New Year, New Books! 12 New Books I Can’t Stop Thinking About

So, it’s been a minute. This blog post was planned to go live in December 2022 with a slew of reviews of books to read in early 2023, but you know what happens when you make plans? Yeah, so life got in the way and I never got around to finishing up this post before these book came out. I didn’t stop reading, I swear! So without further ado, Miranda’s Book Nook has returned with the novels that I did read between December 2022 and March 2023. As always, happy reading!

French Kissing in New York by Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau

I absolutely adored Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau’s Kisses and Croissants, and so I was instantly intrigued when I saw the title and cover for French Kissing in New York. While this novel couldn’t eclipse my love for Kisses and Croissants thanks to my ballet- and travel-loving heart, French Kissing in New York was still enjoyable and almost lived up to my expectations.

Here, Margot Lambert met All-American Zach on a magical night in Paris — the night before he was leaving on a backpacking adventure. Despite sweet kisses and a deep connection, they agreed to go their separate ways but reunite one year later in New York City. Well, one year later, Margot arrives in the Big Apple to kickstart her career as a chef *and* meet Zach, except he’s nowhere to be found. While a lot can happen in a year, Margot is determined to find her dream beau and even enlists fellow line cook Ben to help track her mystery guy down. Ben and Margot travel all around the city’s boroughs, chasing potential leads in a Cyrano-esque plot.

Jouhanneau’s language is absolutely compelling that had me intrigued right off the bat. It’s a love letter to NYC and it was beyond easy to get sucked in. It’s an absolutely adorable and fun coming-of-age story and a tale of fate, but not the fate you expect.

Rating: Four Stars

Available Now

A Tale of Two Princes by Eric Geron

I absolutely adored this book, which I’d describe as Red White & Royal Blue meets The Holiday Swap but with slightly less romance and more found family. Plus, like, a Parent Trap vibe, too. The comps really don’t do this one justice because there are not a ton of books like this one.

Here, Edward is the Crown Prince of Canada, who lives a picture-perfect royal life complete with an elite boarding school and hiding his sexuality for the sake of the monarchy’s tradition. Meanwhile, Billy Boone is an out-and-proud cowboy in middle-of-nowhere Montana. These two 18-year-olds have little in common until one fateful meeting reveals that they were twins separated at birth, (Hello, Twitches twist!) And, Billy is the older one, which means he’s to inherit the official Crown Prince title. The story, told in dual POVs, follows Billy as he navigates the royal life while Edward wants to carve out his own place in the world.

The writing itself was very fun, cute and compelling, which had me dying to keep reading. It reads quickly and I’d take at least three more books in a series just because that epilogue did not satisfy my hunger for more. I mean, yes, it was a good ending, but I’m so invested in Billy and Edward’s stories.

Rating: Four Stars

Available Now

Exes and O’s by Amy Lea

For any fans of Set on You, Amy Lea is back with Crystal’s older sister Tara’s quest for love, with Scott’s fellow firefighter and roommate Trevor. Despite a very slow-burn friends-to-lovers tale, Exes and O’s is full of compelling language that draws me in and makes this read difficult to put down between reading sessions.

Here, romance bookstagrammer Tara decides to revisit all of her past relationships in the hopes that one of the guys will be The One Who Got Away and a chance at a second-chance romance ala her favorite tropes. To help track down the men, Tara asks Trevor (her new roommate after Scott and Crystal decide to move in together) for dating tips in a Cyrano-esque plot. Trevor, for his part, is not a relationship guy and so, begrudgingly, agrees to help. However, the forced proximity trope may be too difficult to resist.

There’s a precious Set on You post-HEA check-in on Crystal and Scott, which is always fun to see. Now, I’m not sure if this book has eclipsed Set on You in terms of my interest, but it’s a fun romance read nonetheless. Plus, I swear, Trevor is like the KING of the grand gesture compared to any other book boyfriend, and that’s high praise.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Available Now

Begin Again by Emma Lord

Emma Lord has fast become one of my favorite Young Adult/New Adult authors, and Begin Again has further solidified that standing.

Here, Andie has transferred from her local community college to the hypercompetitive university where her parents initially met, and it doesn’t hurt that her boyfriend Connor is already enrolled there. Of course, things don’t go according to plan, because the day she moves in, he reveals that (surprise!) he transferred to her old school to be together. As they navigate long distance, Andie is also dealing with a brand-new environment, helping roommate Shay figure out a major, dealing with grumpy RA Milo and figuring out what organizations that her late mother belonged to during her tenure.

Begin Again is full of rich, compelling language in a fun, quirky coming-of-age novel. True to Lord’s style, the characters are vulnerable and authentic and the story is overall very, very cute.

Rating: Four Stars

Available Now

Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling by Elise Bryant

I wholeheartedly adored Elise Bryant’s first two YA novels and was *instantly* intrigued by the one the moment I saw the cover. While it is set in the Happily Ever Afters universe, it feels like a standalone too.

Here, Delilah is a budding musician who’s used to keeping her emotions hidden, going with the flow and staying home. When she gets out of her comfort zone by fronting a punk band, she meets Reggie after her first gig. Reggie is an unapologetic Black nerd and proud Dungeons & Dragons master. The pair are complete polar opposites but are drawn to one another after meeting by chance on a series of holidays. They each wish they could be as unapologetically confident and brave as the other thinks they are. So, what happens when they start hanging out more?

It’s a super sweet, dual-perspective, holiday romance, slow-burn tale and it was unbelievably adorable and precious. It reads very quickly and is told through compelling and well-written prose, and it’s very cute. Like, these two wholesome nerdy sweeties just make my heart soar which made that third-act breakup just hurt even more.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Available Now

Just My Type by Falon Ballard

Lease on Love was such an unexpected yet delightful 5-star read for me, and so I was interested in Just My Type from the moment I first saw the cover. And boy, does this book deliver!

Here, Lana is a serial monogamist who works as a dating columnist yearning to get off the relationship beat. She finally gets a chance to prove herself with one final article series about being OK as a singleton. The catch? Her articles have to produce better traffic than the magazine’s latest hire, who just so happens to be her first-ever boyfriend Seth. Seth, a renowned freelance journalist, arrives in town with the task of proving he’s ready to put down the roots. As the pair are pitted against one another, it gives me, like, such How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes, which I’m here for.

Falon Ballard writes with such quick, witty language that just pulls me in and it’s so fun, cute and bingeworthy. It reads very quickly and it’s so flipping could that I did not want to put down. All in all, it’s so well-written, captivating, funny, vulnerable, a little spicy and sweet as all hell. Like, this one was so good that I wish I could read for the first time again.

Rating: Five Stars

Available Now

Best Served Hot by Amanda Elliot

Amanda Elliott’s Sadie on a Plate was such an unexpected gem, so I was beyond excited to start this one. While it is technically a part of the same universe as Elliott’s debut novel, it very much feels like its own entity and story, though the post-HEA check-in with Sadie is super nice in a story of two opposing restaurant critics.

Julie is an executive assistant in NYC, who’d rather make her Instagram side hustle of food blogging her full-time gig. Instead, she is jealous that blue-blooded Bennett, with his disdain for social media, snagged her dream gig reviewing Manhattan eateries for a big-time newspaper. Hot-tempered, Julie gives Bennett a piece of her mind about his cold reviewing practices while being filmed at a foodie festival. Their heated debate goes viral, impacting both of their social media traffic. To capitalize on the buzz, they decide to team up for forthcoming reviews. While competitive as ever, Julie and Bennett realize that they actually have quite a few things in common.

Best Served Hot is chock full of quippy language that draws me in, and the rest of the book reads quickly. It’s very cute and fun, with a couple with palpable enemies-to-lovers banter. However, it couldn’t quite top Sadie on a Plate for me, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying this one. (I found pieces to be a bit slow and the characters irked me because Julie was very judgy IMHO and Bennett was a dry AF book boyfriend, who I wish had more substance.) All in all, Best Served Hot is fun, sweet and indulgent, especially for fans of Sadie on a Plate.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Available: Now

Real Love by Rachel Lindsay

As a devoted Bachelor Nation viewer who found Rachel Lindsay’s Bachelorette season far superior to any of her fellow franchise leads, I was intrigued to learn she was making the leap to be a fiction novelist (yes, I know she already penned a memoir of essays). Color me surprised, but Lindsay can write and deliver such a well-written, compelling women’s fiction story full of intriguing language.

