Book Review: "One Month of You" by Suzanne Ewart

She wants to deal with life alone. He won’t let her.

Ever since her mother was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, Jess has kept her burdens to herself, only letting a few people know. And when she tests positive for the disease herself, she knows she should share her struggles, what it’s like watching her mother’s condition deteriorate, knowing she will face the same fate. But she doesn’t.

One rule that Jess has set for herself is don’t fall in love. So when Alec, the bartender at the local pub, expresses an interest in her, she can’t allow it. Sure, he’s handsome (despite the beard), funny, and kind, and she can’t stop thinking about him. But she knows it won’t end well—it can’t—so why start?

Of course, they run into each other constantly. So when Jess tells Alec about her mother’s condition (not hers), he proposes an arrangement: date him for one month. Let her actually live her life and have fun for the first time in so long. But they cannot fall in love.

The time spent with Alec is amazing, and to no one’s surprise, they fall for each other. But what will happen if Alec finds out about her diagnosis? She wouldn’t want him to stand by her out of obligation, or worse, abandon her. So it’s best she break it off before things get too serious. Right?

This is definitely a moving story, although it didn’t destroy me as much as I expected. The challenge that I had was that I really didn’t like the way Jess treated Alec. She was really mean in the way she pushed him away and sent him mixed messages. At one point in the book, she asks him why he’s interested in her. I wondered the same thing.

Book Review: "Dial A for Aunties" by Jesse Q. Sutanto

As Jesse Q. Sutanto proves in her new novel, Dial A for Aunties, sometimes family helps get you out of trouble, sometimes they create more trouble. But they (almost always) mean well!

If you like your books zany with a healthy helping of wacky, this is a book for you! It’s a mixture of oversized farce, accidental murder, family drama (and pressure), even a little second-chance romance.

Meddelin “Meddy” Chan tries to be the dutiful Asian daughter, but it’s hard when you have not only your mother to please, but three of your aunts as well. Fear of disappointing her mother has led her to make some foolish decisions, like ending the best relationship she ever had because she didn’t want to introduce him to her family. (Not that there was any reason for her mother or family to disapprove, but she still worried.) But now she’s part of the family wedding business, as the photographer. It wasn't quite her choice, but she does like photography, so...

When a blind date her mother arranged for her (some of the funniest stuff in the book pertains to the way the date was arranged) turns into a disaster, Meddy accidentally kills the guy. In a panic, she goes to her mother, who, of course, summons the aunts. With a big wedding weekend ahead they decide to do what anyone would—hide the body.

What could go wrong? While obviously there’s lots of craziness to be found here, at its core Dial A for Aunties is a story of family, of trying to do the right things, and of finding the courage to be your own person and follow your own path. Sutanto called it a love letter to her own family, and you can definitely see why.

I heard they’re making this into a Netflix movie, so that should be fun. I read this with my friend Louis; buddy reads with him are always so enjoyable. Books are more fun when you talk about them with good friends!

Book Review: "The Lost Apothecary" by Sarah Penner

The Lost Apothecary, Sarah Penner's debut novel, features dual-narrative historical fiction with a dash of mystery and drama.

In late-1700s England, Nella works as an apothecary. Like her mother before her, Nella’s potions and powders and salves bring comfort and aid to women for their physical and emotional issues. But unlike her mother, Nella’s business has a more sinister side—she’s known secretly as the woman to see when a woman needs to take care of an abusive or philandering husband.

The last thing she is expecting is a 12-year-old client, but Eliza Fanning is there at the behest of her employer. This encounter awakens Eliza’s interest in Nella’s work—both the light and the dark sides. But Eliza’s presence involves her in a scandal that has the potential to destroy Nella and her business—and perhaps both of their lives.

Meanwhile, more than 200 years later, Caroline is visiting London alone on what was supposed to be an anniversary trip with her husband. Reeling from betrayal, the aspiring historian spends the afternoon exploring items found on the muddy shore of the Thames. It is there she discovers an apothecary vial, which awakens the dormant researcher in her, and it’s not long before she’s discovering a series of unsolved “apothecary murders” from the late 1700s...

I’ll admit I probably fell prey to the hype around The Lost Apothecary and was SO excited to read it. While I enjoyed the way Penner writes, and definitely found myself captivated by much of the Nella/Eliza storyline, the Caroline story had very little appeal to me. I understand the message that Penner was trying to convey but it dragged the story down for me, and I found myself skimming Caroline’s parts by the end. I honestly think the Nella/Eliza storyline could've carried the story on its own.

That being said, The Lost Apothecary was still a quick, compelling read, and I look forward to seeing what’s next in Penner’s career. Plus, I know others have loved the book, so my expectations might have been too high, plus historical fiction isn't really my preferred genre.