Book Review: "Something Wicked" by Falon Ballard

Thanks so much to Falon Ballard for sending me an absolutely beautiful copy of her book! I saw a blurb that described this as a blend between Macbeth and Moulin Rouge!, so you know I had to dive in!

The Uprising led to the monarchs of all four of Avon’s provinces to step down. To find the united Avon’s first president, it has been decreed that the person who kills each of their province’s rulers will be a candidate in the election.

Callum, the son of King James of Scota, was raised to succeed his father on the throne. But even though he is level-headed and would make an excellent leader, he absolutely does not want to kill his father. However, this is what his father and other family members expect of him.

To help Callum deal with the guilt he will feel upon murdering his father, his sister enlists the help of Lady Caterine, a Gifted courtesan at Avon’s most exclusive sex club. Caterine has the ability to manipulate the emotions of anyone who has an orgasm in her presence, so Callum’s sister hopes Caterine can help him.

The last thing anyone is counting on is for Callum and Caterine to fall in love. Callum has never trusted the Gifted, yet he trusts her completely. But when other forces want to take control of the country, they must team up before both are betrayed. Can they be honest with one another and save the country? Do they both want to?

I’ve been a huge fan of Ballard’s rom-coms, so I was intrigued by her first foray into romantasy. This book has all the steam, plus intrigue, family drama, and even a little espionage. It was a fun read and I look forward to the next book in Ballard’s Idle Reputations series!

Book Review: "Conflict of Interest" by C.G. Macington

I read and loved the first book in this series so I had to get to the second book quickly. While you could read this as a standalone, I definitely recommend starting with Bedside Manner.

Preston York is the younger son in the family, known as “the Spare.” His brother Max is Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the hospital his family owns; Preston is just expected to be a smiling host at parties and look good in a tuxedo. Which he does, but he’s bored.

When Max mocks Preston’s dilettante life, saying he wouldn’t last a week in the hospital trenches, Preston rises to the occasion. He goes to medical school and then starts his residency at the hospital. He’s ready to prove his brother wrong—he’s just not ready to give up his Gucci loafers.

To the surprise of everyone, Preston is impressive as a resident, taking everything thrown at him and succeeding. No one is more surprised than his boss, Chief Resident Lucas Silva. Luke works his ass off, with a huge chip on his shoulder due to his modest upbringing and his mother’s sacrifices. The last thing Luke wants to do is to tend to someone playing doctor, someone who will be gone once he’s had his fun.

But while he tries to show disdain, he’s actually impressed with Preston. When Preston works with him to save a patient, his respect turns to attraction. But when the hospital director wants to make an example of Preston and Luke, will Preston stand by his man or will he return to the board room instead of the ER?

I really love these characters that C.G. Macington has created. While Max and Jax have my heart a bit more, I enjoyed this book’s banter, steam, romance, and humor just as much. Book 3 will be read soon, that's for sure!!

Book Review: "Andromeda" by Therese Bohman, translated by Marlaine Delargy

I really don’t read much literary fiction because quite often, it makes me feel dumb and unsophisticated. I love beautiful storytelling and I love being moved by books, but for some reason, much of the literary fiction I’ve read left me wanting more.

Those thoughts were in the back of my mind when reading Andromeda, which was originally published in Swedish. This was definitely a character-driven book, although you don’t learn the main character’s name until halfway through. And even while the book spans a number of years, not much really happened.

A young woman takes her first steps into the world of publishing by becoming an intern at a well-known Swedish publisher. Her supervisor, Gunnar, is a venerated man, and she both admires and fears him.

Through the years, she picks up more and more responsibility and her relationship with Gunnar shifts and changes. Is it mutual respect? Embracing the power dynamic between them?

Maybe it’s because the book was translated from another language, but I found the writing really dry. I wanted something more from the plot, some drama, some powerful moment, but I didn’t get that. I think I’ll stick with the genres I enjoy.

Book Review: "The Emperor and the Endless Palace" by Justinian Huang

“What if I told you that the feeling we call love is actually the feeling of metaphysical recognition, when your soul remembers someone from a previous life?”

Justinian Huang’s debut novel was my pick for our book club this month. A romantasy—which isn’t a genre I’ve read much of—that dealt with the idea of soulmates through time, it definitely provoked some interesting conversation.

The book alternates among three different narratives.

Dong Xian is a court clerk in the Endless Palace in the year 4 BCE. He wants to make something of himself, so when he is offered the chance to befriend and seduce the young emperor, he agrees. He does not count on the intrigue that surrounds him, or the one who wants to stop him.