Honestly, I was a touch surprised that it was well-written for a Bachelor alum and further proves that Lindsay is way more than just a typical reality TV personality turned influencer. She’s got a serious talent for writing on top of her long list of accomplishments.

Here, Maya lives life according to The Plan: became the youngest director at her finance firm, marry her college sweetheart and live a fabulous Miami life. Her life is going sooo great that she decides to turn down the opportunity to lead the new season of Real Love, a fictional reality TV dating show. (Lol sound familiar?) Instead, she tells producers that her work bestie Delilah would make a superb lead, while she stays home. As Maya watches her friend’s TV journey begin, her perfectly planned life doesn’t stick to her goals and the arrival of her younger sister, free-spirited Ella, and platonic friend Kai forces Maya to reexamine everything that she thought she wanted.

I did enjoy Real Love over Miss Me With That, her memoir, with a particular fondness for its ability to inspire readers to follow their own hearts because Maya’s journey is beautiful, vulnerable, inspirational and authentic. Andm like, I get the point of the open-ended conclusion, but, like I need answers in the form of a sequel STAT.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Available: Now

While You Were Dreaming by Alisha Rai

Alisha Rai’s YA debut is, obviously, a lot more wholesome than her adult romances though it is well-written as ever, featuring authentic character portrayals and dynamic language.

The book starts with Sonia meeting her high school crush James at the local bookshop’s cosplay event, where she ultimately rescues him from drowning in a canal when he faints. However, since Sonia was wearing a mask (with a full-on costume), he has no idea it is her. James and the Internet, because her savior moment goes viral, is keen to figure out her identity, but her family’s immigration status means she is desperate to keep it quiet. While Sonia aims to keep her secret, she gets closer to James (who wants to pay back her generosity) and his family, including older brother Naim. Hint: This book gives off strong, strong While You Were Sleeping vibes.

It’s a cute and fun nerd romance, yes, but it’s equally heartfelt, authentic and vulnerable as main character Sonia grapples with real issues.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: Now

The Only Game in Town by Lacie Waldon

For all fans of a small-town romance, opposites attract, a kooky small town of side characters and competitive enemies to lovers, The Only Game in Town is surely the romance novel for you.

When eccentric Redford, Georgia, benefactor Jasper dies, he concocts a town-wide competition to allow residents the chance to compete for his multimillion-dollar inheritance. The catch? He’s already paired up the townies. Our heroine Jess, a freelance book editor who takes care of her car mechanic dad amid health concerns, is matched with Nikki, her high school rival. Then there’s Carter, Jasper’s estranged grandson, who stays in town post-funeral and immediately gets under Jess’ skin during the competition — but not for long, of course.

It’s fun and cute and gives off SERIOUS Gilmore Girls‘ Stars Hollow Vibes (If You Know, You Know) that exponentially ramps up the cuteness factor. It’s told in dual perspectives, yes, but then also includes the POVs for other side characters too which helps flush out the story to be more than just a he-said-she-said typical romance. A perfectly indulgent beach read, 100 percent.

Rating: 3.5 Stars

Available: Now

Not Here to Stay Friends by Kaitlyn Hill

I love a good Bachelor-inspired setting in a book and Not Here to Stay Friends is a welcome addition to that trope!

Not Here to Stay Friends follows teen Sloane, who is excited to spend the summer before her senior year out in LA with her childhood BFF, Liam, who surprised her with a bonafide Hot Guy glow-up. Their “Summer of Fun” plans quickly change course when Liam is roped into serving as a PA on his movie-making dad’s new teen dating TV show and Sloane is asked to join the cast last minute. While Sloane is vying for the heart of the show lead, actor Aspen Woods, she can’t but realize her true feelings for her longtime bestie.

Kaitlyn Hill’s sophomore novel, which I personally liked more than her debut Love from Scratch is a super-sweet friends-to-lovers, mutual pining, YA story that I couldn’t put down. With a Cyrano-esque subplot, it was a fully adorable and cute novel that was full of compelling, witty language. Oh and the empowering reality TV contestants were literally EVERYTHING I wish the IRL Bachelor girls are, and that’s PERIOD.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: Now

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

Curtis Sittenfeld’s novels can do no wrong in my eyes and Romantic Comedy further proves that tenfold. It is set in a Saturday Night Live environment when longtime writer Sally gets fed up by her male coworkers constantly dating A-List show guests. However, things take a turn when Sally sparks her own connection with musician Noah.

Here, sketch writer Sally is fed up that her Night Owls cowriters keep dating megastars but it’s never been the reverse with women on the show. After even penning an original script about the alleged rule, Sally notices that episode host Noah seems flirty during his hosting debut. But there’s no way the spark can be real, right??

This contemporary novel, told like a day-in-the-life vignette, follows Sally’s week ahead of Noah’s late-night debut before a three-year time jump. (Side note/Content Warning, I guess: Romantic Comedy takes place/addresses lockdown for the coronavirus pandemic.) Sittenfeld’s Romantic Comedy reads very quickly thanks to quippy language and an authentic main character. All in all, it is fun, cute and exactly how you’d expect a Sittenfeld novel.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: Now

5Jul2021

7 Summer Book Releases I’m Loving Right Now

Posted in Miranda's Book Nook by msiwak

Once again, it’s time to get bookish. By the end of June (and early July too), I was starting a new job and completely focused on getting settled, so my reading goal took a big hit. That being said, I did still manage to read 11 books (and counting) for these two summer months. So, I thought it was high-time for another Miranda’s Book Nook book update! Check out some of the summer 2021 book releases that I just can’t get enough of and should totally be on your radar when looking for the best beach reads this year. Happy reading!

Blackout by Dhonielle Clayton; Tiffany D. Jackson; Nic Stone; Angie Thomas; Ashley Woodfolk; Nicola Yoon

I was beyond pumped to receive an ARC of Blackout by some masters of the YA game: Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. By the first few chapters, I already loved every page and each character’s story! It’s so full of heart, authenticity, representation, and adorable teen love stories.

Here, these authors came together to write an interlinked novel about Black teen love through heartwarming and charming coming-of-age stories. Each author writes a short story, focusing on one of six different love stories that all take place in New York City during a heatwave and blackout, on the same day. Each tale reads like a short story that’s compelling and adorable on its own (plus is well-written, obviously) with interconnected settings and characters to tie it all together. These are seriously adorable and cute teen love stories, plus I love to see all the representation done so accurately and relatably. Each chapter introduces a side character or background that effortlessly leads into the next story and chapter. You can clearly tell this book was meticulously organized and planned to be this interconnected which works to tie it all together so seamlessly. It’s a quick read that was hard to put down and is so engaging, well-written, and adorable. It’s a YA novel and a romance read, unlike anything I’ve read before, which is what made it so great.

Rating: Five Stars

Available: Now

The Girl Least Likely by Katy Loutzenhiser

This YA novel is billed as To All the Boys meets The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel meets Dumplin, which made it an automatic read for me. Yet, I only got the teen Maisel vibes located in the contemporary setting similar to TATB or Dumplin.

Here, aspiring comic Gretchen is learning to be herself as she balances school, family, first crushes, and trying her hand at stand-up comedy. While she’s always been the “least likely” girl (which I didn’t fully get here, tbh), she finds herself living out every major rom-com trope (BFF crush, makeover, bad boy love interest) which is the perfect cover for her double life trying out comedy. It seemed that this rom-com thing didn’t quite mesh with the double life/comedy thing to me.

Casting expectations aside, this was a very cute teen coming-of-age story with funny, engaging language. However, it took nearly halfway through this book to get there. I enjoyed the different chapters following a variety of classic rom-com tropes, which it was fun to see how each related to the characters and the bigger story. Plus, it’s full of well-written and authentic characters.

So, yea, it took a while to pull me in. It was slow to start, and I had struggled with getting into it and wanting to keep reading. You see, it didn’t have any real exposition and just dived right in, which (to me) felt like I was missing something as I didn’t get much (or any) true introduction to meet these characters before the story starts. I was struggling to muster enough energy to pick it up daily and was seriously debating DNFing before I even reached the halfway point of my galley copy. I’m glad I did stick with it because the story does pick up soon after that and it gets funnier and more engaging. So, if you can stick with this read, you’ll end up smiling over its absolutely precious rom-com-worthy ending.

