Simone and Her Books

Throwback List Books // Sabriel by Garth Nix

November 26, 2019
As a recent advocate for fantasy and a fantasy reader, I felt like it was finally time for me to explore the creators of the fantasy genre. While I love authors like Leigh Bardugo and VE Schwab and Kiersten White and Cassandra Clare for really modernizing the genre, I have to give props to the folks who paved the way.

Next year, my friend Deedi and I plan on reading more “essential” fantasy. For us, essential fantasy are the backlist stories that inspired some of the books we read today. They’re the stories that helped define what the genre looks like now. So we’ll be reading more of these in the future and today I’m sharing my thoughts on Sabriel by Garth Nix.

Sabriel is the story of a young necromancer with the same name who just finished school when she received a bandolier of bells and her father’s sword. She’s told her father’s been captured or killed, so she heads back to her father’s home in the Old Kingdom to find out more. What she does find is that her father has been killed and the bandolier and sword appearing in front of her is a sign. She’s to be the next Abhorsen; a highly coveted position handed down generation after generation to bring dead souls back to Death.

Along the way, she picks up a cat friend named Mogget and a human friend named Touchstone. While Touchstone doesn’t remember anything about his past, he’s willing to help Sabriel with finding her father. Funnily, she does find her father, but he’s not alive. With the last ounce of his strength, he explains that she’s the new Abhorsen and she needs to kill Kerrigor, a powerful Charter Mage who uses death to conquer the living.

There’s so much in this story that reminds me of many other stories I’ve read. The strongest are Nevernight and Harry Potter. For Nevernight, it felt like obvious nods to Sabriel. First, a teenage girl who is closed to death and not phased by the ebb and flow of life. Second, the cat. Sabriel is followed by a not-cat who can unleash a terrible power (and revenge). It reminded me a lot of the animal spirit that follows Mia around.

For Harry Potter, it’s a little bit more my interpretation than hard facts. The story of Kerrigor and how he split himself from his corporeal body to live longer and be stronger reminded me a lot of horcruxes and Voldemort. I might be reaching when I say JK Rowling was inspired by Garth Nix, but I will say that the life expanding theme similar to horcruxes seems like something that existed in fantasy for quite a while.

Another big theme in this book that I see often in modern fantasy is the reluctant chosen one. Sabriel is a little more willing to accept the role of Abhorsen especially when her friends and family are in trouble. However, you can sense a hesitancy with her as if she doesn’t want to be Abhorsen (note all the times she asked people to call her Sabriel).

A friend of mine pointed out how Sabriel was her first foray into the OTP. I was completely surprised that even in 1995 authors were writing fantasy novels with two characters that fall in love with each other. Sabriel and Touchstone’s relationship definitely falls into the modern fantasy category not only as possible lovers, but also as partners who fight alongside each other.

However, the story did have some flaws. I feel so spoiled nowadays because modern fantasy dives so deeply into a world. Storytelling in general has advanced to a point where most fantasy readers know what to expect in the first book. The first book in a trilogy is always heavy with world building and slow on action. The first book isn’t supposed to share the entire story. It leaves the reader with a cliffhanger or plot devices to uncover the next book.

For Sabriel, it’s different. Instead of spending time explaining everything, Garth Nix dives right into the action. So much happens in this 350-page novel that it’s surprising Garth Nix fit everything in. First, it was finding Sabriel’s father, then it was finding Kerrigor and destroying him. All of which happens and successfully in Sabriel, which feels so weird for me.

I honestly expected this book to expand out to the two sequels and the prequel, but Garth Nix covers everything in the first book. No wonder there’s so many subsequent books explaining everything that wasn’t answered.
- 4/5 Stars
Books and their Movies: The Shining by Stephen King

November 22, 2019

One of my all-time favorite things to do is read a book and compare it to its movie adaptation. Lately, it feels like many books being published are also being picked up for movies or tv series. I could rattle off a list of all the great books made into television or movie adaptations that came out this year.

With that in mind, I wanted to bring a new series to the blog where I compare and contrast the movie to its book. This series will discuss both the book and its subsequent movie or tv show. I won’t be bashing one or the other and I won’t be yelling “the book was better” from the rooftops. It will be spoiler-heavy, so keep that in mind when reading these essays. I just always find it fun to see how Hollywood breaks down a book and what makes it to the big screen.

We all know that the book is always better than the movie, but there are some movies that have been adapted that stand on their own. The first book and movie we’ll be discussing is The Shining by Stephen King.

I read The Shining for the first time this fall. I wanted to finally dive into Stephen King’s horror work and with Doctor Sleep coming out in theaters, I wanted to read this quintessential Stephen King and then watch its movie. Luckily, I had the opportunity to watch the movie on a flight I recently took and couldn’t believe what Stanley Kubrick kept and left out. There were some positive moments for me, but a lot of disappointing ones as well.

Here’s the synopsis of the book

Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote…and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.

Here’s the trailer for The Shining

::SPOILER ALERT::

I think The Shining movie gets a lot of flack around how little it actually adapts from the book. When watching the movie, it definitely felt more like Stanley Kubrick took the horror components of the book and extenuated them.

However, I don’t discount Stanley Kubrick and his way to build atmosphere. The movie builds suspense through high pitch noises and sudden cuts displaying horrific scenes. Despite it not being an exact adaptation of the book, the movie itself was pretty gruesome and scary at points. It definitely filled the quota of suspenseful thriller and if you watch the movie without reading the book, then you’ll see this as one of Stanley Kubrick’s masterpieces with his camera usage and editing skills.

I feel like if you don’t read the book before you watch the movie you’re going to be super lost. I think the one thing Stanley Kubrick left out that was vital to the story was that the Overlook Hotel feeds off shining energy. It wasn’t clear that Danny was the target here for his exceptional shining powers and I feel like if that was established more, then you would understand why the hotel went after Jack’s mind.

