Grace Draven - The Brush of Black Wings

During a foray into the woods of Neith, Martise stumbles upon a ruined temple and reawakens not only a power she thought lost, but also something far more malevolent. An ancient darkness, imprisoned in an eternal cage, sees a chance at freedom in a woman once held in bondage.
Desperate to save her, the Master of Crows will break the barriers of time and worlds to challenge an entity born of forgotten magic and the remnants of souls—a demon king who once led hordes of the damned across the face of the world.
The destroyer of gods will battle the destroyer of men to reclaim her and discover a truth the keepers of history once conspired to conceal.
A tale of revelation and redemption.

Comment: This is the follow-up novella to the amazing book Master of Crows by author Grace Draven. I really liked the main book but for some reason I procrastinated reading this novella. In a way it seems my instinct was correct because despite the fact this was an interesting story, I just didn't feel as much connection to it as I did with the first one.

This a fantasy story featuring the protagonist of the first book and now that some time has passed since the events of the full length tale, Silhara and Martise are happily married and in love and living very simple lives among all the domestic and magical tasks they work with everyday.

One day, though, while looking for mushrooms in the forest surrounding the castle, Martise stumbles on an ancient rock and somehow wakes up a being linked to the old place. In an effort to get help, she uses her power which causes the being to "wake up"and later Silhara needs to help and save her. What they discover is that the strange powerful being just awakened has a secret and a need and will our couple be able to solve the obstacle in their way?

I won't go into much description of comments about this, since this is a small story. I liked revisiting the main characters after having enjoyed their romance so well in the first book but to be honest. this was a much simpler story and not only due to the page limit.

Having a small amount of content to think of makes things a little too...vague. It was nice to have little clues on the couple and it's definitely great to see them happy.

However, thinking on how much I liked their original story, thinking on how long it's been since that and also bearing in mind I've read other books by the author in the meantime that, although not bad, weren't as addictive for me, I think I can say one needs to really like the style of this author to appreciate specific details.

I'd say my biggest complain with this story is that it feels unfinished. It gave the reader the closure regarding the couple (yay, they are happy) but it created other possibilities in terms of future stories because of what we learn. I think this author really likes to create a good atmosphere, to explain things, to add details and descriptions and often this is enough. But I can't help feeling there's also a slight sense of detachment in how the story is told vs the emotion supposed being portrayed. 

In the first book I didn't feel that but with the other books by this author I did and also with this novella. As if the emotion isn't really shown, just the fact the characters say that. I can't explain well.

This was a good enough story but there are too many things left in the air and if one were to consider this as stand alone story, then it felt weaker than it could have.

Grade: 6/10

John Crowley - The Translator

A novel of tremendous scope and beauty, The Translator tells of the relationship between an exiled Russian poet and his American translator during the Cuban missile crisis, a time when a writer's words -- especially forbidden ones -- could be powerful enough to change the course of history.

Comment: I added this book to my reading list back in 2016 but I can't tell anymore exactly why I thought this would be a book I'd like to read. It probably had something to do with the main character being a translator, which I am too, and that it implied a romance of sorts, which tends to be my preferable choice of reading.

In this book, which I'd label fiction and literature, we have the story of Christa Malone, an impressionable young woman who is telling us how she used to know and loved the Russian poet Falin at a time America was under the soviet threat and was dealing with crises with the Cuban missiles.

Christa is studying at the college where exiled Falin is teaching and in the midst of having long conversations about translation and literature, they start to care for each other and later on, when Christa is no longer his student, they see to embark on a discreet love affair. The problem is that politics is everywhere and the idea of the soviets spying and helping the Cubans doesn't settle well into American authorities which also have their own spies...

Well, this wasn't certainly what I expected. I imagined this would go more along the lines of a classical romance type of story with the historical and political aspects in the background. I also imagined the translation side of things would be much more obvious and important for the overall plot. The title, after all, seemed to stress that out a lot but after finishing the book maybe that wasn't the best title.

What this book turned out to be was a story that was heavier on the literature details (both in prose and vagueness) than in the fiction department (too many real life historical facts to let your mind wander). This wasn't a bad book for me, though - I actually liked several parts of it and was positively surprised by the imagination to create the fictional poetry included and the beauty of some passages captivated me too.

I just think I was led to believe this would go a certain way and then it was not. I can't explain why this happens so much to me, to think wrongly about what the books are about. Can it be that I am that picky so often?

I've studied translation at the university and although that isn't my full time job I still work in it as a freelance. I like this world and the ideas behind any translation process. Therefore, and with that title, I did imagine this would be more important to the story but sadly, it was not because although it was a convenient tool to approach the main characters and make them spend more time together not only falling in love bus debating poetry and feelings too, it just didn't add much to the action or the character's personalities.

I felt this book was more focused on Christa, the main character. She is a translator yes but that's not what the book is centered in.

Christa seems to be the driving force behind everything, she is an older woman when she story starts and she thinks about her life when she was younger when she met professor Falin and she thinks about the time they were together until he disappeared. On one hand, this is intriguing because it offers the reader the chance to follow different moments in time and the story gets richer but ti can also be confusing as I didn't notice any obvious change between times except the information we were given regarding each specific time but only when characters were interacting.

The political content is interesting because one can place it in time and there is documentation on it but because it "stole" so much attention from the fictional plot, I felt the book as a whole wasn't as consistent and there were often some boring parts to go through.

The prose the author used is often beautiful and evocative. The poetry, like I said, is as well. But everything together isn't always easy to read, there are too many things to read between the lines and yes, that can be the challenge at the same time as the goal of the book but with the amount of vagueness in the air, I don't think there was any conclusion nor closure to be had. The end is obviously artistically done for a literary work but after investing in the characters and their feelings, I kind of expected to be privy to some more information instead of just assumptions.

All things considered, this was good but not as good as I imagined when I started. It was still a good way to get to know a bit about a new author to me, even if I hesitate to read something by him again.

Grade: 6/10

Mary Balogh - A Secret Affair

Born a commoner, Hannah Reid has been Duchess of Dunbarton since she was nineteen years old. Now her husband is dead and, more beautiful than ever at thirty, Hannah has her freedom at last. To the shock of a conventional friend, she announces her intention to take a lover—and not just any lover, but the most dangerous and delicious man in all of upper-class England: Constantine Huxtable. Constantine’s illegitimacy has denied him the title of earl, so now he denies himself nothing. Rumored to be living the easy life of a sensualist on his country estate, he always chooses recent widows for his short-lived affairs. Hannah will fit the bill nicely. But once these two passionate and scandalous figures find each other, they discover that it isn’t so easy to extricate oneself from the fires of desire—without getting singed. 

