Masquerade by O.O. Sangoyomi

Title: Masquerade

Series: n/a
Author: O.O. Sangoyomi
Source/Format: Bookish First/Publisher; Paperback ARC
More Details: Loose Retelling; Historical Fiction
Publisher/Publication Date: Forge Books; July 2, 2024

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Set in a wonderfully reimagined 15th century West Africa, Masquerade is a dazzling, lyrical tale exploring the true cost of one woman’s fight for freedom and self-discovery, and the lengths she’ll go to secure her future.

Òdòdó’s hometown of Timbuktu has been conquered by the the warrior king of Yorùbáland. Already shunned as social pariahs, living conditions for Òdòdó and the other women in her blacksmith guild grow even worse under Yorùbá rule. Then Òdòdó is abducted. She is whisked across the Sahara to the capital city of Ṣàngótẹ̀, where she is shocked to discover that her kidnapper is none other than the vagrant who had visited her guild just days prior. But now that he is swathed in riches rather than rags, Òdòdó realizes he is not a vagrant at all; he is the warrior king, and he has chosen her to be his wife. In a sudden change of fortune, Òdòdó soars to the very heights of society. But after a lifetime of subjugation, the power that saturates this world of battle and political savvy becomes too enticing to resist. As tensions with rival states grow, revealing elaborate schemes and enemies hidden in plain sight, Òdòdó must defy the cruel king she has been forced to wed by re-forging the shaky loyalties of the court in her favor, or risk losing everything—including her life.

Loosely based on the myth of Persephone, O.O. Sangoyomi’s Masquerade takes you on a journey of epic power struggles and political intrigue that turn an entire region on its head.

I originally read an excerpt of this book on Bookish First. I was sold on the concept laid out in the synopsis as well as intrigued by it being a loose retelling of the myth of Persephone, but set in a fictional version of fifteenth century West Africa. Having read the whole story, I have a new favorite book. And between Katherine Arden’s The Warm Hands of Ghosts, Leigh Bardugo’s The Familiar, and now O.O. Sangoyomi’s Masquerade, historical fiction is having quite a year.

Òdòdó, a blacksmith from Timbuktu—which carried its own connotations (and stigma) in the context of the story—finds herself whisked away by the king of Yorùbáland after an act of naïve kindness, to be his bride. It's in the early beginnings of Masquerade where some of the strongest aspects related to the myth could be found. It wasn’t on the nose either, and instead Masquerade was sprinkled with subtle nods.

The story was wonderfully detailed and steeped in the rich history, traditions, and folklore of its setting. It also meant superstition and often strict societal norms, and one of the most interesting parts of the book was seeing how Òdòdó would learn to navigate the sudden change in her environment, between Timbuktu and Sàngótè.

The king’s characterization was done so well. He was portrayed as a capable leader as well as the kind of person who has never been told no. I was expecting it, since even the synopsis makes mention of his cruelty. And he was ambitious and entitled, even to have Òdòdó become his wife. I could almost say he was arrogant in that regard, and he wasn’t careful with how he spoke to or treated—or even acknowledged the ambition and the suffering—of his supposed soon-to-be wife.

Being at the whim of a fickle king who Òdòdó’s power—and the favor bestowed to her by his people—depended on, was a heavy a burden. There was a power imbalance, especially between the king and his bride, which wasn’t helped by the superstition (and suspicion) surrounding the blacksmith guilds and the woman who worked there.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed Òdòdó’s journey. It was a costly one in a politically tense environment, but her quest was one of self-discovery, power, and influence. She wanted more and more, which was often the crux driving the story forward: escape from the life as a blacksmith, her desire for power and status, and the lengths she was willing to go to not only obtain it but to keep it as well. It was perilous and dark, and no one was left unscathed by the end.

 
Masquerade had a lot going for it. As a loose retelling, it worked. And as historical fiction, it had everything I was looking for. If you like richly detailed world building and political intrigue, then I highly recommend Masquerade.

About the author....

O.O. Sangoyomi is a Nigerian American author with a penchant for African mythology and history. During a childhood of constantly moving around, she found an anchored home in the fictional worlds of books. She is a recent graduate of Princeton University, where she studied literature. Her debut novel, Masquerade, will be published by Macmillan/Forge in July 2024.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Forge Books) via Bookish First in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall

Title: Bittersweet in the Hollow

Series: Bittersweet in the Hollow #1
Author: Kate Pearsall
Source/Format: Bookishfirst; Paperback ARC
More Details: Young Adult; Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers; October 10, 2023

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

In this beautifully dark and enthralling YA, four sisters with unusual talents investigate a mysterious disappearance in their secluded Appalachian town. For fans of House of Hollow and Wilder Girls! 