I can just imagine the folks watching this movie when it came out and being completely enamored by Stanley Kubrick’s work. The wall of blood, the completely naked woman, the appearance of ghosts and the edited cut scenes were all probably new and innovative back in the day. The lack of motive probably also lent to the scariness of this movie because watching Jack go from average human to completely mental is very apparent. I just wish it was explained.

But I did appreciate that Kubrick kept essential characters like Dick Halloran (who explains the shining to Danny) and Tony, Danny’s spirit friend. I was worried Dick would play a super small role, but I think Stanley Kubrick understood his importance. Not only in explaining the shining, but also being the person who eventually saves Wendy and Danny from Jack.

I wasn’t a fan of how Danny described Tony as a kid that lives in his mouth and accesses Danny’s finger and voice when he speaks. The book describes him as a voice Danny hears and Danny relays what he says to his parents. I think that I liked the book’s concept of this better because it made it more obvious that Tony is broadcasting directly into Danny’s brain. However, I can see how that can be difficult to display on screen especially when Danny is having conversations with Tony.

I loved how Wendy is portrayed in the movie as well. At first, she seems like a sheepish housewife, but when it came to protecting her son, she changed completely using weapons against her own husband. It was also really clear that Wendy struggled with loving her husband and protecting her son. Although, I felt Wendy was a much stronger character in the book, I really appreciated how strong she was on screen.

I also liked how Stanley Kubrick used a hedge maze instead of animal topiaries. To be honest, I think this was because they didn’t have the technology back then to make CGI topiaries come to life. The maze is also more menacing and the chase scene really built suspense.

Overall, I think both the movie and the book are great but for their separate reasons. The book because of its ability to really get into the mindset of all the characters. The movie because of its ability to artfully display horror in this secluded hotel and how that affects the family living within its walls.

What did you think? Did you like the movie or the book better?
Seven Family Sagas Published This Year Ready for Thanksgiving Weekend

November 21, 2019

I love Thanksgiving. I love turkey and football and eating so much that you feel like you’ll explode. I also love making turkey sandwiches a la Ross from Friends (the moist maker is the key).

Of course, with the holidays approaching, I wanted to get my holiday reading in order. Sadly, Thanksgiving isn’t covered much and aside from The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen, it seems a little barren as a topic of interest.

However, one of the biggest components of Thanksgiving is family and this year was a good publishing year for the sweeping multi-generational family sagas. So I put together a list of some of the family sagas published this year that’ll make for great reading while waiting around for the turkey to cook. Have you read any of these yet? What other family sagas would you recommend for the long weekend?

The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo

When Marilyn Connolly and David Sorenson fall in love in the 1970s, they are blithely ignorant of all that’s to come. By 2016, their four radically different daughters are each in a state of unrest: Wendy, widowed young, soothes herself with booze and younger men; Violet, a litigator-turned-stay-at-home-mom, battles anxiety and self-doubt when the darkest part of her past resurfaces; Liza, a neurotic and newly tenured professor, finds herself pregnant with a baby she’s not sure she wants by a man she’s not sure she loves; and Grace, the dawdling youngest daughter, begins living a lie that no one in her family even suspects. Above it all, the daughters share the lingering fear that they will never find a love quite like their parents’.

As the novel moves through the tumultuous year following the arrival of Jonah Bendt–given up by one of the daughters in a closed adoption fifteen years before–we are shown the rich and varied tapestry of the Sorensons’ past: years marred by adolescence, infidelity, and resentment, but also the transcendent moments of joy that make everything else worthwhile.

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett

At the end of the Second World War, Cyril Conroy combines luck and a single canny investment to begin an enormous real estate empire, propelling his family from poverty to enormous wealth. His first order of business is to buy the Dutch House, a lavish estate in the suburbs outside of Philadelphia. Meant as a surprise for his wife, the house sets in motion the undoing of everyone he loves.

The story is told by Cyril’s son Danny, as he and his older sister, the brilliantly acerbic and self-assured Maeve, are exiled from the house where they grew up by their stepmother. The two wealthy siblings are thrown back into the poverty their parents had escaped from and find that all they have to count on is one another. It is this unshakeable bond between them that both saves their lives and thwarts their futures.

Set over the course of five decades, The Dutch House is a dark fairy tale about two smart people who cannot overcome their past. Despite every outward sign of success, Danny and Maeve are only truly comfortable when they’re together. Throughout their lives they return to the well-worn story of what they’ve lost with humor and rage. But when at last they’re forced to confront the people who left them behind, the relationship between an indulged brother and his ever-protective sister is finally tested.

All This Could Be Yours by Jami Attenberg

Now that her father is on his deathbed, Alex—a strong-headed lawyer, devoted mother, and loving sister–feels she can finally unearth the secrets of who Victor is and what he did over the course of his life and career. (A power-hungry real estate developer, he is, by all accounts, a bad man.) She travels to New Orleans to be with her family, but mostly to interrogate her tightlipped mother, Barbra.

As Barbra fends off Alex’s unrelenting questions, she reflects on her tumultuous life with Victor. Meanwhile Gary, Alex’s brother, is incommunicado, trying to get his movie career off the ground in Los Angeles. And Gary’s wife, Twyla, is having a nervous breakdown, buying up all the lipstick in drug stores around New Orleans and bursting into crying fits. Dysfunction is at its peak. As each family member grapples with Victor’s history, they must figure out a way to move forward—with one another, for themselves, and for the sake of their children.

The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin

When the renowned poet Fiona Skinner is asked about the inspiration behind her iconic work, The Love Poem, she tells her audience a story about her family and a betrayal that reverberates through time.