Comment: This is the fifth and final installment in the Huxtable series by Mary Balogh, which I've started in January and have read one book each month, being this the last one at last. This is an historical series about the Huxtable siblings and their cousin Constantine, after they discover their brother Stephen is the heir for a earldom. Throughout the stories we've watched each sibling finding love and this last book is all about Constantine.

In this last story, we find the whole family settled well into family life, except Constantine, who is once again going to look for a mistress for the Season. He is also considering the fact he is getting older so he probably should think about marrying but perhaps not just yet, even if he does feel a little envy of the fact all his cousins found a love match.

Hannah Reid is one of the most famous widows of the Season, finally after her mourning of the much older husband everyone thinks she married for his money. Everyone is mistaken for she did love her husband, even he was old enough to be her grandfather. There was just one think she didn't have while married and that she wants to experience fully, which is to have a lover. She sets her sights on Constantine for his looks and demeanor.

The problem is these two have hidden depths they don't show to anyone else, including close friends. What will happen when they start to confide in and trust each other?

Once more, this book was what I expected from the author in terms of tone and style so I can say I liked it. 

The author also uses her usual tactic of letting the characters be aware of a certain fact regarding the protagonists at the same time the reader also gets aware but although the reader can assume a new information will be revealed to elevate them in our eyes, the other characters don't and that is part of the conflict and why it takes time for the plot to move forward.

Despite the fact this is a familiar tactic for fans of this author (and of romance in general) and that the protagonists do have some hidden depths and emotions which can seem doubtful but as anyone reading romance would obviously know that would be proven misplaced, I must say this book wasn't as appealing as the first three of the series have been.

The thing is, unlike those three, this is more similar to the fourth, the previous one, in relation to the female protagonist and how she is portrayed. For me, that is actually a minus in my consideration.

I think it's quite amazing that the author thought about including women in her stories who are bright and have independence streaks and many other things that could make a woman - constricted by her time - into someone fresh and free within her limits. Hannah is a widow so she is permitted some freedom other types of woman don't have.

In real life, I must say, I'm all for that freedom at all levels and sexually too, if the woman wants to. But to be honest, even if that sounds too old skool or silly or not feminist at all, I prefer my heroines to be less worried about sex. They can have it all they want but why should it matter? Even in a romance story, for obvious reasons, I can accept it as being part of the expectations, but in this case because Hannah anted sexual freedom so much, she acts manipulative and cynical with Constantine. Ok, he didn't have to accept but he does for plot purposes. I just don't find it empowering nor sexy to be that obvious she just wanted to use the hero.

Anyway, it's just a pet peeve of mine. I prefer stories with more balance sexual decisions from both protagonists or when sex is just a good extra and the not the driving force.

Of course, as the story moves on from the initial awkward situation of Hannah and Constantine becoming lovers, things improve as they get to know more about one another and confiding personal things to the other.

Their personalities do match after they start being more honest and even interacting with other characters. These are often my favorites parts, how the family unites and is an important part of the others' lives as well.

Hannah and Constantine achieve happiness, as one can imagine. Hannah is able to find what she really wanted and so does Constantine, to the also expectant reconciliation with his cousin, something readers have wanted to see from book #1.

The HEA did seem a little rushed, all things considered, but overall, I think it was a good enough installment, just not as thrilling or appealing as the first three.

Grade: 6/10

Isabel Allende - Portrait in Sepia

In nineteenth-century Chile, Aurora del Valle suffers a brutal trauma that erases all recollections of the first five years of her life. Raised by her regal and ambitious grandmother Paulina del Valle, Aurora grows up in a privileged environment but is tormented by horrible nightmares. When she is forced to recognize her betrayal at the hands of the man she loves, and to cope with the resulting solitude, she explores the mystery of her past.

Comment: Last time I went to my local library I've picked this book. Not that I was tremendously eager to read it but since it was available and it's not such a big book, I figured I wouldn't take too long to read it.

Following the usual pattern of this author's initial work, this story tells us the generational tale of the del Valle family by the voice of Aurora, the granddaughter.

Aurora knows her family has always have many quirks and stories but she never thought about it until her own life seems to become complicated to a point she believes it must be the family's way. Therefore, she writes about what happened to the other women in her close family and how she came to be who she is now.

This will be a mini-comment.

This author isn't one I faithfully follow but I tend to enjoy her style from time to time. She always manages to give a lot of information in the often descriptive writing about families. I'd say this author's style is mostly women's fiction, she does focus a lot on the role and lives of women in certain families and how hey have evolved through times, among cultural and historical events. I do like the fact her style is often direct, even she's describing things that might not be too interesting.

Aurora is a good narrator but she isn't always present, so the reader isn't limited to only her perception of things. This can be positive because otherwise a lot of information could be lost and the overall story wouldn't be as captivating.

Of course a huge part of the story is spent over the adventures and lives of the secondary characters and what drove them into being who they were, how they maneuvered the political instability around them from time to time... I think its good we get to learn more about this side of history, namely Chile's, but I must say that despite how interesting, it's not so well done I would say it's all that necessary.

The strength of the novel is clearly the personality of the characters and how it almost seems they are larger than life and accomplish things with such easiness or spontaneity that I can't help but thinking the "magical realism" some people label the author with is certainly quite obvious.

I think, in terms of plot, this is a little too easy, and it's difficult to connect with the characters because they seem to embody some idea and don't really represent believable people. Nevertheless, it was a good few hours spent reading about this and there were moments where I think the emotion was well achieved.

I wouldn't run to read the rest of her work but it's always a safe bet, I'd say, to rely on when someone doesn't know what to read but appreciates family sagas.

Grade: 6/10

Sonya Clark - Good Time Bad Boy

Wade Sheppard was the king of country for nearly ten years. Now he can’t get Nashville on the phone, much less another record deal. When yet another drunken night onstage gets him fired from a casino gig, Wade is pulled off the road by his manager and sent home. Being back in the small town where he was born and raised, his every screw-up fodder for gossip, isn’t helping any. His family knows him too well, and the pretty, sharp-tongued waitress who catches his eye doesn’t want to know him at all.
Daisy McNeil has more baggage than most her age but she’s finally pulling her life together. College classes will be her ticket out of poverty and instability. She doesn’t mind waiting tables for the time being, but she could do without the rowdy rednecks who sometimes get handsy. When one of them crosses the line, she snaps and gives him and his stupid ten gallon hat the telling off he deserves, but causing a scene gets her fired.
Wade didn’t mean to cost Daisy her job. Chastened, he decides he doesn’t want his train wreck of a life to crash into anybody else. He offers the bar owner a summer of free shows if Daisy can have her job back. Now they’re spending nights together trading barbs and fighting a growing attraction. With a sexy smile and a powerful voice that can make any song his, Wade’s determined to show Daisy that he’s more than just a good time bad boy. 

