TBR Challenge: Katherine Hill - The Violet Hour

For a moment that afternoon, it was only woman and water, the Bay in all its sickening glory squaring itself for a fight.
Life hasn't always been perfect, but for Abe and Cassandra Green, an afternoon on the San Francisco Bay might be as good as it gets. He's a doctor piloting his new sailing boat. She's a sculptor finally getting a bit of recognition. Their beautiful daughter Elizabeth is off to Harvard at the end of the summer. But then there is a terrible row. Cassandra has been unfaithful. In a fit of insanity, Abe throws himself off the boat.
A love story that begins with the end of a marriage, The Violet Hour follows a 21st century American family through past and present, from a lavish New York wedding to the family funeral home in suburban Washington, from a drunken PTA party to a scene of unexpected public violence.
In this resonant odyssey of youth, middle age, ambition and loss, intimacy is fragile and the search for gratification breeds destruction. Here is a family ripped apart by individual desires. And here is a family possibly reborn.

Comment: Ah, one more TBR challenge post and for September the theme is "drama". Certainly this means quite a broad range of possibilities and I've picked something that, considering the genre, would fit quite well, but I was not happy with the experience.

In this drama story we meet the Green family while they are sailing and apparently at ease but a few comments finally make Abe, the husband, say out loud he knows his wife Cassandra is cheating and he spontaneously dives and swims to the shore. Cassandra and their daughter Elizabeth sail back, but the day is not salvageable, much less the marriage. As the years go by and Cassandra and Abe follow different roads, Elizabeth has learned to deal with this but then, suddenly, Cassandra's father dies and Abe comes back, to pay his respect. Is there any chance they can, at least, agree on talking again?

Last month I had also read a book about a woman who cheated on her husband and, among other issues, that made me dislike the story immensely. Therefore, I wasn't impressed, at all, with Cassandra and her choice and even less with the reasons she had to behave this way. This means the story was not appealing to me and if not for the prologue and Cassandra's father - the short amount of time we had with him alive in the story - this would have an even lower grade, just like I gave the other book.

The prologue was quite interesting, the writing and the vibe made me think the plot would revolve around making amends or if the main characters really were separating, how their lives would evolve... I'd have liked to read that story, but it wasn't so. I thought to myself that the author must have written the prologue in an inspired moment and only later on decided to write the rest and her muse might have been gone. Most of the book is written in such a boring way and has such uninteresting situations that I struggled to keep going.

I could have stopped, of course, but I had this book chosen for this theme since the beginning of the year and didn't want to change the plans I had for the titles chosen for this month anyway. Still, I hoped the story would have been much better than what it was and I still can't quite describe what this was supposed to be about, since the characters didn't do much. I didn't sympathize with any character except, perhaps, Cassandra's father, but his death propelled the majority of the situations and those were vague enough to not matter much in the end, after all.

I can't understand, really, what is the point of writing about people who are not satisfied with life or who make decisions because they are bored or unhappy and why would the reader care about them. If the goal here was to make Cassandra realize the repercussions of her decisions or that they had been, mostly, wrong, perhaps there would be interesting study of human nature, but it felt as if Cassandra was one of those free spirit types of people who would never settle for anything but what they would see as a slice of life, not caring others are affected by that. Frankly, I disliked her and could not see her being redeemed in any way.

This, along with the several characters who don't seem to have any special importance for this story except to prove infidelity and promiscuity is easy, means the story doesn't get any obvious development. Why this story and why this way, I kept thinking. Surely the author had a goal with this and if the idea was to expose the bad side of people, in a general notion, then it would not be necessary to use so many pages. Since the prologue, which I liked how was written, to the end, the plot is more a reunion of episodes with several passages where we see the characters in the past doing things that might somehow justify the current behavior/dialogue, there isn't much to it. I really expected more out of this book when I read the blurb.

Anyway, considering none of the characters "learned" anything from their life experiences and supposed mistakes, and that even Elizabeth seemed to follow the path of her parents in the sense she seemed to be rather careless with her attitudes and intimacy choices, I just can't find any consistency in this story to make it something I'd recommend. It's one of those attempts that just didn't go well, although it most definitely has drama!

Grade: 3/10

Jillian Hunter - The Seduction of an English Scoundrel

It would have been the wedding of the year–had the groom, Sir Nigel Boscastle, bothered to put in an appearance. To the shock of her distinguished guests, the respectable Lady Jane Welsham is left humiliated at the altar. Yet truth be told, although outwardly ruined she is elated to have escaped marriage to a man she does not love.
Enter Grayson Boscastle, the irresistible Marquess of Sedgecroft (and cousin to Nigel). Grayson’s duty is clear: salvage the young lady’s pride and reestablish the family’s good name, while repairing his own tarnished reputation as one of London’s most notorious scoundrels. Their whirlwind affair is the talk of the ton. Yet nothing is as it seems between the bewitching Lady Jane, who knows that her wedding was cleverly sabotaged, and her charming rogue, as they are drawn into an amusing game of seduction and secrets.

Comment: I had this book in the pile since 2014. I can't remember why I had it, but having now read it, I can assume it's because it's the first book in a long series featuring several family members. I probably imagined I'd love it and then would have plenty more stories to be entertained with later.

In this story we meet the main cast of characters as they attend the wedding of lady Jane Welsham and sir Nigel Boscastle. The problem is that Nigel is very, very late and people are starting to make comments. When the bride decides to leave, Grayson, the marquess of Sedgecroft, and the now responsible for the Boscastle family, believes is his duty to address her and seem to court her, so that the ton will not consider Jane a jilted woman, which would make other men wary of considering her for marriage now. 

There are, however, two problems with this idea, being one the fact Grayson starts noticing Jane is actually a very fetching and likable woman, and also the fact Jane and Nigel concocted the whole failed wedding together and now that she is starting to fall in love with Grayson, she thinks he won't trust her because she didn't tell him the truth...

The premise of this story was certainly original, and even more so when we discover just how unlikely it would be for Nigel and Jane to marry. They know each other since childhood and their families have always liked the idea of them becoming a couple, but the truth is they are friends and don't like one another that way. I could accept their need to do something without causing a social scandal which would affect their families too - they both would get something out of this failed wedding day, but they believed it would not extend to others around them.