It begins in a big yellow house with a funeral, an iron poker, and a brief variation forever known as the Pause: a free and feral summer in a middle-class Connecticut town. Caught between the predictable life they once led and an uncertain future that stretches before them, the Skinner siblings—fierce Renee, sensitive Caroline, golden boy Joe and watchful Fiona—emerge from the Pause staunchly loyal and deeply connected. Two decades later, the siblings find themselves once again confronted with a family crisis that tests the strength of these bonds and forces them to question the life choices they’ve made and ask what, exactly, they will do for love.

A novel that pierces the heart and lingers in the mind, The Last Romantics is also a beautiful meditation on the power of stories—how they navigate us through difficult times, help us understand the past, and point the way toward our future.

The Guest Book by Sarah Blake

No. It is a simple word, uttered on a summer porch in 1936. And it will haunt Kitty Milton for the rest of her life. Kitty and her husband, Ogden, are both from families considered the backbone of the country. But this refusal will come to be Kitty’s defining moment, and its consequences will ripple through the Milton family for generations. For while they summer on their island in Maine, anchored as they are to the way things have always been, the winds of change are beginning to stir.

In 1959 New York City, two strangers enter the Miltons’ circle. One captures the attention of Kitty’s daughter, while the other makes each of them question what the family stands for. This new generation insists the times are changing. And in one night, everything does.

So much so that in the present day, the third generation of Miltons doesn’t have enough money to keep the island in Maine. Evie Milton’s mother has just died, and as Evie digs into her mother’s and grandparents’ history, what she finds is a story as unsettling as it is inescapable, the story that threatens the foundation of the Milton family myth.

The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall

Charles and Lily, James and Nan. They meet in Greenwich Village in 1963 when Charles and James are jointly hired to steward the historic Third Presbyterian Church through turbulent times. Their personal differences however, threaten to tear them apart.

Charles is destined to succeed his father as an esteemed professor of history at Harvard, until an unorthodox lecture about faith leads him to ministry. How then, can he fall in love with Lily—fiercely intellectual, elegantly stern—after she tells him with certainty that she will never believe in God? And yet, how can he not?

James, the youngest son in a hardscrabble Chicago family, spent much of his youth angry at his alcoholic father and avoiding his anxious mother. Nan grew up in Mississippi, the devout and beloved daughter of a minister and a debutante. James’s escape from his desperate circumstances leads him to Nan and, despite his skepticism of hope in all its forms, her gentle, constant faith changes the course of his life.

Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

Moving forward and backward in time, Jacqueline Woodson’s taut and powerful new novel uncovers the role that history and community have played in the experiences, decisions, and relationships of these families, and in the life of the new child.

As the book opens in 2001, it is the evening of sixteen-year-old Melody’s coming of age ceremony in her grandparents’ Brooklyn brownstone. Watched lovingly by her relatives and friends, making her entrance to the music of Prince, she wears a special custom-made dress. But the event is not without poignancy. Sixteen years earlier, that very dress was measured and sewn for a different wearer: Melody’s mother, for her own ceremony– a celebration that ultimately never took place.

Unfurling the history of Melody’s parents and grandparents to show how they all arrived at this moment, Woodson considers not just their ambitions and successes but also the costs, the tolls they’ve paid for striving to overcome expectations and escape the pull of history. As it explores sexual desire and identity, ambition, gentrification, education, class and status, and the life-altering facts of parenthood, Red at the Bone most strikingly looks at the ways in which young people must so often make long-lasting decisions about their lives–even before they have begun to figure out who they are and what they want to be.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert // Book Review

November 20, 2019
This was my first Talia Hibbert book. I know from my paranormal romance research that Talia Hibbert is more known for her steamy novels with hunky bros on the cover. But the one thing that really drew me to Talia Hibbert is her effort to create diverse romance stories. Not only does she cover diverse characters, but she has inter-racial relationships which is where my real-life relationship falls into.

So naturally, I gravitated towards Chloe Brown and what I received was an amazing romance between two complicated people who found each other.

“Once upon a time, Chloe Brown died.” is the first sentence you read when starting Get a Life, Chloe Brown. The good news is that she didn’t die, but the experience of near death left her with chronic pain and fibromyalgia. Sadly, it also meant losing her boyfriend, losing her friends, and shutting herself inside because the pain was too much to manage. As a way to get her life back, Chloe made a list –her “get a life” list including things she wouldn’t normally do, but will hopefully give her the life she once had again.

As a way to get her family off her back, she moves into an apartment complex where she works as a web designer. Money isn’t the most important thing to her as she comes from a wealthy family, but she loves the freedom to be on her own especially with her hot superintendent, Red, painting shirtless by his window every night. But Red can’t really stand Chloe. He doesn’t like her snooty attitude, her wealthy family, and the fact that she addresses him as Mr. Redford Morgan, so he avoids her as much as possible despite the fact he knows she watches him paint at night.

After rescuing a stray cat from a tree together, Chloe and Red start an unlikely friendship that eventually turns to love. This one felt really centered around the relationship between Red and Chloe. It’s an enemies-to-lovers story and despite there being some conflict throughout, it was only really enough to fuel the dynamics of their relationship.

There are so many features of this story that I absolutely loved and the reason why I gave it such a high rating. While the story itself is quite charming and very focused on the relationship between Chloe and Red, Talia Hibbert also included chronic illness, mental health issues, abusive relationships, and don’t forget diverse characters. Talia Hibbert expertly incorporates these themes without taking away from the story. I love the subtle nods to immigrants and being a person of color and how natural Chloe and Red learn about each other as the story moves on. It keeps the story flowing, but also makes the characters seem so much more real.