Comment: I added this book to my TBR in 2015 because at the time the prospect of reading a story about a country singer and a waitress felt like a great idea, especially because both of them weren't in their best moment of life and I was curious how the author would bring them together in a believable way.

The problem of often adding things to one's TBR because of (usually) only one main element as we see it can mean that the story might not really revolve around it alone and that can mean the story isn't exactly what one imagines, as ended up being the case here.

In this story we meet Wade Sheppard, a 41 year old who has not dealt well with a terrible loss and that ha reflected in his life, both professional and personal. He goes back to his small town after another failure and hopes to at least have time to breathe and think about what is next for him. He isn't, therefore, in his best frame of mind when he harasses waitress Daisy at the bar where he actually started his career. Apologizing isn't enough and somehow he agrees to perform again with just a few conditions in order for the waitress to be readmitted after a mix up due to his behavior.

Daisy wants to finish her degree without debts but that means it will take her much longer and waitressing does pay the bills. She doesn't allow for guys to harass her, tough, even at the cost of this much needed job. Since the guy is coming back to play at the bar for the summer season she knows they can't ignore each other. What she didn't count on was how much she ends up caring for him, even if their pasts might be too much of a conflict...

I think it must fairly rare to go into a book with no expectations. By reading a blurb alone can be enough to help the reader create an idea on what the story is going to be about, otherwise why would there be blurbs or why would people choose this or tat to read?

This means for me that having a blurb is almost a third of a way to appreciate a book or not. I've mentioned this in several of my comments but a blurb can be quite misleading and create certain expectations. I also had those with this book and nothing in the blurb implies this would touch serious issues which were a positive surprise since I like seriousness in my books. But for me this also meant the romance felt rather secondary and lacking.

I think this was an interesting story. Both protagonists have something in their past that could work as a deterrent for them to be together but thankfully these two can talk and that didn't end up being the main point of contention in the story. There's also the age gap, he's 41 and she's 26 but what happened to them, between their lives and backgrounds shaped them into who they are now. I was surprised at the level of maturity they both have, from different reasons and it has nothing to do with age.

I do think the author convinced me of these characters' feelings and the why they can be a good complement to one another.

I also think the overall story was indeed enriched by the challenges they both faced and why they are so aware of who they are now, as individuals, even if wade sometimes acts like someone still looking for answers. I would say these things are well explained withing the story and in the end each protagonist makes sense in how they behave and feel.

The blurb doesn't let out that both protagonists faced serious issues apart from where they are at the beginning of the novel. Readers sort of assume that there will be a romance between them... I liked how much in they had and what made them feel comfortable with one another. I do think the relationship progressed in a good pace.

However, having such baggage and having such a great connection doesn't immediately mean their relationship covers all the bases for them to be so suitable. They are but they could have been just as great as only friends. I accept they are a couple but I don't think their romantic connection was as well depicted as the strength they both give to one another just as friends. Meaning, why do they need to be a couple? Even the way the story ends, with things more or less oriented for them, I didn't finish the story imagining their future, what could happen for them... I don't think there was any romantic tension between them to ensure me they couldn't be anything else but a couple.

Thinking about this book as a whole, there are plenty scenes where we can see how good a couple they can be but I was not convinced with possibilities, I wanted to be certain but I think the story lost some impact as it was getting closer to the end. There isn't an epilogue either and I think that was a miss because things end up positively but not as conclusive as I'd have wished.

Nevertheless, it was a good enough story to read...

Grade: 6/10

Mary Balogh - Seducing an Angel

In her magnificent new novel, New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh sweeps us into a world of scandal and intrigue—glittering Regency England—and introduces the youngest Huxtable: Stephen, the only son. Here Stephen will risk his reputation and his heart as he enters a scandalous liaison with the infamous beauty intent on seduction. But when passion turns the tables on them both, who can say who has seduced whom?
He must be wealthy, wellborn, and want her more than he wants any other woman. Those are the conditions that must be met by the man Cassandra Belmont chooses for her lover. Marriage is out of the question for the destitute widow who stands accused of murdering her husband and must now barter her beauty in order to survive. With seduction in mind, she sets her sights on Stephen Huxtable, the irresistibly attractive Earl of Merton and London’s most eligible bachelor. But Stephen’s first intriguing glimpse of the mysterious, alluring Lady Paget convinces him that he has found the ideal woman to share his bed. There is only one caveat. This relationship fueled by mutual pleasure must be on his terms.
As the two warily circle each other in a sensual dance of attack and retreat, a single night of passion alters all the rules. Cassandra, whose reputation is already in tatters, is now in danger of losing the one thing she vowed never to give. And Stephen, who wants Cassandra more than he has ever wanted any woman, won’t rest until she has surrendered everything—not as his mistress—but as his lover and wife. . .

Comment: This is the fourth story in the Huxtable quintet series by Mary Balogh, which I've been reading lately.

This is the story of Stephen, the earl of Merton. His older sisters have been the protagonists of the previous three books and now it's his turn to find happiness. Stephen is very likable man, not only because of his behavior and status since he got to be heir to the earldom but also because h is a genuine person and treats others in a fair and polite manner.

Stephen believes he isn't ready yet to marry but he can't dismiss the fact he is aware many see him as a potential good catch, an idea he doesn't mind either. Therefore, he lives his life with all the comforts and the politeness his status provides while still maintaining the simplicity and friendliness of the years he didn't have as much money.

Considering his life but also his approachable personality, he is indeed a little surprised by meeting lady Paget, a woman some people have accused of murdering her husband, and to see how unafraid she is of letting him know she wouldn't mind having him as a lover. However, after their first night together he realizes his expectations regarding the seduction that took place aren't the same as lady Paget's. Will these two find common ground and happiness anyway?

One of the best features of long series where the focus isn't on just one couple is the potential for development of the protagonists and the secondary characters throughout the stories.

Thinking this, it can be obvious one of the subjects that had some importance in these stories was how Stephen, who in book #1 was only seventeen if I remember correctly, has grown up to be a very good man, a good friend and peer. It was very reassuring how he didn't change his personality with the money and the means his new status allows. In fact, I really liked seeing in a page here, another there, how gentle Stephen has become a very worthy and reasonable man.

