Book Review: Lovely War by Julie Berry

 Title: Lovely War

Author: Julie Berry

Serie/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Young Adult

Pages: 480

Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"It's 1917, and World War I is at its zenith when Hazel and James first catch sight of each other at a London party. She's a shy and talented pianist; he's a newly minted soldier with dreams of becoming an architect. When they fall in love, it's immediate and deep-- and cut short when James is shipped off to the killing fields.

Aubrey Edwards is also headed towards the trenches. A gifted musician who's played Carnegie Hall, he's a member of the 15th New York infantry, an all-African-American regiment being sent to Europe to help end the Great War. Love is the last thing on his mind. But that's before he meets Colette Fournier, a Belgian chanteuse who's already survived unspeakable tragedy at the hands of the Germans.

Thirty years after these four lovers' fates collide, the Greek goddess Aphrodite tells their stories to her husband, Hephaestus, and her lover, Ares, in a luxe Manhattan hotel room at the height of World War II. She seeks to answer the age-old question: Why are Love and War eternally drawn to one another? But her quest for a conclusion that will satisfy her jealous husband uncovers a multi-threaded tale of prejudice, trauma, and music and reveals that War is no match for the power of Love."

My Rating: 4.5/5

This book lived up to all the hype I had heard about it from the book community. This isn't a typical war book, the author really went to the next level by bringing in the views of the gods into the violence, and heartbreak of World War I. I was drawn to the romance between the characters throughout the novel, and the tragedy that at some points kept them separate. The characters are astounding and easy to love, but again the real characters that captured my attention during the audiobook were the Greek gods, the different writing from their P.O.V really brought the story to life. I found that the end of the book was a bit anti-climactic, but was still able to enjoy my time reading it all the same. The author's writing is well throughout and based on the author's note at the end of the book well researched. I would recommend for fans of historical fiction and romance. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult

Title: Small Great Things

Author: Jodi Picoult

Series/Standalone: Ruth Jefferson (Book #1)

Genre: Adult Fiction, Contemporary

Pages: 480

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Year Published: 2016

Format: Audiobook

"Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years' experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she's been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don't want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?

Ruth hesitates before performing CPR and, as a result, is charged with a serious crime. Kennedy McQuarrie, a white public defender, takes her case but gives unexpected advice: Kennedy insists that mentioning race in the courtroom is not a winning strategy. Conflicted by Kennedy's counsel, Ruth tries to keep life as normal as possible for her family- especially her teenage son- as the case becomes a media sensation. As the trial moves forward, Ruth and Kennedy must gain each other's trust, and come to see that they've been taught their whole lives about others- and themselves- might be wrong.

With incredible empathy, intelligence, and candor, Jodi Picoult tackles race, privilege, prejudice, justice and compassion- and doesn't offer easy answers. Small Great Things is a remarkable achievement from a writer at the top of her game."

My Rating: 4.5/5

I'm going to start this review by saying that this is not written by a black author. I think that is an important note to make and that is why it was docked one point. Not because I don't think that people can't write from other perspectives rather than their own, but I think that it could be offensive to those in the black community.  I do think that this book was very interestingly written from the perspectives of Ruth (a black labour and delivery nurse), Turk (a white supremacist) and Kennedy (a white public defender) and how their lives combine and their views on the world morph. It brings up the subject of not being able to see the white supremacy culture that is present in our day to day lives when you have the privilege of not having to take notice of it. I do think that the ending statements were vital to the enjoyment of this book. The author took time to do research, speak to those who have had the experience where she had not and had input from the black community to be sure that she was capturing the story to the best of her ability.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Misery by Stephen King

 Title: Misery

Author: Stephen King

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Horror, Adult Fiction, Thriller

Pages: 370

Publisher: New English Library

Year Published: 1987

Format: Ebook (Library Copy)

First Line: 

"Paul Sheldon. He's a bestselling novelist who has finally met his biggest fan. Her name is Annie Wilkes and she is more than a rabid reader- she is Paul's nurse, tending his shattered body after an automobile accident. But she is also his captor, keeping him prisoner in her isolated house."

My Rating: 3/5

This is the first Stephen King book that I have ever read and after hearing so much in the bookish community about his writing, I have to be honest, I was a little letdown. This book was just ok for me. Up until the last quarter of the book, I found myself putting it down or getting distracted without focusing on what was going on with the story. I found that the main character was not my favourite and what truly held me in the story to the end was the idea of Annie and her unpredictability. I think that the end was well wrapped up and I would be willing to read more from this author if anyone has suggestions of other books that I might like by him (excluding IT). 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich

 Title: Three to Get Deadly

Author: Janet Evanovich

Series/Standalone: Stephanie Plum Series (Book #3)

Genre: Mystery, Fiction, Humor

Pages: 321

Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Year Published: 1997

Format: Audiobook

"Stephanie Plum, the brassy babe in the powder blue Buick is back and she's having a bad hair day-- for the whole month of January. She's been given the unpopular task of finding Mo Bedemier, Trenton's most beloved citizen, arrested for carrying concealed, gone no-show for his court appearance.