I absolutely loved Chloe and Red. Both characters felt like real people with real issues. Honestly, the banter and play teasing between the two felt like the relationship my husband and I have. I also loved that Chloe came from a wealthy immigrant family in England. OMG yes! Bring me all the stereotype bashing you can because it fills me with joy. Chloe is also this amazingly quirky girl and what I absolutely loved about her character is that she’s not the “ditzy” manic-pixie-dream-girl, but someone with real issues who need to manage pain on a daily basis.

I also loved Red and the amount of growth he makes in this story. I love that he’s an artist struggling with his self-confidence because it reminds me a lot of myself and the struggles I have with my own confidence. He’s got that bad boy feel about him with his interest in art and his tattoos, but he’s so far from bad. He’s like the perfect dude who does something really edgy and has his own problems, but also deeply cares.

This book also made me cry. Yep, I shed tears which gives any book instant approval because books don’t normally make me cry. I won’t share with you when I did the tearing up (I don’t want to spoil it), but let’s just say that the emotions were so real.

And I’m not done! The last thing I want to mention is the steam factor. Talia Hibbert is unafraid to share those steamy scenes in very deep detail. If you’re wary about steamy scenes, just a warning that there are two very open-door moments that even left me blushing.

The only thing I could harp on is the fact the story didn’t really have a plot. While I thought maybe the list Chloe put together would be what they accomplish together, it came into play really late in the book and I almost thought it would be forgotten all together. However, it doesn’t take away from the story itself. The story is still interesting despite not having a defined plot, but I do wish there was more adventure between the two of them.

Overall, an amazing story and I’m now an instant fan of Talia Hibbert’s. I can’t wait for the second book in this series and I might check out her other hunky dude reads in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Avon Books for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
Well Met by Jen Deluca // Book Review

November 19, 2019
Good Morrow, gentle fellows! I woke up this morning looking over my Goodreads when I noticed I didn’t write a review for Well Met. How could I make such an error? It probably was vacation brain taking over trying to pack and figure out what reads to take with me.

But I’m back from vacation and I’m writing a review of Well Met because I absolutely loved it and I need to talk about it.

Well Met is about young Emily who recently moved in with her big sister and niece after her sister broke her leg in a car accident. But when she escorted her niece to sign up for the Renaissance Faire, she didn’t realize she’d be roped into it as well. With her skills bartending in the past, she’s given the role of wench; not her favorite idea of spending weekends in the summer.

As she settles into her role as a wench, she meets Simon, another cast member who’s older brother helped create the Ren Faire experience in their little town. Simon is a little neurotic making sure the faire goes off without a hitch; booking the performers, planning the events, and trying to keep Emily in line with his family’s original vision of the faire.

It’s obvious Emily can’t stand Simon’s behavior and Simon can’t stand Emily’s attitude, but when Simon and Emily partake in a handfasting ceremony on opening day, their relationship went from barely tolerable to something much bigger. And as the summer comes to a close, Emily needs to decide on her next journey and whether or not it’ll include Simon.

I’ve never been to a Ren Faire in my life. I’ve always wanted to go, but never had the friend group who wanted to make the journey out in the middle of the woods to eat smoked turkey legs and talk with an accent. I loved how the book portrays them, but I wish I had a frame of reference to really get a feel of the faire. However, from what the book entails, I think I would love a ren faire very much.

Truth be told, I found this review extremely difficult to write because I loved the book so much. I loved how light and breezy this book was while also incorporating some heavier issue like grief, loss, heartache, and finding your own path. I loved the growth between Simon and Emily when they were together and even when they were apart. While there wasn’t a lot of conflict, I love the internal conflict within all the characters.

I couldn’t stop envisioning Simon as Captain Hook from “Once Upon a Time.” This is partly because he was a pirate in the faire and secondly because Emily’s faire name was “Emma,” which (if you watched the show) was Captain Hook’s love interest. Emily’s character was also my favorite. Her romantic past reminded me a lot of my own, so it fueled my interest in seeing where this story goes. I also loved the transition place she’s in when she goes to help her sister. I’m a huge fan of new perspectives and having Emily move to this small town and discover what she’s made to do with her life made me feel hopeful that one day I’ll figure out the same.

But also, I loved how much books are incorporated into the story. Simon’s an English teacher and Emily works part-time at the bookstore (Read ‘Em And Weep, which is the best bookstore name ever).

If you’re looking for something funny and light, this is definitely the book for you. You don’t need to be a fan of Renaissance Faires, but it’ll make you curious about them. And you’ll definitely want to see where the next book will take you.
- 5/5 Stars
- Contemporary Romance
- Find my review on Goodreads
- Find Well Met by Jen Deluca on Amazon
The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams // Book Review

November 6, 2019
When I first picked up this book, I was excited about the premise. A bunch of dudes that put together a romance book club? I’m all about it.

Gavin is the second basemen of the Nashville Legends and he just got the worst news of his life; his wife, Thea, wants a divorce. As his friends come to his seedy hotel room to help, they also bring up a little group they’ve put together; a secret book club where they read romances to help through their real-world relationships.

So Gavin is given his first romance novel, asked to read it, and then apply the takeaways of the novel to his marriage. But Thea isn’t willing to work on this marriage. After their shotgun wedding and raising two twin daughters, she’s had enough of being married to a professional baseball player and all that means to their relationship. She’s never wanted this life anyway, but she finds herself here and ready to move on. However, it isn’t until both Gavin and Thea look deeper into themselves and the issues that strained their relationship that they’re able to heal and move forward.

Like I mentioned before, I was hooked on the idea of a bunch of bros putting together a romance book club. It means that the world is tilting! It means that the genre is getting the deserved spotlight! We’re breaking down barriers! But as the story unfolded, I was a little uneasy with the idea that these dudes are using what romance books say to win back their partners. It felt kind of reductive to think a romance novel is how you’re going to solve your marriage or win back your lover. I mean, there was a scene where the boys suggest Gavin try to force Thea’s backstory not only to gain wisdom on her, but also to make Thea vulnerable for Gavin to swoop in. It read very manipulative to me, but maybe that’s just me.