That is why, I suppose, I feel a little bit irked his heroine has turned out to be someone like lady Paget. You see, I have imagined in my head a possible heroine for Stephen and although I didn't envision him with a wallflower type of woman nor someone too much like him that they wouldn't have any visible sharing of passion, I must say I also didn't think of someone with lady Paget's personality. 

From a human POV, I can totally understand why lady Paget behaved the way she did but from the perspective of reading a romance novel, I felt she was a little too cynical to suit Stephen's temperament and personality.

Said like that it can look as if I'm criticizing the woman and putting Stephen, the guy, in the pedestal. That is not my intention but the reality is that lady Paget decided to act a certain way, she decided to seduce Stephen because she is in financial difficulties and doesn't want to let go of those she is caring for. I'm not bothered she felt like relying on her beauty and sex to be able to pay bills and feed those under her care; in fact that can be admirable. The problem is her attitude, the almost cold and impersonal way she approaches Stephen. Yes, the reader knows her reasons but she treats Stephen poorly in the beginning.

It's also true I wouldn't know how to behave if I were in her shoes, during an historical period when women had practically no rights, especially regarding finances. But from the POV of this being a romance novel, I can certainly imagine the author would have had the talent to choose a different way of letting us know of lady Paget's struggles.

When we learn (it's always suspected anyway) of the reasons behind her attitude, they are certainly clear and justified and she does get to be friendlier as the novel moves along. I can also say I'm glad she and Stephen found common ground and found traits in the other that made them fall in love and find happiness. But then I remember how their first meeting was, I think about the way her money problems were solved with a few scenes of coincidental events and it sort of keeps being a bit of a let down how their relationship went through those situations.

In real life, I wouldn't be as judgmental and of course people have every right to behave in the way they feel like at the time if they aren't hurting anyone but despite her reasons lady Paget did hurt Stephen occasionally, from an emotional POV. It has nothing to do with the fact she is a woman and he a man, it could very well been the other way around and I'd think the same but... I wish she could have demonstrated her anger and sadness and hopelessness in a different way, that's all.

The plot ends well, of course and with everyone happy. That is what matters after all.

I do hope the last story, cousin Constantine, will end things in perfection, though.

Grade: 6/10

Mini-Comments

Collection of twenty-four stories that generously expresses Murakami’s mastery of the form. From the surreal to the mundane, these stories exhibit his ability to transform the full range of human experience in ways that are instructive, surprising, and relentlessly entertaining. Here are animated crows, a criminal monkey, and an iceman, as well as the dreams that shape us and the things we might wish for. Whether during a chance reunion in Italy, a romantic exile in Greece, a holiday in Hawaii, or in the grip of everyday life, Murakami’s characters confront grievous loss, or sexuality, or the glow of a firefly, or the impossible distances between those who ought to be closest of all.

 

After losing her parents, young Mary Lennox is sent from India to live in her uncle's gloomy mansion on the wild English moors. She is lonely and has no one to play with, but one day she learns of a secret garden somewhere in the grounds that no one is allowed to enter. Then Mary uncovers an old key in a flowerbed - and a gust of magic leads her to the hidden door. Slowly she turns the key and enters a world she could never have imagined. 

Two more mini-comments on books that I liked enough to appreciate its value or "message" but that I probably won't feel like re-reading in the future.

Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman by Haruki Murakami is a set of 24 stories which I've read in Portuguese. I liked other titles by this author in the past and I was trying to see if those had been a so-called fluke or if I really could love the author's work in general. 

I think I wasn't as successful because despite these stories being interesting, considering the whimsical and often magical realism style of the author, I just didn't find them all that captivating. Some were cute, some were well thought but most felt too much disconnected from reality that not even by accepting them as metaphors I could really enjoy them.

I won't talk about each one but I can say that from the 24, my favorites were, in order of appearance:

2nd Story: Birthday Girl (a girl asks for a wish and the reader must wonder exactly how it came to be true)

16th Story – The Rise and Fall of Sharpie Cakes (it's clearly a metaphor for Murakami's experience with critics of his books and his writing path)
21st Story – Hanalei Bay (About a woman who loses her son to a shark attack and returns every year to that place as homage, I thought it was emotionally well done)

All in all, one could also notice the change in strength in the year each story was written, most of the last ones felt more consistent and all wee written in 00s. Something to think about regarding his style but I'm now not certain if I prefer his full length books or if my interest has diminished. I'll try another book eventually, to reach a conclusion. 

Grade: 6/10

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson  Burnett is a classic for children (and adults too, of course) and tells us the story of young Mary Lennox whose parents die in India and she is sent back to England to live with her uncle. However, her uncle doesn't seem to be that interested in her, which means Mary is pretty much alone except for the servants. At first Mary is very arrogant and ill mannered and quite spoiled from how she was treated back in India.  With time, though, she started to go outside, to become interested in the garden and by discovering an entrance to a garden which has been forbidden makes her discover a lot about herself and also in how others are worthy people and friends.As the plot progresses, Mary goes through an evolution of who she is as a person, as well as helping others doing the same.

There is clearly a lesson here, not that hard to understand but for children I can see why it would be a good way of letting you think about how to be nice for people and how having a sunny disposition can make you happier and those around you as well. From the point of view of a reader, I can see the appeal. From my own personal preferences, this was quite simplistic and I did assume it would be/feel even more special, so i do feel rather disappointed with the emotional impact. Perhaps the writing didn't convey as much feeling as I imagined it would. It was nice to read, though.

Grade: 6/10

Annette Blair - Jacob's Return

Jacob Sauder abandons his Amish heritage when the woman he loves, Rachel Zook, agrees to marry his brother, Simon. Though he adapts to the ways of the "English" - even fathering twins - he remains an outsider. When the mother of his twins dies, Jacob knows only one way to raise his children - the Amish way. He brings them home to the community he vowed to leave forever. For his children he can do anything, even be strong when he sees Rachel, his love, married to his brother.
Years ago, Simon lied to ensure a future with Rachel Zook as his wife. Now Rachel is barren, a disappointment to him. Unaware of the lie Simon told to drive Jacob away, Rachel believes Jacob abandoned her when he left the Amish community. Shocked when he returns with two-year-old twins, Rachel knows there can be nothing between them, for marriage is a life-long commitment among the Amish. But the twins need a mother and Rachel loves children. As she cares for Jacob's children as if they were her own, her feelings for him deepen into a love that cannot be.
Jacob's Return is the story of a prodigal son, a forbidden love, and a fanatical preacher. As shocking as it is compelling, Jacob's Return is both uplifting and unforgettable. A wonderful read, this is a universal story about love and faith in impossible circumstances.