This is one of those situations where the historical context kind of justifies some apparently unwise decisions, things that make no sense if one thinks contemporary instead: why not confessing to their families they didn't want to marry? Although I'd say the explanation truly didn't convince me anyway... but even if this were to be more consistently executed, it seemed, from the start, the main interest in this story was to show how much in control of the situation Grayson wanted to be, and I just could not really sympathize with him. Nor with Jane, as a matter of fact.

My problem with this story is the way it was written: it felt as if the author wanted to convey this never ending sense of something happening, when it didn't. For instance, Jane and Grayson would interact in such a way, they would have constant dialogue, often including innuendos, and then not as much that but explicit things, as if they were witty conversationalists and the reader had to be proven their connection went beyond the physical. This was made to seem as if they were establishing the base for a relationship, but I was constantly tired of the way they talked, when nothing really substantial was happening.

Even the faked courting Grayson begun doing was focused on his need to kiss her or to think about sex with her, and Jane, being so clever to have planned the failed wedding, simply could not think straight when Grayson was around. I just could not enjoy the plot that much when the focus was on details that, frankly, didn't really matter. It started to grate on my nerves how things were developed, as if the author wanted me to believe Grayson and Jane, so different personality wise, were really becoming a couple. Well, this is not news in a romance novel, but the writing style was simply too irritating.

Still, despite my personal preferences, the story could still be a good one, but I was also unimpressed with Grayson. I didn't like him that much and not exactly because he was poor hero material in my eyes (his attitude towards Jane and women in general made me annoyed, even though I know it was not uncommon for men at the time to have those views on women), but also for how he "managed" his family, now he is the head of the family. He was considered a rake or close to it from the beginning of the story and, of course, falling in love with Jane, made him see things differently which is great, but I think his personality wasn't very attractive.

About Jane, I don't have much to say, actually, she was like any other female character in a romance novel, who seemed to be described one way and her actions would not match that description. Her interactions with her family were also a little... I can't say but it feels as if the author also wanted to convey a little lighthearted flavor to the story by making almost every character a humorous one, but which to me is more a caricature... her sisters didn't behave seriously, her brother was always drunk/careless if he had to chaperone as if that was very funny, her parents were superficial and not that concerned about them unless it suited the plot... 

All in all, most elements put aside were quite weak, and as whole this was not the type of story I prefer to read about. When things get close to the end, something happens and Grayson behaves as if he is playing juvenile pranks which assuredly made me like him even less. Therefore, although a few interesting elements in the beginning, and here and there, I cannot say this book won me over that much.

Grade: 5/10

Katherine Addison - The Goblin Emperor

The youngest, half-goblin son of the Emperor has lived his entire life in exile, distant from the Imperial Court and the deadly intrigue that suffuses it. But when his father and three sons in line for the throne are killed in an "accident," he has no choice but to take his place as the only surviving rightful heir.
Entirely unschooled in the art of court politics, he has no friends, no advisors, and the sure knowledge that whoever assassinated his father and brothers could make an attempt on his life at any moment.
Surrounded by sycophants eager to curry favor with the naïve new emperor, and overwhelmed by the burdens of his new life, he can trust nobody. Amid the swirl of plots to depose him, offers of arranged marriages, and the specter of the unknown conspirators who lurk in the shadows, he must quickly adjust to life as the Goblin Emperor. All the while, he is alone, and trying to find even a single friend... and hoping for the possibility of romance, yet also vigilant against the unseen enemies that threaten him, lest he lose his throne – or his life.

Comment: I had seen this book being positively recommended by several readers and finally decided to add it to my TBR. Now that I have read it, I can understand why it was liked, but I did expect a bit more as well.

In this fantasy world where Elves and Goblins co-exist, Maia is the half-goblin fourth son of the elf emperor and he has been living in exile since he was a child. Now, suddenly, he must return to the imperial city because his father and three older brothers have been killed in an accident and Maia is the next in line. Unprepared and lacking self confidence, Maia knows there is a lot to be expected of him and he has no idea who we can trust in this new situation he is going into. However, Maia is a sweet natured young man, he feels is his duty to be a good and fair emperor and he certainly doesn't want to continue as his father has done. Will Maia be able to deal with his new court, including the intrigues and the betrayals, and succeed in being the best person he can be?

The several accolades and a few comments I've seen before I even opened the book made me believe that this would be a sweet cozy fantasy, with romance elements and a quiet plot. I can now see why some readers made certain comments or suggested the story would include this and that, but I did expect the romance hints to be a little more obvious. Now that I've finished, I can't say I really mind that the hints weren't more than suggestions, for the story is heartwarming, but yes, a bit more romance elements would have probably elevated this book to me.

The plot of this story is very simple and focused on Maia's experience as becoming an emperor when no one ever believed he would be one. When the story begins, he is taken right away to the imperial court and needs to deal with doing things he wasn't educated to learn and since he is a sweet young person, he isn't vicious nor is he confident to make decisions without knowledge. We follow him as he goes along in his new role, trying to navigate who he can trust and who can help him. Since he is emperor he realizes he can't have friends in the way he imagined, but his attitude and personality slowly allow him to be cherished by those he feels are his closest allies.

This is a truly fascinating story, even though it doesn't have a very complex story. The focus is always on Maia, and the narrative is third person but always from Maia's POV and what he knows and what he doesn't know is imparted to the reader at the same time. I think this worked out well in some cases, not that great when things happened and Maia learned the whys and hows only later on, which means a few things felt confusing for a while.

I've found the world building to be very detailed and this I can say, complex, in a way the plot itself was not. In fact, I was often a little confused over the immense amount of names and families and conjunction of family ties and roles in each family or designation and sometimes I simply had to ignore this and focus on the characters that were mentioned more often, otherwise I'd feel a bit lost. The author includes a glossary and list of names at the end, but so many are so similar that I'll probably forget even the easy ones quickly. Well, maybe not something simple as Maia...

The story is a study in character. What would we do if we had to be in a position we would never dram of, and without enough base to know how to act? The fact Maia is a quiet and sweet natured person makes him seem an easy target but I did like how he slowly progressed in his confidence, and in his reasoning. I'm very glad this wasn't a story where we would see his humiliation or fails and is, instead, a story about doing things slowly and carefully, but while respecting others, specially those who might be in a lower position int he hierarchy, but still necessary to help/make things run smoothly.