In rural Caball Hollow, surrounded by the vast National Forest, the James women serve up more than fried green tomatoes at the Harvest Moon diner, where the family recipes are not the only secrets. Like her sisters, Linden was born with an unusual ability. She can taste what others are feeling, but this so-called gift soured her relationship with the vexingly attractive Cole Spencer one fateful night a year ago . . . A night when Linden vanished into the depths of the Forest and returned with no memories of what happened, just a litany of questions--and a haze of nightmares that suggest there's more to her story than simply getting lost. Now, during the hottest summer on record, another girl in town is gone, and the similarities to last year's events are striking. Except, this time the missing girl doesn't make it home, and when her body is discovered, the scene unmistakably spells murder. As tempers boil over, Linden enlists the help of her sisters to find what's hiding in the forest . . . before it finds her. But as she starts digging for truth--about the Moth-Winged Man rumored to haunt the Hollow, about her bitter rift with Cole, and even about her family--she must question if some secrets are best left buried.

Some books are exactly what I’m looking for, and it only took a few pages into the Bookish First excerpt of Kate Pearsall’s Bittersweet in the Hollow for me to know that I was likely going to love the story. And I had so much fun reading it!

Linden James comes from a family with a storied history involving the town of Caball Hollow, and their magic was as much a part of the local lore as was the stories about the infamous Moth-Winged Man. The terror of the woods was an issue close to Linden, and, even though she couldn’t recall much of what happened when she disappeared, I picked up on an underlining feeling that the fear and danger remained in spite of it.

The magic was on the softer side. It existed, and that’s really all there was to it. But it was also very fitting for the overall atmosphere of the story. It had its consequences, both expected and unintended, and it tied in with the personal stakes and secrets, especially in the James’ family. Ultimately, I liked how Pearsall wove the gifts the sisters had into the story as well as how it was sometimes a point of contention. In Linden’s case, there was some bitterness involved, but that tied right back to the theme of self-acceptance present in the background.

Caball Hollow was a rural town, and I loved what Pearsall did with it. I easily got invested with putting together all the clues about the local legends. It was relatively detailed and was a constant source of entertainment.

There was some romance present, but it didn’t overwhelm the rest of the story. In fact, a healthy amount of time was spent devoted to the mysteries. There was one that was recent—concerning what really happened to Linden—and another that spanned decades. Part of the fun was seeing how the many ends of the plot would eventually connect, and it led to some really great reveals. It wasn’t too much sleuthing, like what you’d find in a cozy mystery, but Pearsall struck a good balance between building the folklore and magic with the instances of when the characters theorized and took investigative action. And, like the magic, every decision had its own pitfalls. Rumors spread fast, which only added more fuel to the fire and raised the potential for personal consequences for Linden, her family, and others. The book was an experience, and I loved every second of it.

So with endearing characters, magic, and mystery, Bittersweet in the Hollow is easily one of my favorite reads of the year.

About the author....

Kate Pearsall developed a love for storytelling at a young age, often spinning tales of magical worlds and exciting adventures with her sisters. When she’s not writing, she can be found willfully indulging her curiosity by disappearing into museums, exploring new places, and becoming deeply submerged into obscure topics that inevitably make their way into future work.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers) via Bookish First in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

Totally Psychic by Brigid Martin

Title: Totally Psychic

Series: n/a
Author: Brigid Martin
Source/Format: Bookish Firs; Hardcover
More Details: Middle Grade; Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Inkyard Press; August 15, 2023

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

This debut middle grade series stars a Cuban-American tween medium navigating friends, family and ghosts!

Paloma Ferrer is psychic. In fact, everyone in her family line has “the gift.” Now that Paloma has come into her powers, she dreams of a famous medium to celebrities, being just like her beloved grandma. When Paloma’s parents move them from Miami to Los Angeles, she hatches a plan to get her career as a medium up and running: Host seances at her new school and stream on social media Build her profile and make a name for herself Avoid detection from her tattletale of a little sister
But when a reading gone awry leaves Paloma in a sticky situation with a new friend, she’ll need more than a crystal ball to find her way out of this mess.

