Book Review: "If Not You" by Ellen O'Clover

Now THIS is how you do a former coworkers/rivals romance. I was hooked from the very start and enjoyed these characters—both the mains and the supporting ones—so much. With her second book, Ellen O’Clover is fully ensconced on my auto-buy authors list.

Mattie and Campbell are summer interns vying for one copywriter job. They’re both tremendously talented but Campbell, with his Phi Beta Kappa from Vanderbilt, always seems to come out just ahead of Mattie. And when he wins the job at the end of the summer, Mattie is back to square one again.

Now, 5 years later, Mattie is on the verge of becoming a senior copywriter at her new agency. While she and Campbell seem to see each other at every industry event—and he still seems to come out ahead—Mattie always seems to see red whenever he’s around.

When both of their agencies are finalists for a luxury resort account, they’re going to be in close proximity for a month. Mattie tries her hardest not to let Campbell agitate her, but he knows what buttons of hers to push. Every. Single. Time.

Yet as their teams spend four weeks together at two resorts, both start to see the other in a new light. Mattie discovers that all of her assumptions about Campbell aren’t correct, and he’s far more vulnerable than she would have ever thought. And he starts to understand what’s behind her constant need for oneupmanship.

The book alternates between the present and five years ago when their rivalry first began. It definitely helps explain Mattie’s animosity and her desire to beat Campbell at his own game. The romance is slow burn but really lovely, and their banter is hilarious and sometimes very sweet.

Book Review: "Loved and Missed" by Susie Boyt

“There is so much in life that doesn’t matter, so many things that hold you back, hem you in and throw you off the scent of what’s important.”

This was an incredibly poignant read. Susie Boyt has written seven novels, but this was the first one published in the U.S. It’s an emotional story of mothers and daughters, the delicate push and pull between wanting your child to know that they are loved and yet wanting them to stand on their own.

Ruth’s own childhood was a difficult one. Her father deserted her mother, who never got over that loss. When Ruth had her own daughter, Eleanor, she tried to give her everything she could. But of course, that’s not what Eleanor wants.

When Eleanor reaches adulthood, she becomes a drug addict. It’s certainly not what Ruth wanted for her daughter, but she is tremendously careful not to appear judgmental or critical. And when Eleanor gets pregnant and gives birth to her own daughter, Lily, it’s clear—to Ruth and to Eleanor—that Lily would be better off if she’s raised by her grandmother.

The relationship between Lily and Ruth is a beautiful one, but Ruth must walk a fine line so she doesn’t ever appear critical of her daughter. Of course, in situations like this, you wonder how this type of upbringing affects the child, but as Lily grows you see the kind of woman she will become.

I knew nothing about this book before I stumbled onto it. It really moved me and made me think about the nature vs. nurture concept, and how we never know the impact adults have on the children in their lives. This is such a beautiful read.

Book Review: "The Tulip Poplars" by Silas House

All the stars for this beautiful, emotional book. Silas House is such an incredibly talented writer, I would read his grocery list if he let me. But his talent isn’t surprising, considering he is a former poet laureate of Kentucky.

The book begins in rural Kentucky, a small town known as Bright Star, in 1918. Two young men, Tom and Amos, fall in love while working side by side on Tom’s family’s farm. They know that they have to keep their feelings for one another secret, although Amos dreams of being in a place where he can be himself and be with Tom.

Tom’s childhood friend Maeve is raised by the town’s Episcopal preacher, and he also runs an orphanage tied to the church. It is there that Maeve meets and falls for Paschal, but given their different races, they know their love cannot be, especially not in Kentucky.

When tragedy strikes Tom’s family, he feels like he must stay in Bright Star to care for his sister and protect the farm from the machinations of an evil preacher. But Amos no longer wants to stay where he has to hide who he is, so he moves to NYC. He realizes that with freedom comes very real danger.

The book spans from 1918-1976 and traces the lives of Tom, Amos, Maeve, and Paschal. It’s particularly bleak in places where the story deals with the treatment of gay people during these years. But it also emphasizes that love can last even when circumstances seem insurmountable or when you can’t be with the person you love. There are moments of beauty and hope as well.