Since the plot is pretty much non existing, and the issues that could be seen as conflicts or problems or worrisome situations are quickly solved, the main focus is really on Maia and his evolution. I also liked the elf and goblin information and how they came to exist and mix up, and i think Mais was an interesting example of how the qualities of both can make someone be more and not less, as some elves seem to consider at some point.

This is a heartfelt story, where good things also happen to good people (as opposed to bad so many times) and where being fair and honest isn't something to be mocked or to be seen as flaw. I see there are more books in this universe, I'll likely try to get the next one, featuring a different protagonist, who was a secondary character in this book.

Grade:8/10

Catherine Anderson - Maple Leaf Harvest

Lane Driscoll has been having nightmares where she’s chased by a strange man. When she has a threatening run-in with someone who looks just like the man from her dreams, she decides to leave her hometown until she figures out what’s going on. Lane seeks refuge in beautiful Mystic Creek, where she gets a job working at the local perfume shop. Soon after she arrives, a handsome customer seems to think he recognizes Lane, but calls her by the wrong name.
When Jonas Sterling, a local psychologist, encounters his ex-girlfriend, Veneta, in town, he can't believe his eyes. He hasn't seen her for years. Jonas is even more baffled when it turns out the woman is a total stranger to him. There's no way two people could look so similar without being related. Jonas discovers Lane was adopted at the age of three and is now twenty-six years old—the same as the woman he dated.
After initial shock at the idea she could have a twin, something clicks inside Lane—and now she needs to locate her missing sister. A romance blossoms as Jonas agrees to help her. But when the man from Lane's nightmares shows up in her dreams again, Jonas and Lane realize Veneta may be in grave danger, and their search for Lane's sister turns into a heart-pounding race.

Comment: This is the 7th installment in the Mystic Creek series and I had it in the shelf since 2022. Normally I wouldn't have waited as long to read a book by this author, and even more so when it's part of a series, but I confess I haven't been dazzled by the others and that affected my lack of eagerness.

In this story we meet Lane Driscoll, a young woman who has had nightmares for a while and one day she is accosted in the street by a man who says things that make no sense to her and she runs. The problem is that the man somehow found her address and she agrees with her parents that perhaps it's better if she moves away for a while. She ends up at Mystic Creek, where she gets a job at a perfume shop and is immediately mistaken for someone else.

It turns out that she is is just like Veneta Monroe, an ex of Jonas Sterling, and when he sees her at the shop and she ignores him, he is baffled. Later, they talk and since Jonas is a psychologist, he helps Lane understand a possible reason for her nightmares, which leads them into a mission to find Veneta, who is certainly Lane's twin, especially after they fit the pieces of knowledge they have. However, ti seems Veneta is in danger and how can they help her?

Unlike many other titles (usually the ones published in the 2010s), the more recent ones this author has written aren't as sweet and cozy as I've come to expect of her. The themes are still the same (the setting is still often Oregon or whereabouts) and the characters mostly likable people and who become better by being near others or that learn that friendship and love don't need to come at a price. I've loved some of her books because they also featured a character, usually the heroine, who wasn't at the best moment in her life but being with the right person changed everything. I really loved the romance in those books.

The more recent ones feel less romantic, in my opinion. I've come to realize that most recent stories have all the same elements, but the meaning of them in the story seems to not have the same degree of realism or essence and the overall story feels less emotional. At least, I feel I'm reading about people and situations that, while the same as in other books by the author, just don't have the same importance or I feel they aren't as complex or charismatic.

Jonas is the predictable type of good guy hero, practically perfect and if there are flaws we can see in him is how protective he can be, sometimes more than necessary, or how he seems to like the heroine for traits which should not be what defines her (shyness and modesty and being pleasant, etc.), especially here, because she is the opposite of his ex, who happens to be the heroine's twin sister. I really don't think the author planned on writing this so the twins are full on antagonists, but it feels like it sometimes. The fact Lane and her sister seem to have a emphatic bond, a slight paranormal element here, which helps when Lane is looking for Veneta, only seems to expand the differences, rather than bring them closer.

In the books I liked more by this author, the heroines always had some kind of trouble or were facing a complicated situation or even had some sort of condition which made them, superficially, undesirable for most people (men), but to the hero they were special for who they were, conditions included. The romances weren't perfect but part of the fun was seeing the heroine fall in love and believe that the hero would cherish her no matter what. In this story, the romance between Lane and Jonas was more like a goal to achieve, rather than an organic need they both had to be together. Of course this is the whole point, but I was still a little disappointed their story wasn't stronger.

Lane, as heroine, has pretty much all the traits necessary to make her a good heroine but she was also a little too bland. I would not say she is a "mary sue" type of character, but close. I don't mind this tactic where the heroines written by this author are always sweet and special and shy or unsure of themselves until the romance helps them gain confidence, but not even that was what I saw in this novel. Lane remains the same throughout the story and I failed to see such an evolution in her that turning the pages was more a duty than a pleasure in seeing where she would go next.

The paranormal element, which is to say, the emphatic connection between the twins, wasn't a big deal nor was it complex, the author even included information I assume she got by researching the link between twins which has a lot of publications in medical and scientific journals/magazines, but considering the plot, this wasn't a subject as well used as it could. 

Veneta got herself in trouble to help someone, if I understood correctly, and bad guys were after her so her need for help kind of reached Lane. We learn this had happened before to Lane, probably leftovers from her sister's problems, but did this mean their bond would translate into instant friendship/sibling adoration? Not really.... which was realistic, of course, but then the development made the plot seem a little... irrelevant. I kept thinking, as the plot went on, that things weren't being presented in a way that I'd feel engrossed in what was happening. There were also times I skimmed a few paragraphs.

In the end, this was only average to me, when comparing to other books I tried by the author. That something special which made her stories feel so sweet and everlasting just wasn't here now, nor in some of her more recent books. I would not say she is publishing to say she publishes, but... anyway, it does seem this is her most recent work and nothing has been out in the last three years...