In 1740, He Shican is an innkeeper who welcomes a handsome guest and his grandmother, who is very ill. Summoning his friend and former lover, a doctor, to help the guests, He doesn’t know what forces he is awakening.

In current-day Los Angeles, River, recently out of the closet, goes to a circuit party with a friend of his. There he meets Joey, a handsome man, whom he is immediately drawn to. Yet both have a feeling they know each other from somewhere, and River’s determination to find Joey again brings him up against a corrupt businessman.

This is a beautifully written book, although the few sex scenes were very odd for me, distracting me from the rest of the story. The ending was a bit abrupt and I don’t know if I made every connection between the three stories, but I was drawn in to the story.

Book Review: "We Love the Nightlife" by Rachel Koller Croft

If you grew up in the 1970s and/or are a fan of disco music, you might know what song has been running through my head since getting an ARC of this book!!

Nicola and Amber meet in a London dance club in 1979, the tail end of disco’s popularity. Amber, a vivacious young American married to a staid Englishman, longs for fun and attention, so she goes clubbing alone many nights. Both women see each other as kindred spirits, and their shared love of dancing cements their friendship.

But while they may share similar interests, they’re actually quite different. Nicola has actually been a vampire for nearly 200 years, and she thinks Amber might be the perfect companion to spend eternity with. Realizing Amber’s unhappiness, Nicola offers her the opportunity for immortality, where every night can be full of music, dancing, and glamour, without any of the trapping burdens of human life.

While becoming a vampire is exotic and exciting, Amber realizes that she still needs friends, and perhaps more. But Nicola is full of rules and wants to control Amber. And after nearly 50 years, Amber discovers just how far Nicola has gone to keep Amber right where she is, so Amber is ready to start a new life. The thing is, though, leaving Nicola may be the most dangerous thing she does—if she can even succeed.

The book is narrated by both Amber and Nicola, and shifts through time, from Nicola’s childhood in the 1800s to the present. It’s rare to find a story which has female vampires at its core, and these are really fascinating characters.

Rachel Koller Croft’s debut, Stone Cold Fox, was excellent, and this book, while very different, once again proves what a talent she is.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the advance copy. The book publishes 8/20.

Book Review: "What Happened to Nina?" by Dervla McTiernan

Having read—and loved—Dervla McTiernan’s last book, The Murder Rule, this was one of my most anticipated books in the first quarter of this year. And wow, it blew my expectations out of the water.

Nina and Simon were childhood friends who started dating in high school. Although they went to different colleges—Simon to Northwestern and Nina to the University of Vermont—they were determined to make the long-distance thing work.

But since they both went away to school, Simon has become more possessive, more quick to anger, even a little bit violent. When they go to his parents’ vacation home in Stowe, Vermont, they hope to spend the week climbing (which they both love) and strengthening their relationship. But Simon comes back without Nina, telling everyone they broke up and that Nina went to meet another friend.

Nina’s parents suspect Simon had something to do with her disappearance, and they press the police for answers. But Simon’s father is rich and powerful, and both he and his wife are determined to protect their son at any cost.

It’s not long before guilt and innocence are muddied by rumors and innuendo, and both sides dig their heels in. Can Nina’s parents allow justice to take its time? Can Simon’s parents understand what Nina’s family is going through? Will anyone’s lives remain intact through the uncertainty, scrutiny, and despair?

This really was a fantastic book. McTiernan ratchets up the suspense and tension little by little until you need to race through the book to see how everything gets resolved. It’ll make you sad and angry, and keep you on edge.

Book Review: "Locust Lane" by Stephen Amidon

Secrets and lies surface in a small town in this compelling story by Stephen Amidon.

When Eden Perry is found murdered, the incident sends shockwaves through the small town of Emerson, Massachusetts. These things don’t often happen in the wealthy part of town; in fact, she wasn’t even from Emerson, but had been living with a local couple as a caregiver.

A suspect is quickly identified and a case begins to take shape. But are things as clear-cut as they appear? It turns out that three teenagers were partying with Eden that night—Jack, the handsome, privileged son of a powerful family, who’s known for his manipulation; Christopher, a shy newcomer to Emerson, just hoping to fit in; and Hannah, Jack’s girlfriend, sweet but easily swayed.

All three teens were acting strangely the night Eden was murdered. It’s not long before stories change and accusations fly, and the parents of the teens try to manipulate the situation to protect their children. Will justice be served?

This is one of those twisty stories that happens far too often in real life. No one in this book is particularly likable, but I was hooked by the domestic drama.