House’s prose is so lyrical and evocative. I could see the tulip poplars in my mind’s eye and watch as love tears the characters apart and lifts them up. I’ll be thinking about this book for a long time.

Book Review: "Bad Words" by Ríoghnach Robinson

Y’all, I’m totally conflicted on this one. I definitely liked elements of the book, but I’m not as wild about it as others have been.

When Parker Navarro’s first novel was on the verge of being released, it was hailed as one of the up and coming books of the year. Then literary critic Selina Chan eviscerated the book in a review, and suddenly the predicted hit becomes a huge flop. Colossal.

Four years later, Parker has finally written his second novel, and he’s ready for it to be released. And then Selina drops another less-than-complimentary review, but rather than slink off in disgust, this time, Parker challenges Selina and what he sees as her superiority complex. Their argument gets recorded and goes viral, causing them both to double down on their opinions about one another.

As their feud becomes more and more public, they find themselves learning more about each other. They have a surprising number of things in common, and while there’s still anger between them, mutual respect—and even stronger feelings start to develop.

I really liked what the book had to say about critics and criticism. It’s one of the issues I’m frustrated about. But in the end, I realized that while I often don’t like enemies to lovers stories because I don’t feel like there’s enough actual animosity between the love interests, in this book, they’re downright mean for a long while. I didn’t see how they could like each other when they were so insulting. Maybe it was just me, but this was the slowest of slow burns.

Book Review: "Fit for a King" by Brooke Blaine and Ella Frank

Oh, my heart!! I just love a happy ending that leaves me smiling and teary-eyed. This was a swoony romance I just loved!

Prince Nicholas of Valoria has spent his whole life preparing to become king. But he was hoping his father would stick around another 20 years or so before he had to assume the throne. Yet here he is, stepping into his destiny and dreading it.

The royal machine keeps moving, however, not leaving him a second to grieve for his father. The one thing that seems to brighten his days is his handsome new footman, Noah. Noah sees him for the man he is, not the crown he wears.

Noah knows the opportunity to serve as the king’s footman is an honor and it enables him to fully support his parents. He can’t stop noticing just how handsome King Nicholas is—and the fiery chemistry between them. But even if something were to happen, a king and a footman do not belong together.

Nicholas becomes engaged to a prince from a neighboring kingdom. It’s a strategic match that will benefit Valoria. But how can he marry someone who isn’t Noah? Is he supposed to sacrifice his own happiness for his kingdom?

I loved these characters, as well as Nicholas’ twin brother and one of the maids whom Noah befriends. There’s some great banter, some hot steam, and lots to swoon over. This was a great find, and I’m ready to dive into the next book!

Book Review: "The Chain House" by J.H. Markert

Well, damn, this book was crazy good! All of the praise I’ve seen from Bookstagram friends was tremendously accurate. This was my first book by J.H. Markert, but I assure you, it won’t be my last!

Sal Batise, known as the Breaker of Chains, was an enigmatic cult leader who modeled himself after Charles Manson. After three of his followers went on a brutal murder spree, Sal was arrested and sentenced to death. But each time his execution neared, he was able to get a stay.

Now, it appears all of his last-ditch efforts have failed, and he’s scheduled to be executed in just a few days. He orchestrates a contest for him to grant a final interview; all of the major news networks and outlets enter. But Sal selects Sam Harper, a young filmmaker who has been working on a documentary about Sal.

Sam knows this interview will make or break his career. Right away, however, it appears Sal is in control. He announces that he has written a series of bestselling thrillers under the name Mallard Malone. He has allegedly hidden the last book with another murder victim’s body. He figures he’ll be able to wrangle another stay out of this information.

It’s up to the popular governor of Kentucky. When his wife is kidnapped, his first instinct is to grant the stay. Yet the ransom note he gets tells him the execution must go as planned or his wife will die. And nothing is quite what it seems.

