Reviews – STORYBOOK ENDING, NOSY NEIGHBORS, & I’LL HAVE WHAT HE’S HAVING
Hey everyone! I’ve been way behind on writing book reviews but finally played catch up this past weekend, so today I’m back to share my thoughts on three recent reads that I really enjoyed. Two are from authors I’ve reviewed before on the blog, while the third is a new to me YA author who has written his adult debut.
Storybook Ending Goodreads
Author: Poppy Alexander
Publication Date: August 20, 2024
Publisher: Avon
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Poppy Alexander’s new book, Storybook Ending, follows Imogen, a children’s book author, is pregnant and in the midst of a move to the countryside when her husband unexpectedly passes away. Imogen wants to make a fresh start and a good life for her baby so she decides to go ahead with the move. For those familiar with Poppy Alexander’s The Littlest Library, Imogen’s new home is in Middlemass. I loved Middlemass so I was excited to be returning to the quaint and charming little village. I knew the residents there would take good care of Imogen and her baby.
After a rough start, particularly in terms of dealing with her gruff neighbor Gabriel, Imogen soon settles in to life in Middlemass. Gabriel reminded me a bit of Luke from Gilmore Girls, grumpy as heck on the outside, but would do absolutely anything he could to help someone he cared about. It becomes pretty clear early on that Gabriel cares about Imogen. I loved their scenes together, and especially all of the small things here and there Gabriel would do to make Imogen’s life a little easier.
There’s a bit of drama throughout the story surrounding Imogen’s home that kept things interesting, but overall I’d consider Storybook Ending to be a heartwarming, feel good story about finding yourself and your path forward after grief and loss, and about second chances, especially when it comes to love. 4 STARS
Nosy Neighbors Goodreads
Author: Freya Sampson
Publication Date: April 2, 2024
Publisher: Berkley
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Nobody writes the found family trope quite like Freya Sampson. Nosy Neighbors is my third read from her, and that found family element is what takes each book to the next level for me.
In Nosy Neighbors, the long-time residents of Shelley House and Kat, the young pink haired girl who ends up renting a room there, are the found family. Before Kat’s arrival, the residents had mostly just kept to themselves, only interacting when necessary.
77 year old Dorothy Darling has lived in Shelley House for over 30 years. She’s a cantankerous old lady who spends her days spying on her neighbors and taking detailed notes of their comings and goings. She seems to have a particular disdain for Joseph, the elderly gentleman who lives across the hall from her and his adorable dog, Reggie, and when Joseph sublets a room to Kat, her disdain for Joseph immediately extends to Kat as well.
When the residents learn that their awful landlord has decided to sell the building out from under them and evict them all, everything changes. They start to bond over their shared desire to save Shelley House. All of the residents are so endearing in their own way, and I just loved watching these wonderful friendships blossom as everyone worked together and as they tried to get through to Dorothy, who seems to be in denial about the eviction and who also seems to be harboring some deep rooted secrets.
The relationship between Dorothy and Kat was especially compelling for me as Kat is carrying the weight of some secrets herself. The two women have so much more in common than either would have ever thought, and their relationship was, by far, my favorite friendship to come out of such a heartbreaking situation.
There’s also an element of mystery to the story, especially surrounding the house itself and some of Dorothy’s more eccentric tendencies. While the mystery element is quite entertaining and definitely kept my attention, it was that element of found family that made this such a special read for me. 4.5 STARS
I'll Have What He's Having Goodreads
Author: Adib Khorram
Publication Date: August 27, 2024
Publisher: Forever
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
I’ll Have What He’s Having is Adib Khorram’s adult debut and it follows Farzan and David, two thirty-something year old men as they navigate the trials and tribulations of life and love.
When we meet Farzan, he is reeling from his most recent heartbreak. His love life is a mess and he’s also not overly happy with his life as a substitute teacher either. Farzan needs to get out of his own head for a while, and when his best friends are not available, he decides to head to a new restaurant he has been wanting to try. Farzan is surprised when David, the restaurant’s hot sommelier, starts acting super flirty with him, but he decides to just enjoy it and see where things go, not realizing that this night will change everything.
David has been told that Frank Allen, famed food critic, will be visiting the restaurant. When Farzan enters, Davis thinks he is Frank and really pours on the charm. One thing leads to another, and the two men end up spending an unforgettable evening together. When they both realize the mixup, Farzan and David laugh it off and the two part ways, assuming this was a one-night stand since neither is interested in a relationship at this point.
The universe has other ideas for them though and they cross paths again when Farzan inherits his family’s bistro. Farzan needs advice on running a restaurant and David could use some help studying for his exam to become a master sommelier, so they agree to help each other out. Even though David’s plan is to relocate to L.A. once he passes his exam, he and Farzan have an increasingly difficult time trying to fight their growing feelings for one another.
I thought this story was going to be a rom-com but it’s actually a much more emotional read than I was expecting. It’s heartbreaking to watch Farzan struggle with his life choices on a day-to-day basis, especially since his heart is always in the right place. I was rooting so hard for him to find his path both on a personal level and of course for him and David to figure out how they can each follow their dreams and still keep this wonderful relationship that is within reach if they would both just embrace it.
Equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking, and filled with so many delicious descriptions of food and wine, I’ll Have What He’s Having is sure to please anyone who enjoys more emotional romance reads. 4 STARS
Thriller Thursday Reviews: Look in the Mirror & Wrong Place Wrong Time
Happy spooky season! Sharon here with another edition of Thriller Thursday. This week I am reviewing Look in the Mirror by Catherine Steadman and Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister. I have only read one other book of Steadman’s before and have never read anything by McAllister, but I am happy to say these two books were awesome. I love finding new to me authors and so glad I found Catherine Steadman and Gillian McAllister, I look forward to reading more from both of them.
