REVIEW: The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin by Stephanie Knipper

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary, Magical Realism
Publisher: Algonquin Books
Publication Date: August 2, 2016
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Summary

Sisters Rose and Lily Martin were inseparable when they were kids. As adults, they’ve been estranged for years, until circumstances force them to come together to protect Rose’s daughter. Ten-year-old Antoinette has a severe form of autism that requires constant care and attention. She has never spoken a word, but she has a powerful gift that others would give anything to harness: she can heal things with her touch. She brings wilted flowers back to life, makes a neighbor’s tremors disappear, changes the normal course of nature on the Kentucky flower farm where she and her mother live.

Antoinette’s gift, though, puts her own life in danger, as each healing comes with an increasingly deadly price. As Rose—the center of her daughter’s life—struggles with her own failing health, and Lily confronts her anguished past, they, and the men who love them, come to realize the sacrifices that must be made to keep this very special child safe.

Written with great heart and a deep understanding of what it feels like to be “different,” The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin is a novel about what it means to be family, and about the lengths to which people will go to protect the ones they love.

~* My Review *~

5 Stars

As I sit down to write this review, I’m a little shocked to learn thatThe Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin is Stephanie Knipper’s debut novel. Aside from the pacing, which dragged a little especially in the first half, I can think of nothing but good things to say. Most of the story takes place on a commercial flower farm in Kentucky and Knipper immerses the reader with vivid imagery, allowing us to see, hear, feel, smell, and taste everything about that beautiful place. Add to that exquisite writing, complex characters, heartrending conflict, and a dash of magical realism, and I’m happy as a clam. I can’t wait for Knipper’s next book. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

 

REVIEW: Breathe Again by Sydney Logan

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Enchanted Publications
Publication Date: July 22, 2016
Formats Available: Kindle, Paperback

Carrie Malone has seen enough heartbreak to last a lifetime. Her family’s demons gave Carrie the courage to move away from home and leave her past behind. Now a college senior, she stays busy with her classes and her job at the diner. It may sound boring to some, but to Carrie, the very best thing about her new life is that every day is calm and blissfully uneventful. That all changes the night Josh Bennett walks into her diner. 

With his dirty designer suit and mud-caked shoes, Carrie’s not sure what to think about the broken man sitting at her counter. She’s even more confused when he doesn’t touch his coffee…and leaves his Rolex watch as a tip.

Josh Bennett has nothing to live for. Starved for affection and deep in despair, he’s looking for a tender touch. A kind word. A giving heart. A shattered and broken Josh finds himself standing on a city bridge, looking down into the freezing river that will undoubtedly bring an end to his pain. 

He’s prepared to jump. He’s prepared to die. He’s not prepared for the pretty waitress who finds him there by the river’s edge.

When two lost souls find each other in the dark of night, can they give each other a reason to breathe again?

MY RATING:    

 

Sydney Logan’s readers often compare her to Nicholas Sparks, with the caveat that she doesn’t kill off major characters. After reading Breathe Again, I find that this description, while accurate, doesn’t do Ms. Logan’s writing justice. Breathe Again is everything I love in a contemporary romance–sweet, heart-wrenching, and uplifting with just the right amount of passion. I don’t like steamy romances, preferring authors to leave most of the action to the imagination, so I did appreciate this relatively clean romance. Josh and Carrie are both flawed, loveable, and interesting characters, which I appreciated since those aren’t always present in a romance. If you’re looking for a quick read that will warm your heart and bring a smile to your face, I recommend Breathe Again wholeheartedly. I can’t wait to read more from Sydney Logan!

REVIEW: Baggage Check (The Marriage Pact #3) by M.J. Pullen

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Contemporary

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books
Publication Date: July 12, 2016
Formats Available: Kindle, Hardcover

Baggage Check is the third in a charming series about a group of thirty-somethings in Atlanta making surprising discoveries about friendship, love, and happily-ever-after. 

At 35, Rebecca Williamson is surrounded by happy endings. Her friends Suzanne and Marci are living out their own personal fairy tales in Atlanta. But despite Rebecca’s best efforts four years ago, her adorable college friend Jake Stillwell has officially slipped through her fingers and broken her heart. When Rebecca gets a frantic phone call from her mother back in Alabama, Rebecca is pulled back to the tiny town she worked so hard to leave behind and forced to face the hard truths about her family and past. A past that includes Deputy Alex Chen, who thinks of Rebecca as more than just an old friend’s kid sister. Can Rebecca navigate the chaos and get her life back to normal? Will Alex prove himself to be the friend she’s always needed? Or will she discover that the door to Jake is not as tightly closed as she thought?