Thanks to Celadon Books for the advance copy!

Book Review: "Vladimir" by Julia May Jonas

Vladimir is a searing character study about a woman of a certain age. (Plus it's a book with a creepy-looking cover.)

The book's unnamed narrator is an English professor at a small college. She teaches alongside her husband, who is in danger of losing his job for having a significant number of relationships with female students. She isn’t troubled that he slept around—they’ve always kept their marriage fairly open with regard to sexual pursuits. In fact, she’s more upset at the scrutiny she’s being forced to endure, to play the outraged or wounded spouse, to suddenly have her every move analyzed. And she’s even angrier at the women who’ve raised a fuss because in her mind, they knew what they were getting themselves into.

When she meets the college's newest English professor, Vladimir Vladinski, a handsome writer whose first novel has gotten some recognition, she finds herself becoming increasingly obsessed. She’s jealous of his literary success (her first novel got a blip of notice, her second novel failed), she's drawn to him sexually, and his life and presence are causing her to evaluate her life, her femininity, her marriage, her career, growing older, and her relationship with her husband and adult daughter.

At one point, the book takes a little bit of a strange turn, and I wasn’t sure where Jonas was going to take the plot, but luckily it never got too weird for me. Vladimir was an interesting one—completely character-driven and thought-provoking, but I never quite warmed up to it. Others have loved it, though, so if character-driven books are your jam, definitely give it a shot!!

Book Review: "Her Dark Lies" by J.T. Ellison

In Her Dark Lies, J.T. Ellison's latest mystery/thriller, a destination wedding turns into a serious disaster.

Claire is more than ready to marry her fiancé, Jack, and really begin their life together. But since Jack’s family is incredibly powerful, well-known, and wealthy, this won’t just be any wedding. They’ll be getting married at the family’s cliffside villa (more like a castle) on the remote Isle Isola off the Italian coast. Sounds like a fairytale, right?

Already on edge from an event that occurred before they left for Italy, when the couple arrives on the island, things immediately start to go awry. Skeletal remains are found. A massive storm threatens the island and the festivities. Jack’s family is getting threatening tweets. Claire’s wedding dress is ruined. And that’s just the beginning.

Claire isn’t sure what’s going on. Is someone trying to destroy Jack’s family or stop their marriage? Have Claire’s own secrets caught up with her, too? And what’s the real story behind Jack’s first wife? As the body count starts climbing, she doesn’t know what or whom to trust, or if at the end of it all she’ll actually get married—or survive.

Much like Lucy Foley’s The Guest List, Her Dark Lies offers a great setting for a locked-room mystery of sorts. There are lots of twists thrown at you and you don’t know ultimately whom to root for or whom to fear.

I wasn’t wild about this one, honestly. There was just so much going on, so many multiple narrators, and yet virtually no surprises. My prediction at the very start was absolutely what happened and it just seemed a bit preposterous to me. I know others loved it, though, so maybe it’s just me.

I’m starting to think thrillers and I need a time-out. It's not them, it's me.

Book Review: "Yes, Daddy" by Jonathan Parks-Ramage

Wow. Jonathan Parks-Ramage's debut novel, Yes, Daddy, is thought-provoking, disturbing, and emotional commentary on the power dynamics in a relationship and how easy it is to find yourself powerless. It's a fascinating look at #MeToo from a gay man's perspective.

Jonah was raised by a religious family in a small town, where he was taught his homosexuality was something that needed to be cured. But when the therapy leads to a bigger crisis, he is able to convince his mother to let him go to graduate school, then move to NYC and pursue a career as a playwright.

Subletting a tiny room in Bushwick, working as a waiter, Jonah barely has any money or friends, and hasn't been doing much writing. When he spots a picture of famed playwright Richard Shriver, who has a fondness for handsome, muscular, younger men, Jonah formulates a plan to meet Richard and make him fall for him.

Jonah’s well-researched plan works and their relationship takes off, although Richard is a mercurial man to deal with. And when he’s invited to spend the summer in the Hamptons with Richard and his famous friends, who all live on a fancy compound, he feels like he’s finally being enveloped in a life he deserves.

But while the summer has its moments, often Jonah feels the subject of scorn and ridicule. He doesn't feel like any of Richard's friends see him as anything more than a boy-toy. Jonah notices that the compound seems to have a “staff” of young, handsome men in its “employ,” but he doesn’t get their role and they seem to tell him he doesn’t belong. But while Jonah thinks that’s motivated by jealousy, he realizes that there is something far more sinister happening at the compound, and when the dynamics of his relationship with Richard change, he sees the truth.

