This was probably one of the most original stories I've read this year.
When rock guitarist Ashley (Ash) Hudson, damages her hand irreparably before a This was probably one of the most original stories I've read this year.
When rock guitarist Ashley (Ash) Hudson, damages her hand irreparably before a big show, she immediately seeks out the help of her hometown's creek demon, Snare. Snare has been known to trade people's "bad parts" for new ones - need a new body part? No problem! Snare will take your busted limb and replace it with a brand new one! There is (of course) a catch - 1) only one body part is available at a time; and 2) you can't leave town with Snare's parts or they'll disappear.
As a rock star who is constantly on tour, this deal just won't cut it for Ash. How can she perform at her upcoming show if she can't leave town? So Ash strikes a new deal with the demon and promises to do whatever it wants in exchange for a permanent hand and the freedom to leave town.
I thought this book was a lot of fun to read. It's a wild and thrilling ride, with a few gory details thrown in (it is, after all, a book about trading body parts).
I suspect we'll be seeing a lot more character development in the next book so I'm definitely looking forward to reading the second book when it comes out.
ARC provided by BooksGoSocial via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
This was probably one of the most original stories I've read this year.
When rock guitarist Ashley (Ash) Hudson, damages her hand irreparably before a big show, she immediately seeks out the help of her hometown's creek demon, Snare. Snare has been known to trade people's "bad parts" for new ones - need a new body part? No problem! Snare will take your busted limb and replace it with a brand new one! There is (of course) a catch - 1) only one body part is available at a time; and 2) you can't leave town with Snare's parts or they'll disappear.
As a rock star who is constantly on tour, this deal just won't cut it for Ash. How can she perform at her upcoming show if she can't leave town? So Ash strikes a new deal with the demon and promises to do whatever it wants in exchange for a permanent hand and the freedom to leave town.
I thought this book was a lot of fun to read. It's a wild and thrilling ride, with a few gory details thrown in (it is, after all, a book about trading body parts).
I suspect we'll be seeing a lot more character development in the next book so I'm definitely looking forward to reading the second book when it comes out.
ARC provided by BooksGoSocial via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
There wasn't much to make this memoir standout from other celebrity memoirs I've read, but I still enjoyed it. Afterall, who doesn't like Uncle Jesse?There wasn't much to make this memoir standout from other celebrity memoirs I've read, but I still enjoyed it. Afterall, who doesn't like Uncle Jesse? [image]
This memoir consists of a lot of surface level information and focuses primarily on John's passions including: - his career (to be honest, I only know him from Full House, Fuller House, and You. I was wholly unfamiliar with all the other works he's starred in) - his love for the Beach Boys - his love for Disney - his love for his wife and son - his friendship with Bob Saget
2. Love's Lightning Heart: A Multiversity Story written by Grant Morrison, art by Hayden Sherman, coloring by Marissa Louise, lettering by Aditya Bidikar, and edited by Jessica Chen. - 1.5/5 - I'm unfamiliar with The Multiversity so this was confusing to follow as it seems to jump straight into fast-paced travel across different worlds as Flashlight searches for The Flash (I think?). While I liked the art and coloring, the story was too confusing.
3. And Baby Makes Three written by Leah Williams, art by Paulina Ganucheau, lettering by Frank Cvetkovic, and edited by Arianna Turturro. - 5/5 - This short story follows Crush who gets stranded in an island with Harley and Ivy. The art style feels very YA-graphic novel (cutesy, fun, with vibrant colors) and depicts a really cute and fun dynamic between Harlivy.
4. Hey Stranger written by Nadia Shammas, art by Bruka Jones, color by Tamra Bonvillain, letter by Frank Cvetkovic, and edits by Andrea Shea - 4/5 - I absolutely love the art in this story of Robin and Green Arrow's son, Connor where readers get a glimpse of the two discussing their feelings and experience with coming out. The dialogue was alright, but did I mention that I loved the art?
5. 8 Seconds of Still Force by A.L. Kaplan, letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, and edited by Andrea Shea - 2.5/5 - This is a Jules Jourdain/Circuit Breaker origin story. The story is lacking and Circuit Breaker's powers was hard to understand but the art is great and I love the green and pink color palette.