M.J. Pullen returns in this final installment to the same captivating group of lovelorn friends, this time following the girl group’s frenemy, Rebecca, as she’s forced to confront her past. Raising the stakes, Pullen delivers an absorbing, romantic novel that poses the question, what if everything you were looking for was right where you started?

MY RATING:    

After enjoying Regrets Only earlier this year I was excited to read Baggage Check, even though I wasn’t thrilled to learn that Rebecca was the main character. I haven’t read The Marriage Pact yet, but I know enough of its events that I already had a strong dislike for Rebecca. But Ms. Pullen’s characters are deep, complicated, and complex, and I found that the change in perspective allowed me to see a side of Rebecca that I never thought existed.

One of Ms. Pullen’s real strengths is her ability to engage readers with serious subject matter–mental health, infidelity, divorce, death of a child, marital problems–without overwhelming them with darkness. Despite the heavy topics broached, I would still classify this as a fairly light and uplifting read. As with Regrets Only, I appreciated that the romantic element was strong and sweet, but played second fiddle to Rebecca’s personal transformation.

As a side note, it was nice to see a realistic depiction of the south. I’m a native and current resident of Alabama, and it was refreshing to read a story set in the Birmingham area that didn’t depict everyone as backwoods morons. The drive times and road names were also correct, which is surprisingly something many authors don’t bother to research.

All in all, I loved this book and the series! I do still need to read The Marriage Pact, but it’s ready and waiting on my Kindle. M.J. Pullen is definitely on my list of favorite women’s fiction authors now, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Genre: YA, Contemporary
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: May 3, 2016
Formats Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Audible

Andie has a plan. And she always sticks to her plan.

Future? A top-tier medical school.
Dad? Avoid him as much as possible (which isn’t that hard considering he’s a Congressman and he’s never around).
Friends? Palmer, Bri, and Toby—pretty much the most awesome people on the planet, who needs anyone else?
Relationships? No one’s worth more than three weeks.

So it’s no surprise that Andie’s got her summer all planned out too.

Until a political scandal costs Andie her summer pre-med internship, and lands both she and Dad back in the same house together for the first time in years. Suddenly she’s doing things that aren’t Andie at all—working as a dog walker, doing an epic scavenger hunt with her dad, and maybe, just maybe, letting the super cute Clark get closer than she expected. Palmer, Bri, and Toby tell her to embrace all the chaos, but can she really let go of her control?

MY RATING:    

This was my first trip into Morgan Matson territory, and I’ve been looking forward to it ever since I heard her favorably compared to Sarah Dessen, who has been my YA contemporary goddess since I was fifteen. I feel almost guilty saying this, but I think I may actually like Matson better!

When I realized how long The Unexpected Everything was–over 500 pages–I won’t lie, I was a bit nervous. I’m not a reader easily deterred by length–as I’ve mentioned before, War & Peace is one of my all-time favorites–but I just couldn’t imagine a YA contemporary standalone needed that much time to tell a story. But the good news is that the font is on the larger side, and while the first 100 pages or so move rather slowly, the pacing picks up from there. I actually read the last 400 pages in one sitting, which is a rare occurance for me these days.

Ms. Matson was able to pull off several story elements I don’t usually like, one being the quintessential large group of best friends. Normally I find it difficult to keep track of the characters, and even when I can manage to remember their names, I always come away from it feeling a little unconvinced. No one has friendships that perfect, right? But Andie’s friend group is well-developed, with even the most minor of characters having a backstory and a personality. I grew attached to and cared for them all, rather than just worrying about Andie, and I found that very refreshing.

Another YA trope I can’t stand is the aloof, distant parent who doesn’t really change over the course of the story. Ms. Matson takes that trope and turns it on its head with Andie’s father. He starts out being the stereotypical clueless parent, but over time turns into a flawed, loveable character just like the rest.

The romance element . . . sigh. I won’t spill details for fear of spoiling the story for those of who you haven’t yet read this, but suffice it to say that I had heartwarming goosebumps long before I reached the last page. I’m hoping these characters crop up again in subsequent Matson novels, because I’m dying to see what they’re up to.

If you’re looking for a novel that will remind you of summer as a teenager, this is the one to grab.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. I then promptly lost said digital copy, was unable to download it again, and decided to check it out from the library. So…do with this information what you will.

REVIEW: Learning to Swear in America by Katie Kennedy

Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Publication Date: July 5, 2016
Formats Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Audible

An asteroid is hurtling toward Earth. A big, bad one. Maybe not kill-all-the-dinosaurs bad, but at least kill-everyone-in-California-and-wipe-out-Japan-with-a-tsunami bad. Yuri, a physicist prodigy from Russia, has been recruited to aid NASA as they calculate a plan to avoid disaster. 