This was such a tense thriller. It was a bit creepy and gory, but there were so many surprises that I couldn’t catch my breath at one point. There was a lot going on, and the book is narrated by several different characters, but I loved the way it all came together.

Book Review: "Canine Custody" by Gary Goldstein

Have you ever wondered what a pet was thinking when you spoke to it, or what they thought when something in your life changed or shifted? Gary Goldstein’s new book explores that idea and it’s definitely heartwarming. Thanks so much to Gary for the complimentary copy!

Layla and Franklin have been married for a while when Layla unexpectedly brings home a dog. Franklin never considered himself a dog person; in fact, he had a run-in with a dog when he was young. Needless to say, he’s surprised and a bit angry to find that Layla adopted a dog without discussing it with him, no matter how adorable Betty, a springer spaniel, is.

But while it’s not long before Franklin has become completely enamored with Betty, his and Layla’s marriage is definitely on the rocks. And when an incident with Layla’s water bottle leads to a fender bender with Betty in the car, it prompts her to ask for a divorce.

Once they move toward divorce, their relationship completely deteriorates. And while they would really like to keep lawyers out of the mix and try to work with a mediator, the one sticking point is Betty. They both want full custody of the dog, and neither is willing to compromise.

The story is narrated by Franklin, Layla, and Betty, so you see the same events through each of their eyes. Of course, Betty is mostly confused about why her parents don’t live together anymore and why she can’t spend time with both of them. But you also see how the friction manifests itself for all of them.

This is a fun book, but it’s also a weighty one emotionally. I’ll admit that Franklin and Layla aren’t very likable at times (Layla in particular), but Betty more than makes up for it!!

Book Review: "Three Days Grace" by Jeremy Bradley-Silverio Donato

I’ve had the good fortune over the last month or so to stumble upon some books I hadn’t heard of. Three Days Grace was another of those. This was a powerful, emotional read, sad but hopeful, and it will be a book that sticks in my mind for a long time.

“‘I think,’ he said, ‘that sometimes we learn how to love by recognizing what love isn’t. By seeing the darkness and choosing to live in the light instead.’”

The night before they’re supposed to fly to South Africa on vacation, Lynne and her wife Susan are expecting three guests to meet them at their hotel room in Paris. There’s Nick, Lynne’s son, who has had a strained relationship with his mother since he was a teenager; Laslo, an artist and friend of Susan’s; and Marc, Lynne’s closest friend and confidante.

The whole day, Lynne has seemed out of sorts. She picked several fights with Susan over trivial things and when the five of them go to dinner, her behavior is almost erratic. And then she discloses a piece of news that affects all of them, Nick most particularly. They suddenly must confront the truth about events of the past that they all knew about in their own way, but no one ever did anything about them.

This is a story of loss, grief, guilt, shame, pain, and how we can hide painful truths from ourselves. The book deals with sexual and physical abuse of children (although it’s only referred to without details), which might prove triggering. But this book is gorgeously written even through the sadness, anger, and pain.

“I told him that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stop pretending. That loving yourself doesn’t mean you love other people less.”

Book Review: "The Social Circle" by Sophie Wan

“After all, if friendship is a plant that needs to be watered regularly, theirs should have withered to nothingness long ago. But maybe real friendship is not a plant. Maybe it’s a mountain. Sometimes difficult to ascend. But there, always, through the storms and the seasons.”

This was so good! I had been eyeing this book for a few months and I finally picked it up over the weekend. I love stories about friendships and how they go off course.

Ten years ago, Maggie met Adam, Charles, and Hari, shortly after she arrived as a transfer student at the University of California at Berkeley. Together, they create Circle, initially as an effort to help their fellow students navigate the school’s clubs, but it eventually becomes the first major social media platform.

As Circle grows in popularity, the friends have to balance the challenges of college and managing user demands and expectations. At the same time, the line between friendship and love gets blurry, which causes friction on the business side. And when it all falls apart, Maggie finds herself on the outside looking in.