6. Subspace Transmission by A.L. Kaplan, letters by Aditya Bidikar, edited by Andrea Shea - 1.5/5 - This is a continuation of Jules Jourdain/Circuit Breaker's adventures although it appears that some time has passed since 8 Seconds of Still Force. To be honest, I had a hard time figuring out what was going on in this story.
7. Anniversary written by Josh Trujillo, art and color by Don Aguillo, letters by Lucas Gattoni, and edited by Michael McCalister - 3.5/5 - Midnighter and Apollo celebrate their anniversary by getting married again on national TV in order to combat homophobia. The story is heavy handed but the art is impressive - every panel looks like an oil painting!
8. Found: A Spirit World Story written by Jeremy Holt, illustrated by Andrew Drilon, lettered by Lucas Gattoni, edited by Jessica Chen - 4/5 - This is my first introduction to Xanthe and... I think I'm in love?
9. The Envoy: A Spirit World Story written by Alyssa Wong, art by Haining, colors by Sebatian Cheng, letters by Janice Chiang, edits by Jessica Chen - 5/5 - First of all, I love the all-Asian ensemble of creators who brought this story to life. I also adore the artwork and I am in love with Xanthe. This was a great introduction to the Spirit World comics, which I will definitely check out!
11. The Dance written by Rex Ogle, art by Stephen Sadowski, colors by Enrica Eren Angiolini, letters by Ariana Maher, and edits by Michael McCalister - 5/5 - "Battle is a dance. And what is a dance without a partner?" I can't say I'm familiar with any of the characters here, but the story was simple, straightforward and well-written and the artwork was great. No complaints.
13. Harley Quinn in Stranger Than Fan Fiction written by Alexis Quasarano, art by Max Sarin, colors by Marissa Louise, letters by Taylor Esposito, edits by Alex Galer and Ben Meares. 5/5 - This was a really cute YA-style comic of Harley Quinn following Poison Ivy at a masked garden gala to deliver a comic/fanfic she drew of the two of them if they were ever to meet in high school. The artwork was adorable and Harley's comic was equally as cute and I love Harley and Ivy's dynamic!
16. Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story written by Nicole Maines, art by Rye Hickman, colors by Bex Glendining, lettering by Rusty Gladd, edits by Sara Miller. 3/5 - this is an exclusive previous of Bad Dream: A Dreamer Story which I've reviewed here and had rated it a 4/5. That said, I do think more could have been included in this anthology as the excerpt provided doesn't offer much background on what's going on so I'm lowering rating for the portion that was provided in this anthology.
What a fun, spicy and addicting paranormal romance!
I had an incredibly tough time putting this book down and powered through the last 200 pages in oneWhat a fun, spicy and addicting paranormal romance!
I had an incredibly tough time putting this book down and powered through the last 200 pages in one sitting (when I should have been caring for my sick partner while he puked his guts out... Am I a terrible person? ...more
Much of the book is spent on Margot (the FMC) explaining how captivating Lucy is and how much Lucy reminded her This was a very slow-moving thriller.
Much of the book is spent on Margot (the FMC) explaining how captivating Lucy is and how much Lucy reminded her of her BFF Eliza, who died right before they left for college. Margot is also paranoid and wary of Levi (Eliza's boyfriend) whom she blames for Eliza's death. But then Levi winds up dead and Lucy is missing - what on earth is happening?
Although I didn't see the twist coming (which was only revealed ~90% into the book), I wasn't invested in the characters or the stories, which made it really hard to care how the story ends....more
This was a collection of 21 poems with each poem dedicated to a specific invasive species that can be found in Minnesota (hence the name of this book)This was a collection of 21 poems with each poem dedicated to a specific invasive species that can be found in Minnesota (hence the name of this book).
To be honest, I didn't know many of these species (such as the Brittle Naiad, Edodea, Sea Lamprey, and many more.) which I think affected my understanding of the poem (I didn't understand most of the poems).
Of the 21 poems, there was really only two poems that I quite liked - the Norway Maple and the Trapdoor Snail.
I think reading the Author's Note first, before reading the poems, helped me understand and appreciate the poems a bit more. Ultimately though, I think I would've enjoyed this book more if I was more familiar with the Minnesotan landscape and environment, and if I was more familiar with some of these invasive species.
*I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
I only know Kenan Thompson from SNL. While I did grow up watching some episodes of All That whenever it aired, I mainly only remembered Amanda Bynes. I only know Kenan Thompson from SNL. While I did grow up watching some episodes of All That whenever it aired, I mainly only remembered Amanda Bynes.