The good news is Yuri knows how to stop the asteroid–his research in antimatter will probably win him a Nobel prize if there’s ever another Nobel prize awarded. But the trouble is, even though NASA asked for his help, no one there will listen to him. He’s seventeen, and they’ve been studying physics longer than he’s been alive. 

Then he meets (pretty, wild, unpredictable) Dovie, who lives like a normal teenager, oblivious to the impending doom. Being with her, on the adventures she plans when he’s not at NASA, Yuri catches a glimpse of what it means to save the world and live a life worth saving. 

Prepare to laugh, cry, cringe, and have your mind burst open with the questions of the universe. 

MY RATING:    

(True Rating: Infinite Stars, and an Asteroid Too)

Even though we have five months and some change left to go before we bid 2016 adieu, I’m fairly certain that this will be my favorite NetGalley read of the year.

I’ve had a lot of disappointing and mediocre reading experiences this year, so I wasn’t expecting much from Katie Kennedy’s Learning to Swear in America. Sure, the blurb sounded fantastic, but when you read as much as I do, you quickly learn not to place much hope on that back-cover text.

The writing is excellent. The story is excellent. The characters are–brace yourself–excellent. This book is endlessly quotable. I tried to choose just one snipped to include in this review, but that simply can’t be done, so prepare yourself for a beautiful literary onslaught:

Dovie exerted a giant gravitational force. She was the closest thing to Jupiter of anyone he’d ever met, but you probably couldn’t say that to a girl.

“I’m late because I’m raging against the machine, Mrs. Lee.”

He hit “send,” and wondered how good NASA’s bullshit detector was. Their other detectors were pretty good.

“So I have to give you advice without any idea what you’re talking about.”

“Yes.”

“In that situation, I always turn to Immanuel Kant.”

“You’re very grave.”

“I’m always grave about gravity.”

But it had only taken him a cell phone and fifty seconds to hack in–not because he was a genius, but because he was a teenager.

If you follow my reviews, you know I normally go into a little more detail as to why I like or dislike a particular title, but here, words are insufficient. Learning to Swear in America is so many things: a young adult novel, a coming-of-age tale. It’s a story of first love and near apocalypse and what it means to be human–not Russian, not American, just human. If I were a betting woman, I would bet a fortune and a half that this book will be considered a classic in fifty years.

Read it. Read it now.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

REVIEW: Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler

Genre: Women’s Fiction, Retellings, Literary Humor
Publisher: Hogarth
Publication Date: June 21, 2016
Formats Available: Kindle, Hardcover, Paperback, Audible

Kate Battista feels stuck. How did she end up running house and home for her eccentric scientist father and uppity, pretty younger sister, Bunny? Plus, she’s always in trouble at work – her preschool charges adore her, but their parents don’t always appreciate her unusual opinions and forthright manner. 

Dr. Battista has other problems. After years out in the academic wilderness, he is on the verge of a breakthrough. His research could help millions. There’s only one problem: his brilliant young lab assistant, Pyotr, is about to be deported. And without Pyotr, all would be lost. 

When Dr. Battista cooks up an outrageous plan that will enable Pyotr to stay in the country, he’s relying – as usual – on Kate to help him. Kate is furious: This time he’s really asking too much. But will she be able to resist the two men’s touchingly ludicrous campaign to bring her around? 

MY RATING:    

I grabbed this up as soon as I realized this was a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Given that I love Shakespeare, and also that one of my all-time favorite movies is 10 Things I Hate About You, I couldn’t wait to dig in.

Worried though I was that my expectations for this book were too high, I took the plunge. I’m so glad I did. Anne Tyler’s rendition of this Shakespearean classic pays homage to the original tale with a twist of creativity. Some may criticize this short read for being too simplistic in comparison with the original play, but I actually appreciated how Tyler presented us with the essence of The Taming of the Shrew, rather than creating a turn-for-turn rehashing.

I love this version of Kate, which I couldn’t help but associate with Julia Stiles’ amazing performance as Kat Stratford. For Parks and Recreation fans, she’s rather like April Ludgate. Her dry wit and constant state of being unimpressed completely won me over. The other characters likewise were loveable. The father in particular I found amusing, despite his craziness.