Ten years later, as Circle gets ready to celebrate its 10-year anniversary, Maggie receives a personal invitation to join the other three on a remote Norwegian island. She’s not sure if she can handle rehashing the history among them, but her new company could use the publicity. Will they be able to move past the issues that derailed their friendships, or will the hurt and anger win again?

I loved the fact that the book dwelled more on the relationships between the friends and how they handled the growing business than the platform itself. It made me a little nostalgic for a time in my life where things were simpler and you could just enjoy your friends without life getting in the way. This was really, really good!

Book Review: "Proof of Progress" by Elizabeth Castellano

Maria Astorini should look familiar to you. She’s been in the public eye for decades, first as the daughter of a famous mother, then as an actress, frequent talk show guest, author, and occasional object of scandal.

She recently landed a new role that has put attention on her again. But when a throwaway comment about a book she was contracted to write 37 years ago somehow gets back to her publisher, they finally start asking about it. They’d be more than happy for her to pay the advance back (but compound interest after 37 years is pretty staggering), or she can write the book.

She really doesn’t think the world needs another celebrity memoir, but she’s not paying the publisher back. So in order to provide proof of progress, she sends the publisher anecdotes of different times in her life.

Maria touches on her father’s sudden death when she was young, which was accompanied by a freak injury to her tongue (44 stitches needed). She talks about her on-again, off-again relationship with a college friend, who is both her closest confidante and her biggest nemesis. She discusses her marriages, her children, her relationship with her mother (who became a famous motivational speaker and author), her financial ruin, and her career.

I found this to be an amusing story but because it’s told in anecdotes, nothing felt complete. Maria is a mess, but she’s surprisingly loyal to her friends (to a point), and her life is never free of drama and challenging people. It was a fun, lightweight read.

Book Review: "Murder at the Movies" by Alicia Malone

“She said people think movies take you away from real life, but actually…they can help make sense of it.”

This was great fun! I’m a huge fan of old movies, so a murder mystery taking place in an old movie theater was right up my alley. And the author is a host on Turner Classic Movies, so she knows her stuff.

After blowing up her career as a Hollywood publicist, Audrey moves to Pine Island, off the coast of Maine. Her grandmother left her the owner of the Starlight Movie Palace, which has been in her family for decades. Pine Island is a tight-knit community that doesn’t love newcomers, so Audrey’s welcome is not enthusiastic.

She finds a note on her door telling her not to go through with it. She’s a little weirded out by that, but nothing is going to stop her from re-opening the theater. On the first night, she shows the Hitchcock classic Suspicion. And after the movie ends, she finds a dead body in the projection booth.

It turns out the victim was Liam Ross, a real estate developer who made more than his share of enemies. But while the police investigate his murder, the theater has to remain closed, so Audrey decides to do some freelance investigation to see what she can find out. Of course, getting her new neighbors to open up to her is easier said than done.

I loved all the movie trivia Audrey mentions in the book and the way she mentions a film actor or actress as she describes different people. The mystery itself was pretty compelling, and I liked how the plot tied itself up in the end. This is the start of a new series, and the second book comes out in June!

Book Review: "This Book Made Me Think of You" by Libby Page

“The right book in the hands of the right person at exactly the right moment can change their life forever.”

This book has been sitting on my stack for a few months now and I’m so glad I finally read it! It’s a beautifully poignant and hopeful book, but it’s also a loving tribute to the power of books and bookstores. And I think so many of us can speak to that love, too!

The last thing Tilly is expecting is a phone call from a bookstore, telling her that her husband ordered her a book. Her husband, Joe, wasn’t much of a reader but he loved that Tilly was. But the thing is, Joe died six months ago.

When Tilly arrives at the bookstore, she learns that Joe arranged for her to receive a year of books—a new one every month. Tilly hasn’t read much since Joe got sick, and his loss is still too raw to really appreciate the gift at first. But judging from the books he picked out and the notes he wrote her, he knew her so well and knew the books would help.

