March 2021 – Brooke & Binding

Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar

My Rating: 3 Stars

Here’s why

When I saw this book as an Add-On for Book of the Month I was immediately intrigued! Luckily, my friend Sara had a copy and I couldn’t wait to dig in.

Sheetal Mistry’s family has a secret: her mother is a star from the constellation Pushya, making Sheetal half-star. Although she ascended back to the skies when Sheetal was seven, her mother didn’t leave her empty-handed: her starlit hair that needs to be hidden with black dye, her other-worldly musical abilities, and knowing her family is watching her from above always made Sheetal feel like her mother was near. However, as she approaches her seventeenth birthday, Sheetal feels a draw to the stars unlike ever before, and when her dad receives an accidental injury only a full-star can heal, Sheetal must go to the star city on his behalf. But getting help for her dad won’t come easy. She must win a competition for her family constellation to decide the next ruling house before it’s too late.

***

I am no stranger to the YA (Young Adult) genre, especially when it comes to fantasy, so I was excited to read this new perspective on a mythological/fantasy YA novel!

However, this book isn’t just your normal fantasy novel with young, budding romance, and a bad guy that needs defeating, this book is FULL of South-Asian culture and folklore, which I was not expecting, and which makes it so unique. There were quite a few items/words/foods/etc. I did not recognize, but I didn’t mind that. I love reading about other cultures and tapping into their “fairytales.” The star/magic world is something I have not read about before so that was pretty cool.

I am giving this book 3/5 (maybe 4?) Stars not because I didn’t enjoy it, but because it didn’t feel like it held the same standard as to some of the other YA fantasy novels I have read in the past. The writing was cute and easy to read, the story was interesting (albeit sometimes confusing), and the characters felt very much like typical teenagers (although, what does that even mean nowadays?) All in all, this was a fun – and lengthy – read, but I feel like there could’ve been a bit more depth and clarification in some of the storytelling/characters like I have experienced in other YA/fantasy series. *This is a standalone though*

If this book sounds intriguing to you as it did to me, don’t hesitate to check this debut out for yourself! 🙂 And as always…

HAPPY READING 🙂

Genre: Young Adult/Fantasy/Mythology/Culture/South Asia

The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett

My Rating: 4 Stars

Here’s why

This book originally was a June 2020 Book of the Month selection, which then became the Book of the Year of 2020 as well as the Historical Fiction Goodreads Choice winner of 2020, too! As a BFF of BOTM, I was able to pick one of the top 5 books for free and since this one had sounded interesting to me and won so many awards, I decided to grab it!

In 1968, the Vignes twins disappeared from their small hometown of Mallard, Louisiana to start anew. One devestated to return home while the other has taken on a brand new identity, Desiree and Stella’s lives are destined to be interwoven. As their daughters cross paths years down the road, old secrets arise and the family is once again connected if only for a moment.

***

Now, before I dive in, I want to say I can definitely see why this book received a lot of attention and praise over this past year. First and foremost, it is written in a very literary fashion, which makes me harken back to my AP Lit class in high school. I love a good Southern story with complex characters and family drama. In The Vanishing Half, one of the main points of conflict is the fact that one of the twins decides to try living as a white woman when her race is just assumed by her boss. The other twin goes the complete opposite direction and marries the darkest man she can find (somewhat out of spite for her upbringing/hometown.) Brit Bennett also touches on sexuality, which feels a little random, but is not thrown in your face as a political agenda, which I appreciated.

The reason I am giving this book 4/5 Stars instead of a roaring 5/5 is because of the ending. There is a moment where the family conflict comes to a head, confrontations are had, and character arcs cross paths, but it is only fleeting. The story continues, the lives continue, and it just felt wrong. The very end is not even focused on the twins, but on one of their daughters, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it feels mid-action, mid-sentence, mid-scene, and then it was just over. I’m not sure if this kind of “cliff-hanger” ending was intentional or if Bennett thought it was a playful way to keep the character’s lives in action while the reader just steps aside, but it didn’t feel complete to me. Especially as a book that is aspiring to feel like a classic piece of literature, there is a good and bad way to do this kind of ending, and I feel like she didn’t quite get it right.

All in all, I did appreciate the novel, the complexities of the characters, their development over time, and the way the story played out, but I’m not entirely sure it would’ve been my top pick out of the five for BOTM or for Goodreads. I also probably wouldn’t’ve characterized this book as “Historical Fiction” either. This book is definitely worth the read and the attention it did receive overall, though.

Have you read The Vanishing Half? What were your thoughts? Comment down below or leave me a message on Instagram or Goodreads!