Yes, Daddy is a story about being victimized and how hard it can be to come to terms with that truth, it’s about revenge and the way we don’t always act in even our own best interests, it's about the role that faith plays in people's lives, and it’s a story about finding your own strength, your own self-belief and self-esteem. Parks-Ramage has written an unforgettable book, one that you’ll want—and need—to discuss.

(TW: sexual assault, violence, and thoughts of suicide)

NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt provided me with a complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

Yes, Daddy publishes on May 18.

Book Review: "Under Red Sky: The Boss" by J Calamy

Man, J Calamy's Under Red Sky: The Boss was a HOT, steamy, and intense read, with lots of emotion and action!

Since I joined Bookstagram more than two years ago I’ve been fortunate to work with some groups that organize blog tours for books. Through those groups, I’ve been lucky to find books I might never have heard of otherwise, and I'm so grateful.

That holds true for Under Red Sky: The Boss, too! Thanks to Pride Book Tours for putting it on my radar and for sending me a complimentary copy in exchange for an unbiased review!

Nick did a horrible thing in the heat of the moment—he killed a family in a traffic accident as a result of road rage—and he paid the price for it. Shunned by family and friends, he spent some time in prison and then fled the U.S. for Singapore, where he’s content being a tiny cog at the U.S. Embassy there.

But when his past is discovered, it threatens to destroy him professionally and personally until Lord Nelson Graves, a powerful shipping magnate, intervenes. Feeling guilty about nearly running Nick over with his sports car, he helps Nick land a job which puts him on a much better path and shows him he is worthy of happiness and success again.

Nick can’t help but feel drawn to Graves, even if he’s never really had an interest in men before. But Graves has secrets, too—he is the head of Red Sky, a major arms and drug dealer in Asia. He’s hunting a traitor in his midst and between that and fighting his growing attraction to Nick, he’s all over the place and doesn't know what he really wants.

This was a quick read and I was hooked from the start. There’s action, intrigue, serious sexual tension, emotion, and some immensely hot (and graphic) sex scenes, both M/M and M/F. The relationship between Nick and Graves is really fascinating—it's a younger/older thing, and I love how the book doesn't shy away from dealing with Graves' disability while still portraying him as a powerful, virile man.

I could really see this as a series on Netflix or something because of the drama and action!

Book Review: "Girls with Bright Futures" by Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman

Ah, Girls with Bright Futures is full of such delicious drama and deceit!

As a parent, you want what’s best for your child, and you certainly want to give them every advantage to help them succeed. But three mothers of students at the prestigious Elliott Bay Academy (EBA) take that idea to the extreme.

The Academy has always been able to help its most valuable students (read: wealthiest and those whose parents are the most powerful) get into the prestigious schools of their choice. Sometimes it's just influence, sometimes it's a little financial contribution here or there, but success is almost always achieved. But this year, when Stanford announces that it only has one more slot for an EBA student after the athletes it will accept, three mothers will have to fight for their daughters' futures.

For cutthroat tech CEO Alicia, there hasn’t been a problem her money and power haven’t solved for her, and she’s certainly not going to stop now. Who cares if her daughter doesn’t really want to go to Stanford? Kelly, who always believed the fact that she and her husband are both Stanford alums would be a hook for her daughter, tries to wield the insider information and power she’s gained as a school leader. Meanwhile Maren, Alicia's personal assistant, doesn’t have the money or the influence to compete in this battle, although she probably has the daughter most deserving of the slot.

When one of the girls gets seriously injured in an accident (or was it?), the stakes get exponentially higher. Secrets will be exposed and lies will be brought to light. Will anyone win?

Girls with Bright Futures was such a great and soapy read. I do love the whole adults behaving badly theme of this book. It’s frightening to think that some of this behavior actually does happen!

Tracy Dobmeier and Wendy Katzman have written a book you just might not be able to put down!

Book Review: "The Boy from the Woods" by Harlan Coben

With Harlan Coben's new book, The Boy from the Woods, the master delivers another twisty thriller full of secrets!

Thirty years ago a young boy was found living in the woods. It appeared he had been there for some time, but apart from some emotional trauma stemming from memories he can’t parse together, he was mostly fine. He befriended a boy who lived nearby, and he tended to break into people's houses to steal food, even watch television.

Now an adult who goes by the name Wilde, he is a highly intelligent former soldier who still lives in the woods, although he has worked as a private investigator. When famed criminal attorney Hester Crimstein, the mother of his best friend (the boy he met all those years ago), asks him to try and find Naomi, a bullied classmate of her grandson’s who has gone missing, it seems like a fairly routine case.