That said, this was a decent celebrity audiobook memoir (which I listened at x1.5 speed). It was interesting learning about Kenan's experience with being a child star, and how he managed to stay relatively normal while his child star counterparts struggled with substance abuse. He shares many behind-the-scenes from his time on All That, Kenan & Kel, SNL, and the ups and downs of being part of the industry.
The parts I enjoyed the most were the sections about parenting and when he talked about his daughters. He seems like a sweet, loving father who is extremely proud and supportive of his two daughters. ________________________________ If you like the following, then you might enjoy When I Was Your Age or vice-versa:
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Kiki attends a party and sees her ex-fiancé for the first time in a while. Even though she left him at the alta1.5/5
An underwhelming and slow mystery.
Kiki attends a party and sees her ex-fiancé for the first time in a while. Even though she left him at the altar, he seems fine and they even have a friendly conversation before he leaves. Shortly after he leaves, a gunshot is heard - Jamie apparently took his own life.
But Kiki refuses to believe that Jamie was suicidal. Jamie seemed fine when they talked and he seemed excited for all the things he had planned for the future. The police don't seem convinced by her explanations and so she investigates on her own, fully convinced that someone murdered her ex-fiancé. The only questions are who and why?
This novel was unbearably slow, I had trouble connecting with Kiki, I didn't like any of the characters (there also a lot of side characters to keep track of), there's a random romance thrown in (with zero chemistry so I didn't care for it at all), and all the twists were underwhelming.
Overall, a very disappointing read but the audiobook was easy to listen and digest.
I listened to the audiobook at x1.45 speed. ...more
This was like the Muslim version of On the Come Up in which a Muslim-American teen expresses her anger, frustration, betrayal, humiliation, a3.5/5
This was like the Muslim version of On the Come Up in which a Muslim-American teen expresses her anger, frustration, betrayal, humiliation, and dehumanizing experience with racism and discrimination via poetry.
Nida is a poet who was illegally frisked at a political rally (in which the cops tore her hijab off). After this traumatizing event, she turned to her poetry and wrote about the experience, never imagining that someone would enter it into a national poetry competition without her permission. Her angry poetic letter to the senatorial candidate who OK'd the illegal frisking went viral and made national headlines, upturning Nida's quiet life and making her the target of a media frenzy, a lawsuit, and even more racism and hate from those who try to paint her as a terrorist.
What I liked: This messaging and emotions in this book was strong. This book was an emotional journey and reminded me of the same emotions I felt while reading The Hate U Give. There's a lot of anger and feelings of hopelessness emanating from the chapters that were heartbreaking, moving and eye-opening.
I'm not Muslim, but as a reader, I felt that this book captured the sense of fear of living in America as a Muslim post 9/11, the frustrating lack of ability to exercise religious freedom in "the land of the free", the feelings of hopelessness from being part of a two-party political system in which your only options are to vote for the lesser evil, and the horrifying way "free speech" can be twisted to paint an even bigger target on the backs of Muslim poets.
What I didn't like: Unfortunately, I typically don't enjoy magical realism and this was no exception. Although I understand why it was included and the symbolism behind it, I did not particularly enjoy that aspect of this book.
Some of the poetry was good, but I found most of it to be only OK - perhaps it would be better to experience this via audiobook format.
Finally, I wish Nida had a better support system, or a stronger relationship with another character to help her through her experience. She essentially alienates everyone around her and pushes them all away. Although the people around her still came out to support her in the end, the growth between their relationships were lacking and could have been developed further (particularly between Nida and her sister, with Jawad, Mamou, her mom, etc.).
TL;DR - This is a very important book that puts into perspective what it's like to be a hijab-wearing Muslim teenager in USA post 9/11.
This book started off as a solid 4-stars but then it kept going downhill from there... The ending, in particular, was so overwhelmingly cheesy a2.75/5
This book started off as a solid 4-stars but then it kept going downhill from there... The ending, in particular, was so overwhelmingly cheesy and cringey it ruined the book for me.
I used to avoid the romance genre and romcoms like the plague, not because I didn't believe in love (like the MMC), but because I hated the cheese. But I've recently started reading a lot more romcoms because the past few that I've read were amazing - they were laugh-out-loud funny, entertaining, heartwarming, and romantic (not cheesy). This book though, was my first disappointing romcom read of the year.