HAPPY READING 🙂

Genre: Historical Fiction/Contemporary/Literary/Race

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig

My Rating: 5 Stars!

Here’s why

Wow wow wow. This book was definitely deserving of the 2020 Goodreads Choice Award for Fiction and has been a pick for many a book clubs since its release in the Fall of 2020.

Nora Seed has been given an amazing opportunity: on the night she chose to die, she finds herself caught between life and death – in a library. Each book on the infinite shelves represents a life she could have lived if she had made different choices. With the help of her childhood local librarian, Mrs. Elm, she is able to read aka “try on” these different lives until there is one she wants to keep or until something happens to her “root self.” However, she also has to deal with her Book of Regrets – pages long of things she feels like went wrong in her current “root life.” What would’ve happened if she had pursued that relationship? That career? That Olympic dream? A heartfelt, touching, relatable read that will leave you hope-filled for what’s to come.

***

Oh my word is this book jam-packed with all the thoughts, all the feels, all the goodness!

When I first heard about this book, it sounded interested but also sad because Nora starts off as a very sad, depressed character. But as she begins to “slide” into these other lives, she realizes that the things that made up her Book of Regrets were just misrepresentations of the truth or weren’t actually regrets at all. I think if we all take a step back from our current situations, we would begin to see our lives in a different light, too. There is always hope, something to look forward to, some kind of potential we can cling to.

Matt Haig has done something beautiful here. We all have some kind of “what if” in our lives, but we cannot let those stop us from moving forward and living life – this life – as best as we can. That is why this book is a 5/5 for me. Nora’s growth over the course of this 288 page book, the fun glimpses of the lives she could’ve lived, all feel so relatable and was so inspiring to be apart of (even if she is only a fictional character.) BUT THATS THE THING: we all can relate, can connect, to something in this book – about this topic – so it feels very realistic in that sense.

This book has some elements of fantasy/sci-fi, but it is definitely still predominantly fiction. So don’t let talk of multiverses or philosophy steer you away from giving this read a chance!

I borrowed this book from the library, but I might have to own it myself! Check out The Midnight Library today – you’ll be glad you did.

HAPPY READING 🙂

Genre: Fiction/Contemporary/Magical Realism/Mental Health/Books About Books

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

My Rating: 5 Stars

Here’s why!

This book was a January 2020 Book of the Month selection and received rave reviews all through 2020 so I decided to give it chance and picked up a copy from my local library.

Fell, NY 1982: Viv Delaney is hitchhiking her way to New York City to start a career as an actress. But after ending up miles away from her destination she is dropped off at the Sun Down Motel. Needing some more cash to make it to NYC, she decides to work as their night clerk until she can continue on her way, but something isn’t right about the Sun Down Motel, and Viv wants to know why.

Fell, NY 2017: Carly has followed her Aunt Viv’s footsteps in hopes of finding out what happened November 1982 when she disappeared. Will she uncover the truth?

***

Honestly, I wasn’t exactly sure what this book was about when I picked it up, but it had me hooked from the get-go!

This is my first St. James novel but I am intrigued to read more about some of her other novels like The Broken Girls (another BOTM pick!). I definitely preferred Viv’s POV over Carly’s but I didn’t find myself disliking it either. St. James does a great job of partnering the two timelines and laying out the story that keeps you guessing, but also discovering alongside the characters. I did have my “thriller antennas” up, taking note of every little detail, and she did a great job of making characters or clues suspicious/noteworthy even if they were red herrings.

I am giving this book 5/5 stars because of the face-paced, well thought-out plot, the likability of the characters, and the “creep factor” of the Sun Down Motel itself.

Part supernatural-part crime novel, The Sun Down Motel is an unputdownable read that had me guessing on every page. Highly recommend!

HAPPY READING 🙂

Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Horror/Paranormal/Suspense/Crime

Infinite Country by Patricia Engel

My Rating: 5 Stars!

Here’s why

I tend to be intrigued with Latin American stories as a used-to-be-better-than-I-am-now Spanish speaker, so when I saw Infinite Country as a February 2021 Book of the Month selection, I wanted to give it a go. It is also Reese’s Book Club pick for March!

Mauro and Elena have decided to take a risk by leaving their homeland of Columbia and starting anew in America. Using their tourist visas, they move to Texas with their infant daughter, hoping to save enough money to take home and send back to Elena’s mother, Perla; however, months turn into years as two more children are born state side. Now, with expired visas, their family is in a state of constant vigilance and fear of being found out by the police. After one fateful night, the family finds themselves split up and two of its members sent back to their homeland. As the years go by, they try to stay in contact, hoping they will be united as a family once again. A discussion about immigration as well as a deeper look at Columbian culture, Infinite Country is a short, yet thoughtful read by Engel.