I read an early excerpt of Brigid Martin’s Totally Psychic through Bookish First and was very intrigued as well as charmed by the main character’s enthusiasm for her abilities. The rest of the story lived up to my earlier positive feelings about it.

Totally Psychic was delightful with plenty of supernatural hijinks alongside such themes as change and making new friends amid growing up and into one’s own. Set against a backdrop of a significant move from Miami to Rancho Cucamonga, California, as well as ongoing tension between Paloma Ferrer and her parents.

I liked Paloma as a character. The story spent enough time in Miami with her family and friends that I got a sense of how they interacted with one another—and the ground rules about how mediums used their abilities in the story— which helped with understanding Paloma’s sadness about the move. After all, she wanted to be just like her abuela, a famous medium that was a big deal both in and outside of her family. But her love of her powers and desire to follow in her abuela’s footsteps was an area of consternation with her mother. And that particular relationship reminded me of another book I read in July called Holly Horror. It was a very different story of course, since it was a young adult novel with a darker tone. However, in that review—you can find that HERE—I mentioned how Evie Archer’s backstory made her susceptible to supernatural trouble. That same sort of situation was here as well, with Paloma keeping secrets and trying to solve everything on her own when the situation went wrong, rather than reaching out more to the adults in her life for help. But a big part of the story was Paloma’s character growth, and her journey involved learning the cost of being irresponsible with her powers as well as realizing that she needed better communication with those in her life.

So Totally Psychic had a good balance between the supernatural aspects and the personal conflicts within the lives of the characters. It was, all around, an enjoyable read.

About the author....

Brigid Martin is a New York based writer and publishing professional, fulfilling her goal of working in an industry that promotes educational and diverse content for children. With several years of sales experience at companies such as Scholastic, Perseus Books Group and Disney Publishing Worldwide, she's had the privilege of reading and promoting the works of many talented authors throughout her career. She holds a B.A. in English Literature and Music from Stony Brook University as well as a M.S. in Strategic Marketing Communications From Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Inkyard Press) via Bookish First in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

Lakesedge by Lyndall Clipstone

Title: Lakesedge

Series: World at the Lake's Edge #1
Author: Lyndall Clipstone
Source/Format: Bookish First; Paperback
More Details: Young Adult; Gothic Fantasy
Publisher/Publication Date: Henry Holt & Co. (BYR); September 28, 2021

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

A gothic fantasy about monsters and magic, set on the banks of a cursed lake.

There are monsters in the world. When Violeta Graceling arrives at haunted Lakesedge estate, she expects to find a monster. She knows the terrifying rumors about Rowan Sylvanan, who drowned his entire family when he was a boy. But neither the estate nor the monster are what they seem. There are monsters in the woods. As Leta falls for Rowan, she discovers he is bound to the Lord Under, the sinister death god lurking in the black waters of the lake. A creature to whom Leta is inexplicably drawn…There’s a monster in the shadows, and now it knows my name. Now, to save Rowan—and herself—Leta must confront the darkness in her past, including unraveling the mystery of her connection to the Lord Under.

When I read the excerpt for Lakesedge over on Bookishfirst, I was intrigued by the story. The beginning is dark and deals with heavy themes, but it offered a good glimpse of the characters, atmosphere, tone, and the setting/lore that would influence the rest of the story. I wanted to keep reading, so the excerpt did its job. And I’m glad I read this one, because it was an entertaining book.

The two sentences that open Lakesedge’s first chapter boldly assert: “There are monsters in the world. There are monsters in the woods.” Pg.1

It’s labeled as gothic fantasy, and for the most part I agree with that description. It did feel like fantasy YA that picked up certain aspects about the gothic genre to add to it—such as decayed wealth, tragic characters, and a curse. The setting—which was dark, isolated, and enigmatic—also helped build the immersive atmosphere. It was a highlight.

I also stuck around to see how their efforts to unravel the curse would turn out. I’m all for a story about dangerous woods—it’s one of my favorite fantasy tropes—and I liked how Clipstone built the history of the curse. It was appropriately horrifying, and it demonstrated the kind of deity the Lord Under actually was.