But Naomi’s disappearance, which no one really seems to care about (not even her father), is just the tip of the iceberg. Wilde steps into the middle of a high-stakes battle of cat and mouse, with betrayals, secrets, and the very fabric of society at risk. And all the while he’s struggling with whether he wants some insight into his own past.

There are a lot of threads to this story, some more interesting than others. I’ll admit that most of the thread about a potentially dangerous politician looking to tear society apart and manipulate the media hit a little too close to home for me, so my eyes kinda glazed over during those parts.

But Harlan Coben knows how to create fascinating characters, and Wilde is one of the best. I really hope he returns in another book. There is a lot going on here, with lots of twists and turns, including one that I’ll admit surprised me, and I couldn’t stop reading this book.

Coben's last three books, Home, Don’t Let Go, and Run Away, are among Coben’s best. The Boy from the Woods isn’t quite at that level, but it’s still a book that kept me guessing—and reading—to the very end.

Book Review: "Anna K" by Jenny Lee

Anna K is a retelling of Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, set among rich, privileged teenagers of New York City and Greenwich, Connecticut society.

Anna is the beautiful, smart daughter of a powerful South Korean businessman. She mostly prefers the company of her horses and show dogs to the society elite, so she attends a fancy prep school in Connecticut, as opposed to her older brother, Steven, who attends a private school in New York City.

Anna has been dating Alexander since she was 14 and he was a few years older. He now attends Yale and has his future mapped out, including marrying Anna. This is a perfect match society-wise. Anna really does love Alexander and can see spending the rest of her life with him. But sometimes she wonders whether something is missing, something more exciting.

When she meets Alexia Vronsky, she realizes that something has been missing from her relationship with Alexander. From the moment the two set eyes on each other, they are physically and emotionally drawn together. Anna knows that Alexia has a reputation as a womanizer—he’s allegedly called “the Count” because you can’t count how many girls want to be with him—but even though she knows her future is supposed to be with Alexander, she can’t stay away from Vronsky. Does she do what is right, what is expected, or does she follow her heart?

The book follows the pair’s tempestuous relationship along with other romantic duos. There’s scandal, sex, lots of drugs, and outrageous spending, not to mention a great deal of melodrama. There are elements of so many other stories and movies in here, which makes it compelling even though I felt the book moved fairly slowly.

Do you need to have read Anna Karenina? No, I haven't, and it didn't detract from my being immersed in the story. Jenny Lee shares in her author's notes some general plot points and how they parallel her story.

This is the first YA book I’d say parents should really read first to determine whether it’s right for your kids given all of the drugs, mostly. And if you’re looking for a light read, this isn’t it!

Book Review: "The Giver of Stars" by Jojo Moyes

"Just a little homesick, Alice answered. It was the truth, she thought. She just wasn't sure she had yet been to the place she was homesick for."

Alice Wright was suffocating in England. Her parents always treated her as an embarrassment, seeing her "emotional" nature and her free spirit as a definite liability, something which needed to be quashed. When she met handsome athlete Bennett Van Cleve, who is visiting England with his father, their whirlwind romance surprises Alice yet gives her a reason to escape her stifling life.

She quickly realizes that living in rural Kentucky in the midst of the Depression isn't much more exciting. She stands out like a sore thumb in their small town, and she and Bennett live with his domineering father, who sticks his nose into everything that goes on in his household. Alice isn't interested in attending teas with the other women, many of whom hate her for landing a man like Bennett, nor is she content simply to sit at home and be idle.

When Eleanor Roosevelt's traveling library program is brought to their town, and volunteers are sought, Alice quickly signs up, much to the chagrin of Bennett and his father. She strikes up a friendship with the library's leader, Margery O'Hare, a tough-talking, independent woman who was the daughter of the town's most notorious moonshiner, and someone who will never let anyone—especially a man—tell her what to do.

After recruiting other women to help, the library program becomes something many residents value, not only for the books, but for the companionship these so-called packhorse librarians bring. But not everyone in the area approves—some, including Bennett’s father—don’t like the "ideas" that these books put in women’s heads.

As Alice’s marriage continues to disintegrate, the library and her fellow librarians become her only source of comfort. But things are becoming more fragile at home and in town, and the librarians, particularly Margery, find themselves in danger and the library is at risk.

