Book Review: "Malibu Rising" by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Don’t you love it when a book you’ve been dying to read by one of your favorite authors lives up to the hype? That's how I feel about Malibu Rising, the upcoming book by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

It’s 1983. Superstar model Nina Riva and her siblings—surfing all-star Jay, talented photographer Hud, and Kit, the youngest, who’s ready to be taken seriously as a woman and a surfer—are getting ready to have their annual party at the end of the summer. Once again this year the party is at the Malibu mansion Nina was sharing with her tennis-star husband, although he recently left her.

The Riva party always promises to be the craziest, most epic event. You never know what celebrities you’ll see there—and what they’ll be doing. But Nina’s heart isn’t in it this year, although she’s doing it for her siblings—a role she’s played for a number of years now.

As preparations for the party roll into full swing, each Riva is trying to figure out how to unburden themselves of a secret or a wish they’ve been hiding. When all are revealed, it’s just going to be one aspect of a party—and a night—that will change their lives immensely.

I like a book that teases at one thing that’s going to happen and then builds the tension toward that incident the whole story. In this case, the story alternates between preparations for the party and the story of how the Riva siblings’ mother met their father, Mick, who became a music legend. The book then follows their childhood.

Taylor Jenkins Reid is one of the best storytellers I know. I really enjoyed these characters and honestly wouldn’t have minded if the book were longer because I would have loved to have gotten to know more about what their futures held. The party is crazy and melodramatic and there’s a lot to follow, but the core of the story—family, loyalty, love, desire—just blew me away.

There's one of her older books I haven’t read yet and I may hold on to it for a while so I have something of hers left to read!!

Goodreads, Random House, and Ballantine Books provided me with a complimentary advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

Malibu Rising publishes 6/1. I expect it to be quite the beach read this summer, if people can go to the beach!

Book Review: "Bright Burning Stars" by A.K. Small

Drama and angst and jealousy at a Parisian ballet academy? Sign me up for A.K. Small's Bright Burning Stars!

Marine and Kate have been roommates and best friends for years at the Paris Opera Ballet School. They’ve both weathered moments of emotional and physical exhaustion, backbiting rivalries, and constant pressure to be at the top of their game dance-wise or be sent home.

But as they enter their final year, the desire to win the ultimate prize becomes even stronger. Only one female dancer will be asked to join the Opera’s legendary ballet company. It will make that girl a star.

How far will Marine and Kate go to win that prize? Are they willing to lie? Cheat? Sabotage? Seduce the most handsome and gifted male dancer at the school, whom they've nicknamed "The Demigod"? Sacrifice everything, including their friendship? As both struggle with issues that could end their time at the school prematurely—and perhaps even their careers or their lives—they must decide if ballet and winning are the most important things for them.

Along the way there will be flirtations and romantic dalliances, accusations, and lots of tension, but lots of dancing as well. If you’re a fan of movies like Center Stage, then you know what kinds of issues the characters confront. (They’re actually adapting this book into an Amazon Prime movie called Birds of Paradise later this year.)

A.K. Small was a dancer, so this book definitely feels authentic. At times you forget that these characters aren’t adults, but quickly something brings you back into focus. I love dramas like these and couldn’t get enough!

Algonquin Young Readers allowed me to be part of the blog tour for Bright Burning Stars and sent me a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

Book Review: "100 Boyfriends" by Brontez Purnell

100 Boyfriends, Brontez Purnell's new short story collection, is raunchy and frank, poignant and powerful. These short stories look at sexuality, race, lust, addiction, inequity, and the need for connection, be it fleeting or permanent.

With this new book, Purnell hits the ground running on page 1 and doesn’t let up the pace until the very last word. His characters are all Black men of various ages and in various states of fitness—physical, emotional, and psychological. In some cases these men are fully aware they’re a mess and continue to self-sabotage; in others they’re totally (and, at times, blissfully) unaware.

“There are periods of my life that roll through me hazily. Not like an apparition, more like that moment a cartoon villain gets hit in the head with, say, an anvil or whatever, and all he sees is stars — my life was all flashbacks that never materialized.”

The characters in these stories are often searching. Sometimes it’s for their next fix or their next hookup, sometimes it’s for something more, something deeper. At times they find fulfillment—temporary or otherwise—but at other times, they’re still searching.

These stories are often explicit, so they’re not for those who are uncomfortable with graphic language or sexual content. But even when he shocks you, there’s an underlying note of poignancy or emotion in many of the stories, which only increases their power.

100 Boyfriends is definitely not a collection for everyone, but Purnell’s storytelling is a talent to behold.

Book Review: "Much Ado About You" by Samantha Young

Samantha Young's Much Ado About You is a steamy, emotional rom-com that confronts lots of issues, plus it features a book-loving protagonist, so how can you lose?

After one last attempt at dating fails and she gets a disappointment on the job front, Evie Starling has had it. She needs to get away from Chicago for a while. And she finds the perfect escape—she can run a bookshop in the English countryside for four weeks and rent the owner’s flat. For a voracious reader, this is a dream come true. (It would be for me, too!)