Comment: I just checked and I had added this title to my TBR back in 2015. I can't remember anymore why but since it's another one of the titles I've buddy read with my friend H., it probably means there's something in it that caught out attention.. I can't tell anymore if it was the fact this would feature a romance among the Amish community or the sort-of-trope with the single parent raising his children...

This book is centered on Jacob, an Amish man who turned his back on the community when his brother married the woman he had always loved right after their mother's death. Now four years gone, he is coming back with his twin babies since their mother died giving birth to them. He knows life won't be easy at home. His father will welcome him if the community's bishop does but he can anticipate the issues with living with his brother and Rachel, the woman he thinks left him for his brother Simon. 

What he discovers is that his brother's marriage isn't good and Rachel is not yet a mother, actually accused of being barren. Jacob decides to cheer her up by asking her to help with his own children, especially since they will all live in the same house. However, the feelings that once brought them together were not forgotten but their circumstances are different now. Will there be any hope for them?

By checking we can see this book was originally published in 1999 and its cover was pretty steamy for an Amish setting. The reprints already in the 00s are more in tune with what the story is about but I must say the fact this was written in the 90s conferred this story a certain tone that I wasn't expecting at all. Basically, this story did feel a little more passionate than what I usually assume writers would attempt with Amish or other religious groups.

I don't mean to say this is bad or wrong but it threw me off a little and perhaps my enjoyment was less because of that. I'd say this book is more along the lines of those with some community conflict but where religion isn't the focus. Although the action for this book took place among the Amish, that detail was never very decisive for the characters. In my point of view.

This story is based on the return of one son who lost his ways (familiar much?) but who wants to raise his children with his family and with his own personal background. I could certainly appreciate this for it was obvious Jacob felt the need to return to his beliefs and values, something he didn't find while he was away.

I could also accept he would return to his father's house, where his always steady brother Simon was living with Rachel. Not just from the perspective that this is how Amish families would behave in an historical setting ( or even now, I'm not knowledgeable enough on this subject) but also because where should he go anyway, if the room for them was there.

What made me loose my appreciation - and this was very in the beginning of the book - was how quickly the conflict with Rachel was solved with a very simple conversation. This means from then on the conflict was due to the fact she was married to his brother and not their bruised feelings.

On one hand, this was positive because the reader doesn't have to spend the whole book waiting for them to stop making cow eyes at one another. But it also means their behavior, even with some mitigating and valid reasons, was certainly not one I'd think of two dedicated Amish people who live according to their beliefs.

I can understand how some things happened for plot purpose but then the Amish setting and detail felt a little like... a prop, something just to justify a few things and not really an integral part of who these people were. Again, just my own impression.

I could say some things worked out well. I think the overall sense of angst and need to overcome a problem and stress out the importance of family and of being kind were captivating details that made me want to keep reading. But the romance between Jacob and Rachel wasn't impressive, nor how they chose to deal with one another and even less with how the author "solved" the problems before they got to have their HEA.

This is not a bad book as a whole but while thinking about several elements alone, I feel a little bothered with the way the main characters behaved or decided to act. Ok, it can be a little how people in the 19th century behaved, perhaps it can be just one possibility among the millions of people who make different decisions everyday but... I liked some things about this book but not all.

Grade: 6/10

Robert Thier - Silence is Golden

Silent. Cold. Chiselled perfection. That is Rikkard Ambrose, the most powerful business mogul in Great Britain.
Free-spirited. Fiery. Definitely NOT attracted to the aforementioned business mogul. That is Lilly Linton, his personal secretary and secret weapon.
The two have been playing a cat and mouse game for months. So far, Lilly has been able to fight down and deny her attraction to Mr Ambrose. But what happens when suddenly, the dark secrets of his past begin to surface and they are forced to go on a perilous journey into the South-American jungle? A journey they can only survive if they band together?

Comment: This is the third installment of the Storm and Silence series by author Robert Thier. This story begun on wattpad and now there everything is being published in different full length installments, of which this is the #3. I've already seen there are two more after this one and apparently one yet to be published, right after the author finishes his weekly? postings, eventually. 

This idea of publishing everything at the end is very good for those who don't want the stress of having to wait week after week and can simply enjoy ti all at some point.

In this third adventure of the couple Ambrose and Lillian, they travel to South America to look for some gold while at the same time trying to stay away from their personal bothers. In Ambrose's case, it's a meeting with his family and in Lillian's, running away from the proximity of a potential suitor.

In the jungle, the two of them, and the always present Karim, try their best to survive and to reach their goals but it's not easy to be in a different environment... or is it? So far away from London, in the middle of the jungle, no one needs to know what happens, right?

When I read the first book of this series, I was really happy with the way things developed. The historical setting provided many interesting possibilities in how the relationship between rich but skinflint Ambrose and wanting to be independent but young woman Lillian developed. I thought the author had done a good job presenting the opposite attracted couple and despite the fact their feelings were never admitted, I foresaw many positive scenarios.

In the second story I was a little wary of the repetitions, of the way some situations were dealt with too much flippancy but I still imagined it would have to be the signal for better things.

Now I'm here at book #3 and I'm a little disappointed.

I should say that this series is somewhat based on the premise that two very different people, in complete opposed social situations somehow got close enough for it to exist a relationship between them, even if it's an unbalanced professional one at first. The idea of these two slowly getting to know one another was catnip for me but I think there are two main details about the overall story that I can't help but think won't ever be "solved" and the story won't be what I imagined nor as satisfying as I hoped for.

The first big issue is that this is quite obviously a comedy. In the first book I think my impression was a little wrong because I felt the narrative to be more balanced, there were funny things/scenes and the main perspective of young but self proclaimed feminist Lillian was captivating. There was still some content to let the reader get to their own conclusions, some elements that made me think the characters' relationship would be a romantic one but facing some (natural) class issues which would confer this a slight serious tone at times.

However, as the stories have progressed to books #2 and #3, there is quite an emphasis on the fun things, on the silly and unlikely stuff, like young single Lillian traveling so easily everywhere with people not her family while having the permission of her uncle and the lack of attention of her aunt behind her. This is so... difficult to accept that instead of silly adventures I can only focus on the ridiculous and frivolous side of things.

Therefore, the second issue is that by exploiting the unlikeliness of an historical story like this ever being reliable, and by basing his writing method on installments, which takes time to develop and present, it seems the author wants to squeeze every drop before concluding the story. This wouldn't be such a problem if the author didn't delayed any plot action to the point of repeating things over and over, not really advancing the overall story. Where is this going could be the question but for me, even more important, when is this going to advance takes precedence.