This novel is about Emma Wheeler, who is Charlie Yates' biggest fan. As a screenwriter, Emma has read and admired all of Charlie's screenplays. When her manager reaches out to her and offers her a 6-week contract to work alongside Charlie, at his house, on his latest romcom project, she's ecstatic. Until she reads the screenplay. Emma was horrified by how bad the script was but vows to teach Charlie everything there is to know about romcoms and love. To make things worse, it turns out that Charlie likes to work alone and doesn't want to work with an inexperienced writer like Emma. But the script needs to be passable in order for Charlie to get greenlit on his other projects so he reluctantly teams up with Emma.
What I liked: - The audiobook narration by Patti Murin was excellent (I listened to the audiobook at x1.45 speed). - I liked the premise of a romcom writer teaching a non-romcom writer how to appreciate romance - I'm always down for a forced proximity trope - Not quite a sunshine vs grumpy trope because Charlie seems emotionally stunted. I like this, and as someone who didn't like romance for the longest time, can relate to his demeanor. This had the potential of being a story about Emma teaching Charlie how to embrace his emotions instead of always acting nonchalant. The character development was there, but was underdeveloped. - I enjoyed the bonus chapter at the end, told from Charlie's POV. The entire book was told from Emma's POV and reading the bonus chapter made me realize that this book would have benefitted from dual POVs.
What I didn't like: - For a supposed "romcom", this book wasn't very funny or romantic ...more
3.5/5 (for the audiobook, which, unfortunately, was not narrated by Tina Turner)
As implied by the title, this memoir is about Tina Turner's love life 3.5/5 (for the audiobook, which, unfortunately, was not narrated by Tina Turner)
As implied by the title, this memoir is about Tina Turner's love life - from her abusive relationship with her first husband, Ike Turner, to her loving and happily-ever-after relationship and marriage to Erwin Bach.
Aside from growing up to Tina Turner's hit songs, I didn't really know much about her. I certainly didn't know she was in an abusive relationship with a husband who constantly beat her, and controlled her career and finances. It takes immense strength to leave an abusive relationship, which she talks about at length (and it is probably why she didn't narrate the audiobook, as it may have been too painful to revisit... or perhaps she didn't narrate the audiobook due to her declining health).
I love that Tina Turner was able to find love again with a caring partner and, as a fellow Swiss, I loved that she became a Swiss citizen!
This book made me wish I watched the Tina Turner musical (which was in Toronto just a few months ago! I missed it - nooo!) [image]
Audiobook Comments: I listened to the audiobook at x1.60 speed. I was disappointed that Tina Turner didn't narrate the audiobook (she narrated the foreword, but that's it). The narrator, Heather Alicia Simms, narrated the audiobook a bit too happily, even when narrating serious and sad moments, which bothered me. I think I would prefer reading the physical book rather than listening to the audiobook in this case, seeing as Tina Turner wasn't the narrator.
_________________________________ If you liked the following, then you might enjoy My Love Story: A Memoir or vice-versa:
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This was a like a White, marriage-of-convenience, and funnier version of Crazy Rich Asians.
Five years ago, Anna Green and Liam "West" Weston (two compThis was a like a White, marriage-of-convenience, and funnier version of Crazy Rich Asians.
Five years ago, Anna Green and Liam "West" Weston (two complete strangers) married in order to become eligible for subsidized family housing at UCLA. They were roommates for two years but never really interacted much. They signed some papers and said their goodbyes after graduation, and that was that. Or so Anna thought.
Fast forward to the present day - Anna is a starving artist trying to make ends meet. She just got fired from her minimum wage job at a convenience store and is high out of her mind when there's a knock at her door. It's none other than her former roommate and ex-husband, West. To her surprise, she finds out that they never actually divorced and the papers Anna signed three years ago stipulated that the divorce would only be finalized after they'd been married for 5 years.
It turns out that Liam/West is heir to an enormous fortune that he would only have access to once he's been married for 5 years. His sister is getting married on a private island in Indonesia and his family is dying to meet his mysterious wife. He must prove to his family that his relationship with his wife is real, or risk losing his inheritance.
Anna and I are two strangers in paradise.
And so begins Anna and Liam's wild adventure amongst the filthy rich - entrenched in glamour, drama, and, of course, a burgeoning romance set in the gorgeous backdrop of a private tropical island.