Rating: Three Stars

Available: Now

Pretty Little London by Sara Santini, Andrea Di Filippo

As the massive Anglophile that I am, I needed this book no matter how short or picture-heavy it would end up being. Based on, and curated by the creators of the Instagram page of the same time, this nonfiction read provides a seasonal guide to the UK city’s most Instagrammable sites, the blog/IG page history, and plenty of advice to take the best Insta snaps.

There’s helpful text and gorgeous pics that make this read so fun and gives me so much wanderlust! (Gosh, I miss London!!) It reads like a friend giving off travel advice for little-known places you have to visit in order to up your IG game. With such gorge snapshots inside and on the cover, this book would make a perfect coffee table book for your living room. Facts.

This book advises you on the best places to visit by seasons, and the best ones to see, what to know or order, and why it’s so ‘grammable. It’s so much fun and gives me serious wanderlust while reading about the best hidden gems to check out. Plus, the IG-worthy snaps are breathtaking and only add to my wanderlust. You’ll read about various categories of places, from hotels, restaurants, day trips, cafes, and more. It also gives helpful maps and nearby tube stations.

I only wish I had this guidebook before I last went to London, oh well, there’s always next time…

Rating: Four Stars

Available: July 13

So We Meet Again by Suzanne Park

After I devoured the author’s latest YA novel (Sunny Song), I was pumped to learn about her newest contemporary romance story. And let me tell you, it’s fun and lighthearted, making it perfect for your summer beach bags!

Here, we begin with investment banker Jessie as she’s laid off from her boys-club Wall Street firm in a virtual meeting. After packing up and moving home to Nashville with her parents, she has no idea what to do with her life. She decides to reboot her old Korean cooking YouTube channel with fresh hacks and meal prep tips, and it’s actually quite well-received. All the while, she runs into her childhood nemesis and all-around golden boy Daniel who helps her launch her new business venture and even perhaps opens her heart along the way.

In this romance novel, there’s plenty of banter and wit between leads Jessie and Daniel, and a boatload of chemistry to boot. It’s very fun, engaging, and quick to read. The romance is very very very very slow-burn, so much so that Daniel is barely in half the book which makes this more of a coming-of-age women’s fiction novel rather than a straight-up romance book. Nonetheless, it’s very cute and I’d like a post-epilogue HEA update, like, now please, thank you.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: August 3

The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee

Set in the same world as the author’s first novel (A Sweet Mess), now it’s Aubrey’s best friend’s and Landon’s little brother’s turn to find love. Tara Park has one rule when it comes to dating: nothing serious. Between her past heartbreak and a laser-focus on the family’s brewery, there’s no way she could even entertain the idea of dating.

When Landon’s brother Seth waltzes into town, he’s a massive temptation to her and she may be willing to bend her rules for a few dates with the well-known fashion photographer. Seth is only in town for a month because he’s moving to Paris soon after. While he’s in town, he challenges Tara to a four-date no-strings-attached dating “dare” that could be a nice distraction for them both. But the more he sees of her, the less willing he is to let her go when the dare’s over.

As I read the dual-perspective book, I found it had banter and spades that had me hooked. It’s an easy, quick romance read that you can polish off in a day. The romance is cute, the characters are dynamic, and all that leads to a cute and fun romance read.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: August 3

The Man Ban by Nicola Marsh

I was very excited to start this read, looking forwards to a fun enemies to lovers novel, and this read delivered on that front. Here, Harper has been on a self-appointed “man ban” for a year after a really bad breakup, and instead, focuses on her growing career as a food stylist.

Her latest gig is styling dishes at her best friend’s traditional Indian wedding, where she meets the best man Manny who belittles her work the entire night. In retaliation, she decides she’ll lead him on during the event so she can later humiliate him. Well, things don’t always go as planned. Manny (as seen in the author’s The Boy Toy) is a handsome Anglo-Indian doctor who immediately feels an inimitable pull towards Harper.

One week later, he shows up at the same New Zealand resort where she’s working on her next job. After a work catastrophe, he offers to help her and she notes his chivalry has gotten under her skin. She’s ready to lift her “man ban” for a vacation fling. He agrees, after all, he’s not looking to get married despite his grandmother’s dying wish for him to do so. Yet, he can’t help but fall under Harper’s spell. Told in dual perspectives, this enemies to lovers novel is full of compelling language that draws me in, plus so much freaking banter that makes me fall for this read even quicker.

Rating: Three Stars

Available: July 27

Palm Beach by Mary Adkins

This book isn’t my usual happy-go-lucky YA or romance read, but nonetheless, its vibe intrigued me to try it out. Here, married couple Rebecca and Mickey move from their teeny Queens apartment and freelance gigs to Palm Beach, Florida (hence the title) with their young son when Mickey gets a job as the estate manager for a multimillionaire. As he works to manage the household of this influential businessman, Mickey soon gets a job offer to work in the same role for a more powerful businessman, making even more money. At the same time, freelance journalist Rebecca gets the chance to ghostwrite Mickey’s boss’ wife’s memoirs (that’s right, plural). As a wealth inequality writer, this is Rebecca’s chance to peek inside this incredibly wealthy world. As time goes on, Mickey and Rebecca become more reliant and dependant on money and their bosses’ help until a big secret could topple everything.

This literary fiction novel captures the divide between the haves and the have nots in the wealthy enclave of Palm Beach. From the start, it has such engaging language and strong storytelling that pulls me in and compels me to keep reading. Then, the big twist reveal gets soooo juicy and I just *have* to keep reading. However, there’s a ton of exposition and background that feels a touch too long in certsin parts. But overall, it’s compelling and intriguing.

Rating: Four Stars

Available:

Advance reader copies of the books listed were provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

7Mar2021

These 7 Upcoming Spring Releases Stole My Bookish Heart

Posted in Miranda's Book Nook by msiwak

Well well well, here we are, knee-deep in March and yet still basically hunkered down at home for who knows how much longer because it’s already been a full calendar year. As expected, I’ve continued to spend my free time reading a good book (I managed 28 in January, 18 in February, and 2.5 so far in March.), starting up my brand-new #bookstagram page, and maintaining my rainbow-organized bookshelves. As I kept on reading, I discovered some truly incredible reads that completely stole my bookish heart. So, without further ado, welcome back to Miranda’s Book Nook for another round of 2021 book recommendations that should definitely be on your radar this spring. Happy reading!

Hana Khan Carries On by Uzma Jalaluddin

This book completely took me by surprise, and honestly, that’s what I liked the most about it. It’s pitched as a You’ve Got Mail-type of romcom, which is both a trope and a movie I adore, and so I was already hooked.

Here, Hana juggles her dream job in radio, a side hobby as a podcaster, and spends the remainder of her time waitressing at her family’s halal restaurant in Toronto. Sales are slow, especially as a new upscale halal eatery is moving in across the street. In the exposition, she’s working as a radio intern hoping to get promoted, rambling on in her podcast episodes which is where she forms a connection with an anonymous listener, all while trying to keep the family business afloat. Then, a mysterious aunt and cousin arrive from India, she discovers a family secret and grapples with a hate crime attack nearby. There are all sorts of complications to contend with, including her attraction to rival restaurant owner Aydin who may not be as much of a stranger as she initially thinks. When life as she knows it shifts and changes, Hana must figure out how to use her voice, be strong, and decide what her life should be.

This coming-of-age read features captivating, descriptive language, and in addition to see the text, the story’s also told through her podcast transcripts and the anonymous DMs they share. There is a lot of exposition that starts off pretty slow, but thanks to vulnerable and authentic characters you can’t help but get sucked in and want to find out what happens next. It’s well-written and captivating, as well as profound and insightful to look at this cultural identity and perspective, especially if you are on the outside. Then, of course, the ending romance and HEA is so flipping cute and precious that had me smiling from ear to ear.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: April 13

The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird

Let me preface this by saying that I don’t hand out five-star ratings often because, to me, that means a book needs to be fan-freaking-tastic and just all-around unforgettable. And let me tell you: This book is just that. Christina Sweeney-Baird’s debut novel is poised to be a prolific piece of prose that’ll have everyone talking this April. It already has a select few NetGalley reviewers buzzing, and I’m happy to join those ranks. In this work of fiction, a virus circulating around the UK sweeps the world and takes out most of the male population, leaving women to pick up the pieces of society as Sweeney-Baird posits what would happen to the world without men.