I can’t wait to read some of the other installments in the Hogarth Shakespeare series, and I will most definitely be checking out more of Anne Tyler’s titles. I recommend this book for everyone who appreciates modernizations, Shakespeare, and just the right amount of whimsy.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Truth About the Sky by Katharine Grubb

Genre: Christan Fiction, Comedy, Romance
Publisher: Plume of Doom Publishing
Publication Date: June 18, 2016 (Originally publ. September 9, 2013)
Formats Available: Kindle, Paperback

As a Pastor’s kid, Kim has been told her whole life that God can see every mistake she makes. Now that she’s a college dropout, unemployed and in a questionable relationship with a party guy, her mistakes are all the more obvious. (Especially to her demanding mother, who, apparently, thinks wearing jeans on a commercial flight is a sin.)

If only she could move away! Then she could hide from gossip and no one would see her mess up!

Kim can’t move to Dallas unless she saves her money, so she swallows her pride and heads back to her childhood church to reluctantly serve as her father’s secretary. Her mother makes it clear: Kim better get her act together!

Not only is the church watching her, but Kim is also bothered by her theme obsessed mother; a creepy mortician who wants to court her; a sad, but good-looking music minister (whom she may or may not have been kissing) and her childhood friend, Eddie, who, as a lawyer, has an inexplicable interest in lawn care. Even if God was in her childhood church, Kim would be too busy and discouraged to find him.

Then her father is caught in a scandal — one that challenges her already shaky faith and her dysfunctional family. She has to choose: will she run away from critical eyes to Dallas as quickly as her car can take her? Will she be as critical and condemning as her own family has been to her? Or will she take her brother’s advice and believe, for the first time in her life, that God’s grace is as big as the Oklahoma sky?

MY RATING:    

This is the third Katharine Grubb novel I’ve read so far, so I had a good idea of what I could expect–biting, witty social commentary that will make you laugh out loud and have a good cry, all while warming your heart.

This book reminds me a little of Pride and Prejudice, if Pride and Prejudicewere set in the modern-day Tulsa suburbs. There’s a Mr. Collins, a Wickham, and of course, a Darcy to satisfy your Austenite heart, but there’s much more to it than that. Christian readers like me who tend to shy away from Christian fiction because of its tendency to gloss over human nature and idolize certain aspects of the Christian life will find this book refreshing for its honesty, which somehow manages to be simultaneously brutal and filled with grace.

As always when dealing with a Grubb novel, the characters are so real, you half expect to run into them at the store. They’re all unique, relatable, and so delightfully flawed. Have Kleenex ready when you reach the end! You’ll need it.

Recommended for everyone, but especially those raised in the Christian church. (Note: must be able to laugh at yourself.)

I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Dear Thing by Julie Cohen

Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Publication Date: March 29, 2016
Formats Available: Kindle, Paperback

After years of watching her best friends Ben and Claire try for a baby, Romily has offered to give them the one thing that they want most. 

Romily expects it will be easy to be a surrogate. She’s already a single mother, and she has no desire for any more children. But Romily isn’t prepared for the overwhelming feelings that have taken hold of her and which threaten to ruin her friendship with Ben and Claire–and even destroy their marriage. 

Now there are three friends, two mothers and only one baby, and an impossible decision to make…

MY RATING:    

For a long time, people struggled with infertility in silence. Now, thanks in large part to the Internet, those who have difficulty conceiving or carrying a baby to term are starting to break that silence. Infertility is becoming a larger conversation, and we as a society are growing in knowledge and compassion because of it. That’s why I’m so glad to see books like Dear Thing doing well.

This is my first Julie Cohen novel, and I was not disappointed. The writing is exquisite, the plot is complex, and the characters feel like real people. By that, I mean that despite their obvious flaws, I still find them loveable. I especially appreciate how the main character’s flaws are in direct opposition to their strengths–Ben’s a loyal, caring friend, but also a bit of a selfish jerk; Claire is nurturing and kind, but has trouble forming deep connections with others; Romily is wicked smart, but the ins and outs of daily life confound her. This serves as an excellent example of what broken, paradoxical creatures we humans are. One of my favorite aspects of this book was the relationship between Romily and her seven-year-old daughter Posie. There was a dynamic there that reminded me of Atticus and Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird.

But really, what most impressed me about Dear Thing was the thorough treatment of the ethical issues surrounding surrogacy and other fertility treatments. If you don’t already have an opinion on the subject, I’m willing to bet you will by the time you finish this book, and odds are it will be completely different from the one I hold. Ms. Cohen does a fantastic job of exploring a very complex situation without telling the reader how to think or feel. That’s the mark of a great novelist, if you ask me.