This book, told in both Anna and Liam's POV, was hilariously fun. Anna is a hoot! Anna says the dumbest but funniest things and Anna and Liam/West's interactions are so amusing. I also love that Liam had the funniest insults for Anna, including calling her "a muppet in human form" and "she looked like a demented Care Bear" LOOOLLL I'm dying.
I'll admit that I didn't love the conflict (view spoiler)[maybe I'm just greedy, but I would totally give up my dreams and values for $100mil (also, Ray Weston might be the most villainous character ever and his actions still don't make sense to me) (hide spoiler)] but it resolved nicely and the ending was nice.
Audiobook Comments: The audiobook was so much fun to listen to (at x1.45 speed). I spent the first two hours listening to it in bed, laughing nonstop and constantly pausing the audiobook to tell my boyfriend how crazy and funny Anna was. ...more
This is a collection of five novellas, told in chronological order, that takes place 1 to 2 years before the events of Throne of Glass.
There's mu3.2/5
This is a collection of five novellas, told in chronological order, that takes place 1 to 2 years before the events of Throne of Glass.
There's much debate as to whether this book should be read before Throne of Glass, or after (in the order of publication). Since I'm reading this series while following along with the Between Pages & Friends bookclub-style podcast, I went with the recommended reading order of reading The Assassin's Blade after Crown of Midnight (Book #2).
I think reading this anthology after CoM worked well and made me appreciate Celeana's character development a lot more (from an arrogant and naive teenager to a slightly less naive and more serious young adult). I don't think I would've liked this series as much had I started with the novellas first, especially since most of the novellas were only OK...
I suspect many of the characters introduced in the novella will appear later on in the series (or I hope they will, otherwise there's a lot of loose ends left untied, and would render most of these stories pointless...)
First of all, I am a fan of Nicole Maines and loved her portrayal of Dreamer (the first televised trans superhero) in Supergirl. I also love thFirst of all, I am a fan of Nicole Maines and loved her portrayal of Dreamer (the first televised trans superhero) in Supergirl. I also love the fact that she loved Dreamer so much, she advocated for there to be more stories about this superhero - to the point where she pitched the idea to DC Comics (which they loved, thank goodness), and she's been writing Dreamer comics ever since!
Bad Dream is a Dreamer origin story (and if I'm not mistaken, the first Dreamer origin comic). This origin story differs from the one in the SupergirlTV show, but the major elements remain unchanged. In this version, Nia Nal is a half human, half Naltorian trans teenager growing up in an alien sanctuary on Earth. Nia's sister, Maeve, much like the Supergirl version, is anxiously waiting to come into her dreaming powers and ability to see the future, and has spent her entire life studying dream interpretation in preparation for the powers that she will inherit (as the powers are only passed on from mother to daughter). [image] But when Nia realized that she had inherited the powers instead, she was overwhelmed by the new powers and the fear of being hated by Maeve. So Nia turns to the only solution she could think of - running away from home.
I enjoyed this comic. The falling out between Nia and Maeve wasn't as emotional and didn't hit me as hard as it did in Supergirl(view spoiler)[(this scene gutted me: [image] (hide spoiler)] but this new origin story worked, made sense, and opens up a lot of opportunities for future comics to expand on this story. I also loved that Nia was able to befriend a group of trans aliens and allies while in Metropolis (also, Taylor/Galaxy is so pretty and seems really cool ...more
This middle-grade graphic novel about two dorky boys hunting for treasures in their haunted school was a quick read.
Although I enjoyed the illustratiThis middle-grade graphic novel about two dorky boys hunting for treasures in their haunted school was a quick read.
Although I enjoyed the illustrations (it feels very late 90s/early 2000s as some of the tech featured in the graphic novel is pretty retro), I'm definitely not the target demographic for this story. I didn't particularly like any of the characters or how they were depicted (asides from loyalty, they didn't have too many endearing qualities) but the adventure itself was entertaining. I also appreciated that the story touched upon bullying, greed, and being labelled as 'poor'.
**I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.**
I am convinced that SJM is immune to the second book syndrome. I've noticed a trend with SJM's books where the second book of her series is always WAYI am convinced that SJM is immune to the second book syndrome. I've noticed a trend with SJM's books where the second book of her series is always WAY BETTER than the first book. This was true for A Court of Mist and Fury and House of Sky and Earth and it is most certainly the case with Crown of Midnight.