This was a fascinating and poignant story that I raced through. It’s funny, I am not much of a fan of historical fiction yet I’ve now read two of Moyes’ historical novels and loved both. There is mystery, romance, emotion, injustice—enough to get nearly anyone fully immersed.

I really do love the way Moyes writes, and these characters felt so real to me. I’m so glad I read this.

Book Review: "Wildcard" by Marie Lu

Wildcard represents the third series of Marie Lu's I've read to completion, and once again, I am amazed at her talent at building complex, compelling settings and creating characters you empathize with (as well as some you root against). Sure, sometimes the plots get a little bit technical or complicated, but at their core, Lu's books are about human connection, and we can all use a little more of that.

"When the world is murky, guide yourself with your own steady light."

A lot has changed for Emika Chen in a short period of time. It seems like only yesterday she was on the verge of eviction from her NYC apartment, working as a bounty hunter to make ends meet. But when she accidentally hacked into the world-renowned Warcross Championships, she was summoned to Japan, where she became immersed in the virtual world of Warcross; became a celebrity in her own right; got to meet her childhood hero, Hideo Tanaka, who created Warcross; and found herself a target in a plot she didn't quite understand.

As her relationship with Hideo grew closer, she discovered that he was using the NeuroLink algorithm not just as a way for people to get information, and as a way to harness technology for good, but he was using it for nefarious (although understandable) purposes as well. The one person she trusted more than anything has betrayed her, she's being hunted down by assassins who want her dead for somehow affecting the last Warcross Championships, and she's being courted by the dangerous and mysterious Zero and his group of anarchists.

Although Zero had proved a threat to Emika and her friends in the past, now he wants to partner with her to accomplish what she wants—to disable the NeuroLink algorithm, which now has countless citizens in its thrall. To do so, however, means crossing Hideo, and destroying what he has spent his life building. But how much can she trust Zero and his cohorts? What effect will her actions have on her life, Hideo, her friends, and the world? She discovers the truth to be a more tangled web than even she is able to solve, and she needs to figure out whom she can trust—fast.

If you didn't read Warcross, the first book in this series (read my review), the above plot summary probably reads like Greek to you, but suffice it to say, this book is just as fascinating—and perhaps ultimately richer in emotion—than its predecessor. I've tried to keep the description fairly brief because there are a lot of twists and turns and double crosses, some I saw coming, some I didn't.

Lu's talent first shows itself in her imagery, which is so evocative at times you can almost see the book playing itself out in your mind's eye. But as you get deeper into Wildcard you realize how well drawn the characters are, even those in supporting roles, like Emika's Warcross teammates, and you find yourself racing through the book, eager to know how things will unfold.

This book didn't fully capture its predecessor's magic; there were times when the plot dragged a little or got a little too mired in complexity, but ultimately, Lu's storytelling drew me back in fairly quickly. I didn't realize this was the second of a two-book series until I was nearly done with it, which saved me from the usual dilemma of do I read it quickly or do I savor it, but I'm sad it's over, although I'm hoping Lu's next series will be related to this one.

I know the subject matter will rule this book out for some, but if the story intrigues you, I'd encourage you to pick up Warcross first, and let yourself get immersed in this world Marie Lu has created. Hopefully you'll find it as compelling and crazy a ride as I did!

Book Review: "Half-Truths and Semi-Miracles" by Anne Tyler

"The first thing I tell people is, I'm just an ordinary woman. I'm just like you, I say, I can see they don't believe me."

When she was 17 years old, on what seemed like just a regular afternoon, Susanna discovered she had an exceptional ability. While caring for her aunt, who was suffering from a migraine, Susanna rubbed her forehead, and—amazingly—her pain was gone. She healed her.

Word of Susanna's ability travels fast, much to her chagrin. People begin to travel from near and far in the hopes that Susanna can heal them. But while people say that Susanna's power is God-given, she isn't quite sure. If God is granting her the ability to heal people, why does she fail sometimes? Is it her shortcoming, a lesson God is trying to teach her, or is the person somehow to blame?

The power to heal has changed Susanna's life profoundly. In this short story, famed author Anne Tyler paints a portrait of a woman shouldering an overwhelming burden. She cannot understand why she can't heal everyone, and why when she so desperately needs to call on her ability, she doesn't succeed, and it leaves her questioning why she was chosen to tread such an arbitrary, often thankless path.

Anne Tyler has been one of my favorite authors since the 1980s, so any opportunity to read her work is such a treat. Half-Truths and Semi-Miracles is poignant and compelling, and once again, Tyler has created a memorable character. However, the story was so short it almost seemed truncated. I wanted more time with Susanna, more time to share her struggles and see how her life was affected.