Grade: 6/10

Anne Gracie - Marry in Scarlet

When a duke denied . . .
The proud and arrogant Duke of Everingham is determined to secure a marriage of convenience with heiress, Lady Georgiana Rutherford. He's the biggest prize on the London marriage mart, pursued by young unmarried ladies and their match-making mamas, as well as married women with a wandering eye. He can have any woman he wants. Or so he thinks. . .
...Hunts an independent lady . . .
Lady Georgiana Rutherford--irreverent and unconventional--has no plans to marry. Having grown up poor, Lady George has no intention of giving up her fortune to become dependent on the dubious and unreliable goodwill of a man. Especially a man as insufferable as the Duke of Everingham, whose kisses stirs unwelcome and unsettling emotions . . .
...Sparks are sure to fly
The more she defies him, the more the duke wants her, until an argument at a ball spirals into a passionate embrace. Caught in a compromising position, the duke announces their betrothal. George is furious and when gossip claims she deliberately entrapped the duke--when she was the one who was trapped--she marches down the aisle in a scarlet wedding dress. But the unlikely bride and groom may have found love in the most improbable of places--a marriage of convenience.

Comment: This is the final installment in the Marriage of Convenience series by Anne Gracie, which I have been following, and that is now concluded.

In this final story, it's finally the time for Georgiana "George" Rutherford's HEA. George was brought into the family after her uncle Cal (hero book #1) discovered she was living alone with a servant/friend and he decided she would have a season, just like his half sisters (heroines books #2 and #3). George was easily accepted by the other family members and she is very glad she has someone she now cares about, but her true wish has been to live alone with her animals at a country estate. Things change when she catches the eye of Hart, the duke of Everingham, who was betrothed to her aunt Rose, but that wedding didn't happen. Now she is in the path of the duke but can't seriously think he would want to marry her, so when he starts making it obvious and a compromising situation forces to be wed, can George find any happiness in this future?

I was quite eager to read this story. After getting to know George in the previous books, I was taken by her very quickly because she is one of those unlikely heroines in historicals who behaved as if society didn't matter much. She is seen as an "original" for her ways and almost genuine naivete of what is supposed to be acceptable and not, and although this might seem far fetched, I was still interested in reading the romance and how she and the duke, whose personality is so different from hers, would match.

George has been determined that once she is allowed to take over her inheritance, she will go to the countryside to live alone with her animals and she believes the family she gained is enough to make her feel happy if she needs company. She has also refused marriage proposals and told everyone she would not marry, but when the duke, for curiosity's sake, kisses her, she can't help but realize that there's some reason, certainly, for why her aunts have been enjoying their marriages so much but her decision is only swayed when circumstances make her accept the duke's proposal.

I did like her a lot, of course she has a personality more suited for a contemporary period, but it's always fun to see the reactions when in certain scenes. The fact she had been dismissed by her late father and had no help for a long time, made her be resourceful, think for herself and if she couldn't solve a problem, she would not feel despaired. Once she had her family, she felt happy and comfortable in knowing someone would be there for her. Seeing her fall in love with her duke, despite her reticence and a few weaker scenes, was not always perfect, but certainly consistent to her character.

Hart, the duke, had showed in the previous books, mostly the third, and we only had glimpsed his "cold, stoic" persona, as described by some characters. Now that we can learn more about him and his past, of course he starts being more interesting and, after a while, not that badly suited for George. There are always a few details I'd change to my personal preference, but when things were almost over, I think the duke realizes one or two things in a rather convenient way, and this, too, could be done more realistically, but I won't complain much.

Some of the situations that Georgiana and Hart deal with are obviously product of romanceland, and not really believable, but that is what makes some of these "light" historicals so fun and captivating. I was quite dedicated to see the evolution of their relationship, which begins in a rather reluctant way, considering Georgiana's attitudes. However, as time went by and as they got to spend some time together and dealing with the need to be married to avoid a social scandal, they slowly realize they actually like one another and start seeing in each other traits that make them someone they can care about.

This is what I love the most about a romance, how the protagonists face the possibility the other person is more than a name or a position, and they can be special for them. There are plenty of shenanigans before they admit this to themselves, and to one another, but I kind of went with the flow and really liked how they slowly fell in love. The author did include a few scenes where we could see them "bond" and this was key to show instead of tell how things were progressing. Closer to the end, I think there was a situation that came out of nowhere and was a bit too obvious that the intention was to "force" Hart and George to face the reality of their feelings... I think the author could have done this in a better way.

As expected, the HEA is sweet and romantic and I liked how geroege never lost her personality, never changed her ways and that Hart loved all sides of ehr. Is this a little cheesy at times in the very end? Yes, but it's still cute and I will cherish the series a lot.

I will now investigate other series by the author, perhaps they can be as generally good for me as this one was.

Grade: 8/10

Hailey Turner - The Queen's Starfire Throne

Every road must come to an end.
THE DEAD. Facing a war where revenants outnumber the living, Caris Rourke must confront a future written in the stars, one she wants no part of. In order to outmaneuver the enemy, Caris must learn to trust her instincts, no matter where they lead, whether into the heart of danger or into the arms of Nathaniel, a dead man walking she should not trust, much less love.
THE WAR. Eimarille Rourke wants nothing more than to be queen of all Maricol and will do anything to succeed, even the unthinkable. Determined to claim the starfire throne for herself, she must first eradicate all other claimants. Seeking to assassinate her sister and brother amidst a war of her own making will lead Eimarille down a road of ruin from which there is no turning back.
THE LIVING. In the wake of the attack on the Warden’s Island, Soren returns to the people who made him into the warden he is today. But the past he thought he’d left behind as a child has given him a name he does not want. Far from the only man he’s ever loved, carrying a vow that could change the course of the war, Soren must decide if destroying his life is worth saving a world.
THE STARS. In the throes of an escalating war, Vanya Sa’Liandel must put his country above all else, even his own happiness. As Houses seek to betray him and the fallout of his family’s past mistakes claws ever closer, not having Soren by his side is an anguish he can’t escape. In the end, the tide of war could turn with an alliance he cannot afford to grant. But years ago, Vanya gave his heart to a warden, and some kinds of love weren’t meant to burn out but to rage like starfire.

Comment: This is the final story in the Infernal War saga trilogy. I was quite eager to read it and to know how everything would end up, and now that I have, part of me is still mourning the loss...

