Despite what the calendar says, I firmly believe that fall starts on September 1, so allow me to wish you a happy fall! I'm very glad to be welcoming in cool mornings and crisp blue skies.
I read a bunch of good books in August, so let's get into the reviews! (Note: the covers are in the order that I'll be talking about them, and are all linked to Goodreads. Feel free to scroll down to specific reviews!)
Congratulations, the Best is Over! by R. Eric Thomas
★★★.5
Genre: Memoir/Essay
"The beloved bestselling author of Here for It presents a collection of heartening, thoughtful, and laugh-out-loud essays about the lifelong search for community and returning home." (Goodreads)
I wish that this had either been more connected from chapter to chapter and called a memoir or less connected from chapter to chapter and called essays. As it was, each essay sort of picked up where the last one left off, but they jumped back and forth through time a lot. I guess I was just confused about how I should be reading the book, if that makes sense? I enjoyed the humor, though–and I greatly appreciated the "afterparty" surprise in the acknowledgements!
The Stars Did Wander Darkling, by Colin Meloy
★★★.5
Genre: Middle Grade Horror
"A suspenseful and atmospheric horror set in 1980s Oregon, perfect for fans of Stranger Things, Neil Gaiman, and Margaret Peterson Haddix, from New York Times bestselling author and the Decemberists’ lead singer/songwriter Colin Meloy." (Goodreads)
I can't handle horror movies, but I can handle YA and Middle Grade horror books! I loved Colin Meloy's Wildwood series, so I was very excited to read this, and it did not disappoint! I do prefer Wildwood, but I still loved the characters in TSDWD, and I thought it was such a fun idea to set it in the 80s. It was believable to have the kids biking around town by themselves and going camping in the woods by themselves, and I loved that the story wasn't dependent on them having technology like cell phones. It was also deliciously creepy without being too scary or gory. All that being said, I did not like the ending. I'm still not sure what the "monster"/"villain" was, exactly, or what happened to Chris. I'm not a huge fan of ambiguity, and the ending of this book has it in spades.
Love in Tandem, by Becca Kinzer
★★★.5
Genre: Romantic Comedy
"She’s perfectly content leading a quiet life in her small hometown. He’s an adventurer with unquenchable wanderlust. The two couldn’t be any more opposite if they tried. But a tandem bicycle and a 500-mile road trip just might change all that." (Goodreads)
I have a lot to say about this one, so buckle up!
I can think of so many ways to describe this book: cute, light, lovely, heartwarming. I loved the characters and all the crazy situations they found themselves in, even though the plot was a little (okay, a lot) farfetched, but what's the point of reading fiction if everything in the world of the book is completely normal?
I think Sophia and Joshua's storyline was my favorite. In fact, every time Sophia showed up, she kind of stole the show. She's just such a colorful character. In comparison with Sophia, Charlotte and Zach seemed a little ... flat. Their narrative voices were also very similar, and I wish their POV chapters had been a little more distinct from one another. However, it didn't bother me too much.
Now, here's where I get into my main beef. As a Christian writer trying to get published in a very secular industry, I know the delicate balance of trying to stick with Christian themes while not making them too overt or preachy. And I do appreciate the balance that Becca Kinzer strikes there. I know going into her books that I'll get a cozy romance without too much steam. It's not that I wanted this book to be preachy, I just found the Christian theme to be a little ... shallow. A little too palatable. The message was basically, "Have faith!" It had strong undertones of prosperity gospel/manifestation, where if you just believe that good things will happen to you, they do. This, I believe, stems from a misinterpretation of Romans 8:28, which says, "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." The thing is, our "good" may not look like God's "good". Now, I don't know what "flavor" of Christianity Becca Kinzer is, and I understand that it's hard to go super deep with Christian themes in mainstream literature. I appreciate that God was present in the story and that Zach and Charlotte's faith informs the trajectory of their relationship. I'm not sure how Becca Kinzer would have made the book more Christian, but I guess if she'd wanted to write a book about faith, she would have shown how Christians are able to have faith in God and submit to His will even when things don't work out seemingly for our "good". The thing is, only God knows what is truly good for us. But I guess she wasn't writing a book about faith; she was just trying to write a cozy romance. And if that's what you're looking for, this is a great one to pick up! Go ahead, give it a try! Despite this little rant, I really did enjoy the book. I promise.