Each book serves a different purpose—they teach, entertain, challenge, and help her to move on. She also begins to see the bookshop as an important piece of her life, not to mention Alfie, the kind owner of the bookshop. She’s also encouraged to help others move forward with their lives and deal with the challenges they face.

I thought this would be a difficult read emotionally, but while it’s sad at times, it’s really quite lovely. Tilly and Alfie are really wonderful characters, and I found the book so charming and heartwarming. This is definitely one I’ll keep thinking about!!

Book Review: "The Rally" by Carla Vass

I had so much fun reading this! I definitely wouldn’t mind being obscenely wealthy for a few weeks and getting to live a life like the characters in this book did! (I could do without the copious amounts of alcohol, but sign me up for the other stuff.)

Charlotte and her best friend Shane designed a dating app while in college. This app, called Flutter, became an overnight success, and suddenly Charlotte became one of the new stars of the tech world. But when the inevitable backlash toward a successful young woman became too much, she got sacrificed.

Much to her surprise, she gets ousted from the company and is being forced into signing an NDA and a non-compete agreement. While she will make a healthy amount of money, she won’t ever be able to design anything in the tech space ever again.

Feeling sabotaged, and with nothing to fill her time, Charlotte decides to join her best friend on the Rally. It’s an annual European road trip where the participants drive fancy classic cars. There’s plenty of exclusive parties, fancy food, gorgeous accommodations, and beautiful destinations. They’ll travel from Slovenia to Italy, Monaco, and France.

Charlotte tries to lose herself in the excitement of the Rally. It’s not long before the alcohol flows abundantly and a flirtation with one of the participants ignites. But try as she might, she can’t shake her grief and anger about being pushed out of her company. She wonders whether walking away is best for her future, or if she should try and fight.

I love rich people behaving badly, but rich people driving fancy cars to storybook locations? This was a really enjoyable book but it wasn’t all fun and games. There was definitely some social commentary about the double standards that exist in the business world. Definitely a terrific debut!

Book Review: "Dodge City" by Patrick deWitt

It’s 1967 and the U.S. is in the thick of the Vietnam War. Lee was a college student at UCLA until he was expelled for getting into a fistfight with another student. Unfortunately, being kicked out of school means he’s no longer on the draft deferment list, so while he plans to enroll in community college, he gets his draft notice before he can do that.

Lee isn’t a conscientious objector or anything, but he doesn’t believe the U.S. should be fighting in Vietnam. And he certainly doesn’t want to go to war. But he can’t imagine convincing the draft board that he’s crazy or gay or otherwise unsuitable to serve. So he decides he’s going to flee to Canada.

Leaving Los Angeles means leaving his girlfriend Cal behind. Their relationship is an odd one, and Lee has always been reluctant to let Cal know the full extent of his feelings for her. But he decides to leave anyway, and lands a gig delivering a fancy new Jaguar across the country. He’s ultimately supposed to wind up in New Jersey with the car, even though that’s not what he intends to do.

Before he heads to Canada, Lee decides to stop in four places to see the members of his family. He returns to his hometown in Washington to see his father, who is rapidly heading down the road to self-destruction. Then he heads to Billings, Montana, where his mother moved when she divorced his father. She currently lives with her brother in their childhood home, and isn’t shy about sharing her opinions or her versions of memories.

He reluctantly stops in Duluth to see his older brother Harry, whom he hasn’t spoken with in several years. But Harry, too, is in a bad way—dealing with a broken engagement that is his fault and serious financial problems. Lee’s final stop is in NYC, where his twin sister is a nurse-in-training at a psychiatric hospital, and she’s sabotaging her career with her misguided romantic pursuits.

Patrick deWitt is a writer who skillfully blends introspection with humor. This is a thought-provoking story. I expected this would be a little more plot-driven, but I found myself caring what happened to Lee.

Book Review: "Nowhere to Go But Anywhere" by Jessica Rao

I really enjoyed this! Jessica Rao’s debut novel is a thought-provoking and emotional story about a young woman trying to find her way.

Helena has just started her freshman year at SUNY Albany. She’s not sure if college is for her, and Albany is a far cry from her home in Brooklyn. She spends a lot of time on the campus bus, which drives through downtown Albany and back again.