The book starts in 2025, when a mysterious virus shows up at a hospital in Scotland. Only men are carriers and are affected, and as the virus grows into a global pandemic, it’s up to women to save the future of humanity while also dealing with their own loss and grief. This book is the immersive first-person account of the women rebuilding the world, including Amanda the doctor who treated Patient Zero, Catherine a social historian documenting everything, scientist Elizabeth working on a vaccine, and others around the world. It aims to chart how the absence of men changed society both personally and politically in this prolific and prescient novel.

Before reading this book, I was intrigued by the summary (reminding me of the likes of The Handmaid’s Tale or Children of Men-type of dystopia) and the sheer number of glowing reviews. So, I started it. And, I couldn’t put it down for nearly two days until I finished every last page, just pouring over the text, the language, the story, the vulnerability, and the heart. This gripping modern thriller slash literary fiction read is so poignant and timely about the world’s new normal, which is made all the more prescient considering it was written two years ago. Yet, it’s still so relevant, raw, and vulnerable, and just like wow. This book, what else is there to say without giving much away other than it’s so bloody brilliant, and I mean that wholeheartedly. The story is just so real and gripping but also has messages and themes that are so impactful and important that elevate this read into what it is.

With its current publication date, that makes this novel all the more poignant and reflective. In this book, as these women try to keep the world running, they also grapple with fear, loss, grief, mortality, fertility, and humanity. The language just enthralled me, captivated me, and drew me in. I loved the ending about how these women found the strength and power in this new world, while also dealing with what they lost. Now, with all that going on, there’s bound to be some triggering scenes. And so, yes, that does mean I have some content warnings to deliver if scenes of grief and loss; death of a parent, child, or spouse; infertility; or suicide is triggering for you. In the end, this has to be a five-star read for me, it’s just so poignant, well-written, and prolific. I sincerely hope that once this book is officially available, it gets all the hype and acclaim because it’s that good and deserves it.

Rating: Five Stars

Available: April 27

Turning Pointe: How a New Generation of Dancers Is Saving Ballet from Itself by Chloe Angyal

Author Chloe Angyal provides an insightful look at the behind-the-scenes world of ballet in this nonfiction read full of facts, history, and interviews. Through this inside look at the ballet world’s present, readers can see how this art form is shaped by race, gender, and class inequalities, as well as how dancers and professionals are fighting for a more inclusive and positive future.

This book is written by journalist Chloe Angyal who aims to capture students’ love for ballet all while they grapple with its unfair and unbalanced shortcomings in terms of power, beauty, and race. Angyal interviews students, parents, teachers, health care workers, professionals, and more industry insides about the damaging path of this industry in the modern world and how that affects the dancers.

She takes a concept that isn’t largely discussed outside of gruesome or idealized TV or movies and blows everything you didn’t know about this hard field wide open. It’s all about how the art form s broken and how to fix its inequities to move forward. The writing is very detailed and informative. However, at times the text could be quite dry, although I found it interesting as a former dancer myself.

Rating: Three Stars

Available: May 4

The Summer of Broken Rules by K.L. Walther

This was an absolutely adorable New Adult romance read that I just devoured. Here, Meredith joins her extended family at her grandparents’ compound in Martha’s Vineyard every summer. This is the first time she’s been back after her sister died, so grief content warning, and it’s her cousin’s wedding weekend.

She’s dealing with her sister’s death, grief, a fresh breakup from her ex, and heading off to college for the first time in a few weeks. She needs a distraction, which their annual family Assassin game comes at the right time. In her quest to win to honor her sister, she teams up with a cute groomsman in the wedding, Wit. She can’t help falling for him during this weekend fling, but that may very much cost her both the game and her heart. This read is full of compelling language that just draws me in from the first page. It’s a fun summer romance that’s for sure, however, the title doesn’t seem to make much sense to me and that’s a little awkward, I guess. But, all in all, it’s a very cute and absolutely precious NA romance.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: May 4

Where the Grass Is Green and the Girls Are Pretty by Lauren Weisberger

True to Lauren Weisberger’s style, her latest novel delivers her signature wit, insight into an elite world, enthralling storytelling, relatable yet authentic characters, and snappy language.

In this book, readers follow two sisters Peyton and Skye, who are complete opposites but seemingly have perfect lives to one another. Then, several lies threaten to derail everything. Peyton is a TV anchor who always has it together, including her daughter Max who is Ivy League-bound. Meanwhile, Skye is a stay-at-home mom in the New York suburbs who is fundraising to start up a new home for underprivileged kids as a way to get away from this PTA mom life she’s been living in. Then, there’s Max, Peyton’s daughter, who is coming of age in this elite Manhattan prep school and who does want to attend Princeton but rather a film school on the west coast. This book follows all three of them as they attempt to move forward once lies explode and derail everything they know. It’s basically based on the age-old saying that the grass is greener on the other side. Everything blows up for Peyton when her husband is arrested in a college admissions scandal, while Skye is hiding her deep debts.

This book is full of quick, witty language and relatable characters and dialogue. We get back-and-forth perspectives to show how each woman is dealing with everything and interact with one another. I was definitely very, very, very interested to see where things would go and happen next, and in the end, I just wanted more. It’s so rich with details and complex characters that made this read totally unputdownable.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: May 18

Beth & Amy by Virginia Kantra

I’ve always been a huge Little Women fan ever since childhood, and when I heard Virginia Kantra wrote a modern retelling of it in Meg & Jo, I knew I’d like it just as much, which I did. Now, that I’ve finished her follow-up, I’m even more besotted with the lives of the March sisters than ever before, and here it’s Beth’s and Amy’s turns in the spotlight to share their stories.

After I devoured and loved Meg & Jo, I was stocked to read this follow-up, which I can now report that I loved even more. This book is all about Beth’s and Amy’s coming-of-age stories. Amy’s an ambitious up-and-coming handbag designer in New York, whereas good girl Beth is a singer-songwriter working to overcome her anxiety and stage fright on tour with country superstar Colt (from the previous book). When they both return home for Jo’s wedding, they must confront their lives and what they actually want it to be.

As a reader who’s enthralled with the March sisters, while we all adore Meg and Jo, who doesn’t secretly love Beth and Amy? So, it’s exciting to see their perspectives and get inside their heads as they grow up, especially since in the original novel, they were children. This story alternates between the point of view of the two sisters, much like Meg & Jo, but also includes chapters focus on Marmee/Momma/Abby’s sides too, which is another intriguing perspective to understand. True to form, Kantra’s novel features rich storytelling and language to draw you in. Set three years after Meg & Jo, I loved seeing Beth and Amy shine, expressing vulnerability and complexity in both past and present timelines. As expected, I really dug this book and just didn’t (and couldn’t) want to put it down.

All in all, I think I did like this more than Meg & Jo because it’s partially a new story with previously hidden depths and vulnerabilities of these former minor characters that I loved so fiercely. Thank you so much Berkeley for this ARC, I was absolutely thrilled to once again rejoin the March sisters on their journeys.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: May 25

Sixteen Scandals by Sophie Jordan

This is a fun Regency romp of a read that I just couldn’t put down! Here, Primrose Ainsworth is the fourth daughter of a modest upper-class family who’s approaching her sixteenth birthday without debut plans in sight. Always tired of being a child and stuck at home she concocts a ruse with her best friend to sneak out on her birthday to London’s Vauxhall Gardens for a night of masqueraded fun. When she gets separated from her friend, a mysterious hero is here to help her escape when her cover is nearly blown. This stranger is 19-year-old Jacob, who becomes her partner in crime all evening long as they dodge all sorts of hijinks and antics.

It’s described as having “Austen-type flirtation” and “Shakespearan hijinks,” which is already giving me Bridgerton meets the happy Romeo & Juliet vibes, and I’m here for it. The language is curious, engaging, frothy, and fun. Plus, the banter between Prim and Jacob is just on fire and explodes off the page. It’s captivating and fun that I just don’t want to put this book down!

To me, it did end super, super quickly because we were just getting started with their love story, and I want more. But overall, it was very cute as is. It just flew by, and just as I was finally starting to get the characters and their story, boom it ended, and I just want more content. This is a quick Regency romp of a YA romance novel that you can polish off in haste, but nevertheless, still engaging to indulge in their banter and hijinks as Prim makes her own rules in this restrictive society for women.