Since there isn't much happening in the more than 300 pages of my edition, there isn't a lot to comment either. I do like the fact the main couple seems to be finding the common ground that should be expected in a romance and I admit there are good scenes, there is some fascination with the characters and some of the situations they meet. But I don't think I'll be as eager to read the other books, if what seems to be the promise is more of the same.

Grade: 6/10

TBR Challenge: Mimi Matthews - The Matrimonial Advertisement

Helena Reynolds will do anything to escape her life in London, even if that means traveling to a remote cliffside estate on the North Devon coast and marrying a complete stranger. But Greyfriar's Abbey isn't the sort of refuge she imagined. And ex-army captain Justin Thornhill--though he may be tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome--is anything but a romantic hero.
Justin has spent the last two decades making his fortune, settling scores, and suffering a prolonged period of torture in an Indian prison. Now, he needs someone to smooth the way for him with the villagers. Someone to manage his household--and warm his bed on occasion. What he needs, in short, is a wife and a matrimonial advertisement seems the perfect way to acquire one.
Their marriage was meant to be a business arrangement and nothing more. A dispassionate union free from the entanglements of love and affection. But when Helena's past threatens, will Justin's burgeoning feelings for his new bride compel him to come to her rescue? Or will dark secrets of his own force him to let her go? 

Comment: This month the theme for the TBR challenge is Favorite Trope. This book has a little mix of several tropes I usually enjoy in romances, such as the beauty/beast, mail order bride and marriage of convenience, heroine who needs help, protagonists who can act shy... perhaps it's more of a mix between tropes and plot devices but all together made me really eager to try this book and, as it probably happens with all readers, I imagined certain scenarios in my head of where this might lead...

In this story we meet Helena Raynolds, a woman who replies and accepts a marriage proposal in the newspaper and travels from London to north Devon in order to meet her future husband. Helena is desperate to find a home faraway from London and when she realizes her husband to be is Justin Thornhill, a man who used to be a soldier and was in India just like her brother, her hopes get high she might escape what chases her.

Justin only wanted a wife with no fuss, no courtships and complicated steps so he agreed with his solicitor to put the add on the newspaper. Having been badly burned while in India and living in a place in need of work, with no balls and no parties in the horizon, he hoped his wife would be someone a little older and without much vanity. Helena is beautiful and refined but he still accepts marrying her because he knows she is a woman in need of help and he wouldn't be able to ignore that. Can they find enough common ground to make their marriage work?

If readers were to pile up the elements in the books they read and divide them by likability, regarding this book I'd have a good sized pile with positive aspects.

However, thinking about the set and the final picture, to say so, this book felt a little too bland in the romance aspect. In part it's the fact this could be labeled clean by some people, the protagonists only kiss, but then there are a few passages, a few hints, a few intoned words that suggest differently and I don't think that, in general, cohesion was achieved.

Helena is a likable protagonist and Justin even more so, especially because he has that characteristic of some heroes which is the need to protect others even at their own expense, a factor often mentioned in the plot itself.

I liked Helena and I think the reasons she had, in an historical context, to run and seek protection, even through marriage to a stranger of whom she only required kindness from were understandable and well inserted into the story. It made me think about how people with diseases/conditions not yet understood or correctly diagnosed were treated and how some not ill people were caught in the unknown and mistreated.

I think the setting up of the main plot in Devon and of who Justin is and how Helena makes him come out of shell just by being herself were details the author thought of nicely. 

As a whole, the story was fluid enough and captivating to read about, the characters had their own unique features which I liked knowing about as the plot developed. However, when I had to stop reading for some reason it wasn't difficult. At the same time this was a fascinating story, with enough elements on the protagonist's pasts to make them a good match emotionally, there is some vibe or tone here that didn't make me appreciate the book as much as it probably deserves (other readers have better written opinions on why this book is a successful one).

In this book we have third person narrator but we can follow each protagonist's thoughts, often alternatively.

When the story begins - I had not seen this was also labeled "clean romance" - we get from the hero's thoughts that he wants a wife mostly for company and sex. The way things are written, it becomes obvious this would be an important part of the relationship for him (and I could imagine how it might bring them closer somehow) but as the story develops, his hero complex takes precedence and nothing happens between them except kissing. 

I can understand the author's choices in how the romance was conducted. But at first the tone was so insistent on a subject that the fact it got practically ignored until the very end felt like it didn't matter. If so, why bringing it to the open? The story could have been focused on Helena's plights the same without it. 

This might be a minor detail for some, but for me it affected how I saw what was happening. To be clear, I'm not saying the story should have had sex scenes (although sexual tension could be sexy and clean at the same time) but if that is the way things were, then some details can be misleading or silly in the bigger scheme of things. That's why I said there are some hints and a certain tone in some moments of the story that don't seem to match the rest. I get it but still.

All things considered, this was a good enough story but there's some emotion missing, some notions I didn't see developed as I imagined when I read about the tropes and situations that would be portrayed here. Nevertheless, it's a good historical that touches several details most readers would enjoy.

Grade: 6/10

Anne Youngson - Meet Me at the Museum

 

Tina and Kristian thought their love stories were over. Each on the other side of 60, they have lost a best friend and a wife, the ambitions of their youth, their hopes for a fresh start. Yearning for connection, they strike up a yearlong correspondence, brought together by a shared fascination with the Tollund Man, subject of Seamus Heaney’s famous poem. As they open up to one another about their lives—daily routines, travel, nature, beauty, work, family—these two strangers become friends and then, perhaps, something more.

Full of insight, humor, and candor, Tina and Kristian’s letters are a testament to the joy that can come from the meeting of two intensely curious minds. Anne Youngson’s Meet Me at the Museum is a celebration of long letters, kindred spirits, and the possibility of writing a new story for yourself, at any stage of life.

Comment: When I first knew about this book what made me interested was the fact it was an epistolary story and I tend to like stories presented like that.

So, I checked the blurb on the goodreads site and it said: 

"When Tina Hopgood writes a letter of regret to a man she has never met, she doesn't expect a reply.
When Anders Larsen, a lonely museum curator, answers it, neither does he.
They're both searching for something - they just don't know it yet.
Anders has lost his wife, along with his hopes and dreams for the future. Tina is trapped in a marriage she doesn't remember choosing.
Slowly their correspondence blossoms as they bare their souls to each other with stories of joy, anguish and discovery. But then Tina's letters suddenly cease, and Anders is thrown into despair.
Can their unexpected friendship survive?"