Even while writing this, I’m still trying to decide how much I liked Violetta Graceling as a main character. On one hand, I appreciated her dedication toward protecting the only family she had left. She’s the sole POV in the story, and she had her moments of witty banter and ingenuity. On the other hand, part of the explanation offered for withholding certain details until it was convenient to know them, left me feeling a little let down. It went from “I know nothing about this,” to “Okay, maybe I did, but that’s beside the point.”

But, the ending was riveting. All the consequences I was waiting for—they happened. The character arcs Clipstone steadily built during the story—those paid off. There were no easy victories, and I loved it.

Lakesedge was a solid story, and the questions that came about as a consequence of its ending presented plenty of options of what could happen next. It was an entertaining read, and I would read the sequel.

About the author....

Lyndall Clipstone writes about monsters and the girls who like to kiss them. A former youth librarian who grew up running wild in the Barossa Ranges of South Australia, she currently lives in Adelaide, where she tends her own indoor secret garden. She has a Bachelors in Creative Writing and a Graduate Diploma in Library and Information Management.

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Henry Holt & Co. [BYR]) via Bookish First in exchange for an honest review, thank you! 

ARC Review: Deal with the Devil by Kit Rocha

Title: Deal With The Devil
Series: Mercenary Librarians #1
Author: Kit Rocha
Source/Format: Bookish First; Bound ARC
More Details: Science Fiction; Romance
Publisher/Publication Date: Tor Books; July 27, 2020

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Orphan Black meets the post-apocalyptic Avengers in the vein of Ilona Andrews’ Hidden Legacy series by USA Today and New York Times bestselling author duo Kit Rocha 

The United States went belly up 45 years ago when our power grid was wiped out. Too few live in well-protected isolation while the rest of us scrape by on the margins. The only thing that matters is survival. By any means. At any cost. Nina is an information broker with a mission: to bring hope to the darkest corners of Atlanta. She and her team of mercenary librarians use their knowledge to help those in need. But altruism doesn’t pay the bills—raiding vaults and collecting sensitive data is where the real money is. Knox is a bitter, battle-weary supersoldier who leads the Silver Devils, an elite strike squad that chose to go AWOL rather than slaughter innocents. Before the Devils leave town for good, they need a biochem hacker to stabilize the experimental implants that grant their superhuman abilities. The problem? Their hacker’s been kidnapped. And the ransom for her return is Nina. Knox has the perfect bait for a perfect trap: a lost Library of Congress server. The data could set Nina and her team up for years... If they live that long.

Deal With The Devil is the first book I’ve read by Kit Rocha. It was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it was a wild, action-packed dystopian novel. There were plenty of science fiction nuggets packed into this book too, including enhanced super soldiers, clones, and corporations that were up to some not so good things. It was dark and gritty story with hints of romance, set against the backdrop of a devastated and crumbling version of the US.

For starters, I enjoyed the world building in this story. Rocha did an excellent job of quickly establishing the rules of the world, while also maintaining a consistent level of ruin and corruption scattered throughout every part of the setting. Even the first chapter established how cutthroat and unforgiving society had become since an incident called the Flares, and the details about how certain areas were rebuilt and governed were also quite interesting.

In general, the story was a good one. There was a good deal of travel going on. That being said, the action started basically immediately, and there was a bit of a mystery about who had kidnapped the Silver Devils’ hacker. Needless to say, I was hooked from start to finish.

Another part of the reason why I enjoyed Deal With The Devil so much was because of the characters. The characters were personable. Nina was a standout in the story. I enjoyed the chapters from her perspective, and a highlight of the story was the dynamic between Nina, Maya, and Dani. They each brought a skill to the table, and honestly I just liked the friendship and camaraderie between the three of them. I also enjoyed the chapters from the POVs of the secondary characters. It offered a different perspective to the events of the story, and gave those characters a moment of much needed development outside of Nina and Knox’s perspectives.

Deal With The Devil proved to be an excellent start to the Mercenary Librarians series. I’m excited to see what Kit Rocha has in-store for the next book.

About the author...

Kit Rocha is the pseudonym if author duo/cowriting team Donna Herren (@totallydonna) and Bree Bridges (@mostlybree). They are best known for their gritty and sexy dystopian Beyond series. Bree and Donna met while writing X-Men fanfic in 200, which is the best meet-cute in history for writing BFFs and coauthors, and have been penning original work since 2007. They currently live three miles apart in Alabama and spend their nonwriting time caring for a menagerie of animals and crafting handmade jewelry, all of which is chronicled on their various social media accounts....