And to make matters worse, she's got Lula, a former hooker turned file clerk-- now a wannabe bounty hunter- at her side, sticking like glue. Lula's big and blonde and black and itching to get the chance to lock up a crook in the trunk of her car.

Morelli, the New Jersey vice cop with the slow-burning smile that undermines a girl's strongest resolve is being polite. So what does that mean? Has he found a new love? Or is he manipulating Steph, using her in his police investigation, counting on her unmanageable curiosity and competitive Jersey attitude?

Once again, the entire One for the Money crew is in action, including Ranger and Grandma Mazur, searching for Mo, tripping down a trail littered with dead drug dealers, leading Stephanie to suspect Mo has traded his ice-cream scoop for a vigilante gun."

My Rating: 1.5/5

I think this is where I leave the series. After listening to this audiobook the only way I can describe my emotion is disappointed. The first book in this series had a small amount of romance and a decent amount of mystery. This book has done a total 180, we're more worried about the romance then the mystery and details are constantly skated over. The whole romance starting when they were 8 is brought up consistently and makes me extremely uncomfortable. The characters have no real sense of urgency even in the middle of a ton of murders.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: A List of Cages by Robin Roe

 Title: A List of Cages

Author: Robin Roe

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Contemporary, Young Adult, Fiction

Pages: 310

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Year Published: 2017

Format: Audiobook

"When Adam Blake lands the best elective ever in his senior year, serving as an aide to the school psychologist, he thinks he's got it made. Sure, it means a lot of sitting around, which isn't easy for a guy with ADHD, but he can't complain, since he gets to spend the period texting all his friends. Then the doctor asks him to track down the troubled freshman who keeps dodging her, and Adam discovers that the boy is Julian- the foster brother he hasn't seen in five years.

Adam is ecstatic to be reunited. At first, Julian seems like the boy he once knew. He's still kindhearted. He still writes stories and loves picture books meant for little kids. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets, like where he hides during the middle of the day, and what's really going on inside his house. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives..."

My Rating:  4.5/5

This book was heartwrenching. After typing out the synopsis of this story I do feel that this book might have been marketed as mystery more then it should be. This novel deals with the loss of a parent, violence, and abuse. This truly broke me, but in a way that felt necessary. This story deals with the two characters, one who is living with his uncle after his parents have passed, and another who used to be his foster brother. It focuses on their differences, but in a way that feels natural and enlightening. The author truly portrayed the emotions one can experience post abuse and that can continue throughout life. I don't want to go into more detail then this at this time, but know that if you are comfortable reading something with something of this subject matter I would strongly recommend.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The German Midwife by Mandy Robotham

 

Title: The German Midwife

Author: Mandy Robotham

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Historical Fiction, Adult

Pages: 354

Publisher: Avon

Year Published: 2018

Format: Audiobook

"Germany, 1944.

A prisoner in the camps, Anke Hoff is doing what she can to keep her pregnant campmates and their newborns alive.

But when Anke's work is noticed, she is chosen for a task more dangerous than she could have ever imagined. Eva Braun is pregnant with the Fuhrer's child, and Anke is assigned as her midwife.

Before long, Anke is faced with an impossible choice. Does she serve the Reich she loathes and keep the baby alive? Or does she sacrifice an innocent child for the good of a broken world?

An unforgettable tale of courage, betrayal and survival in the hardest of circumstances, perfect for readers of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and The Alice Network."

My Rating: 3/5

This book was a different way of writing about the war from a different perspective. I will say though that I found it does romanticize some horrible things about the war. There are some high stakes, there is heartbreak, it is gruesome and frightening. I think that I was most interested in hearing about the survival aspects of the story. How the main character manages to get through tragedy and continues to believe in helping all women regardless of religion, race, etc. That being said you do have to suspend your disbelief that our main character would be chosen to oversee such an important pregnancy. I think that the plot was fast-paced and I was continually interested. That is why this book gets a higher rating than you may assume based on the facts above.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Her Royal Highness by Rachel Hawkins

 Title: Her Royal Highness

Author: Rachel Hawkins

Series/Standalone: Royals Series (Book #2)

Genre: Romance, Contemporary, Young Adult, LGBT

Pages: 274

Publisher: G.P Putnam's Son Books for Young Readers
Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"Millie Quint is devastated when she discovers her sort-of-best friend/sort-of-girlfriend has been kissing someone else. And because Millie cannot stand the thought of confronting her ex every day, she decides to apply for scholarships to boarding schools... the farther from Houston the better.

Millie can't believe her luck when she's accepted into one of the world's most exclusive schools, located in the rolling highlands of Scotland. Everything about Scotland is different: the country is misty and green; the school is gorgeous, and the students think Americans are cute.

The only problem: Millie's roommate Flora is a total princess.

She's also an actual princess. Of Scotland.