Even though I wish the story was longer, it's still a strong example of Tyler's storytelling talent. If you think about it, it's essentially a literary amuse-bouche to whet our palates until her new novel comes out in July! Can't wait!

NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group provided me an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making this available!

Book Review: "Love and Other Consolation Prizes" by Jamie Ford

"'My theory,' Maisie said, 'is that the best, worst, happiest, saddest, scariest, and most memorable moments are all connected. Those are the important times, good and bad. The rest is just filler.'"

For Ernest Young, born Yung Kun-ai in China just before the start of the 20th century, some of the worst and saddest moments in his life came at a very young age. At five years old, the illegitimate son of a white missionary and a Chinese woman, he and his mother know abject poverty, which causes his mother to make two heartbreaking decisions, one of which is sending him away to America, ostensibly so he can find a better life.

While he is lucky to survive the overseas journey, his life when he arrives in America isn't much better, as he is bounced from place to place, with no true companionship and no one to give him affection, and he is ridiculed by his appearance because of his mixed cultural background. At 12 years old, Ernest Young (as he is now called) is a charity student at a boarding school in Seattle, treated with general disregard by a wealthy patron who pays for his education. He longs for more opportunities, to get more out of life.

His patron brings him to the 1909 World's Fair, and tells him the next step in his life: he will be the prize in a raffle at the fair, and the winner will take him "to a good home." To the surprise of everyone, including Ernest's moral-crusading patron, the winner of the raffle is Madam Flora, the savvy, flamboyant madam of a high-class brothel. Madam Flora is known for making sure her "girls" are not only beautiful but well-educated and sophisticated; she calls them her "Gibson girls." Flora has had her heart set on a houseboy, and she knows Ernest will fit the bill.

Ernest becomes friends with Fahn, an outspoken housemaid with whom he has a previous connection, and Maisie, Flora's headstrong daughter, and little by little, finds himself smitten with both young women. As strange as it may seem given the setting, for the first time, Ernest feels at home, feels part of a family. But when Madam Flora's job-related illness becomes too much to bear, it threatens to ruin the lives of all who live in the brothel, and sets Ernest, Fahn, and Maisie on different courses which might separate them.

Fifty years later, as the World's Fair returns to Seattle, Ernest is caught up in the memories of his childhood when his daughter hears the story of him being offered as a raffle prize. For Ernest, these memories are bittersweet, particularly as he tries to help his ailing wife deal with her own memories, and ensure his children are protected from the ultimate truths of their parents' lives.

It's funny, but when I'm trying to think of a book to read, I always forget Jamie Ford, yet every time I read one of his books, like the exceptional Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, I wonder why he slips my mind. Perhaps it's because his writing seems so effortless, and he so easily is able to pull me into his stories and fascinate me with his characters.

While I wasn't as emotionally wrecked by Love and Other Consolation Prizes, I still enjoyed it a great deal. Even though you as a reader know more about the plot than the characters do, there were still a few surprises Ford threw in. I did wish the plot was a little more linear, because I found the shift between past and present a little jarring occasionally, and I felt things moved at a slower pace than I would have liked. But these characters and their story is a beautiful, heartfelt one (made all the more emotional when you learn it is based on a true story), and there are some emotional moments worth savoring.

This is a book about overcoming struggles, the difficulties in following your heart, and what it feels like to finally belong somewhere, with people you care about who care about you, after never believing that could be true. If you enjoy historical fiction that doesn't feel historical, or you just like well-written stories, pick up Love and Other Consolation Prizes. It's a story you'll keep thinking about.

Book Review: "Home Fire" by Kamila Shamsie

Ever since their mother and grandmother died within the period of a year, Isma has cared for her younger twin siblings, Aneeka and Parvaiz. Their well-being has always been her first concern, even if it meant sacrificing her own dreams and ambitions. But now that the twins have turned 18, Isma is finally putting herself first, accepting an invitation from a mentor to travel to America and co-author a paper with her.

That doesn't mean Isma won't worry about her siblings—Aneeka, smart, beautiful, and headstrong, is pursuing studies in law, while Parvaiz has left their London home to try and understand the legacy of their father, who was once a jihadist. Isma does what she believes is right, even as it causes a rift in her family, but she is bound and determined that her brother will not follow in her father's footsteps.

"For girls, becoming women was inevitability; for boys, becoming men was ambition."