Just to summarize, Tina is a 60 something year old married woman in the UK who decides to write a letter to a professor in Denmark, over the Tollund Man, a real archaeological find that was discovered in Denmark. However, since many years have passed, the professor is dead and the 60 something year old curator of the museum where the Tollund Man is replies to her with that information.

From here, they start sharing things about themselves and of course it is expected of the reader to infer they will become friends and sort of confidants. They often share cultural or even what we can call intellectual opinions but also personal ones, and stuff about their lives.

I was immediately drawn to the possibility of a poignant story with two adults exchanging letters like in old days and slowly revealing enough of one another that their relationship would evolve somehow. I didn't look any further, I checked that the average of this book was a positive one so I confess I just added it, later on I got it and now that I have read finished reading the novel, it isn't what I imagined at all, even accepting the fact the story has merit and enough points of interest.

This story isn't a bad one, per se. I think Tina and Anders are interesting people and their letters have enough detail to let us know a lot about them and why their lives should be interesting, especially because they have very different backgrounds and career choices.

I admit that part of my impression of this book is one of boredom because some letters mentioned subjects that I don't think were addressed in a very appealing manner but that can be just my own perspective.

The most interesting part of this book is, precisely, the personal sharing, the things about both Tina's life in the UK with a husband who we learn never paid much attention to her although she has been a life companion to him and his farm and about Anders's two children and his deceased wife, who had some problems. I was invested in these two characters, yes, and I wanted to know things about them and where the story would lead. With hindsight, some details start to be quite obvious in regard to the main issue the author wanted to address here. It was still emotionally well done to make me give a positive grade to this book. 

The end of the story, sadly but understandably, is an open one and although it suits the whole plot, it still left me a little unrested because of its lack of closure.

Now to go back to why I added the blurb when I begun my comment and the crux of my issue with this novel:

Even putting aside the slight boring entries, I would have overlooked them if this book was the type of story I imagined when reading the first blurb I found. It doesn't say anywhere, I know, but I did expect a little bit more obvious romance content. Without having read reviews or such, I imagined Tina and Anders could be a little younger and their relationship could evolve in that path more obviously.

The way things happen, the reader can think it or not, depending on how the story is read. But I really thought the romance would be treated in a more evident approach. My disappointment is centered on the blurb, which isn't doing its role of informing correctly to the detail of even switching the protagonist's name. By comparing the two; I mean the one I include in my comment and the one of this ebook edition (and in goodreads anyone can compare them too), they are not the same. Had I seen the two, I might have different expectations or I might have chosen to not read it.

This doesn't mean the story isn't worth reading and I did enjoy some of its content. But it can be very annoying how a blurb misleads or doesn't inform as it should.

Still, this book has enough interest on its own and anyone who likes epistolary and fiction can enjoy reading it.

Grade: 6/10

Joanne Harris - A Pocketful of Crows

I am as brown as brown can be,
And my eyes as black as sloe;
I am as brisk as brisk can be,
And wild as forest doe.
(The Child Ballads, 295)

So begins a beautiful tale of love, loss and revenge. Following the seasons, A Pocketful of Crows balances youth and age, wisdom and passion and draws on nature and folklore to weave a stunning modern mythology around a nameless wild girl.
Only love could draw her into the world of named, tamed things. And it seems only revenge will be powerful enough to let her escape.
Beautifully illustrated by Bonnie Helen Hawkins, this is a stunning and original modern fairytale. 

Comment: One of my friends is a fan of this author and she lent me this book because, in general, I also like her books. I was expecting some along the lines of the other books by the author I've tried so far but this was very different.

In this fantasy story, we have a short length tale of a "wild" girl who falls for a "normal" boy. The girl doens't have a name, as is the habit of her people, the people of the earth, of magic and secrets, those who can become animals and feelings and don't adhere to the usual rules of humans.

However, one day the girl interrupts what seems to be a spell a human girl is attempting to capture the attention and heart of a boy. Perhaps because she interrupted, the spell fails and the girl looks for the boy to see what would be so special about him. She becomes enamored and with time he seems to reciprocate her feelings, even though others don't agree. The problem comes when the boy's father returns and the difference of classes proves to be too much...

I was surprised by how simple this story appeared to be. In fact it isn't so and the writing is beautifully lyrical and vibrant. I did like the scenes the writing evoked in my head and, of course, one could discuss the meaning of things and the supposed lessons to pick of this read. However, all things considered, I think this story was both too simple and too YA-like for me to enjoy it more.

The characters are really young, I think the female protagonist is 14 and I can see the sort of fantasy/historical vibe in that and in the reaction others had of her looks faced with the other girls. I can see the duality of criteria based on looks.

As a matter of fact, I suppose one of the biggest issues here is how unfair it is for girls of a certain look or of uncertain origins to be labeled and judged by that, not caring about who they really are as a person. In this story this is more than evident but then two details to think about: this girl is no fragile flower who will be rewarded by her dignity and simple ways and the boy is definitely not prince material to make things better in the end. 

If I had to summarize what this novel is about, I'd choose "revenge". The girl doesn't get to to have her feelings reciprocated in a serious manner but instead of just going away to lick her wounds or to patiently wait for the guy to get his bearings, she plans on revenge.

In this regard, I can see a bit more of mrs Harris usual style in plot and characterization. Things aren't easy but the girl can find ways of making her plans come true. We never lose the sense she is worthy and innocent while planning something that won't be undone but that can be tricky to think about. At the same time, the fact the protagonist is both aware of her negative feelings but looking to restore her simple and pure way of living is probably the "deepest" subject here. Can we all be that balanced in our own way of thinking?

I can understand the author was trying to write something a little whimsical, a lesson to be taught and a warning to be done to those who don't respect other people's feelings.

I can enjoy her inspiration and even the beautiful writing but as a whole this story didn't really made an impression in me.

A note to this book, which also contains art by Bonnie Helen Hawkins and that is also beautiful and a lovely addition. Still, I must say the same characters weren't always done exactly the same way... ok, this is not a comic book but I certainly noticed the changes.

This was a good enough tale to read but I don't think I'll easily remember it in a few weeks...

Grade: 6/10

Robin Cook - Toxin / Chromosome 6

Toxin: When a doctor's daughter becomes infected with E. coli, the widespread dangers of bacterial contamination are no longer a subject for debate, but a grim reality. In desperation, he is forced to follow a trail of ignorance and corruption from the tangled red-tape of the medical community to the highest levels of the powerful meat industry. It is an eye-opening thriller that every American should read ... 
Chromosome 6 is a prophetic thriller that challenges the medical ethics of genetic manipulation and cloning in the jungles of equatorial Africa, where one mistake could bridge the gap between man and ape--and forever change the genetic map of our existence...