This book was miles and miles better than the first book. It had all the suspense, action, intrigue, magic, political drama, and relationship drama that I was hoping for in the first book. There were certainly a few twists that I saw coming, but there were many more that caught me by surprise and had me gripping my book and scanning the pages at lightning speed to find out what happens next. This book appears to be, for all intents and purposes, an excellent set up for future books as the book ends on a note that opens up tons of possibilities as to what could potentially happen next, in later books.
In this book, Celaena is officially the King's Champion and serves as the King's personal assassin. Whereas I had previously complained that Celaena didn't seem very badass in the first book, she most certainly proved herself in this book by killing (and not killing) her intended targets while also uncovering a crazy amount of secrets about the King's enemies, the King's plans, and about Dorian as well. As with the first book, we also get Dorian and Chaol's third-person POV (as well as brief POVs from Nehemia and the King) that really added to the story and provided more insight into various character developments.
I have to say, I really enjoyed Chaol's POV and his internal struggle of balancing his feelings for Celaena while also proving his loyalty to his King. I also really enjoyed the (smut-free), slow-burn sweet romance between Celaena and Chaol. Their budding romance made me really giddy and I really hope they end up being endgame because I'm definitely Team Chaol!
September 4, 2024: Happy Publishing Day! This book is easily one of the top 5 contemporary romances that I've read this year!
August 15, 2024 RevSeptember 4, 2024: Happy Publishing Day! This book is easily one of the top 5 contemporary romances that I've read this year!
August 15, 2024 Review:
4.5/5
Move aside The Hating Game, because I've found my new favourite enemies-to-lovers contemporary rom-com!
This was such a fun holiday romance full of heated exchanges and pranks that leads to a secret romance.
Nina is super close to her older brother Dylan but the downside to being close means that she has to put up with his best friend and roommate, Tristan (aka 'The Prince of Darkness'). Nina has always 'hated' her brother's best friend, Tristan. As with any strong emotions, her feelings started with an all-consuming crush that subsequently turned into hot-blooded rage and the need for revenge when a teenaged Tristan made fun of Nina's jug ears and gave her the nickname 'Gremlin'. For the next 15 years, the two would be locked in an intense feud of constantly pranking each other to get even.
Over the years, we've evolved into more grown-up pranks. I've signed him up for multiple dating profiles states he lived with three cats, wanted to get married as soon as possible, and have five kids. I have away his real phone number, which he's had to change twice. With that face, the calls just kept on coming. I don't have proof, but for every spam call or email I receive for services I never signed up for, I know Tristan is behind it. The first year I moved to New York, he stole Dylan's phone and told me to come to my brother's birthday party in a costume. Let's just say the bunny scene from Bridget Jones has nothing nothing on me. I tried to own my cheerleader getup with pride, but he kept smirking all night and it just ended with me throwing my pom-poms at him.
Looking forward to spending the holidays back at home with her family, Nina was shocked to find Tristan there too. Snowed in with nowhere to go, they realize that their constant bickering is borderline flirtatious and has some underlying angsty heated sexual tension.
Told in alternating POVs, this was a really funny and quick read that I devoured in less than 2 days. The characters were great - I enjoyed their banter and character development. The romance was a bit of a slow, sexy burn with medium spice.
There was a bit of a miscommunication trope which I normally don't like but this is one I can stand by because it was realistic and believable. Tristan truly thought their feud was all fun and games, and that the nickname 'Gremlin' was affectionate and cute, whereas Nina was always out for blood because of the way Tristan had hurt her feelings and continue to do so whenever he uses the mean and insensitive nickname. I really liked how this disconnect was handled and resolved.
My only gripe is with the epilogue, which provided a lot of sudden information about Nina's two best friends. It seems like the author is setting up for future stories about the friends, which is fine I guess, but it felt strange as the friends weren't very strong secondary characters and only appeared briefly during the beginning and referenced occasionally later on in the story.
*All quotes are taken from an Advanced Readers Copy and may change prior to the release of the final copy.*
**I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.**
This was an enjoyable romance-thriller audiobook (which I listened to at x1.4 speed).
Ariel is a single mom who suddenly receives a text from her ex, This was an enjoyable romance-thriller audiobook (which I listened to at x1.4 speed).