Rating: Four Stars

Available: May 25

Advance reader copies of the books listed were provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

20Sep2020

9 End-of-the-Year Book Releases That’ll Have You Obsessed All Fall/Winter Long

Posted in Miranda's Book Nook by msiwak

As fall has swept in already, I’ve been trying to keep busy by updating my personal library with all sorts of new books, organizing my bookshelves in a color-coordinated rainbow order, ordering a personal library stamp and affixing it on each novel on my shelf, and of course, reading every day and night. Some of these books have made me weep, scream, smile, and, well, feel all of the feels, both good and bad.

So, welcome back to Miranda’s Book Nook with even more of my latest book recommendations that’ll keep you company as 2020 winds down. I hope you find these books as engaging and comforting as I have. Happy reading!

Majesty by Katharine McGee

As you may recall from a previous post or my endless social posts, I was absolutely obsessed with American Royals. So much so, in fact, that I finished the chunker of a royalty YA novel in a single day. A couple hours, even. (Which, I’d like to report has occurred yet again with this follow-up.) After the first novel ended on such a freaking cliffhanger, I knew I needed to read the eventual sequel, like, immediately just to find out what happened and to make sure that my beloved ship of Connor and Bea were still motherf***ing endgame, or I was prepared to literally throw something. Sure, they may be from different stations in life, but that doesn’t matter because it’s love. They needed to be together, and I demand that courtesy as such a fan. We’ll get to that later.

The YA sequel picks up pretty much where we left off and takes us to the king’s (their dad’s) somber funeral. Then, we jump ahead a mere six months later as the royal family attempts to grieve slash move forward, and Bea attempts to figure out her next steps as the reigning queen. Since no one in the book even knew about my beloved ship (which, like, boo!), they kept trying to push Bea’s wedding to Teddy sooner, because god forbid we have an unmarried queen! Also, please god no, I need her not to do the “proper” thing and not shut the door on Connor and their love story, as he’s done nothing but support, love, and be there for his longterm love. Also, I was super ready to have some flipping words with Connor as the reader, because, dude, you need to get your girl, however, you need to. Not the queen, but his Bee. He needs to snap her out of this pretend world she’s attempting to go through the motions and woo her all over again, for them and their true love. And boy, he flipping better. Or, I swear. (Seriously, he’s just so precious and perfect, all this sh*t between the two of them is killing me! Bea, ugh, if you don’t marry him then I will!)

The book still features the same multiple stories, but I’m still primarily drawn to Bea’s perspective because that’s the one love story and journey that rang the most heartfelt, genuine, and long-lasting to me from the first book. However, ugh, Beatrice is acting so dumb. She’s the queen, like she shouldn’t have to get married and spoiler alert, she could change the rules of the game, because she’s in charge. I just want her to do something and follow her heart. Like, how can she govern a nation if she can’t follow her own desires? I’m pissed at both her and Connor by now. Thank gosh for our other perspectives and leading ladies to fill in on the true love department.

I literally couldn’t stop reading, as I was onto chapter six within about twenty minutes of starting this novel on pub day. I just couldn’t put it down until I found out what would happen next. I’m just so captivated, even if Bea doesn’t rightfully realize she wants and needs Connor in her life. So, the book continues and we see the other ladies too: Sam is embracing her role as The Spare since her love Teddy is still marrying her sister and so she starts partying more, her bestie Nina wants to move on from her breakup with Jeff, and Daphne still will do whatever it takes to marry Jeff and secure her family’s status. Sam gets her own love story this time around with her unexpected pairing with new character Marshall, but hey, that old fake dating trope always works! It’s beyond cute, and the same with Nina and Jeff’s pal Ethan. However, Bea and Teddy are a thing here. I just cannot deal because I’m such a hardcore Bea+Connor shipper and like, all their history and passion can’t just disappear overnight to me, at least. I just feel that their story just isn’t over and I just can’t move on.

So, the ending (beware of spoilers, but the book’s already been out for a hot minute, so likely you could’ve already read it for yourself). I am glad that Bea called off the wedding because she didn’t need to be married at 22 anyway just so she can be queen, but like, I’d be very happy if sometime in the future, she and Connor could somehow find their way back to each other because I can feel that their story isn’t concluded just yet. The whole book just felt like the author was trying to force Teddy on us by making Bea fall for him, but that wasn’t the book I wanted and yearned for, because Connor was everything to her. Also, she didn’t even like Teddy, and until she was like “well, better get to know my fiance because me leaving him killed my dad and we need a royal wedding,” and like no, that’s not a good enough reason for me. But, I guess American Royals was Bea’s big, shippable love story and Majesty is the place for Nina and Sam to be the stars and find love, which I enjoyed as well, but, like it was harder to enjoy because at the same time I saw my beloved Connor+Bea ship sinking hard and deep, which you can’t get over that so quickly. However, the writing was plenty captivating and there was tons of drama and intrigue that kept me reading.

Available: Now

My Therapist Says: Advice You Should Probably (Not) Follow by @MyTherapistSays*

This Instagram account is one of my favorite meme IG accounts out there because it’s so dang relatable. So, upon hearing the brains behind the account were writing a book, instantly, I knew it belonged on my TBR list. Initially, I was excited to read it as a follower of the @MyTherapistSays Instagram page, often liking memes about reality and anxious moments of life that we all go through.

From the get-go, the brand’s signature sense of humor and tone is on point with the book’s fun, humorous tone that you can immediately deduce from the title alone. The book is designed to provide advice about this crazy journey of life from the Insta-famous ladies and interjections from their real-life therapist. Seriously, I couldn’t stop laughing for the first half of this read, because everything is one hundred percent accurate. Underneath all the humor and jokes, there really are some lovely, deep messages and advice about how to live your best life. Each essay reads quite quick, and who knows, maybe this isn’t the type of read I shouldn’t have started at 11pm at night, because here we are midnight and eighty pages in. Well, we are how we are.

While I enjoyed this ARC, will I read this again? Meh, probably not. Not to say it wasn’t captivating for a self-help, advice book because it was. It had some good tips, and if you follow the girls on Instagram, then you’ll likely get their humor and tone too. For those of you who do follow them, you’ll also likely want to read this, whether you need their advice to help you cope or more often just for a laugh, because hey, life’s quite the dumpster fire now, we need any chance to laugh and feel joy. It’s definitely a book geared towards their followers and millennials like them (and me too). I would have loved an introduction upfront that introduced who’s writing this and their qualifications, but it dives straight into everything and assumes the reader already knows them. So, their existing followers is definitely the sole target audience. On that note, the IG page is notoriously run by a group of friends, but here, it’s written in the “I” tone, which is addressed at the end but not the beginning, which is a bit confusing. For me, as a reader, I was confused who’s viewpoint the essays were about throughout the book.

I thought this book would be like a collection of their IG, but it’s not. It’s the same commiserating tone, sure, but there’s no real way to improve yourself or no research to back up any of their claims. Which, it all comes out a bit preachy to me. However, I did think the language was funny and the designs/graphics/journal pages were cute, but that’s it. That being said, the goal-setting part was actually decent for self-growth and the anxiety checklist is helpful, but that’s about it. And I do appreciate the section on addressing insecurities, but nothing actually motivates me to attempt to better myself just from reading. The self-care lessons of this only really work if you’ve already done the work on yourself, but by no means should this be a starting point for self-improvement. Overall, it’s pretty negative and, like, just pointing out all you’re doing wrong without offering any real self-improvement messages.

Available: October 6

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayliss*

Even though it’s late summertime as of reading this galley or fall at the time of publishing this post, this romance book has me yearning for winter, hot chocolate, and cozy sweaters! By page one, I knew this was a book that was right up my alley. I mean: British setting, romance, and the holidays? Check check and check! Here, Kate and Matt have been old friends since childhood, and like, it’s clear they have to fall in love, right? But, the timing’s not quite right. Tired of her horrible dating luck, she (at the urging of her best friend) signs up for a matchmaking dating service, and hence the book’s title, she’ll go different blind dates before the holiday. The primary focus of the book is all about her bad dates and horrible dating luck, which, like, Kate, you are preaching to the choir on that one!