In this final installment, all the countries in Maricol are getting ready for full on war. Eimarille and the army of Daijal has subjugated many others, and has planned to take over the whole of Maricol and not only Ashion, as she has said before. In the meantime, her siblings finally meet and need to decide if they will join forces or not and what course of action they will take. The gods who guided them into their roads also watch from the sidelines, and whatever decision made will be approved or not by them. The problem is that not everyone can be the winner, therefore, which queen will sit in the throne, Eimarille or Caris?

This is the end of a wonderful trilogy which I have been following for the past months and that has been incredibly satisfying. Not every single detail has been great, but the overall world building was amazing and so complex that I just can't imagine how the author must have done it or how long did it take to plan, much less write, three books around 600 pages each with such a level of detail and character liaisons that still baffles me.

Simplifying things, after the other two books, all countries in Maricol are about to go into war because Eimarille, the oldest daughter of queen Ophelia of Ashion, was taken to enemy country Daijal as a child, and kind of groomed by the god Innes to go into a road in which she believed she would be on her mother's throne again one day, but not only as that country's queen. She would rule them all. Then, her younger brother Alesainder and baby sister Caris were saved by other gods and grew up with other lives. Now they are trying to save the world from her sister who, it all seems, can't see she went too far in her attempt to gain power.

This trilogy has been about playing the right part to accomplish a goal, but whose goal is more valid? I, of course, loved Soren/Alesainder and his "road", and Caris wasn't my favorite but she was clearly the good sister vs Eimarille, the villain. It's funny because in the first book I could not say there was a hero and a villain, but clearly that is not the case in this book or in the previous. There are also several secondary characters, some whose POV we can follow too, and all are part of this big scheme of things, which was a delight to follow. Some readers have said this book was kind of repetitive in parts, but when something is so captivating, minor things can easily be overlooked.

Personally, there are things I'd prefer to see different.. in a cozy cute world, instead of this being a saga about rivalry and misused powers, the siblings would unite and fight the gods perhaps, or something, instead of being at odds with each other. I think, deep down, this is a story about one's road. Each one of us has a road to walk in this life, and sometimes that road might take us into better or worse situations, and how we deal is the key. I also disliked a few situations throughout the main story line, but they do make sense in the big picture.

My favorite parts were the ones with Alesainder/Soren and emperor Vanya. I just loved how their relationship developed and grew and I saw myself smiling when they reunited and confessed their feelings... I could easily envision their HEA and they were probably the main characters that I more eagerly followed and who made it worth the time to keep reading the books. Not that the rest of the books aren't great elements done by the author, but this relationship (and one other) was key.

If there is an element that I was disappointed with here was how the gods' actions - or non actions - affected the characters. I'm especially thinking of the god who led Eimarille towards her "road" and why. The reason can certainly have merit but was almost too trivial to be seen as valid that I feel this might have been done better. The end result of this situation for this god was also, as seen by his siblings, quite shallow and made me think the author could have done better. 

I also kept thinking about a very specific detail regarding the moment Caris was left with her adoptive parents in the first book, which I must have misread because it was never mentioned again and I can't help but think something more might happen because of that and didn't.

Still, this didn't detract from the generous story line, the amount of details and characters and situations that are a show of character development but also evidence attention for detail and a rich set of places and scenes that kept me reading page after page, as if this wasn't a huge book. The very last sentence was both terrific and heartbreaking, enough to make me shed a few tears, but also perfect, and one I won't forget easily.

Grade: 9/10

Melissa Mayhue - Thirty Nights with a Highland Husband

SCOTLAND, 1272. Connor MacKiernan, a descendant of the Fae Prince, is a warrior who lives only for honor and duty. Though he's vowed never to marry, that's exactly what he must do to save his sister. Enter a little Faerie magic, and the search for a bride is on.
DENVER, 2007. Caitlyn Coryell is having a really bad day -- she just discovered her fiance with another woman! Imagine her surprise when she puts on some sexy lingerie and an antique pendant and Connor appears in her bedroom, begging for her help. He offers a simple yet outrageous adventure: travel to his time, marry him, and return home.
But nothing's simple when Cate is trapped in the thirteenth century. The wedding's delayed, someone's trying to kill her, and in the middle of all this, she realizes she's falling in love with a man who can only be her husband for thirty nights.

Comment: One more book I had languishing in the pile.. this is more fantasy than PNR the way I see it, but the mix of romance and magic was probably why I got it in the first place.

When this story begins, Connor MacKiernan is a 13th century warrior, who wants to save his younger sister from marrying a man she despises, and with the help of his aunt Rosalyn, a descendant from an union between a Fae and a human, he meets Catelyn Coryell, a woman from the 20th century. The magic which allows this happen requires a vow and Cate accepts to help Connor, meaning she travels to the 13th century to marry Connor, and this way he can have the support of the king and stay home to protect his sister. The problem is that his dishonorable uncle, who made the marriage deal with an old man to pay off debts, can't accept this and will try to stop the wedding. When this doesn't happen, he takes riskier decisions, which put many in danger, including Connor. What can Cate do to help, though, if the Fae magic can return her to her time at any point?

To be honest, my summary is a little incorrect, so that I can avoid spoilers, but the gist of the plot is there, I saw this is the author's debut, back in 2007, and I think it showed, because the aspect I've found to be more glaringly lacking was the plot's cohesion and how the use of magic was too convenient without any solid ability from the characters. With this I mean that since the characters don't have magical powers but can use the power of the Fae ancestors, it felt a bit vague and slightly insufficient for my practical mind how they could "invoke" the Fae to help as if it's simple. In that case, why not do it at any time? Anyway...

The story was actually quite interesting in the beginning and apart from the whole Fae magic and how the time travel could happen, things were intriguing enough. Of course contemporary Cate is a confident woman at work, but has a relationship with a man who doesn't treat her well and she even caught him cheating, even though they are engaged and she trusted him. This kind of sets her up to more easily accept the proposal from Connor, even though i think she wasn't properly surprised that a man from the 13th century shows up asking for her help... there's an explanation for this but, I mean, who would not be wary?

Most of the plot takes place while everyone is in the 13th century Highlands and I assumed we would see plenty of Cate struggling to adapt, but from the start the issue was more about her role in the big scheme of things... when an overbearing male character speaks badly of her, I thought, this is a great opportunity for this book to be a comedy perhaps, and now Cate can unleash all her 20th century independence and self worth on him, but it wasn't as fun as that, sadly. I think this was when I started noticing that the story was really more plot oriented and the characters didn't get to be developed beyond the necessary.