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Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by the publisher (Tor Books) via BookishFirst for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: Magic For Liars by Sarah Gailey

Title: Magic For Liars
Series: n/a
Author: Sarah Gailey
Source/Format: Bookish First; bound ARC
More Details: Fantasy; Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: Tor Books; June 4, 2019

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Sharp, mainstream fantasy meets compelling thrills of investigative noir in this fantasy debut by rising star Sarah Gailey... 

Ivy Gamble has never wanted to be magic. She is perfectly happy with her life—she has an almost-sustainable career as a private investigator, and an empty apartment, and a slight drinking problem. It's a great life and she doesn't wish she was like her estranged sister, the magically gifted professor Tabitha. But when Ivy is hired to investigate the gruesome murder of a faculty member at Tabitha’s private academy, the stalwart detective starts to lose herself in the case, the life she could have had, and the answer to the mystery that seems just out of her reach...

Prior to reading Magic For Liars, I’d heard a lot of good things about Sarah Gailey’s other published work. I hadn't read them, but I was very excited to dive into this book anyway. Magic For Liars is a whodunit style murder mystery set primarily at Osthorne Academy, a boarding school for mages. From the start, it had a promising premise. And while parts of the story tended to be a little more predictable than others, that didn’t detract from my overall enjoyment of the book.

I liked the writing and pace of the story, as well as the setting. Right away, the prologue introduced the mystery. At first, it seemed like there weren’t any suspects, because the victim was well-liked by students and faculty. However, nothing was as it seemed. And despite Ivy’s idolization of places like Osthorne, they still had as many problems as any other school. She seemed to learn that lesson the hard way, and at times I was waiting for her to let go of her lies—the ones she was beginning to buy into—and focus on the case. As I mentioned above, I was able to kind of guess who the culprit would likely be, just not the motivation behind their actions. So, it wasn’t an issue, because there was so much I generally enjoyed about the book. Also, I was still invested enough in the story to wait around for the big reveal to happen.

Magic was such a big theme in the story. Some of it was kind of whatever goes. However the more academic side with rules and limitations was actually interesting to read about.

Ivy Gamble is a private investigator, and for the most part I liked her characterization. Even though she was solving other people’s issues, she had her own share of problems that—toward the beginning of the book—went largely unaddressed. She drank, resented her sister, was bitter about the magic she didn’t have, and thought about herself in a manner that I could often describe as self-deprecating. Many of her cases involved cheating spouses among other things. So, I could understand her enthusiasm and trepidation about being handed what she considered to be a big and important case that was unlike other’s she’d handled before. The other characters were interesting as well. None of them were perfect. A lot of them had secrets and quirks—like Tabitha Gamble, Mrs. Webb, and others. However, it’s what made them distinctive and memorable. I didn’t even mind the romance subplot.

Magic For Liars was an interesting blend of magic and mystery, and if you’re a fan of that, then I would say give this one a try. I wish there was a sequel, because I would have liked to see more from these characters. Overall, I look forward to reading another book by Sarah Gailey....

About the author...

Hugo award winner Sarah Gailey lives and works in Los Angeles, California. Their nonfiction has been published by Mashable and the Boston Globe, and their fiction has been published internationally. They are a regular contributor for Tor.com and Barnes & Noble. You can find links to their work at www.sarahgailey.com. They tweet@gaileyfrey.
(Photo credit: ©Allan Amato 2019) 

Disclaimer: This copy of the book was provided by Bookish First and Tor Books for this review, thank you!

Review: Putting the Science in Fiction edited by Dan Koboldt

Title: Putting the Science in Fiction
Series: n/a
Edited by: Dan Koboldt
Source/Format: Bookish First & Writer's Digest Books; Paperback
More Details: Nonfiction; Writing; Science
Publisher/Publication Date: Writer's Digest Books; October 16, 2018

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

Science and technology have starring roles in a wide range of genres--science fiction, fantasy, thriller, mystery, and more. Unfortunately, many depictions of technical subjects in literature, film, and television are pure fiction. A basic understanding of biology, physics, engineering, and medicine will help you create more realistic stories that satisfy discerning readers. This book brings together scientists, physicians, engineers, and other experts to help you: Understand the basic principles of science, technology, and medicine that are frequently featured in fiction. Avoid common pitfalls and misconceptions to ensure technical accuracy. Write realistic and compelling scientific elements that will captivate readers. Brainstorm and develop new science- and technology-based story ideas. Whether writing about mutant monsters, rogue viruses, giant spaceships, or even murders and espionage, Putting the Science in Fiction will have something to help every writer craft better fiction.Putting the Science in Fiction collects articles from "Science in Sci-fi, Fact in Fantasy," Dan Koboldt's popular blog series for authors and fans of speculative fiction (dankoboldt.com/science-in-scifi). Each article discusses an element of sci-fi or fantasy with an expert in that field. Scientists, engineers, medical professionals, and others share their insights in order to debunk the myths, correct the misconceptions, and offer advice on getting the details right....