However, the way the information is shared, some of my uneasiness went away. I guess what the boys were trying to convey isn’t necessarily manipulation, but understanding their relationships better through romances. The boys in the group were good to constantly remind the audience not to use the romances verbatim and that you can learn things about yourself through the book. I honestly think this could have been clearer especially because NO ONE WANTS A PERSON WHO GETS THEIR LINES FROM A ROMANCE NOVEL.

I think my favorite part is the dynamic between Gavin and Thea. You can see where they’re heads are at. Gavin is trying to fix what he thinks are the current issues while Thea is trying to envision the future. It’s definitely an argument I’ve had before where I’m trying to convey my deep emotions about something and my husband is only focused on the current situation. This felt very real.

Something that worried me was whether or not Lyssa Kay Adams would address the issues Thea was facing. While most of the book focuses on Gavin trying to win back Thea, I know for sure that relationships are a two-way street and it’s never one person’s fault for the decline of a marriage. There was a lot of conversation about Thea faking orgasms for their entire relationship. I mean, that reads as a red flag if your partner isn’t sexually pleasing you and something I would personally address very early on in the relationship.

It might be fun to peg all the issues on Gavin, but it doesn’t make the relationship in this story feel real. It makes it feel one-sided where Gavin is really trying and Thea is just letting it happen. This goes double when the book is written in both perspectives. And throughout the novel, you can tell Thea has some issues she needed to face. This didn’t come up until the very end of the book, so it felt a little too late, but at the same time I need to give props to LKA for addressing it.

But despite my misgivings, the book delivered. To be honest, this is the kind of book I expect from a romance. Maybe my standard is a little high, but I loved the natural flow of this book. It felt like everything presented itself when it needed to without being forced. I loved the usage of a declining relationship rather than a new relationship. I even loved the inclusion of Gavin’s stutter; like to show you physically he’s not perfect. I loved how all the characters were relatable (even Mack) and I can’t wait for the next one.

One big question I always ask myself when I read about a group of dudes socializing is whether or not this actually happens. Nothing to do with Lyssa Kay Adams, but something that always runs through the back of my mind. Despite not knowing what guy groups actually talk about, I thought the dialogue was super clever and really funny. The scenes with all the guys were probably the most entertaining. I especially loved the scene where they were looking through some romance novels together and then quickly hid the evidence before Thea walked into the room.

I hope that the second book will explore more of the romances the men read and how they use what they learn for themselves. To me, it still feels manipulative, but maybe we’ll see tremendous growth from LKA’s characters in the future especially when the second book is based around Mack; the lovable rake.
- 4.5 Stars
- Find my review on Goodreads
- Find The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams on Amazon
I received a copy of this book from Berkley for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
10 Highly Anticipated Novels Publishing Today!

November 5, 2019
“Remember, remember the Fifth of November…”

Happy Guy Fawkes Day!

So a few weeks back, I might have teased that November was going to be a big month for publishing. I mean, many months are a big month for publishing, but this November 5th is the mother lode of highly anticipated reads we’ve been dying to receive since the beginning of the year. Today’s the day and I need to share with you all the books I’m so excited about publishing today.

Some of these I’ve read, others I’m still waiting to read, and even others I’m just waiting for some money to come in before I go ahead and buy them all. While I’m excited about all of them, some of these are sequels or continuations of series I’m dying to read. I’ll leave those at the end and highlight the standalones you can pick up today!

New Books

The Guinevere Deception by Kiersten White

Princess Guinevere has come to Camelot to wed a stranger: the charismatic King Arthur. With magic clawing at the kingdom’s borders, the great wizard Merlin conjured a solution–send in Guinevere to be Arthur’s wife . . . and his protector from those who want to see the young king’s idyllic city fail. The catch? Guinevere’s real name–and her true identity–is a secret. She is a changeling, a girl who has given up everything to protect Camelot.

To keep Arthur safe, Guinevere must navigate a court in which the old–including Arthur’s own family–demand things continue as they have been, and the new–those drawn by the dream of Camelot–fight for a better way to live. And always, in the green hearts of forests and the black depths of lakes, magic lies in wait to reclaim the land. Arthur’s knights believe they are strong enough to face any threat, but Guinevere knows it will take more than swords to keep Camelot free.

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Zachary Ezra Rawlins is a graduate student in Vermont when he discovers a mysterious book hidden in the stacks. As he turns the pages, entranced by tales of lovelorn prisoners, key collectors, and nameless acolytes, he reads something strange: a story from his own childhood. Bewildered by this inexplicable book and desperate to make sense of how his own life came to be recorded, Zachary uncovers a series of clues–a bee, a key, and a sword–that lead him to a masquerade party in New York, to a secret club, and through a doorway to an ancient library, hidden far below the surface of the earth.

What Zachary finds in this curious place is more than just a buried home for books and their guardians–it is a place of lost cities and seas, lovers who pass notes under doors and across time, and of stories whispered by the dead. Zachary learns of those who have sacrificed much to protect this realm, relinquishing their sight and their tongues to preserve this archive, and also those who are intent on its destruction.

Together with Mirabel, a fierce, pink-haired protector of the place, and Dorian, a handsome, barefoot man with shifting alliances, Zachary travels the twisting tunnels, darkened stairwells, crowded ballrooms, and sweetly-soaked shores of this magical world, discovering his purpose–in both the mysterious book and in his own life

Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek with a goal, a plan, and a list. After almost—but not quite—dying, she’s come up with seven directives to help her “Get a Life”, and she’s already completed the first: finally moving out of her glamourous family’s mansion. The next items?