She meets Henry on a bus ride one day. He seems to be a bit of a drifter like her, and talks a lot about following in Jack Kerouac’s footsteps and heading to California. Henry invites her to move in with him and another friend, and she finds a job waiting tables to make enough money to go out west with Henry.

Waiting tables introduces her to Sonya, a fellow waitress who encourages Helena to flirt with the customers to get better tips. And when Charlie, a wealthy older man, takes an interest in Helena, she convinces her to go out with him so she can benefit financially.

While Charlie would be her ticket to getting enough money to leave with Henry, Helena is torn. She has an on-again, off-again fling with Tommy, her other roommate, but she never seems to know where she stands with him. How can she find the courage to forge her own path without having to rely on someone who wants to take more from her than she’s willing to give?

I found this to be a surprisingly emotional read at times. Sometimes it was easy to forget that Helena was as young as she was, but she had just finished her freshman year of college. She was a really dynamic character despite her immaturity at times and her indecisiveness.

Book Review: "Thank You for Remembering" by Emily Harding

“Destiny is real—we just build it ourselves. And in that way, my grandmother was right after all. The magic isn’t what happens to us. It’s that we keep going anyway.”

When Marnie wakes up in the hospital, she has no idea why she’s there. But even worse, she quickly discovers that she has no memories of the last year of her life. She vaguely remembers moving to Boston with her boyfriend Matt, but that’s it.

It turns out Marnie had a traumatic brain injury, which is causing the memory loss. She’s surprised to learn that not only did she and her boyfriend break up and she has her own apartment, but apparently before her injury she got a horrible haircut. And now she has bangs…

She has no idea where she works (or if she even has a job), she can’t unlock her phone or access her ATM card, and apparently, there’s a mouse in her apartment. Luckily, her very handsome neighbor, Ben, helps her get readjusted. He shows her how to get to various places, and tolerates the emotional rollercoaster she finds herself on.

Marnie has apparently kept receipts and movie tickets from her time in Boston, so she tries to figure out what these keepsakes mean. And while her best friend insists it will all lead her back to Matt, she starts to realize that he might not be her happy ending after all. (Any guesses on who might be? 😉)

This was a really sweet and emotional book, and Emily Harding really did her research on how people can be affected by a brain injury. While the dreaded miscommunication trope popped up a few times, I loved the banter between her and Ben. I also found her journey to find her way to be really meaningful and moving.

Book Review: "Paper Ghosts" by Sarah Addison Allen

“Once upon a time, there was a family of witches. But witches, it turns out, are sometimes only women who have been hurt, and are determined not to be again.”

More and more, I realize how much I love magical realism in my books. Sarah Addison Allen is definitely a standout in creating worlds with just a dash or two of magic, but real issues as well.

In the 1970s, Willamena Wester lives in the North Carolina town her family founded. She’s raised by her grandmother and she’s never wanted for anything—except the freedom to be a little rebellious. But her grandmother, rumored to be a witch, knows everything Wills is thinking. All she wants Wills to do is follow the path she’s set for her.

But when a handsome young musician comes to town, his presence shakes everyone up, especially Wills. She falls for him but plans to keep her promise to her grandmother, until one fateful night changes everything.

Years later, following a tragedy, Wills’ son returns home with his young daughter Bailey in tow. Wills is determined to act completely different toward Bailey than her own grandmother did, but at times it’s hard to outrun the pain and regret of your past. And as Bailey grows, she learns many of the same painful lessons, but she’s determined to end the cycle.

I find Allen’s books so captivating, and the Southern settings are always magical in and of themselves. This is a book about fierce love, sacrifice, sorrow, and the choices we make when our backs are against the wall. At the same time, there was a bit of sweetness here too, which I also loved.

Book Review: "The Tide Between Us" by Cem Say

It’s fun to read the books that get lots of hype and publicity, the ones you see everyone else talking about. At the same time, I love stumbling upon a book I’ve never heard of and being taken by complete surprise.