As I kept reading, it was already shaping up to be a fun, indulgent, and very cute holiday romance read. The concept is quite a good idea, however, the execution fell a bit, I don’t know, meh. It’s cute and all, but that’s pretty much it. And then, it is a super, super slow burn for the HEA in a romance. Like, I just wish the pace was quicker because it felt like some parts kept dragging on. It’s a predictably cute holiday romance and that’s the whole book basically. Nearly approaching the end of the story, after all her bad dating luck over and over again, it’s clear that best pal Matt is her only decent option even if they don’t know it yet. It all becomes painfully clear for the reader that they are meant to be, but the slow pace means we’re not there yet, and you are just hoping for some type of HEA to make all her troubles and heartache worth it, even if it is just self-worth and friendship. Besides, Matt is really the only decent option that could potentially give her love (Soz, Richard. You gave me such offputting and smarmy vibes any time you were on the page. Blech!), and that’s painfully clear. TBH, I was quite cynical going into this read and reading about these trash dating options and how predictable everything was, but I can’t deny that the ending made me smile because it was just so damn adorable.

Available: October 13

Fangirl, Vol. 1 by Rainbow Rowell, Sam Maggs*

For anyone that used to obsess over Rowell’s Fangirl back in the day, which, um, guilty, this manga adaptation is the perfect way to reinvent the novel. The graphic novel features all sorts of detailed pictures that really bring the story to life and tells the vivid story we all know well by now, and this way you can actually see these characters face to face and not just in your head!

In case this concept is all new to you, here’s a brief summary. The main character Cath is a huge Simon Snow fan, like the world, but she just can’t let go of the fandom and even is a popular fanfic writer. Now that she and her twin sister Wren are in college, she must decide if she’s ready to start living her own life, and if she does, will she leave the world of Simon Snow behind? She’s far outside her comfort zone now, as she meets all sorts of new people, including a moody roommate with an overly charming boyfriend, a writing professor who doesn’t like fanfiction, and a cutie-pie new writing partner.

This read is definitely for fans of the original novel and not newbies to the book. But that being said, it’s definitely fun to see Cath’s story and her fanfics with my own eyes and not just in my mind. It reads very quickly, and you can definitely finish this edition in a single setting slash day. It just fun and enjoyable! This Vol. 1 does end on such a cliffhanger, and I just want the next editions like now!

Available: October 13

Together, Apart by Erin A. Craig; Auriane Desombre; Erin Hahn; Bill Konigsberg; Rachael Lippincott; Brittney Morris; Sajni Patel; Natasha Preston; Jennifer Yen*

This was everything I’ve needed to stay sane and happy during lockdown. Nine acclaimed, witty, and popular YA authors did what they do best and wrote short stories starring diverse and complex teens facing the pandemic, lockdown, and adorable first love stories.

In short, each story was equally compelling and told a complete story with an interesting protagonist who learns that love always finds its way. The characters and storylines are all relatable, endearing, and engaging which make the story so much fun, authentic, and beyond precious that I just want more content and updates to each one!

There’s one about a cute pizza delivery boy who gives the new girl in town a free book and cake which like winning already; one where a girl is desperate to impress her crush on TikTok; two dog walkers getting closer; a new boy in town who can’t stop thinking about the girl next door; an enemies-to-lovers sitch from across apartment balconies; an unexpected romance that stems from a fortune reading and a take-out order; a flirty exchange begins over two balcony herb gardens, a roommate enemies-to-lovers journey; and a mask-making entrepreneur and her famous crush. There’s something for every romance fan, and it’s just absolutely adorable and heart-melting. They are all so freaking cute in their own way between the love stories and the HEAs, and I’m obsessed and just want more of each story. Like, for example, Erin Hahn’s story had me literally jumping up and down on my bed at the big, sweeping, and romantic as hell reveal and HEA, like, OMG, that’s so freaking cute!

After reading all nine, it’s like, ugh why couldn’t that have been my quarantine? Lol, I’m so single over here. But, hey, I’ll settle for getting sucked in and reading about these quarantine love stories rather than wishing for one of my own. Probably a lot easier to manage my expectations if I’m reading about someone else’s experiences than dreaming of that in mine. Also, a lot of these characters’ parents are essential workers, so this short story collection is a nice shoutout to the true heroes of the pandemic. Woohoo, three cheers!!

Available: October 20

Instant Karma by Marissa Meyer*

Okay y’all, this was one of the absolute cutest YA romance reads that I’ve picked up in a while, and wow, now that I finished it, I just can’t stop smiling because that was beyond adorable! Here, Quint and Prudence are biology lab partners sophomore year, and she’s been so annoyed with him over his lateness and unwillingness to contribute to their final project (or any assignment all year, really). So, initially, I’m thinking we’re about to get a delish enemies-to-lovers teen novel right here. And boy, did this book deliver on that front!

Quint is cocky, relaxed, and very attractive, so it’s evident he’ll be her love interest, and bingo! But, it’s a slow-burn love story that makes you savor every single early flirtatious moment. Plus, after a nasty bump on her head at karaoke night, Prudence now has some magical, mystical power to enact karma on random people, both good and bad. She can magically give off “instant karma” when people do something as an immediate reaction, like if someone litters, talks rudely about her twin brother, or helps take care of wounded sea animals. All in all, everything about this makes for an absolutely precious YA book that’s so easy to get sucked in and just keep reading. The book takes place during summer break as she’s determined to get Quint to help redo their science project for a better grade, and he only agrees if she’ll volunteer at his mom’s marine life rescue center for a few weeks and actually split the project work with him, since she hadn’t all year long. Then, all this karmic justice gives her such a power trip, juxtaposed with spending more time with Quint at the center to teach her about his world and other perspectives in this book.

It’s a quick, easy, and fun YA romance read about the power of fate. The romance part is quite the slow burn, where you wonder if either of them will actually make a move, but in a cutesy teen love story way that’s sweet and endearing. Then, that ending was like beyond f***ing cute, and like awww, my heart is most definitely melting from that HEA. So sweet.

Available: November 3

The Cul-de-Sac War by Melissa Ferguson*

Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me as an absolute favorite, which is a shame because based on the summary, it felt like one that was right up my romance-loving alley. In this novel, Bree moves to a small town in Virginia to pursue a career as an actress with a local theater company in her grandma’s hometown. There, she meets Chip during a show while she was having a wardrobe malfunction. She ran off the stage to fix it, where she stumbled into his arms and he heroically duck-taped her costume in place for the remainder of the show. He’s already saved her within a few minutes, so obviously she becomes infatuated with him.

Her BFF is Cassie from The Dating Charade, the author’s previous work, which is always fun to see old characters return after their HEAs and see they’ve still got them. After the show, she gets pissed that a truck is tailgating her, and follows her home. Naturally, she gets road rage only to discover that the driver is her new neighbor, and it’s construction worker Chip, as in the dude she just met at the show that saved the day. The book is told in back and forth perspectives between and Bree and Chip, who’s just come back to town and is desperate to build his new business and finish his home renovation quickly. The two spend most of the book at odds as his renovation interferes with her house and life, and so they play juvenile pranks on each other. Then, these two definitely warm to each other after expressing similar types of grief they are both dealing with. This book is super slow to start and hard to get into, and as much as I wanted to like it, I just couldn’t find my interest in it, and it didn’t seem as if our two protagonists had any real interest, spark, or chemistry. So, it just fell flat in my eyes. This book was okay, nothing more and nothing less. It’s a sweet, wholesome slow-burn romance, so if that’s your thing, this book is perfect for you.

Available: November 10

Truth, Lies, and Second Dates by MaryJanice Davidson*

No summary, book cover, or book title could have prepared me for this read because I didn’t see any of this story coming. And I loved that. It wasn’t too predictable that made me yawn, but kept me on my toes to desperately find out what happens next. This book is a mystery slash romance that follows commercial pilot Ava Capp, who reveals that her best friend Danielle was brutally murdered a decade ago, and became one the of biggest cold cases back in her hometown in Minnesota.

In the present, Danielle’s twin brother and Ava’s former crush, Dennis, is on her flight back to MN with his (distant) cousin-slash-girlfriend. He asks her if she’s going to Danielle’s memorial service, which she doesn’t want to but goes anyway. After a crazy day, she and Dennis go out on the town where she meets Tom. Dennis disappears for the night, and later, she and Tom get cozy and share an intimate makeout sesh, naturally. Turns out, the next day there was an incident at the funeral home, so she and Dennis are called in to check out the scene. And who’s there but TOM, our new leading man, who’s a whip-smart medical examiner and has taken an interest in Danielle’s cold case and solving her murder. (Only thing that gave me pause from this book was that Tom has a niece who repeatedly calls him “Uncle Tom” which like IDK if that was the best way to go with naming characters, but that just struck me as odd.) This book is told in back-and-forth perspectives, which were a little jumpy because we didn’t see Tom’s point of view until after 13 chapters of Ava’s, so it felt a bit jumpy, and I wish it was less abrupt and made more sense chronologically.