Redford ‘Red’ Morgan is a handyman with tattoos, a motorcycle, and more sex appeal than ten-thousand Hollywood heartthrobs. He’s also an artist who paints at night and hides his work in the light of day, which Chloe knows because she spies on him occasionally. Just the teeniest, tiniest bit.

But when she enlists Red in her mission to rebel, she learns things about him that no spy session could teach her. Like why he clearly resents Chloe’s wealthy background. And why he never shows his art to anyone. And what really lies beneath his rough exterior…

Song of the Crimson Flower by Julia C Dao

Will love break the spell? After cruelly rejecting Bao, the poor physician’s apprentice who loves her, Lan, a wealthy nobleman’s daughter, regrets her actions. So when she finds Bao’s prized flute floating in his boat near her house, she takes it into her care, not knowing that his soul has been trapped inside it by an evil witch, who cursed Bao, telling him that only love will set him free. Though Bao now despises her, Lan vows to make amends and help break the spell.

Together, the two travel across the continent, finding themselves in the presence of greatness in the forms of the Great Forest’s Empress Jade and Commander Wei. They journey with Wei, getting tangled in the webs of war, blood magic, and romance along the way. Will Lan and Bao begin to break the spell that’s been placed upon them? Or will they be doomed to live out their lives with black magic running through their veins?

Unnatural Magic by CM Waggoner

Onna can write the parameters of a spell faster than any of the young men in her village school. But despite her incredible abilities, she’s denied a place at the nation’s premier arcane academy. Undaunted, she sails to the bustling city-state of Hexos, hoping to find a place at a university where they don’t think there’s anything untoward about providing a woman with a magical education. But as soon as Onna arrives, she’s drawn into the mysterious murder of four trolls.

Tsira is a troll who never quite fit into her clan, despite being the leader’s daughter. She decides to strike out on her own and look for work in a human city, but on her way she stumbles upon the body of a half-dead human soldier in the snow. As she slowly nurses him back to health, an unlikely bond forms between them, one that is tested when an unknown mage makes an attempt on Tsira’s life. Soon, unbeknownst to each other, Onna and Tsira both begin devoting their considerable talents to finding out who is targeting trolls, before their homeland is torn apart…

We Met in December by Rosie Curtis

Twenty-nine-year-old Jess is following her dream and moving to London. It’s December, and she’s taking a room in a crumbling, but grand, Notting Hill house-share with four virtual strangers. On her first night, Jess meets Alex, the guy sharing her floor, at a Christmas dinner hosted by her landlord. They don’t kiss, but as far as Jess is concerned the connection is clear. She starts planning how they will knock down the wall between them to spend more time together.

But when Jess returns from a two-week Christmas holiday, she finds Alex has started dating someone else—beautiful Emma, who lives on the floor above them. Now Jess faces a year of bumping into (hell, sharing a bathroom with) the man of her dreams…and the woman of his.

A Constellation of Roses by Miranda Asebedo

Ever since her mother walked out, Trix McCabe has been determined to make it on her own. And with her near-magical gift for pulling valuables off unsuspecting strangers, Trix is confident she has what it takes to survive. Until she’s caught and given a choice: jail time, or go live with her long-lost family in the tiny town of Rocksaw, Kansas.

Trix doesn’t plan to stick around Rocksaw long, but there’s something special about her McCabe relatives that she is drawn to. Her aunt, Mia, bakes pies that seem to cure all ills. Her cousin, Ember, can tell a person’s deepest secret with the touch of a hand. And Trix’s great-aunt takes one look at Trix’s palm and tells her that if she doesn’t put down roots somewhere, she won’t have a future anywhere.

Before long, Trix feels like she might finally belong with this special group of women in this tiny town in Kansas. But when her past comes back to haunt her, she’ll have to decide whether to take a chance on this new life . . . or keep running from the one she’s always known.

The Bromance Book Club by Lyssa Kay Adams

Nashville Legends second baseman Gavin Scott’s marriage is in major league trouble. He’s recently discovered a humiliating secret: his wife Thea has always faked the Big O. When he loses his cool at the revelation, it’s the final straw on their already strained relationship. Thea asks for a divorce, and Gavin realizes he’s let his pride and fear get the better of him.

Distraught and desperate, Gavin finds help from an unlikely source: a secret romance book club made up of Nashville’s top alpha men. With the help of their current read, a steamy Regency titled Courting the Countess, the guys coach Gavin on saving his marriage. But it’ll take a lot more than flowery words and grand gestures for this hapless Romeo to find his inner hero and win back the trust of his wife.

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

Yetu holds the memories for her people—water-dwelling descendants of pregnant African slave women thrown overboard by slave owners—who live idyllic lives in the deep. Their past, too traumatic to be remembered regularly, is forgotten by everyone, save one—the historian. This demanding role has been bestowed on Yetu.

Yetu remembers for everyone, and the memories, painful and wonderful, traumatic and terrible and miraculous, are destroying her. And so, she flees to the surface, escaping the memories, the expectations, and the responsibilities—and discovers a world her people left behind long ago.

Yetu will learn more than she ever expected to about her own past—and about the future of her people. If they are all to survive, they’ll need to reclaim the memories, reclaim their identity—and own who they really are.

Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater

Ronan Lynch is a dreamer. He can pull both curiosities and catastrophes out of his dreams and into his compromised reality.

Jordan Hennessy is a thief. The closer she comes to the dream object she is after, the more inextricably she becomes tied to it.

Carmen Farooq-Lane is a hunter. Her brother was a dreamer . . . and a killer. She has seen what dreaming can do to a person. And she has seen the damage that dreamers can do. But that is nothing compared to the destruction that is about to be unleashed. . . .