***

As I stated earlier, I tend to be drawn to these kind of stories, especially because immigration in America is quite a “hot topic.” I am the type of person where I like to read the books myself to decide how I feel instead of trusting what others on the internet have to say. (Check out my review for American Dirt for more about that!)

Although this book is somewhat similar to American Dirt by being within the immigration vein, Infinite Country discusses visas and entering the country legally first instead of focusing solely on crossing the border illegally. Plus, it also is VERY focused on each individual in the family’s journeys and Columbian folklore. There are a few challenging/political thoughts, but it is NOT a political book by any means.

I am giving this book 5/5 Stars because of the storytelling of the novel, the beautiful and interesting Columbian folklore, and the glimpse it gives to this type of situation. HOWEVER, there were a few descriptors that didn’t translate very well, or metaphors that didn’t work, but overall the writing flowed nicely. The layout of the plot was not linear, so there were times I wish it had been rearranged or the narrator was clarified quicker, but after a while you get used to it jumping from past to present.

Was this a perfect 5 Star book to me? No, but is it worth the 5 Stars because of the content and the overall plot? Yes.

If you want to check it out, this 191 page novel is available now!

HAPPY READING 🙂

American Dirt review: https://brookeandbinding.wordpress.com/2020/04/01/american-dirt-by-jeanine-cummins/

Genre: Fiction/Contemporary/Culture/Columbia

Moonflower Murders (Susan Ryeland #2) by Anthony Horowitz

My Rating: 5 Stars!

Here’s why

I have been hooked on Anthony Horowitz’s mystery novels for a few years now and was so happy to see this sequel come out at the end of 2020!

Susan Ryeland has stepped away from book editing and now runs a hotel with her boyfriend Andreas in Crete. She has tried to leave the world of Atticus Pünd behind her, but one day a couple arrives in Crete asking for her help with finding their missing daughter. They believe an Atticus Pünd novel and a past murder in connected to her disappearance and they want her expertise in all things Alan Conway to help figure out what happened to their daughter. And if the right man has been put behind bars all those years ago.

***

Anthony Horowitz is such a creative writer that is bringing a new spin to the literary world in this series as well as his other mystery series Hawthorne. He literally writes himself as a character in the Hawthorne series, and in these novels, he writes not one but two books in one! Anyone else getting Inception vibes? 😉

Susan is such a fun character to read, but my favorite part of these novels is reading the Atticus Pünd mysteries! This book in particular is different than the first because you get more exposition to work from to try and connect it with the murder from the past allowing the reader – and Susan – to try and pick the novel a part.

I am giving this book 5/5 Stars because of the creativity of the writing style, the explanations of the murders in both storylines, and the speed in which I read this massive novel!

If you have only read Anthony Horowitz’s Alex Rider novels – or haven’t read any of his works! – he is a MUST READ! Check him out today and enjoy!

HAPPY READING 🙂

Genre: Mystery/Crime/Thriller/Books About Books

The Searcher by Tana French

My Rating: 3 Stars

Here’s why

I have seen Tana French’s novels around for a while and when her newest book caught my eye, I knew I needed to check it out!

Cal has moved from the busy life as a police officer in Chicago to a rural town in Ireland for retirement and a fresh start. However, the quiet, fixer-upping lifestyle he was hoping for has to wait as he is swept up into a new mystery. A young teen has been missing for months and only his younger sibling seems interesting in finding him. When this unlikely duo teams up, they uncover more than they were anticipating, and Cal feels like there is more than meets the eye in this little town.

***

I really thought this premise sounded interesting, but I might have had a bit more of a “thriller” expectation for this “mystery/crime” novel.

Tana French has a nice writing style, but I do have to disagree with the rave reviews she received on the back of the book about the intensity she creates. One even said “…she could make a trip to Target [intense]” but I’m not sure I can back that statement. Although there were some tense moments and one good *gasp* moment, the rest just felt like a domestic drama. I liked the characters for the most part, though.

I am giving this book 3/5 Stars because I did find myself reading chunks of it rather quickly (when I was able to sit down and read that is!), but overall the plot and her explanation for what has been happening in the town and what happened to the missing teen didn’t feel super creative. Like a good thriller, I was hoping for something else to make it a bit more interesting, but it stayed pretty chill as the book ended. I even thought I had 10 more pages when I read the last page so I was surprised when I saw the “Acknowledgments” instead of a new chapter!

If you have read Tana French and have another one you would recommend let me know! 🙂

HAPPY READING 🙂

Genre: Mystery/Thriller/Suspense/Crime/Culture/Ireland