I really liked this read because it wasn’t too tropey or predictable for a romance. But, that romance was quite cute as they try to, albeit terribly, hide their feelings. Once there’s a relationship, it’s pretty lukewarm on the hot-and-steamy scale, well, until the buzzer and the final chapters. There’s a few deep makeout moments, but nothing too smutty until the very end. It’s a very intriguing mystery novel and a cute romance that was fun to dive into as well. By the end, obviously, the murder was resolved in a way I didn’t see coming but maybe that’s because I just didn’t remember the person who did it from the earlier chapters. By the end, I just couldn’t put this read down and was desperately waiting to find out what actually happened.

Available: December 15

A Spy in the Struggle by Aya de León*

This was a compelling read that I couldn’t put down and just had to find out what happened next. Here, Yolanda Vance is a junior attorney in Manhattan for a big, fancy corporate law firm, which was under investigation for security fraud, according to the FBI. Instead of shredding papers as her boss asks, she keeps them and becomes a whistleblower for justice. We definitely stan a woman who’s unwilling to throw away her hard-earned career because some man told her to go down with a sinking ship!

She then joins the FBI as a backup plan because she needs a job after she’s blackballed from corporate law for not shredding the papers. This book’s tone is very clear and engaging which gives me all the information about the protagonist yet still makes me need to keep reading. I love Yolanda as a protagonist because she’s strong as hell, like YASSS! Yolanda is just so strong and fierce, which I love to see. It’s so endearing and I just want to keep reading and find out all the action and drama. Back to the story, she’s sent on an undercover mission with a black extremist activist group in California. The book also has a few other perspectives, including a mystery agent who was taken off this case and thinks Yolanda’s not the right fit to take over, plus cop Rodriguez who finds a black woman dead after an OD. These two other viewpoints are a bit much and didn’t add much to the overall story, you honestly could have just had Yolanda’s side and the book would be just fine. But this SA sends redacted emails, which I just want to know all the juicy details.

Outside of all that, Yolanda meets college professor Olujimi aka Jimmy, and the two start flirting, and soon enough, love blinds her to her real job and purpose here. As she spends more time with the organization and Jimmy during the height of the BLM movement, she soon begins to question her values and career, her legality here and ethics, when she realizes she’s on the wrong side of what she wants to be. Also, Jimmy. Let’s talk about him for a bit. He’s so sweeping and romantic, but I can’t tell if it’s a ‘too good to be true’ thing or if he’s completely innocent in all this, I would have loved more backstory and insight into him. Overall, this read was so compelling and full of emotions, that wow, I thoroughly enjoyed that.

Available: December 29

*Advance reader copies of several of the books listed were provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

25May2020

9 Late Summer Book Releases to Keep You Busy While Hanging at Home

Posted in Miranda's Book Nook by msiwak

Since summer is officially canceled (ugh, so tragic) and all the plans we made are disappearing rapidly (RIP, my Memorial Day Weekend vacay plans), now we get to stay inside and do just about anything we can think of to stay busy. Me? I’ve been spending all my free time reading. Seriously, I’ve been averaging one book every other day; sometimes even staying up way too late (ugh, I’ll regret that by the time my alarm goes off in the morning) just to keep reading these captivating books.

So, check out my Late Summer/ Early Fall installment of Miranda’s Book Nook with several new books that’ll keep you busy and interested while staying indoors for the foreseeable future.

Act Like a Lady by Keltie Knight, Becca Tobin, & Jac Vanek

The hosts and besties behind the popular LadyGang podcast (and their own show on E!) have come together to share their truths and advice in a brand new book about what it means to be a woman in the twenty-first century.

This is an amusing, relatable, and inspiring book of essays that completely captures the voices of the LadyGang on-air with funny, truthful language. Their essays do make quite important and good points, nestled between relatable, funny anecdotes about dating, self-love, career, friendships, and more. It’s chock full of empowering reminders that we could all stand to hear a little bit more! It’s an advice book that makes you feel a little less guilty about the stuff we’ve gone through, and you get a clear look at each woman’s point of view by chapter, which are easily labeled as you read through.

From taking on lessons with dating, friendship, career, self-confidence, and more, it’s all the message we all need to hear more, from ‘don’t date that jerk,’ ‘therapy is okay,’ ‘pack the extra tampons,’ and ‘you are good enough.’ It’s empowering as heck and something most women should have in their arsenal to remember. It may be funny and jokingly at first glance, but at its core, the lessons of each essay are crucial pearls of wisdom we all deserve to remember. It’s a perfect coffee table book for any millennial apartment and I need it! As a woman, sometimes you don’t want to feel alone and with this book, you don’t. The LG is here to tell you that we all through the same stuff and we come out stronger and fiercer.

You can read this in a day, you can read it again and again because it’s evergreen, it’s timely, it’s what you just need to hear every once and a while. It feels like your friend is saying it directly to your face which makes their lessons easier to accept.

Available: June 2

Head Over Heels by Hannah Orenstein

Hannah Orenstein’s latest novel brings a fresh, Millennial-esque tone that’s fun, engaging, and relatable. She uses captivating writing where you just want to keep reading. Main character Avery’s relationship with her former childhood crush Ryan is adorable yet authentic, but also flirtatious sweetly and innocently. Within ninety pages, I’m sitting here squealing over the prospect of them becoming the hottest new couple and co-coaches ever. I’m definitely getting ahead of myself, but that’s because you want to root for these characters.

In the book, Avery is a down-on-her-luck former elite gymnast and Olympic hopeful who has moved back home when her NFL star boyfriend. Once home, she runs into former crush and coach Ryan who asks for her assistance training a promising young athlete. She reluctantly agrees because this girl has what it takes, but soon enough the sparks start flying between the two coaches just as a massive scandal rocks the gymnastics world that may threaten to pull them apart in this quick, fun romance read.

I loved Orenstein’s first novel, and this new book is just as adorable and I couldn’t stop reading or smiling, and I even polished off the book in a single day. Once you’re deep into the story, it’s heartwrenching and authentic, and way more than just a romance. The story is empowering, fierce, and strong. And I loved it, wow, I just couldn’t put it down! In the end, it warmed my heart because I loved that it was primarily about a girl finding her inner strength and power. And the love part certainly made it cuter.

Available: June 23

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

It’s a quick and funny read that you can’t help but get sucked into. There’s plenty of banter right from the first page and that completely sold me. Even though protagonist Luc is supposed to the “bad boy” type, he’s actually so endearing and authentic that you want to root for him. As a romance reader, you’ve gotta love a good fake dating trope where they don’t like each other, because it makes the eventual feelings feel more earned, justified, and authentic. It’s cute, endearing, and very enjoyable! Within just fifty pages, I just wanted to keep reading because even through text they have cheeky banter down pat, and I love it! Oliver is literally the perfect boyfriend, and just wow, it’s so adorable to read about. All in all, the book is absolutely adorable and so freaking cute. It’s big and sweeping into the beyond adorable love story. The two love interests make each other better and you just want to root for them. The language is witty and you become so captivated by the story.

In this male-male romance, Luc is the son of former music icons and therefore famous by association. After getting some bad publicity, he needs an image makeover, stat. And preferably a fake boyfriend who can reel him in and keep in centered. Oliver certainly fits the bill as he’s a lawyer, normal, and friends with one of Luc’s BFFs. Everything about him is perfect boyfriend material, and it turns out he could use a fake date for a big event coming up, so this deal is mutually beneficial. But, as many fans of a good fake date trope can attest, faking dating and turn into something real super quickly once someone catches the feels.

Available: July 7

Louisiana Lucky by Julie Pennell

First off, I love a good Southern tale and this novel totally delivers. While there is some romance, that’s definitely not the focus and that’s what makes it special. The focus is on the strong sisterly bond because that’s the heart of this story. Each sister has a strong and intriguing point of view yet very different, and equally interesting to read. It’s a quick read that you won’t want to put down with language so descriptive it feels like a movie is playing out in your head.