From then on, the story keeps going back to the marriage and why it needs to happen and also why Connor's uncle needs it to not happen, and of course this led to some conflicts towards the end. One important item of the whole Fae magic is that the "solution", if one can use this word, for everyone to have their deserved end, is true love. By this point Cate was in love with Connor, although I really can't see how, since their interactions weren't detailed and we didn't get to see a believable evolution of their relationship. It was just understood that their would be in love somehow.

Connor clearly struggled to feel the same, but then something terrible happens, a certain character proves to be a villain after all, and by protecting Cate I think Connor's "love" was kind of activated for the Fae spell, and Cate is rescued. The choice to do this, however, was incredibly weak, in my opinion. Until the end, the resolution of everything is a mix of Fae beliefs and random actions, and lots of plans that don't seem to make any sense, but then, somehow, voilá, the pieces are placed together and Cate and Connor have their HEA. I was really not impressed with the author's choices, and the specific way of using Fae magic to solve some of the problems is too far fetched, even for this fantasy scenario.

There is some medieval content and references, but nothing too detailed, and also some references to the contemporary setting, which supposedly is 2007 but that to me felt more like 1987... This to say that the story, or the premise, isn't that bad and I even liked reading some scenes, but even accepting this is the author's first book, perhaps a few other choices would have added depth to the story. I see the series has more installments, but I don't think I'll look for them on purpose.

Grade: 6/10

Louise Miller - The City Baker's Guide to Country Living

A full-hearted novel about a big-city baker who discovers the true meaning of home—and that sometimes the best things are found when you didn’t even know you were looking
When Olivia Rawlings—pastry chef extraordinaire for an exclusive Boston dinner club—sets not just her flambéed dessert but the entire building alight, she escapes to the most comforting place she can think of—the idyllic town of Guthrie, Vermont, home of Bag Balm, the country’s longest-running contra dance, and her best friend Hannah. But the getaway turns into something more lasting when Margaret Hurley, the cantankerous, sweater-set-wearing owner of the Sugar Maple Inn, offers Livvy a job. Broke and knowing that her days at the club are numbered, Livvy accepts.
Livvy moves with her larger-than-life, uberenthusiastic dog, Salty, into a sugarhouse on the inn’s property and begins creating her mouthwatering desserts for the residents of Guthrie. She soon uncovers the real reason she has been hired—to help Margaret reclaim the inn’s blue ribbon status at the annual county fair apple pie contest.
With the joys of a fragrant kitchen, the sound of banjos and fiddles being tuned in a barn, and the crisp scent of the orchard just outside the front door, Livvy soon finds herself immersed in small town life. And when she meets Martin McCracken, the Guthrie native who has returned from Seattle to tend his ailing father, Livvy comes to understand that she may not be as alone in this world as she once thought.
But then another new arrival takes the community by surprise, and Livvy must decide whether to do what she does best and flee—or stay and finally discover what it means to belong. Olivia Rawlings may finally find out that the life you want may not be the one you expected—it could be even better.

Comment: This is the second book I try by this author. I've picked it now because it would suit a topic in a challenge I'm doing, but I was a little apprehensive to read it because the other one I did try was a good read, but some elements weren't the best and I feared the same could happen here...

In this story we meet Olivia "Livvy" Rawlings, a baker at a prestigious club in Boston. When the story begins, Livvy is about to present a special dessert for an important event and things don't go very well, making her feel she needs to get away and she decides to seek her friend Hannah, in a quiet town in Vermont. She hopes to charge batteries, but the opportunity to work at an inn and earn some money she desperately needs convince her and after a while she starts feeling part of the community, even going as far as to think she could fall in love with Martin, the son of her boss' best friend. But his family is worrying for Martin's grandfather, who is ill... besides, Livvy has the experience that everyone leaves her. Can she hope things will be different now?

I barely remember the other book I've read by this author and had to check my post which helped me get some ideas back. I remembered that my overall feel of that other book had been one of great ideas and potential, but some narrative choices didn't seem to be as precise or suited as I'd prefer and although this is clearly a matter of personal interpretation, I still felt the story could have been stronger.

Well, I feel exactly the same regarding this one, the delivery could have been so much better if one or two key elements had been different. Perhaps this means the author's style is this and all her her work will follow a certain pattern, but I can't help feeling a little frustrated because the potential for something sweeter, something stronger is right there...

Livvy is a likable protagonist but I must confess some of her choices didn't seem the best and that did impact my opinion of her a little. It seems some of those choices can be explained by the fact she had a mother who left, and a father who raised but who died. This led her to feel people who should be there for her would leave and she has been alone since she was sixteen. The fact that she did something with her life means she had drive and focus and I did like how she loved baking and how she was so good at it.

Personality wise, she was approachable but the fact she was sleeping with her married boss before leaving for Vermont did disappoint me. I imagined her story would go on towards the scenario of her realizing life in a smaller community in Vermont would let her see how rewarding it would be to have close friends and relationships and, perhaps, even find love. In a way, this is what does happen, but the writing style, and things being told from Livvy's POV makes the story feel as if it's not always linear. I think this style helps with the idea of reading things as one wants, but I feel that sometimes this also meant the situations were more like episodes put together rather than a narrative.

The plot is simple, Livvy starts working at the inn, makes friends, tries to keep up her friendship with Hannah but this soon proves hard when her closer and closer relationship with Martin's family, especially his ill father - like a father figure for Livvy too - means her free time is often spent with them. The fact she likes music and plays banjo and Martin's father also played instruments brings them closer, and I did like this aspect of focusing part of Livvy's character development in letting her form relationships which are not only passionate. Of course, this leads to many emotional situations, considering the illness and Livvy's own sense of abandonment.

As the story gets closer to the end, something happens to dramatize the small conflicts and Livvy does something sudden, which I disliked. She makes a decision without informing others and I think that while this is certainly not that surprising if we consider her past choices and the examples she has had, she is also an adult and she has been establishing solid relationships; I feel she didn't have to go back to her old ways. I also think it would have made for a stronger plot if certain situations had not been rushed, or perhaps I felt that because Livvy is the only one narrating and she does have a limited way of learning some things.