Since I first read the synopsis for Putting the Science in Fiction, I knew I needed to read it. I already like science based nonfiction like one of my recent reads, Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker, so this one was right up my alley. This book is comprised of a collection of advice written by experts in their given field. And I just have to say that it’s awesome to have so much information that can be a great help with developing technology and environments for science fiction, fantasy, or any type of story, all in one place.

Putting the Science in Fiction was a great book. Arranged in short chapters and separated into relevant sections—like Gnome Engineering: It Never Ends Well, and Things To Know For When Skynet Takes Over—it tackled a wide range of the common misconceptions about science across a number of subjects. There was everything from labs, genetics, medicine, biology, and even telescopes just to name a few. There was mention of zombies, Star Trek, and Star Wars among others. It also pointed out who got what right—or who got something as accurate as possible—with the information available at the time the book or movie was written or produced. Such as chapter 12—The Science of Jurassic Park by Mike Hays—where Hays discusses the “good science” of Jurassic Park as well as the creative liberties that Crichton took, i.e. “less hard science.” But it doesn’t stop there. There were so many useful facts to be found in Putting the Science in Fiction.

Overall all, I’m more than happy that I have a copy of this book to keep on my shelf. As such, I recommend it to just about everyone—writers, readers—anyone looking to have some of their questions about habitable atmospheres, nanotechnology, and space flight answered...

Disclaimer: this copy of the book was provided by Bookish First and Writer's Digest Books for this review, thank you!

Review: Elevate by Joseph Deitch

Title: Elevate, An Essential Guide to Life
Series: n/a
Author: Joseph Deitch
Source/Format: Bookish First; Hardcover
More Details: Self Help; Nonfiction
Publisher/Publication Date: Greenlead Book Group Press; March 27, 2018

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

A modern world that is bursting with data can often make us feel even more lost as we struggle to find meaning and look for the answers to life’s mysteries. Joseph Deitch shares his lifelong pursuit of wisdom and growth in an accessible, practical, down-to-earth gift to his readers. Elevate is a celebration of life and the potential that exists for all of us. It provides both answers and insights as it links awareness and action, East and West, ancient and modern, spiritual and scientific. It offers a formula for turning frustration into fascination and provides a universal framework for what works and why, what to do . . . and why we don’t...

I don’t typically read self-help books unless there’s something about them that not only get but keeps my interest, and that’s exactly what happened with Elevate. I read an excerpt and liked the initial pages. So, I was pretty excited when I got the email indicating that I was getting an early copy. Suffice it to say, I liked Elevate. It was the kind of book that took time to read and made me really think about the information as I went along. Like every book claiming to give advice about life—how to live it and win at it—I always take it with a grain of salt, because implementing changes are never as simple as it’s presented on paper. That being said, Deitch presents some interesting ideas. This book is divided into two sections: Awareness and Action. In Awareness, Deitch talks about perception, learning, and growth among other things. In Action, he discusses 10 different skills such as ask, listen, motivate, energize, structure, leverage, and even love. He often used his own experiences—personal and lessons learned while owning and operating his business—as evidence to back up the validity of his advice. All in all, not a bad read. I plan to keep this one on my shelf for future reference...

Disclaimer: This copy of the book was provided by Greenleaf Book Group Press via Bookish First. 

ARC Review: The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen

Title: The Wife Between Us
Author: Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen
Source/Format: Bookish First (St. Martin's Press); Bound ARC
More Details: Thriller; Suspense; Mystery
Publisher/Publication Date: St. Martin's Press; January 9, 2018

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

A novel of suspense that explores the complexities of marriage and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love...