The Tide Between Us definitely falls in the latter category. I’m not even sure how I found it. But this portrait of love, longing, and being truly seen honestly took my breath away. There were so many sentences, paragraphs even, that I highlighted while reading.

“Because you don’t know what missing someone feels like. You’ve never once let yourself do it. Everyone you ever lost, you skipped the missing and went straight to the wall. You built a whole personality out of not needing anyone, and you did it so well you forgot that need is just, a thing people feel. Ordinary people. Every day.”

Emre left Istanbul for an unnamed coastal town. He vowed that he would no longer wait to be seen, to be loved, and he would stop living his life in the margins of others’. At a cafe, he meets Julian, a charismatic older man. There is an immediate attraction but neither knows what their first move should be—if there should be one at all.

Julian has the ability to make people feel like they are the most important to him. But he can only sustain that for so long before he hurts them. His seven-year marriage to Marco is filled with moments of joy and pain, yet neither wants to ask questions they don’t want answers to. As Julian and Emre turn toward each other, both know the gravity of their choices and the inevitability of the end. But how do you distinguish love from feeling seen?

This was an exceptionally beautiful debut novel. The feelings these characters lay bare, the waves of joy, jealousy, pain, and love they experience were so poignant and yet so real. I cannot wait for Cem Say’s next book. I’m so glad I found this.

Book Review: "The Secret Dinner" by Raphael Montes

“There’s death behind every meal. People prefer to shut their eyes to it, but it’s there. Death.”

Wow. This book was WILD! I think I’ll be sticking to salads for a while, but I enjoyed this far more than I expected.

Four childhood friends—Dante, Miguel, Hugo, and Piglet—decide to leave their small Brazilian hometown and head to Rio, to find an apartment in Copacabana. The apartment they find is absolutely perfect and the price is a steal.

As the economic situation in Brazil worsens, their rent skyrockets. And when they’re threatened with eviction, they need to scramble to find a lot of money—fast. So they decide to capitalize on the secret dinner party trend, and host people for gourmet meals that they’ll pay top dollar for. But when Piglet taps into the hunger of wealthy Brazilians for something exotic, their get rich quick scheme nets them more money than they can imagine, yet it sends them down a path of no return.

“People associate madness with evil and rationality with goodness. According to statistics, 12 percent of so-called normal people are criminals, murderers, or dangerous offenders. Meanwhile, only 3 percent of so-called crazy people become involved in serious crimes. That means that normal people kill at a much higher rate than crazy people. If there were more crazy people in the world, there would be less violence.”

The book is definitely gory, so it’s not for the squeamish. But it’s also a fantastic, compelling read, one that makes you wonder how you’d handle the type of desperation the characters found themselves in. I probably will think twice before going over to someone’s house for a meal!!

Book Review: "Hollywood, Ending" by John Green

As someone who stayed up until 2:00 am to finish The Fault in Our Stars the day it was released, I’ve been waiting for a new love story from John Green for a while. This is Green’s first foray into adult fiction, and it was so much more than I expected.

“I figured that in the night sky of my life, Kai Laramie would be one of those shooting stars that streaks across the sky but then burns up almost before you can even get excited.”

Kai and Juniper meet when both are cast in a new movie called Andy Warhol Never Gets Old. Juniper is a former child star who has exceptional talent but a bit of a reputation for being hard to direct. This is Kai’s first movie, and he cannot believe he’s gotten to this point.

Even though much of the moviegoing public doesn’t know who Andy Warhol is anymore, Kai and Juniper’s performances generate star-making buzz. The sky’s the limit for both of them, and they start falling in love. But then the moviemaking machine starts its manipulations, and threatens to destroy everything—including their burgeoning relationship.

“I do not want to want to be loved by strangers, but I do not want to want most of what I want.”

There are sentences, paragraphs in this book that took my breath away. This is an emotional book, with some possible triggers, but it’s an incredibly timely look at the price of fame and the way everyone feels like they own a piece of you. I really loved this.