In regards to the romance, since it's not the focus things don't get to be developed as much as some readers might like, but the hints and the slow pace felt enough to me. Nevertheless, if it's an element the author chose to include, then I think she could have written things in a way that would show the relationship as being more balanced. Livvy should be more aware of why Martin was back in Vermont, although he lives in Seattle, and that, perhaps, he would want to go back. I'm saying this because why assume anything, why not talking... I understand why, the point was to create a specific situation, but... there were other ways to delay the HEA.

Most situations in the story was fun and did remind me of cozy communities where people can be there for one another, even if some have long lasting "feuds", as Livvy's boss had with another woman. There is also a lot of talk and a lot of baking descriptions and besides thinking Livvy was a good baker, I was also left wondering how long did the author spend researching baking tips and receipts. Some elements were a bit clichéd towards the end, but I didn't really mind... overall, my impression of this book is similar to what I thought about the other one, that the story has potential, many great elements but the execution wasn't always as great as I think it could be.

Grade: 7/10

Anna Lee Huber - A Brush with Shadows

Sebastian Gage returns home to battle the ghosts of his past and prevent them from destroying his future with Kiera in the latest exciting installment in this national bestselling series.
July 1831. It's been fifteen years since Sebastian Gage has set foot in Langstone Manor. Though he has shared little with his wife, Lady Kiera Darby, about his past, she knows that he planned never to return to the place of so many unhappy childhood memories. But when an urgent letter from his grandfather reaches them in Dublin, Ireland, and begs Gage to visit, Kiera convinces him to go.
All is not well at Langstone Manor. Gage's grandfather, the Viscount Tavistock, is gravely ill, and Gage's cousin Alfred has suddenly vanished. He wandered out into the moors and never returned. The Viscount is convinced someone or something other than the natural hazards of the moors is to blame for Alfred's disappearance. And when Alfred's brother Rory goes missing, Kiera and Gage must concede he may be right. Now, they must face the ghosts of Gage's past, discover the truth behind the local superstitions, and see beyond the tricks being played by their very own eyes to expose what has happened to Gage's family before the moors claim yet another victim...

Comment: This is the 6th installment in the Lady Darby series by Anna Lee Huber, which I have been reading one book a month, more or less, in the past months.

In this story Kiera and Sebastian are traveling to his family estate, to see Sebastian's grandfather, who is ill. They are also there to investigate what happened to Alfred, Sebastian's cousin who will inherit the estate, who has been missing for a while. While they try to understand the role of everyone involved, Alfred's younger brother Rory, who has been quite helpful, also goes missing. Sebastian doesn't have many fond memories of the estate and his childhood still makes him remember bad things but he is trying to get past that and find out what happened so that he and Kiera can go back home. However, someone is determined in maintaining the "curse" which is often mentioned among the family, as if something prevents the members from straying too far from their supposed role. Will Kiera and Gage discover who wanted to harm Alfred and Rory?

This was another interesting story featuring Kiera and Sebastian, who are now happily married and still investigating whatever cases come their way. As soon as they finish the case in Ireland (from the previous book), they are recalled back to England to learn what they can about the disappearance of Sebastian's cousin. Alfred has been described as a womanizer and not very considerate of others but he is still family and Sebastian's grandfather is ill, he wants to know where Alfred is before something happens to him as well.

Once again, I've found the story to be compelling, easy to follow and to be interested in. The author has created a strong pairing in Kiera and Sebastian and I like seeing them work together, not only as two people who investigate specific cases, but also as a married couple, who is also still learning to trust one another and is trying to compromise and enrich their relationship with respect and mutual appreciation of the other person's skills and knowledge.

The plot was captivating enough and I think it was especially well achieved because under the disguise of "interviewing" this and that person, Kiera and Sebastian can learn interesting things, mostly Kiera whose POV we follow. For me, the success of the series so far is in the little things, the small details that might seem irrelevant to many readers but that allow the big picture to feel more complex and that somehow justify the author's time into putting those elements there. For instance, the easy rapport between Kiera and her maid Bree might seem unimportant or only something to fill in the gaps, but to me it's as a worthy element as discovering the villain's identity, because it shows me how gracious Kiera is. 

Regarding Alfred's and then Rory's disappearance, I must say that this time I kind of suspected the villain to be the one who eventually turned out to be the correct, and the only reason I thought this is because that person seemed too inconspicuous. The reasons for the acts and the methods seemed to be based on far fetched ideals and I can't imagine how no one really pondered things before, since similar enough situations had happened to other members of the family. The explanation given at the end was a little weak... I can accept his as not being as great as it could because I like the main characters and I enjoy reading about their lives, but yes, something better could have been done.

This book also provided interesting facts about Sebastian and his childhood, his mother... things that had been alluded to in other books finally have some answers. I felt a little frustrated, though, that the family couldn't get past what divided them before, so that they could be a more united group now. This felt a little sad as well, considering some events in the book and how they cannot be changed. In the middle of this, though, we get to see Sebastian relying on Kiera's support, to think and to go through what would be difficult o him, establishing their relationship as even stronger for that.

This said, although this installment wasn't the strongest, plot wise, it was still a good one, now i'm more than invested in the characters and in what happens to them. Of course, for those who aren't familiar with the series, perhaps it's best to not start here...

Grade: 7/10

Justin A. Reynolds - Opposite of Always

When Jack and Kate meet at a party, bonding until sunrise over their mutual love of Froot Loops and their favorite flicks, Jack knows he’s falling—hard. Soon she’s meeting his best friends, Jillian and Franny, and Kate wins them over as easily as she did Jack.
But then Kate dies. And their story should end there.
Yet Kate’s death sends Jack back to the beginning, the moment they first meet, and Kate’s there again. Healthy, happy, and charming as ever. Jack isn’t sure if he’s losing his mind.
Still, if he has a chance to prevent Kate’s death, he’ll take it. Even if that means believing in time travel. However, Jack will learn that his actions are not without consequences. And when one choice turns deadly for someone else close to him, he has to figure out what he’s willing to do to save the people he loves.

Comment: This is another book I got at the library the last time I went there. I didn't pay enough attention to the blurb, I was only focused on the hint at romance it implied, and didn't even notice this was YA. Well, it wasn't a bad story but it wasn't great either to make me change my (usual) idea of YA books...

