this book and enjoyed every minute. I like that Elliott balances the romance with good character development and intriguing storylines. There were multiple non-romance related storylines that I greatly enjoyed. I’m a sucker for romance stories that have great side characters who you want to follow on their own adventures and there were a lot within this story I’d gladly read about. While it wasn’t as much of an instant favorite as Sadie, I enjoyed it and am looking forward to more.

We Were Dreamers: An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story

By: Simu Liu
Published Year: 2022
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 289

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Marvel's newest recruit shares his own inspiring and unexpected origin story, from China to the bright lights of Hollywood. An immigrant who battles everything from parental expectations to cultural stereotypes, Simu Liu struggles to forge a path for himself, rising from the ashes of a failed accounting career (yes, you read that right) to become Shang-Chi.

Our story begins in the city of Harbin, where Simu's parents have left him in the care of his grandparents while they seek to build a future for themselves in Canada. One day, a mysterious stranger shows up at the door; it's Simu's father, who whisks him away from the only home he had ever known and to the land of opportunity and maple syrup. 

Life in the new world, however, is not all that it was cracked up to be; Simu's new guardians lack the gentle touch of his grandparents, resulting in harsh words and hurt feelings. His parents, on the other hand, find their new son emotionally distant and difficult to relate to - although they are related by blood, they are separated by culture, language, and values. 

As Simu grows up, he plays the part of the pious son well; he gets A's, crushes national math competitions, and makes his parents proud. But as time goes on, he grows increasingly disillusioned with the expectations placed on his shoulders, and finds it harder and harder to keep up the charade. 

Barely a year out of college, his life hits rock bottom when he is laid off from his first job as an accountant. Unemployed, riddled with shame and with nothing left to lose, Simu finds an ad on Craigslist that will send him on a wildly unexpected journey, into the mysterious world of show business. 

Through a swath of rejections and comical mishaps, it is ultimately Simu's determination to carve out a path for himself that leads him to not only succeed as an actor, but also open the door to reconciling with his parents. After all, the courage to pursue his ambitions at all costs is something that he inherited from his parents, who themselves defied impossible odds in order to come to Canada.

We Were Dreamers is more than a celebrity memoir - it's a story about growing up between cultures, finding your family, and becoming the master of your own extraordinary circumstance.

First Impressions

I really enjoyed Simu in Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. When this book was nominated as one of the top memoirs on Goodreads for 2022, I immediately added it to my list. The cover is clean and not over the top. I also this the title is cute. So, solid first impression.

What I thought

This is easily one of the best audiobooks I’ve listened to, second to The Rural Diaries by Hilarie Burton Morgan.

Simu’s voice is so soothing and confident throughout this entire novel. His charisma is immediately evident and I would highly recommend listening to this book over reading it. You will also get a bonus of getting a chance to hear Simu sing some ‘NSYNC!

I knew nothing about Liu prior to this memoir. He shared not only about his childhood but about his parents’ history as well. It was fascinating to learn so much about China pre-1980s. I also appreciated how Simu shared the perspectives so that later in the story when he shares a lot of the traumas of his childhood, you have a different understanding of his parents and don’t immediately despise them.

The book spans Simu’s parents’ childhoods, Simu’s childhood, his college years, and up to when he got the part of Shang Chi. This book made me fall in love with him a little bit, which to me, is a good sign for a memoir. It always bums me out when I finish a memoir and dislike the person. He’s definitely a bit cocky, but it somehow comes across as likable.

Without giving too much of a review, since that always feels a little weird to review someone’s life, this book was fabulous. It was funny, serious, discussed racism in the entertainment industry as well as in Canada and was beyond entertaining. I am looking forward to checking into more of Liu’s backlist of movies and TV shows and cannot wait to see more from him in the future.