Comment: Several years ago I was able to find this omnibus edition of two novels by Robin Cook in a bookstore but of course it has been waiting years until now, when I finally decided to read it. As always, better late than never.

The stories included in this edition don't have any connection with one another but, as expected from this author, both address some sort of situation related to thew world of medicine or science.

Toxin presents a doctor who wants to discover how his young daughter was able to consume food with the e.coli bacteria and die from it without the responsible people caring.

Chromosome 6 focuses on the surprises and dangers of creating organs with scientific methods in animals and how that can result on uncontrollable situations for all involved.

Although each story has its own plot and setting and, dare I say, «tone», both have the same sort of writing issues. Some readers just say the author doesn't have talent to write but I wouldn't agree with this. I think the author has the knowledge to present his ideas and themes in shocking ways but he does fail in solving his own plots. Perhaps one could say this is style but no, he has other books where he finished things (like Abduction, which I really liked).

Generally speaking, the author uses his books to address a situation that is out there but there are always those who care, those who don't, those who make it happen for several reasons, those who are unaware... in terms of letting people have a glimpse of "worst case" scenarios, I think the author does his job well. Most people also prefer to consider this fiction, that in no way, real people would actually behave like that or do those things or that legal institutions would act so horribly.

Therefore, I think his books could be considered having two main points: the theme and all the realistic and scientific proof of its existence and the fictional part of the story where the characters behave and talk and showcase what could happen. 

I think the science part is always provocative (even if I don't have the knowledge to judge it) but the fictional part could certainly be improved. 

On account of this, let's see:

In Toxin, the theme is the possibility of meat being badly processed and by eating, people absorb bacteria while unaware of this. 

The plot follows dr Kim Reggis while he tries his best to save his daughter and this not being possible, he wants to find out how this happened, which are the steps between an animal being slaughtered until it gets to out table and how could the meat be subjected to infections. In fact, it could so easy and the story stresses this a lot. 

I just think dr Kim wasn't likeable most of the time and when he changes his behavior I felt was a little too late. Besides, what he decides to do to prove his suspicions is often unrealistic and this part of the writing, the fictional characters, didn't make justice to the importance of the theme with their lack of focus. The there's no end. There ar some scenes that let us think some steps took place but we never get to see anything. frustrating!

In Chromosome 6, the theme is the playing with this specific chromosome to improve the chances of a successful organ transplant by using animals that resemble humans in therms of DNA without caring about the ethical consequences and the fact only certain people would benefit from it.

The plot is engaging and with adrenaline-inducing scenes, especially because the action takes place in different places (New York and in the Equatorial Guinea) but in simultaneous times/days.

I think this one was a little more successful in terms of plot because all "good" characters were well portrayed and their steps captivating to follow. However, again regarding the end, there were things left unsaid, we never discover what happened after the biggest plot issue was dealt with.

All things considered, both stories provided food for thought. It's a little pitiable that the fictional parts weren't stronger, to better deliver the message. The content might be important but from the POV of the reader interested in the fictional story, there are too many unsolved issues, which can be distracting and unfair after pages and pages of investment. I also don't think to have better ends (or with details) would have ruined the message the author was trying to make.

Grade: 6/10

Jenny Han - To All the Boys I've Loved Before

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them…all at once?
Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

Comment: Last year I was browsing books at a bookstore during one of my travels and this title caught my eye. I had heard of it because it was made into a movie and although I try to avoid YA if I can, I gave in because the opinions were very positive and I imagined this would be both sweet and different from all the other contemporary YAs out there. 

The only thing I can say about my attempt to convince myself of something I usually wouldn't care about (reading YAs just because they are popular) it that a reader's gut and preference should not be dismissed. I didn't dislike this book but I also didn't love it.

In this book, the protagonist is Lara Jean Song, a 16 year old girl who has quite a peaceful and mundane existence despite having lost her mother. 

Lara Jean is very close to her family: her white father, who still tries to maintain some Korean based traditions, her older sister Margot who is about to study abroad in Scotland, her younger sister Kitty who really wants a dog, and a few friends like Josh, a neighbor who happens to also be Margot's boyfriend. Or almost an ex, since Margot ends things before going away.

Lara Jean's problems begin when the five love letters she wrote to the boys she liked in the past get sent by mistake, without Lara knowing about it. When she does, one of the boys talks to Lara and in a teenager thought scheme, they agree to pretend to be a couple for reasons. But will the fake everything turn into something real?

When I read the blurb of this book I was a little eager to read it because of course the American school system and traditions we get to see in movies and books are different from reality here and it always seems it's easier to imagine a good setting for a story there. Plus, thinking about my little resume above, I can see how this would seem alluring, especially for those who don't read much YA. Alas, the story wasn't as interesting as it could have, in my opinion.

Lara Jean is the narrator of this story and I can't help thinking what a waste so many authors do by not writing in third person. Yes, the 1st can put the narrator closer to the reader but if the character isn't as compelling or if the story isn't a thriller, I can't see, in the many 1st person romances I've read in my reading life, how it can be seen as a good tactic. Oh well.

This means that, by having only Lara Jean's POV two things happen: the plot developed is biased through her eyes and information that is necessary to the reader often comes from Lara in a very gullible and oblivious manner, which I can't help but see as unbelievable and unrealistic.

As for the story, I confess I expected more out of two main subjects: 

Lara Jean's parents are of different origins, he's American, she was Korean. I hoped we would have more content about this but it wasn't so, I can't tell if it was because it wouldn't matter anyway or if the author never thought it could be a good sub-subject to address.

The love letters sending (and how obvious who did it and why didn't Lara Jean investigated more if she was sow worried) were the main cause of why there is a plot happening. But the author took Lara Jean towards a fake romance path rather than the adventures trying to fix the mistake and "learn" some kind of lesson from reconnecting with her past crushes. I did expect more out of this idea, which was original enough in a generation that mostly uses phons to talk and send messages.

I was already a little bored with all the foreseen clichéd steps in this novel regarding the romance and the teenager dilemmas but I thought the end, at least, would give me good reason to enjoy the book more. 

Apparently, I was wrong because in the midst of my lack of awareness that there were more books (in the trilogy) to come, this wouldn't be the actual end, so I can guess but I didn't read what is supposed to happen to really finish this story. 

Oh well, the writing was easy and fluid enough to entertain but I don't think I'll read the other two novels, at least not so soon...

Grade: 6/10