There is a Door in This Darkness, by Kristin Cashore
★★★★
Genre: YA Magical Realism
"A magic-tinged contemporary YA about grief and hope from the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of the Graceling Realm novels." (Goodreads)
This was my first buddy read! My best friend and I are both Kristin Cashore fans, so I suggested that we read Cashore's newest book together. We gave ourselves three weeks and, after the first week, agreed to finish it in two instead. And I'm so glad we did! This story is beautifully woven, flitting back and forth in the narrative in a lovely and integrated way. Wilhelmina, the main character, is flawed in a way I think is very easy to relate to, yet likable, and the supporting characters were delightful as well. Ultimately, I would say this book is a story about friendship and hope, and no matter what your politics are, I recommend it!
Loveless, by Alice Oseman
★★★★
Genre: YA Contemporary
"Georgia has never been in love, never kissed anyone, never even had a crush – but as a fanfic-obsessed romantic she’s sure she’ll find her person one day. ... This wise, warm and witty story of identity and self-acceptance sees Alice Oseman on towering form as Georgia and her friends discover that true love isn’t limited to romance." (Goodreads)
I prefer Radio Silence, but I still really enjoyed Loveless! This is another book with great characters. Even though I'm not asexual or aromantic, I definitely related to Georgia, and the supporting cast were all extremely lovable, especially Rooney and Sunil. Again, this is a book about friendship, which I love. I love how Alice Oseman takes cultural expectations and turns them on their heads.
Happiness Falls, by Angie Kim
★★★★.5
Genre: Thriller
"When a father goes missing, his family's desperate search leads them to question everything they know about him and one another–both a riveting page-turner and a deeply moving portrait of a family in crisis from the award-winning author of Miracle Creek." (Goodreads)
An excellent book! Well-researched with rounded characters and a compelling plot. Mia, the main character, was a perfect choice for the POV, and her narrative voice was fresh and distinct. (It's the little things, like how tuned in she is to music and musical frequencies–yes, that pun was on purpose–and her footnotes showing off her super analytical brain.) I also loved the pacing, which felt slow and fast at the same time. I saw some reviews that mentioned how all the theory stuff threw them off, but I really liked it (even though I had a hard time following it at times). It was just so different. I couldn't put it down! As a reader, I was frustrated that the ending was left somewhat ambiguous, but I thought it worked so well for Mia’s character arc (I don’t want to say too much lest I accidentally give a spoiler…)
The Pomegranate Gate, by Ariel Kaplan
★★★★★
Genre: Fantasy
"Ariel Kaplan’s The Pomegranate Gate is the lyrical first installment of the Mirror Realm Cycle, a vibrant and heartfelt Inquisition-era Jewish epic fantasy in the vein of Naomi Novik, Katherine Arden, and Tasha Suri." (Goodreads)
This was very different from Ariel Kaplan's other books, but SO. FREAKING. GOOD. From the Jewish folklore inspiration to the absolutely perfect characters, this is one of the best books I've ever read. I feel like I could never craft such an incredible story. The way every element was important to the story and came back in some earth shattering way was just mind-blowing to me–the planning that went into it! I have respect for Ariel Kaplan. What a storyteller! I'll need a breather before reading The Republic of Salt, though (fortunately, TRoS doesn't come out until October 22, so I have some time to recover from Book 1). I don't want anything else bad to happen to these precious characters and I KNOW my feelings will be ruined by the sequel, but I'm going to read it anyway ...
A few notes upon finishing this book:
1) HOW did Ariel Kaplan make Toba Bet a more complex and likable character than the original Toba?!
2) The old woman is just perfect. She might be my favorite character, actually. *SPOILER* When I thought she died, I was about to put the book down. *END OF SPOILER*
3) Naftaly and Barsilay ... *sobs* I love them.
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