When you read this book, you will make many assumptions. You will assume you are reading about a jealous wife and her obsession with her replacement. You will assume you are reading about a woman about to enter a new marriage with the man she loves. You will assume the first wife was a disaster and that the husband was well rid of her. You will assume you know the motives, the history, the anatomy of the relationships. Assume nothing...

I don’t typically read thrillers, but The Wife Between Us seemed too good to pass on. And let me tell you, this book surprised me in a good way. It was a thriller from start to finish, and I ended up loving it.

The back of the ARC states that “you will make assumptions,” and that’s true. I had several conflicting theories about how it all went down. I was right about some of it, but others aspects I was wrong about. Untangling the mass of lies rooted in the relationships between the characters, is part of what made The Wife Between Us such a great book. There was a lot of intentional misdirection—due in part to the narrative style, a combination of third and first person. There was always a foreboding sense that something has already happened. As well as the fact that something would happen, based off the context. So, in that way, the authors succeeded at maintaining tension throughout the entire story.

My favorite part of this book was Vanessa. She was an unreliable narrator, but her bitterness, hurt, and anger were as loud and clear as her fear. She was haunted by the events of her past—from the time she was in college all the way to the end of her marriage with Richard. In many ways, this book wasn’t only a mystery and thriller. It was also a thorough exploration of her character.

Overall, The Wife Between Us was a fantastic thriller that kept me guessing right up to the second to last page. It’s officially one of the best books I’ve read so far this year, and I look forward to seeing what Hendricks and Pekkanen write next.

 Disclaimer: This copy of the book was provided by Bookish First & St. Martin's Press for this review.

About Greer Hendricks...

Greer Hendricks spent over two decades as an editor. Her writing has been published in The New York Times and Publishers Weekly. The Wife Between Us is her first novel.

About Sarah Pekkanen...

Internationally bestselling author Sarah Pekkanen's newest book is THE PERFECT NEIGHBORS. She is also the co-author of the upcoming THE WIFE BETWEEN US (out in January 2018). Her prior novels are: THINGS YOU WON'T SAY, CATCHING AIR, THE BEST OF US, THE OPPOSITE OF ME, SKIPPING A BEAT, and THESE GIRLS....

ARC Review: The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

Title: The Wedding Date
Author: Jasmine Guillory
Source/Format: Bookish First (Berkley); ARC
More Details: Fiction; Contemporary; Romance
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley January 30, 2018

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

A groomsman and his last-minute guest are about to discover if a fake date can go the distance in a fun and flirty debut novel...
Agreeing to go to a wedding with a guy she gets stuck with in an elevator is something Alexa Monroe wouldn't normally do. But there's something about Drew Nichols that's too hard to resist. On the eve of his ex's wedding festivities, Drew is minus a plus one. Until a power outage strands him with the perfect candidate for a fake girlfriend. After Alexa and Drew have more fun than they ever thought possible, Drew has to fly back to Los Angeles and his job as a pediatric surgeon, and Alexa heads home to Berkeley, where she's the mayor's chief of staff. Too bad they can't stop thinking about the other. They're just two high-powered professionals on a collision course toward the long distance dating disaster of the century--or closing the gap between what they think they need and what they truly want...

It’s been some time since I picked up a contemporary romance novel. I had the chance to read a preview of The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory and couldn’t resist entering the raffle. After all, this book involves a couple of my favorite romance tropes: accidental meetings, and fake wedding dates. There were a couple of things I was a little on the fence about, but overall, The Wedding Date was a nice story with a cute main couple and a great cast of supporting characters.

I was already excited to read the full book just based off of the preview, and now I can say for certain that I liked this book a lot. It can feel a little formulaic at times, but the diverse and career-minded characters more than make up for that—particularly Alexa and Drew. Parts of the book focused on their respective professions and goals. It added a lot to their characterization. I thought it was a nice touch.

What I was a little conflicted about was certain aspects of the relationship. While I liked Drew and Alexa together, the start of their relationship happened quite quickly. At times, it felt more like lust. However, as the book progressed, they did talk, and the early chemistry really came through and developed into something more.

The Wedding Date is one of the best contemporary romance books I’ve read so far this year, and I look forward to reading Guillory’s next book.

Disclaimer: This copy of the book was provided by Bookish First and Berkely for this review.

About the author...

Jasmine Guillory is a graduate of Wellesley College and Stanford Law School. She is a Bay Area native who has towering stacks of books in her living room, a cake recipe for every occasion, and upwards of 50 lipsticks.