Sequels and Continuations I’m Excited About
Which books are you most excited about?
October 2019 Bookish Wrap Up

November 1, 2019
After a night of Halloween candy and watching scary movies, it’s finally the end of October. And that means another wrap up of my reading month. I read nine books this month.

I feel like I need to re-name my wrap ups to “books Simone spent a month yammering about because they’re so good.” Because this month, the books were so good.

However, my original TBR changed massively as new library holds came in. I had a couple of buddy reads and book club reads and they all came from the library as one giant stack of books. I had to reorganize my TBR a few times.

What I wanted to keep in mind was getting my buddy reads and book club books on my TBR. Those were a MUST because when you’re having a convo about a book, you should know what the book is about. After that, I added in some spooky reads because it’s October and spooky reads are always a must when leading up to Halloween. Seriously, spooky reads after Halloween just feels like celebrating New Year’s on Easter.

But because of the changes, I had to make some SACRIFICES. For me, it was my ARCs for November. November 5th is planning to be a big publishing day for a lot of books. I mean, A LOT. I think this is going to be the last big push before the end of the year. So I didn’t get to read the fun romances and a few fantasies I’ve downloaded from Netgalley. I think they’ll become the priority in November.

But enough about what changes I made this month. Here’s what I actually read and enjoyed:

Strange the Dreamer and Muse of Nightmares by Laini Taylor

This duology was probably my favorite fantasy of the month. I read this with my friend Jenna for an awesome buddy read and before we even finished the series, two more friends tagged along to read it. They both loved it too! It’s an incredible story about a young man named Lazlo Strange who joins a party of folks about to dismantle a giant angel statue standing in the middle of a small town called Weep. But the statue isn’t just a statue, but a palace for a group of blue-skinned folks called the Mesarthims. They have a mysterious past that no one remembers. When Lazlo gets there, he realizes there’s a much bigger story happening here. Strange the Dreamer is more the story of what’s happening currently while Muse of Nightmares backtracks to tell you its past. The story was so well done and remarkably beautiful. I will definitely be reading more from Laini Taylor in the future.
- Find my review of Strange the Dreamer on Goodreads
- Find my review of Muse of Nightmares on Goodreads
Fireborne by Rosaria Munda

I think I mentioned this before, but dragons. Rosaria Munda writes an amazing YA fantasy filled with political intrigue, big old battles, and lots of dragons. It’s about Lee, a young dragon rider who is being tested with a few other dragon riders to become the leader of a recently-revolutionized city. However, what people don’t know is that Lee is the long lost prince of the old regiment. As he begins his training, he’s met with someone from his old family and hears about their attempt at revenge. On top of all that, he’s also fighting his best friend for the top spot and she’s trying to figure out if she should reveal the truth about Lee to the rest of the kingdom. Really good political intrigue here with a lost prince, a revenge plot, and lots of dragons.

Find my review of Fireborne on Goodreads

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

I had no expectations about Gideon the Ninth and when I read it, I was blown away. It’s the story of Gideon, an orphan who is being assigned as the personal guard for Harrow; her life-long enemy. Their mission is to go to the First House of their solar system and test to become Lyctors; ultimate necromancers. However, as the group of testers go through various tests and solve this giant riddle of becoming a Lyctor, there’s another strange plot being played out. And the ending is something you would never imagine happening. Definitely check this one out if you’re a fan of Nevernight and Jay Kristoff. It’s a dark fantasy that will really leave you shooketh.

Find my review of Gideon the Ninth on Goodreads

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

You might have already read my review of this one, but this story is still stuck in my mind and I can’t get it out. It’s the story of Zachary who discovers an underground library filled with books and stories. This tiny world is magical and beautiful and despite its major flaws, such a brilliant story. Definitely read this one if you’re a fan of Erin Morgenstern’s work or if you love stories about stories.

Find my review of The Starless Sea on Goodreads

The Burning Shadow by Jennifer L. Armentrout

This book is actually the second book in the Origins series including The Darkest Star. If you remember from last month, I gushed about The Darkest Star and how it’s now on my list of authors that I will just obsess about and talk endlessly about. In this book, we begin to see how the world post-alien war has been turning out and sharing some bigger, darker, secrets Evie didn’t even realize. It was so addicting that I’ll be reading the rest of this series and probably be reading a bunch of other books by Jennifer L Armentrout.

Find my review of The Burning Shadow on Goodreads

Honorable Mentions

Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

I also had the opportunity to read Christina Lauren’s newest book and I liked it. It wasn’t my favorite, but I also wonder if Christina Lauren slowed down a little (they’ve been publishing a new book almost every three months) they could possibly put out something that’ll get them out of this 3-star slump they’ve got going with me right now. I love Christina Lauren, but I’m always looking for more when it comes to their books.

Find my review of Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren on Goodreads

The Shining by Stephen King

Finally, I made the time for a spooky book this month. I’m honestly upset that I only read one spooky book, but I guess that means the other spooky books will be read in November alongside my Netgalley ARCs. And sadly, The Shining wasn’t even that scary! I think the movie was much scarier, but the movie and the book are two separate entities. There were very few similarities including the REDRUM on the mirror and the old lady in the bathtub and the outcome of the story.

It felt so much more character-driven than I imagined and I loved the shine that Danny has in the book. I already started Doctor Sleep and I love how Stephen King took the shining theme from the first book and incorporated into another sinister story. I don’t think this one will be scary either (maybe a little gross), but will definitely report back.

Find my review of The Shining by Stephen King on Goodreads

What did you read this month?
Worth the Hype // The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

October 30, 2019
Once upon a time there was a sea filled with endless possibilities, sweeping sagas, and stories; so many stories. But one day something happened to the sea leaving it stuck with stories but no endings. People thought this to be a scary change in the sea of possibility and decided to close the doors to its beautiful world. However, the sea is always trying to finish its stories. Then Zachary Ezra Rawlings showed up.