She heads across the pond, ready to recharge herself and avoid dating for a month. And wouldn’t you know she has a run-in with gorgeous country farmer Roane Robson within a day of arriving? After she saves his dog, Roane is totally smitten, and as much as Evie feels herself falling for him, she is determined that they just stay friends.

But as Evie’s time flies by, she quickly gets acclimated to life in the small village and can’t really imagine going back to Chicago, despite friends and family being there. As she fights her growing attraction to Roane, and starts getting involved in helping (or meddling) some neighbors with their problems, has she found home? And can she let her guard down enough to trust her heart?

Much Ado About You is a sweet, fun, sexy book with lots of steam, and it takes some inspiration from Much Ado About Nothing, but it isn’t a retelling by any means. Along with being a rom-com the book also confronts serious issues like racism, sexuality, abusive relationships, and being the child of an alcoholic, so there’s definitely some poignancy and emotional weight thrown in.

This is definitely another good rom-com to add to your list!!

Book Review: "The Secret Recipe for Moving On" by Karen Bischer

Karen Bischer's upcoming book, The Secret Recipe for Moving On, is a cute YA rom-com about overcoming heartache and finding your place.

Having to switch high schools junior year was hard for Ellie, but after she quickly met and started dating Hunter, a handsome classmate, she quickly became part of his circle of friends and started doing things they wanted to do. But things between them seem strained just before senior year starts, although Hunter tells her everything is fine.

On the first day of school, Hunter dumps Ellie unexpectedly, and it’s not long before she finds out he’s already hooked up with his longtime friend, Brynn. (Perhaps even before he and Ellie broke up.) To make matters worse, she has to share a life skills class with both of them and watch everyone ship the adorable couple, saying how great it was that they finally got together.

When Ellie gets teamed up with a group of misfits for a year-long competition in class, at first she feels like an outsider. But when her competitive spirit is awakened, and the team focuses on beating Hunter and Brynn’s team, Ellie allows herself to have fun with her new friends, especially Luke, a tattooed stunt-biker who is much more complex than she imagined.

But is Ellie willing to trust someone again after Hunter’s lies? The more she focuses on competition the more she ignores the needs of those around her. She’ll need to figure out what she really wants—and whom she wants to be with.

The Secret Recipe for Moving On was a really cute high school-based rom-com. There’s nothing quite like teenage drama!

I was grateful to be part of the blog tour for this book. Storygram Tours, Fierce Reads, Swoon Reads, and NetGalley provided me with an advance complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!

The Secret Recipe for Moving On publishes 3/23/2021!

Book Review: "The Bad Muslim Discount" by Syed M. Masood

The Bad Muslim Discount, the new novel by Syed M. Masood, is a funny, emotionally searing, and thought-provoking look at the experience of Muslim immigrants in the U.S.

“There is no true measure of pain. Each hurt is unique, and even small wounds can bleed a lot.”

Anvar Faris and his family live in Pakistan until fundamentalism becomes more prevalent and his father moves them to California. His devout mother, for whom Anvar’s sarcasm and nonchalance toward their religion is a constant source of frustration, and his older brother, who always does the right things, quickly adjust to life in America. Anvar decides he’ll do everything he can to be a bad Muslim.

Meanwhile, in Iraq, Safwa, a young woman, is living a life full of grief, violence, guilt, and anger. When circumstances grow ever-more dangerous, she must make an untenable bargain in order to get her and her father to America. It is a necessary but dangerous agreement.

When Anvar and Safwa’s lives intersect in the mid-2010s, both are struggling in different ways. But how they choose to survive—and depend on one another to do so—will have powerful repercussions on their lives and those they care about.

This book was so powerful and unforgettable, an amazing look at relationships, family obligations, religion, prejudice, love, pain, and salvation. I was so moved at times and at others I laughed out loud. The characters Masood created, even the supporting characters, were so appealing and memorable.

Thanks to my friend Louis, a fellow Bookstagrammer, for reading The Bad Muslim Discount with me. It’s always fun to discuss books with you, and to find one we both loved that didn’t depress us!!

Book Review: "The Long Road Home" by Braden Hofeling

Braden Hofeling's The Long Road Home is a beautifully written and heartfelt collection of poems, prose, and personal essays.

So, what’s your feeling on poetry? Do you read any? Do you read it occasionally or are you a big fan? Is it a genre that you know you’d like to read more of but there never seems to be enough time?

I definitely fall into that latter category. When i read poetry I often marvel at how much it touches and/or moves me, but it’s not a genre I gravitate toward frequently. But when my friend Braden Hofeling asked if I’d be interested in reading his new collection, I jumped at the chance.

This is a fairly short book, and many of his poems are very brief, so there are a good number of them. I can’t tell you how often I marveled at his use of language, emotion, and imagery to draw the reader in. There were so many poems that made me say, “YES!”

These are poems about love, relationships, family, dreams, nature, fears—and they are punctuated with beautiful artwork from Madison Bird.

There were too many poems to choose a favorite from, so here’s a brief one I really enjoyed, called “Slippery”:

When I tell you I’m falling
I don’t mean in love
I mean I’m slipping through your fingers

If you enjoy poetry or are curious about it, The Long Road Home is a beautiful collection to try. Braden Hofeling provided me with a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!