Book Review: "Plant Lady" by Minyoung Kang, translated by Shanna Tan

I really enjoyed this! It’s a little creepy, a little mysterious, and a bit thought-provoking. I’ll definitely be thinking about this for a while.

Yoohee was an office worker who decided to leave her job and open a plant shop. She found space in a neighborhood that didn’t appear to have much foot traffic, but it’s not long before the shop becomes popular, both with customers and on social media.

She cares tremendously about her plants, painstakingly caring for them and ensuring they get the climate and lighting they need to thrive. People visit because they know how much she knows plants, and that she carries many unusual varieties.

But those aren’t the only reasons customers flock to Plant Shop. Troubled women—those frightened or abused or mistreated by men—seek Yoohee’s counsel. She is all too willing to help free these women of the burdens that are causing their unhappiness, fear, even pain. She has tools at her disposal and she’s not afraid to use them.

Yoohee knows how these women feel. At one point, back in her hometown, she fell victim to a young man she believed to be kind and good. The pain of those days has haunted her, so she’s willing to do whatever it takes to help her customers. No one will miss them anyway, right? And if they do, would they ever suspect the owner of Plant Shop?

This isn’t quite a horror novel; it’s more dark literary fiction than anything else. But I was utterly captivated. I wondered if things would get creepier or if Yoohee would get her comeuppance. In the end, though, I cheered her heroism, even if it took a much more sinister tone.

Book Review: "Bloom" by Robbie Couch

Robbie Couch has been one of my auto-buy authors since I fell in love with his debut, The Sky Blues, several years ago. His previous books have all been YA, so I was excited to read his first adult novel. And it was full of as much heart as his earlier books.

Morris is grieving the sudden death of his husband, Fred. He and his cat mostly stay in the house, as Fred was always the social butterfly of the couple. Morris has lost his passion for everything, and doesn’t want to get together with his former teacher colleagues or anyone.

Fred had had a green thumb, and cares for numerous plants both inside and outside the house. But Morris can’t care for them, and gave most of them away to a science teacher friend. The three remaining plants are dying, much to their chagrin. One plant, Jade, knows her end is nearing but wants to find a way to save herself and her plant friends.

Meanwhile, Morris’ stepdaughter (and former student), Sloan, has been struggling with her father’s death. She’s excited to marry her boyfriend but can’t stand how her mother keeps forcing them to make choices they don’t want. And she’s tired of her mother’s anger toward her father and Morris.

Sloan decides to get to know Morris better, a decision that could rattle her family, as Morris is considered “the enemy.” But Sloan likes seeing her father through Morris’ eyes, and the more she thinks about it, the more she wants him in her life. How will this sit with her mother?

I found this book to be all kinds of adorable and a bit emotional, too. It’s a beautiful reflection on how grief impacts each of us differently, and how harmful it can be not to tell someone when they’re hurting you, or you’re afraid of hurting them. I found myself smiling so many times while reading this!

Book Review: "All Friends Are Necessary" by Tomas Moniz

“But now, I understood that finding your family and your friends often happens despite anything you choose to do. You have no real control. And maybe that’s for the best. You can prepare and devise and court and romance all you want, and sometimes that works. But trauma can lead to family. Accidents can create friendships.”

This gorgeously written, character-driven book is about the family we choose and the family we’re born into. It’s about resilience and recovery and finding your own way. And it’s a beautiful tribute to the power of belonging, of love, of being seen.

Efren (aka Chino) is a biology teacher in Seattle, preparing for his wife to have a baby. But when tragedy strikes, he moves back to the Bay Area, where he ekes out a simple existence, working temp jobs, hanging with his college best friends, and longing for connection and companionship.

Chino needs to find his way out of his grieving, anger, and guilt. He moves about 90 minutes away from the Bay Area, still trying to find himself, and he dates both men and women in an effort to find the person who feels most right. And while he finds a home and dreams of an opportunity, he eventually heads back to the Bay to be with his friends.

The book spans between 2018 and 2023, watching the group of friends deal with changes in their lives, their relationships, even the pandemic. And in the end, they realize that life is real, it is hard, and it is uncertain, but it’s worth all of it.

“Perhaps Genevieve is right. All your pain and all your joy. All the ridiculous memories and regrets and mistakes: Why would you want to leave all those memories of family and friends and broken hearts and birth and death behind?”

Book Review: "The Boyfriend Subscription" by Steven Salvatore

A steamy, gay version of Pretty Woman? Yes, please!

Teddy thought he had it all—the perfect marriage and a dream career running an urban nursery in the middle of NYC. But he finds out that his husband played him for a fool, and then he lost his business, which devastated him even more. With no money or prospects on the horizon, he plans to head back home to New Orleans to live with his mother and start again.

Cole was supposed to be the heir to his family’s construction company, but his desire to live his life on his own terms alienates him from his family, especially his power-hungry father. But he achieves the success he dreamed of by founding VERSTL, an app which brings sex workers and consumers together to create content and connect with one another.

Teddy and Cole meet in a dive bar one night, when Teddy is drowning his sorrows and Cole is escaping immense pressure. VERSTL is about to go public, which will be a surprise to Cole’s family. But to attract an investor concerned about the sex work component of the app, Cole could use a more down-to-earth boyfriend.

And that’s where Teddy comes in. After their one-night stand, Cole offers Teddy a job to pretend to be his boyfriend. He’ll be compensated quite well, but he has to remember two rules: no kissing and no catching feelings. Hmm…wonder how that will go?

This was so enjoyable, super-sexy, romantic, and emotional. I loved the book’s treatment of sex work as well as the way it portrayed the inferiority complex many of us deal with. Cole and Teddy were a great couple, and Steven Salvatore is such a talented writer. I've loved their YA books, and I'm so glad to see they've moved into adult romance!

Book Review: "The Houseplant: A Short Story" by Jeremy Ray

The Houseplant is a surprisingly heartwarming story about the most unlikely of subjects. (Yes, the title is literally what the story is about.)

Do you have plants in your house? If so, do your plants have names and do you talk to them? I have one small plant, Mr. Indestructo, so named because he puts up with my periodic neglect and thrives anyway. (And he’s a good listener when I break into an impromptu karaoke session.)

Jeremy Ray’s terrific story is narrated by George, a fern who was brought home against his will by Brenda. After he struggled through her initial missteps at caring for him, eventually he and Brenda built a solid relationship of companionship and trust, and she was always bragging to friends about George’s ability to thrive.

But in a split second, everything changes and George’s life is turned upside down. Can things go back to how they were before, or will George have to suffer the consequences?

I seriously loved this story. I never thought I’d get attached to a story narrated by a houseplant but Jeremy Ray created such a terrific character! I gave Mr. Indestructo a little more water after I finished the story.

The author provided me with a complimentary advance copy of the story in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available! For details on how to win a signed, first-print edition of The Houseplant, visit @jeremyraystories on Instagram.

The story publishes 12/14.