When Eamonn, the son of a prominent British politician who has struggled with his own Muslim background in furthering his ambitions, enters the sisters' lives, he, too, causes a rift that he doesn't quite realize at first. Who is he to them? Is he a romantic possibility? A chance to enact revenge? The last hope for a wayward brother? The linchpin of a political crisis? Suddenly many lives hang in the balance, as true intentions are sought to be understood, and emotions are analyzed.

What is stronger, blood or love? Can we ever overcome the obligations of family in order to move on with our lives, and if we can, should we? In Home Fire, Kamila Shamsie attempts to answer those questions, as two families deal with the questions of love and loyalty, and how slippery the slope is when we start choosing enemies based on cultural generalizations.

This is a powerful, timely book, and Shamsie does a good job navigating difficult political territory. For the most part, these are interesting characters, and I really became immersed in their stories. I felt, however, the book lost its way in telling Parvaiz's story, for while it was important to the plot, it just wasn't as interesting, and a lot was left unsaid. I also felt that Isma, who plays such a key role at the start of the book, is given short shrift, yet she is fascinating, evidenced by an all-too-short encounter with the politician which seemed like it could have developed into more.

Shamsie is a talented writer, and this book is definitely a thought-provoking one about the ties of family and the immigrant experience. While it didn't resonate for me as much as, say, Exit West, it's still a powerful read.

Book Review: "Before the Fall" by Noah Hawley

Full disclosure: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Many thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for making it available!

It's an evening in late August, a little foggy but otherwise uneventful. On Martha's Vineyard, the private plane belonging to David Bateman, the power behind one of the country's major cable news networks, is scheduled to take off and head back to New York. David and his wife Maggie, and their two young children, nine-year-old Rachel and four-year-old JJ, are ready to head home, and their friends Sarah and Ben Kipling are joining them on the flight. Maggie has also invited Scott Burroughs, a painter that she has befriended on their many visits to the Vineyard.

Scott arrives late, just as the plane was preparing to take off, so he tries to relax. There's music playing, and David and Ben are watching the Boston Red Sox game. Small talk is exchanged, and the flight attendant offers everyone a beverage. And then, inexplicably, 16 minutes after takeoff, the plane plunges into the ocean.

Scott regains consciousness in the ocean and begins to realize what has happened. As he tries to find other survivors of the crash, he hears the cries of JJ, apparently the only other person left alive. Despite a shoulder injury, Scott, once a championship swimmer inspired by the legendary Jack LaLanne's swim from Alcatraz when Scott was a boy, swims with JJ nearly 10 miles to shore.

As the authorities try to figure out what caused the crash, details are uncovered and theories begin to emerge. Was the plane brought down by someone determined to may David pay for his network's manipulating of popular opinion via the news it broadcasts? Were there other reasons for sabotage, perhaps related to one of the other passengers on board? Were the flight crew trustworthy?

Of course, the person in the most blinding spotlight is Scott. While his heroism is heralded, it's also questioned, suspected. How did he wind up on the plane that night? What was his relationship with Maggie? How is he the only adult survivor from a plane full of important people? The media circles, leaving no stone unturned, questioning everything in his past, even the pictures he has painted. And as Scott reaches out to JJ given the bond they shared, there are some suspecting nefarious elements there, too.

Before the Fall is a book that doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it a meditation on the fragility of life, the simplicity of luck, and the unconscious act of a hero? Is it a look at how quickly one's life can change, and the beauty of a simple bond between a man and a young child? Is it a portrait of our media-obsessed society, where in an effort to be first to break a story, the media broadcasts what it knows and then makes up what it doesn't, crafting facts to fit the theories they want to espouse? Or is it a thriller, as the authorities (of course, not without the usual pissing match between branches of the government) try to figure out what really did happen on the plane that night?

Noah Hawley tries to make this book all of those things, which means it doesn't quite succeed on any of those fronts. It is beautifully written, and Scott is a fascinating character. If the book had concentrated on him and his life following the crash, and how JJ and those around him dealt with the aftermath, I think this would have been stronger and more appealing, at least for me. But the book gets bogged down in looking at the lives of each of the other passengers and crew on board that night, and what brought them to that moment, and then the zealous media coverage of the crash and the suspicions being levied against Scott (particularly by a corrupt anchor on David's network), and it really frustrated me.

Since Hawley is the executive producer, writer, and showrunner for the television series Fargo, this book is getting a lot of attention, and is even being hyped as "the thriller of the year." I'd nominate several other books I've read so far this year for that honor (particularly Gregg Hurwitz's Orphan X), but despite the fact I think Before the Fall suffered from a bit of an identity crisis, it's definitely a worthwhile, compelling read.