Ariel is a single mom who suddenly receives a text from her ex, Drew, who died 5 years ago, asking to meet her asap.
When no one shows up at the meet up spot, it does nothing to quell her worries. Instead, she can't stop thinking about everything that happened 5 years ago. How the man she loved suddenly vanished without a trace and his obituary that she found shortly after he left her.
When Ariels finds out that everyone in their town received a text from 5 years ago due to a faulty cell tower, it raises more questions about why Drew left her and so she decides to investigate the matter. Her investigation only reveals that everything she knew about Drew may have been a lie.
This book alternates POVs between Ariel (present day) and Drew (five years ago). It's quite suspenseful with a focus on cybersecurity and privacy. The mystery of why Drew left and cut off all contact kept me guessing. I also quite enjoyed the romance aspect of the novel and really liked how the story ended.
This book leans a bit heavily on the romance side, which surprised me at first. I realize now that this (new to me) author is a romance author and that this is their debut thriller. In any case, this was an easy and entertaining read and I actually liked to romantic scenes. I might have to check out the author's other romance works now!
Romance readers who don't generally read thrillers might enjoy this one.
_________________________ If you like the following, then you might enjoy The Five Year Lie or vice-versa:
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This was such an entertaining and clever story full of funny characters, witty banter, some drama and mystery, a delightful romance, and a complicatedThis was such an entertaining and clever story full of funny characters, witty banter, some drama and mystery, a delightful romance, and a complicated relationship between a deeply religious Muslim father and a son who identifies as Muslim but does not practice.
Our religion was the same. Our experience of it was different.
I really liked Syed M. Masood's previous book The Bad Muslim Discount which focused on the overall theme of what it means to be a 'good Muslim' from two characters who experienced the religion in very different ways.
Masood's latest book, The Last Man in Paradise maintains similar themes, but with the added layer of complex family dynamics and a romance that I 100% was rooting for.
The story is told from Azaan's POV and starts with Azaan as a teenager and aspiring actor, who was caught kissing his (white, Jewish) girlfriend, Madison, in the parking lot during his father's interfaith outreach event. Azaan had always been a rebellious teenager living under his father - Imam Saqlain Saifi's - strict and abusive upbringing. But Azaan's actions that night somehow crossed a line. He was beaten to a pulp and then kicked out of his home.
With the help and guidance from a close family friend, Tiger Uncle, they manage to convince Imam Saifi to send Azaan to Egypt to become a reformed Muslim and to pay for his education to become an imam. But the moment Azaan landed in Egypt, he hopped on another flight to England and used his tuition money to study acting.
I mean, religion is one thing, but acting... well, that is a serious business.
11 years later, Azaan has remained in distant contact with his parents who believe that he's been working as an imam in UK (when, in reality, he's a struggling actor). One day, he receives a call that his dying grandfather has requested for him to come back home to Redding. And so, Azaan flies back home and starts preparing for his biggest role yet - pretending to be an imam.
This was a brilliantly crafted novel that was both wildly entertaining and funny, but also sweet and thoughtful. There were so many hilarious moments and dialogue that made me laugh out loud but there were also moments that made me sit back, think, and reflect on what (little) I know about faith and religion.
I also absolutely loved Azaan. His sense of humour is amazing (it's honestly surprising that he's an actor that doesn't do comedies because he is whip smart and says/thinks the funniest things). He's also such a romantic and has been holding a torch for Madison for the past decade. I honestly highlighted and annotated nearly every interaction he's had with Madison because their chemistry is amazing and he always says the most poetic (and sometimes wonderfully cheesy) things to her that make my heart melt.
I also have to point out that all the other characters were also very well developed and every single one of them has a different, yet interesting and perhaps even valid, interpretation and approach to practicing their religion.
Finally, I was extremely tickled by the discussion the characters had about representation and their thoughts on the book, The Bad Muslim Discount. It was also very meta and seems to be in response to the negative reviews from that book.
tl;dr - Overall, a very entertaining and compelling read that was funny, thought-provoking, and feels like an authentic portrayal of the messy relationships, family dynamics and complexities of being Muslim American.
*All quotes are taken from an Advanced Readers Copy and may change prior to the release of the final copy.*
**I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for review consideration, but all opinions are my own.**...more
Sorry, that person's shelf is private.
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