The Starless Sea follows Zachary Ezra Rawlings. For all intents and purposes, he’s your average grad student writing his thesis on video games and how they relate to stories. One day, he finds himself reading through the fiction section of his university library when he comes across a strange book called Sweet Sorrows. Curious to its contents, he checks the book out only to find one of the stories to be a memory of his when he was a kid; a moment where he encountered a painted door in the alleyway near his mother’s fortune telling store. A moment where he wished he opened that door, but never did and then the next day, it was gone. He couldn’t believe a book that looks older than him has a story about him in it. Keeping that in mind, he investigates further only to find himself at a posh literary party in Manhattan. From there, he dives deeper into a world filled with magic and fantasy revealing something much bigger than he imagined from a book.

But Zachary isn’t the only person who knows about the Starless Sea. There are others; those trying to protect the sea and others welcoming newcomers like Zachary to enter and create new stories. The protectors have been destroying doors like the one Zachary encountered as a kid. The others continue to paint them. But the real battle is not between those with varying belief systems. The real fight is with the sea itself.

OMG I’m shook. I can already see how this book will be loved by many and disliked by others. It’s not an easy book with a level of cerebral writing that will leave you scratching your head. But, if you give it a chance then it will reward you.

This book is a combination of Alice in Wonderland and The Neverending Story and all the books where characters stumble down into these magical worlds beyond their average day. However, the difference in this story is that Zachary stumbles into his own story.

If you’re a fan of magical worlds and destiny, then this is the book for you. Erin Morgenstern’s really outdone herself with this one creating a place more beautiful than The Night Circus. It’s completely different from The Night Circus, but the world built is something I would have never imagined. With complex prose and tons of imagery, you will most definitely get lost in this world because I got lost in it.

I will be honest that I was so confused by what was going on most of the time. At the halfway point, I almost considered DNF-ing the book because nothing had happened and nothing was explained. There’s a lot of details still missing and some of the jumping between stories really made it difficult to keep track of what was going on. The detailed descriptions of some passages made the book much slower than it already was. You leave the book with more questions than you started with and that’s never a good feeling.

However, because I’ve read Erin Morgenstern’s work before, I kept on reading because I knew there would be a bigger reason for everything she was handing us and there truly was. I’m so glad that I did because despite the ending not giving me all the answers, it was completely unimaginable and a level of fantasy I’ve never read before.

If anything, you need to let go of everything you understand about a good story. You have to let Erin Morgenstern guide you. Put your hand in hers. Close your eyes and let her take you on this magical journey. Take it slowly. Read the pages and really read the words. You won’t finish the book knowing everything happening, but there’s enough there to have an understanding and she’s built a world you just can’t forget.

And while I sat completely confused the entire time I was reading, I was so intrigued. I continued reading because I wanted to know what the Starless Sea was. I wanted to know where Sweet Sorrows came from and learn about Fate and Time. Like I said before, you’ll finish this book with not a lot more info on what happened, but you get the idea and the idea is gorgeous.

Seriously, it’s the magic you wish you can see in the real world. It’s that letter to Hogwarts finally making it to your door. It’s being imbued with magic powers on your 16th birthday. It’s everything I’ve ever dreamed of happening to me when I was a little kid (and tbh, as an adult); entering a world where the impossible is possible and magic is most definitely real and here to create your own story for you.

I think in the end, the story is this: Magic is everywhere. Stories are everywhere. Once one story ends, another begins. You just have to be the type of person willing to see the seams of it in the reality of the world. I honestly feel like Erin Morgenstern’s approach was to allow the reader to imagine the world and become a part of the story as well.

One piece of advice? After you finish reading the book, reread the story from the beginning that Dorian tells Zachary. The one about Fate falling in love with Time. After you finish reading the book, the story makes much more sense.

So is it worth the hype? Overall, a beautiful story but I can see a lot of people either DNFing the book or not liking it in the end. It’s high concept for sure, but it’ll leave you breathless at the end. Proceed with that in mind, but if I can encourage you, please read this whole book. This goes double if you love the world of magic that books brings to your life.
I received a copy of this book from Doubleday for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by the publisher or the author.
Reading Break // Plum Deluxe Tea

October 23, 2019

Look, something new! No, I’m actually excited today because I get to share my first tea review with you all. Recently, Plum Deluxe reached out to me asking if they could send me some tea. Gratefully, I said “sure” and picked out a couple of their teas to sample.

One of my all-time favorite beverages when reading a book is a hot cup of tea, but I’m also quite picky about the kinds of tea I like. I don’t like a lot of added flavors to my tea. I think tea tastes great on its own, so there was a tiny gamble that I wouldn’t like these.

Lo and behold, I do! I like that these teas have a subtle flavor rather than bolting you with a palate of lavender or roses. I was worried the pumpkin spice would be too overpowering with the flavor combos, but they were all subtle. You can also really smell the flavors without it getting too much into the tea.

Here’s the flavors I chose:

Deluxe Pumpkin Spice tea

Made from Honeybush Tea, Black Tea, Cinnamon Bark, Cardamom, Ginger Root, Cloves, Calendula, Safflower, Natural Pumpkin Essence, Love, Gratitude. Low Caffeine

Reading Nook tea

Black Tea, Rose Petals, Lavender, Chamomile, Vanilla Essence, Love, Gratitude. Has Caffeine.

Gratitude Blend (aka Strawberry Earl Grey) tea

Black Tea, Orange Peels, Blue Cornflowers, Strawberries, Raspberry Leaves Bergamot Oil, Strawberry Essence, Love, Gratitude. Contains Caffeine

I received these teas for free in exchange for an honest review. My opinions have not been influenced by Plum Deluxe.