Look in the Mirror Goodreads Author: Catherine Steadman
Publication Date: July 30, 2024
Publisher: Ballantine Books
I first came across Catherine Steadman last year when I read The Family Game. I loved it so much that as soon as her newest book, Look in the Mirror, came out I bought a copy and I am happy to report that I loved this book as well.
The story is told mainly from the POV of Nina and Maria. There are a few other POV’s, but Nina and Maria are the two protagonists of the story, and I loved them both. They were both strong and determined women. I loved watching them fight back and not just give up and accept whatever horror awaited them.
Nina’s father recently passed away and she discovers that she has inherited a house he had in the British Virgin Islands. Nina had no idea her father had this house. The house is state of the art. How did her father have the money to build this house? And why did he keep it from her? Nina travels to the BVI and after she has been in the house for a couple of days, she realizes that she may not have known her father as well as she thought. Why would her father build a house like this and what is up with the room in the basement? Nina must use everything her father taught her to survive the terror that is awaiting her.
Maria is a medical student who has taken time off and is now a nanny for the superrich. All she needs is another year of nannying and she will have enough money saved to fund the rest of her medical school. But Maria’s latest job could be her last. When she arrives at the house on an secluded estate she is given a list of rules, among them; Do not under any circumstance go into the room in the basement. When her boss and his two children do not show up, Maria spends her days lounging by the pool and in the sauna. But then her curiosity gets the better of her and she enters the room in the basement. Maria is now in the fight for her life.
I don’t want to say too much and spoil things, especially on how these two women are connected. But I will say what a wild ride this book was. Look in the Mirror gave me so many horror movie vibes. There was so much suspense and tension throughout the whole book. I did figure a couple of small things out, but not the major reveal at the end. That just blew my mind and gave me major chills.
I definitely now need to check out some of Catherine Steadman’s older books, because she has me hooked. If you are looking for a Catherine Steadman book to dip your feet into, then I highly suggest Look in the Mirror. 4 stars
Wrong Place Wrong Time Goodreads Author: Gillian McAllister
Publication Date: August 2, 2022
Publisher: William Morrow
I have never read anything by Gillian McAllister before and don’t even remember how I came across Wrong Place Wrong Time. But it sounded so good, and the library had a copy available, so I borrowed it immediately and now that I have finished the book, I will be buying a copy for myself because I need this in my collection.
When the book opens it is midnight on October thirtieth and Jen is waiting up for her eighteen-year-old son Todd to come home. As she is watching through the window, she finally sees him, but then another man emerges from the dark and Jen witnesses Todd just walk over and stab and kill this man. Todd is arrested and Jen is determined to help her son. Why would he just stab someone and show no remorse? But when Jen wakes up the next morning it is actually the day before the stabbing and none of that has happened. What is going on? Each time Jen goes to sleep and wakes up it is further in the past. First it is just a few days and then weeks and then months and years. Jen realizes somewhere in the past something happens to make Todd kill this man and she needs to figure out what it is so she can fix it and stop her son from becoming a murderer.
OMG, I love time travel books and Wrong Place Wrong Time was no exception. I loved the concept of going back in time and trying to figure out what the jumps mean to Jen. I really cannot say anything that happens because anything would be a spoiler. I did figure a couple of things out as we were going back in time but figuring them out did not in any way take away from this story. Even though I did figure some things out, there were still a few twists that caught me off guard.
I loved all the characters in this story. Especially Jen as this is told from her POV. I loved her determination in trying to find a way to help Todd. Even when some things came to life that could alter her future life, she did not let that deter her. I was so invested in trying to figure out what was of importance with each jump back. I loved how even the events that seemed minimal at the time took on a bigger picture when Jen went back even further in time.
I am so glad I came across Wrong Place Wrong Time. And now want to check out more reads by Gillian McAllister. If you like books about time travel, then Wrong Place Wrong Time is the book for you. 4 ½ stars
Can’t Wait Wednesday – MY VAMPIRE PLUS-ONE by Jenna Levine
“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about. It is a meme that I have loved participating in since I first started blogging, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.
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My selection for this week is MY VAMPIRE PLUS-ONE, the second book in Jenna Levine’s My Vampires series. I read the first book last fall and thought it was so much fun, with Reginald being one of the highlights. This second book is his story so I can’t wait to dive into it!
MY VAMPIRE PLUS-ONE by Jenna Levine
by Berkley
Publication Date: September 17, 2024
Amelia Collins is tired of constant questions about her non-existent dating life, so she decides to get everyone off her back once and for all by inviting the worst person she can find to pose as her date to a family wedding: Reginald Cleaves.
Reginald is extremely handsome (which is not in his favour for Amelia’s purposes), but he’s also rude, infuriatingly arrogant, and wears a riot of clashing clothes that make him look like he got dressed in a skip – all factors in the plus column.
And the date goes well: everyone at the wedding, including Amelia, is horrified by Reginald and his actions, which include crashing the bar, starting up a breakdancing routine on the dance floor, and encouraging the kids to play frisbee with the fine china being used for dinner. (It really is a shame he’s so attractive).
After the evening is over, Reginald admits to Amelia that he’s a vampire, which doesn’t frighten her the way he expects it will. In fact, she asks if he would be willing to accompany her to a few more events over the course of the summer to help her further her goals of getting everyone to leave her alone. But there’s a fine line between love and hate, and the last thing either of them expects is there might be a growing spark between them…
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I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