In this book, sisters Lexi, Callie, and Hannah Breaux grew up in small-town Louisiana, always struggling to make ends meet. The lottery is certainly the fantasy they’ve been dreaming of: Imagine not having to work or worry so much? Hanna could buy her dream house and send her kids to a great school, Callie can follow her career ambitions without worry, and Lexi can get her dream wedding. But then the unexpected happened, they win. And soon, some $20 million richer each, the girls find themselves changing who they are and all because of a little extra cash.

It’s the story of three optimistic girls thrust into a new world that’s never as it seems. The majority of the book though, I feel like I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop. Everything just felt too perfect and then boom, at the end, and rather abruptly, there’s a gutwrenching twist that blows up everything they thought they needed. I honestly didn’t think it was possible to wrap up the story and hot mess that erupted in just about forty pages but it was, and it was even better than what I could have imagined. It was a lovely HEA because it was earned and authentic, not some sugarcoated fantasy.

Available: August 4

The Boys’ Club by Erica Katz

This book starts off on a cliffhanger with a mystery trial and protagonist Alex giving a deposition about her first year of experience at a big law firm in Manhattan. As she recounts her memories, the book flashes back to the beginning of her career at the firm. I was intrigued from the get-go with its relatable language that feels like you are in Alex’s head. It reads very quickly and is really intriguing. It is engaging and juicy, like, I just wanted to know what happened!

In this women’s fiction novel that’s sure to be a hit, high-achieving Alex Vogel accepts a job at a prestigious law firm in NYC as she soon finds herself seduced by the firm’s promise of glory, money, and powerful energy. She finds herself succeeding in the hyper-competitive Mergers & Acquisitions division and neglecting what we originally thought was a settled, happy personal life. Soon, a scandal rocks her corporate world and reveals the dark reality at the firm, she soon understands all the ways women are told to act to succeed and she cannot stand idly by anymore.

The book is less about romance or friendship but more about a woman’s drive to succeed on her own terms yet play by the “boys club” rules of the legal profession to get there. You aren’t rooting for Alex and a partner but rather her succeeding at shattering the glass ceiling for future female attorneys to come. It’s inspiring and empowering to see that as the primary theme of the story.

Available: August 4

No Offense by Meg Cabot

I was so excited to be back on Little Bridge Island, and this time it’s all about books! Much more my speed than animals. So, I was intrigued from the very start, but I’d expect nothing less from Meg Cabot with her resume. It’s a very engaging read and I don’t want to put it down. For one, it’s always very cute to see a couple from a previous book still have their HEA ala Drew and Bree from No Judgments, it’s sweet. And to see the same characters, it keeps you engaged from the beginning since you already know and invested in these supporting characters.

After a broken engagement, children’s librarian Molly accepts a dream job in the Florida Keys. But, once she finds a newborn left in the library’s bathroom, she finds herself at the center of a town-wide mystery and attracted to divorced sheriff John. Soon, they are solving crimes and opening their hearts in this fun, playful romance.

While a relationship between leads John and Molly started off professional at best, their sparks burn so bright and you end up rooting for them to solve crimes together and fall in love. (Side note, I’d love a movie adaptation if just to see Molly teach John that “Single Ladies” dance IRL, hahaha!) Meg Cabot, you’ve done it yet again, bravo, it’s so cute and I’m loving every single page. There’s romance, friendship, small-town gossip, and a big mystery full of intrigue: it has everything! Ahhh, this ending is so squeal-worthy, seriously, it’s so darn cute. I read this in a single day, it’s just adorable and engaging and fun. I liked this way more than No Judgments, don’t get me wrong that was cute and all, but this was more my speed and more than just a romance.

Available: August 11

Live in Love by Lauren Akins with Mark Dagostino

Upon first hearing about this book, I already knew I wanted to read it because I loved looking at her cute little family on social media and her husband’s sweet songs about them, and I was so intrigued by her story and hearing her side of things. As a couple, Lauren and Thomas Rhett seem super sweet and down to Earth, and this memoir completely captures that. It’s a book of advice, memories, and the story of their love, marriage, and family in such an authentic and conversational way. It reads as if she’s speaking her truth in a genuine, casual way.

From this book, she’s way more than just Thomas Rhett’s wife but this is her own story and she’s the star here. The book is so raw, vulnerable, and honest. It’s so sweet to see how their love story and partnership began. Even when Thomas Rhett adds little parts here and there, it doesn’t feel overpowering and like he’s taking over, it feels like they are a team and he is helping her make her dreams come true. In a high-profile industry like music, Lauren and Thomas Rhett prove they are down to Earth folk and it makes me smile that fame and acclaim can’t take away or change real love and what matters the most. While Lauren has made it clear she wants to live a relatively normal life and follow her own dreams to help people, more than just a musician’s wife, through this book, it’s clear she’s succeeded and she’s done just that. I even found myself tearing up at her adoption story, it was so vulnerable and authentic; so raw and honest. While life isn’t perfect, least of all not for celebrities, Lauren and Thomas Rhett have proved that hard work, effort, teamwork, and love can make everything worth the struggles. And it was just a beautiful, lovely story to read.

Available: August 18

The Wrong Mr. Darcy by Evelyn Lozada and Holly Lorincz

This romance was inspired by the iconic Pride and Prejudice, which you can clearly tell (and part of its appeal). At first the sports talk is sort of off-putting to me because sports aren’t really my thing, so it took a bit to get into the story. But the writing was sharp and reeled me in. It’s very engaging and the characters Darcy and Hara have so much chemistry from the get-go. It’s oh-so-juicy with twists and turns, and I loved it! While it was slow to draw me in, by the end, it is a very cute and adorable romance, which I did enjoy. It’s a romance with plenty of action and drama. And by the end, I just wanted more! Like, give me an epilogue or a sequel, stat!

In this book, journalist Hara Isari has lofty journalistic ambitions that could change her life when she gets the amazing chance to interview one of basketball’s biggest stars. There, she also meets rookie Derek Darcy (yes, Darcy, you read that right) who is handsome, wealthy, and yet, kind. He’s arrogant and she writes him off more than once. But, once he keeps showing up for her, she soon finds her guard dropping and starts to feel something new.

Available: August 25

Meet You in the Middle by Devon Daniels

OMG y’all, I’ve been dying to talk about this one since I went through the withdrawal of finishing this good book. In this enemies-to-lovers, slow-burn contemporary romance, we meet political rivals Kate Adams and Ben Mackenzie, who sit across the aisle on Capitol Hill but have a heck of a time bantering, debating back and forth; and boy, do the sparks fly. The language is authentic and relatable, so engaging that you just want to keep reading, as this duo has quick-witted, feisty, and playful banter and so many sparks.

I’m super into this enemies-to-lovers story; it’s very cute and fun with all this banter. I can’t put it down and end up finishing it in a single setting. I already cannot wait to reread again and again, because I definitely need to just to relive this romance book magic. In this book, conservative Senate staffer Ben Mackenzie is the only thing standing in liberal staffer Kate Adams’ way to pass a bill she’s fought so hard for over a year. But after he’s late and arrogant in their first meeting, it’s anything but smooth sailing as the two find themselves in a head-to-head debate and yearning for the upper hand.

It’s so captivating with such descriptive language that you get into Kate’s head. Beneath all the descriptive language and steamy emotions, this book has a tremendous amount of heart and is quite an endearing story. So, while nothing steamy or too romantic happened for the majority of the book, their slow-burn romance has so much passion and heat, I just craved more. Most romances feel predictable through storylines, character types, and tropes, yet Meet You in the Middle doesn’t and instead feels fresh and unique. Seriously, there aren’t many romances like this one, and that’s precisely what makes Meet You in the Middle special: it’s different yet sweeping and I can’t stop thinking about it.

It’s a charming opposites-attract romance set in the head-to-head world of politics and I just don’t want it to end! Then, things their relationship gets all-consuming and passionate, and I’m hooked, obsessed. Seeing Ben fight for her nearly makes me cry and I feel so many emotions, as a good book should. It has such a sweeping ending and it all feels right, earned, justified, and authentic. I don’t know, this book has something about it: I’ve never read a romance quite like this one and that’s perhaps why I liked it so much. This book’s slow-burn was timed exactly perfect and I was hooked from the start. I don’t give out five-star reads often, a book has to be extraordinary and something I can’t get out of my head, and Meet You in the Middle delivers on that ten-fold. I just want to read this like ten more times.

Available: May 4, 2021

Advance reader copies of each book were provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.