If you’re not a regular reader of chick lit or women’s fiction, don’t let those labels deter you from picking this book up. It’s well worth the read.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Cold Calling by Russell Mardell

Genre: Contemporary Fiction, Comedy
Publisher: Matador
Publication Date: February 3, 2016
Formats Available: Kindle, Paperback

Still reeling from the break-up with the love of his life, insurance firm cold-caller Ray English has become a bit of a screw up. Cynical and withdrawn, Ray is aimlessly drifting through life in London with his long suffering best friend, Danny. However, once he is asked to reform his college band for a friend’s wedding, Ray is soon forced to face up to his old life, and the hometown he had tried so hard to turn his back on.

Anya Belmont is a woman with a secret and a history that continues to shape her life. A coffee shop owner in Salisbury, Anya is successful, yet bored; married, yet lonely. She is also slowly being driven to distraction by her highly temperamental friend, the child-hating children’s author, Eva Cunningham.

Through fate, coincidence or just bad timing, Ray and Anya’s lives begin to change when Ray cold-calls Anya and the two strike up a seemingly innocuous conversation. Against their better judgement, their conversation is soon the start of a relationship played out over the phone. But can there ever be anything real in a phone call?

MY RATING:    

I’ll be honest–I requested this book solely because of the title and the cover. I’m sure I read the book description, but I couldn’t remember a bit of it when I finally got around to reading it. There’s a danger in judging a book by its cover, as countless movies and TV shows have taught us, but every once in a while, it results in something pleasantly phenomenal.

One thing I really enjoyed about Cold Calling is how the characters are loveable, despite their unloveable characteristics. Ray English is a bit of a mess. He’s hung up on his ex-girlfriend Katie nearly five years after their five-month relationship ended. At thirty, he doesn’t have any career plans or directions; instead, he’s still living with his college buddy, Danny. Danny’s not much better than Ray, other than the fact that he’s let his past girlfriends go. Anya has built a hedge around her heart and refuses to let anyone inside–anyone except Ray, that is, when he surprises her with a cold call about her husband’s life insurance policy. And Eva . . . well, Eva is the ugliness that we all carry inside us.

I love this book for the same reason I love the movie (500) Days of Summer. Through it, we see the danger that lies in romanticizing the past and refusing to let it go. There is also an element of The Five People You Meet in Heaven too, although not at all in the afterlife sense. The ways in which total strangers can touch each other’s lives is astounding, and this book does a brilliant job of showcasing that.

The ending is not what I was expecting, and I love it for that. This is a nice, quick read guaranteed to warm your heart and make you laugh out loud.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fairy Tale Retelling
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Publication Date:February 2, 2016
Formats Available: Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover, Audio

The enchantment continues…

The universe of the Lunar Chronicles holds stories–and secrets–that are wondrous, vicious, and romantic. How did Cinder first arrive in New Beijing? How did the brooding soldier, Wolf, transform from young man to killer? When did Princess Winter and the palace guard, Jacin, realize their destinies?

With six stories–five of which have never before been published–and an exclusive never-before-seen excerpt from Marissa Meyer’s novel Heartless, about the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland, Stars Above is essential for fans of the best-selling and beloved Lunar Chronicles.

***

The Little Android: A retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles.

Glitches: In this prequel to Cinder, we see the results of the plague play out, and the emotional toll it takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch….

The Queen’s Army: In this prequel to Scarlet, we’re introduced to the army Queen Levana is building, and one soldier in particular who will do anything to keep from becoming the monster they want him to be.

Carswell’s Guide to Being Lucky: Thirteen-year-old Carswell Thorne has big plans involving a Rampion spaceship and a no-return trip out of Los Angeles.

The Keeper: A prequel to the Lunar Chronicles, showing a young Scarlet and how Princess Selene came into the care of Michelle Benoit.

After Sunshine Passes By: In this prequel to Cress, we see how a nine-year-old Cress ended up alone on a satellite, spying on Earth for Luna.

The Princess and the Guard: In this prequel to Winter, we see a game called The Princess

The Mechanic: In this prequel to Cinder, we see Kai and Cinder’s first meeting from Kai’s perspective.

Something Old, Something New: In this epilogue to Winter, friends gather for the wedding of the century…

MY RATING:    

This collection of vignettes is a perfect end to the Lunar Chronicles. While most of the sections fill in the backstory gaps rather than introduce new information, it was entertaining and heartwarming to see the story played out from different perspectives. ‘The Little Android” was an insanely creative adaption of “The Little Mermaid,” and was probably my favorite part of the entire collection. The last story–“Something Old, Something New”–is the ending we were all hoping for Cinder and the gang. If you enjoyed Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter, be sure to give this one a read. You won’t regret it! I enjoyed it so much more than Fairest.