At first, the girls can barely stand each other-- Flora is both high-class and high-key-- but before Millie knows it, she has another sort-of-best-friend/sort-of-girlfriend. Even though Princess Flora could be a new chapter in her love life, Millie knows the chances of happily ever afters are slim... after all, real life isn't a fairy tale... or is it?"

My Rating: 2/5

So I read the first book in this series and I was so excited to learn more about Flora, and I feel like we did, but I just didn't like it. I was really hoping that this book would be from Flora's P.O.V but it wasn't, and that really took away from my overall enjoyment. I also just didn't care for the characters we saw throughout this novel. While there was a romance aspect, it wasn't what I wanted it to be, and I just didn't feel the spark between our two characters. I would read more from Rachel Hawkins and I would love to hear about other people's romances within the royal/aristocrat families. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

 Title: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

Author: Abbi Waxman

Series/Standalone: Standalone
Genre: Romance, Adult, Contemporary

Pages: 351

Publisher: Berkley

Year Published: 2019

Format: Audiobook

"The only child of a single mother, nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book.

When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They're all0 or mostly all- excited to meet her! She'll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It's a disaster! And as if that wasn't enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis has turned out to be cute, funny and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn't he realize what a terrible idea that is?

Nina considers her options:

1. Completely change he name and appearance (Too drastic, plus she likes her hair.)

2. Flee to a deserted island. (Hard pass, see: coffee).

3. Hide in a corner of her apartment and rock back and forth. (Already doing it.)

It's time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn't convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It's going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page."

My Rating: 5/5

I finished this book a few days ago and it really hit me in the feelings. So I decided to take some time to really process whether the 5/5 feelings were based on elements or based on the fact that this was the precise book that I needed to end 2020 with. This is what I found. It's exactly what I needed to end 2020 with. The romance, the atmosphere, the characters and the plot were all intriguing. But mostly the growth in characters, the feeling of being seen with our main character having social anxiety that is nearly crippling. It's something that I can understand and felt her pain watching her go through. Overall this book is a cute book lovers dream and I would recommend it to anyone interested.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Ten Thousand Skies Above You by Claudia Gray

Title: Ten Thousand Skies Above You

Author: Claudia Gray

Series/Standalone: Firebird Series (Book #2)

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Romance

Pages: 448

Publisher: HarperTeen

Year Published: 2016

Format: Paperback Copy (Own It)

First Line: "The first time I travelled to another dimension, I intended to take a life."

"Ever since she used the Firebird, her parents' invention, to cross into alternate dimensions, Marguerite has caught the attention of enemies who will do anything to force her into helping them dominate the multiverse- even hurting the people she loves. She resists until her boyfriend, Paul, is attacked and his consciousness scattered across multiple dimensions.

Marguerite has no choice but to search for each splinter of Paul's soul. The hunt sends her racing through a war-torn San Francisco, the criminal underworld of New York City, and a glittering Paris where another Marguerite hides a shocking secret. Each world brings Marguerite one step closer to rescuing Paul. But with each trial she faces, she beings to question the destiny she thought they shared."

My Rating: 2.75/5

There is something about the middle book in the trilogy that never quit hits right for me. It is very rare that it will be my favourite in the series. And this, unfortunately, was no exception. I think that while this instalment was interesting it just didn't quite capture the higher stakes that were in the first one. I also found that the love interest in this instalment was almost more forced than heartwarming which I didn't anticipate after watching them fall in love in the first book. I think that the villains in this book though are the scariest aspects. The idea that people are willing to corrupt multiple dimensions for personal gain is a truly terrifying thought. The cliff hanger ending also interests me enough to continue with the series. I hope that I regain my overall enjoyment by the end of the trilogy.

Thanks for reading,

Sidny

Book Review: Becoming by Michelle Obama

Title: Becoming

Author: Michelle Obama

Series/Standalone: Standalone

Genre: Memoir, Nonfiction, Adult

Pages: 426

Publisher: Crown

Year Published: 2018

Format: Audiobook (own a hardcover)

"In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America- the first African American to serve in that role- she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.

In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her- from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world's most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it- in her own words, and on her own terms. Warm, wise and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations- and whose story inspires us to do the same."

My Rating: 4.5/5

I would like to start this review by saying that I am a Canadian Citizen and I have never lived in the United States, but by being neighbours with the United States I do know a bit about their politics. Not a ton, but a small amount. Probably more than most American's know about our political systems. That being said this book isn't only about politics. It's about finding who you are, striving through controversy, and using your voice for those who do not have one. I think that Michelle strikes a lot of hope into young people across the world. Seeing a woman who is able to bring about change with such poise isn't easy, but before reading this book she always appeared without flaw to someone like me. But knowing that she's just a human as well, is soothing in a way. Knowing that we are all capable of speaking up, and making change, but also knowing that everyone needs to be giving a fighting chance to seize opportunities that some are just handed (alumni at colleges, people living in the suburbs with the financial ability to move to better areas with better schools, etc.). This is just a quick summary of my thoughts. 

Thanks for reading,

Sidny