In this story we meet Jack, as he and his friend Jillian are visiting a college and on the final day they attend a party. That is where he meets Kate, one year older but someone with whom he has an instantaneous connection, and he starts doing his best to be able to spend time  with her, as well as maintaining his previous occupations. However, once Kate accepts to go with him to prom, he is ecstatic, but she fails to show up and when he looks for her, he learns she is ill and soon after, dies. The shock is immense, but even weirder is that something happens to him too and somehow, suddenly, he is back to the day he met Kate. Does this mean he has a chance to save her? But at what cost, if he changes his decisions to help Kate while not being there for others?

At some point during the story Jack makes a reference to the movie Groundhog Day, and I remember having watched that movie, thus why this immediately came to mind when I was reading this book. The plot of this book is pretty much the same as the movie: the protagonist relives the same day many times while trying to do something to stop it and, in this case, to help another person. The idea is clearly interesting, whether altruist only or as a means to goal, in the sense that the repetition seems to suggest something needs to be done.

Portuguese cover

As I've said, YA is not my preferable genre these days, especially when it has romance, because I prefer to think the romance has a base to last, even after I turn the last page, and I just can't seem to relax enough to assume young kids or teenagers are mature enough or are established enough to be with someone forever (which could happen, only not likely). Therefore, my enjoyment of an YA story often tens to not last, but if the story is not focused on romance, perhaps it's easier... in this case I did think there was romance, but that it was an adult one - I can't say why I missed the cover models.

These things said, between the young kids not being only developed due to a romance and the interesting premise - time loops - I was still determined to try this book and I wanted to like it. I think the main idea was quite good and I did like the very informal and almost colloquial way the text was written, as if Jack was actually describing things to his friends, as opposed to a text meant to be only correct. I did like Jack and his way of seeing things, I loved his parents and a few other characters, but I cannot say I was overly impressed with the narrative choices.

The big thing about these types of books (the ones with time loops instead of time travel, let's say) is that a lot is set on how successfully the idea is presented. In the movie referenced, things work because there are ways to see the constant attempts the main character tries to change things or, at some point, to simply go with the flow and enjoy the experience, sometimes even doing crazy things. In this book, it's not as easy because we need to have a written sequence of the attempts, and the author chose to include three attempts, if I remember correctly, where we can follow Jack as he goes on about the day while trying do help Kate.

As expected, each attempt has the same scenes happening but with variations. The problem for me is that while there's a lot to pack about these attempts - each one "teaches" Jack a different type of lesson - in terms of what it means for Jack and those around him, there isn't an obvious choice to make each attempt fully different or special enough that I could see the impact of it for others than Jack. Perhaps if this was told in third person, more could be shared... I don't know, but in the end I felt three attempts weren't enough, weren't that different to be meaningful and then, before the final chapters, Jack adds he had plenty more attempts but chose to share only these, etc. I felt a little disappointed, because while this makes sense for the type of plot, having it being presented this way felt limited. The best part would be, for me, to "see" Jack go through other attempts.

Anyway, I can also understand, perhaps it's a matter of page count, otherwise how big would be book need to be? Still, perhaps another method could have worked out better. Of course, a lot of the book's message is set on "doing the right thing" and that by doing this, that can happen and vice versa, and that life is not perfect, one needs to take the good and the bad and so on... which is to say, the goal is quite obvious and demonstrated in a very predictable way. This doesn't have to be a negative aspect, but I did expect the story to be a bit more special than what it turned out to be.

I think this might be the author's debut and thinking that alone, this wasn't too bad, no. I did like reading the book and the writing and Jack's "voice" made it captivating enough... only, it was not something I'd look for on purpose, to be honest. If the narrative had been told differently, perhaps I'd have enjoyed it more.

Grade: 6/10

Mieko Kawakami - Breasts and Eggs

Challenging every preconception about storytelling and prose style, mixing wry humor and riveting emotional depth, Kawakami is today one of Japan’s most important and best-selling writers. She exploded onto the cultural scene first as a musician, then as a poet and popular blogger, and is now an award-winning novelist.
Breasts and Eggs paints a portrait of contemporary womanhood in Japan and recounts the intimate journeys of three women as they confront oppressive mores and their own uncertainties on the road to finding peace and futures they can truly call their own.
It tells the story of three women: the thirty-year-old Natsu, her older sister, Makiko, and Makiko’s daughter, Midoriko. Makiko has traveled to Tokyo in search of an affordable breast enhancement procedure. She is accompanied by Midoriko, who has recently grown silent, finding herself unable to voice the vague yet overwhelming pressures associated with growing up. Her silence proves a catalyst for each woman to confront her fears and frustrations.
On another hot summer’s day ten years later, Natsu, on a journey back to her native city, struggles with her own indeterminate identity as she confronts anxieties about growing old alone and childless.

Comment: While browsing some books at the library, the cover of this one caught my eye and upon checking the blurb, I thought it would be interesting enough to try. I've had some positive reactions to other Japanese authors I've tried and decided to give this one a chance.

Natsu is a young Japanese woman, going on with her life in Tokyo, and one day her older sister tells her she will be visiting with her daughter, because she plans on investigating clinics where she could have a procedure to have breast implants. Natsu never thought about this subject but her sister's decision, along with her daughter recent decision to not speak to her, now makes her start wondering about certain things. Then, years later, Natsu is still single but as time goes by she starts thinking what it will mean to become old while alone and without a child. Is there any possibility to change her life without having to give in to things she never wanted in her life?

I've finished this book but I'm still a little confused on what I'm supposed to think. I've come to realize  - perhaps it's just the small range of my experience - that the Japanese authors I've read so far seem way more introspective than European or American ones, and a huge part of the books they write seem to focus on other things and not exactly a linear narrative. This isn't bad for me, I kind of like the style, but it certainly makes for a slightly confusing reaction because I can't be certain on what I was supposed to see here.

The writing style is a little vague, lots of allusions to thoughts and notions, but it helps that the ideas keep coming, which makes it feel as if things are moving on. Natsu is the narrator of this story and I liked her personality (I've identified with some of her thoughts) but it also seems that she could be any other person, in the sense that I believe the author wanted to convey a message, or a point, with this novel, and Natsu as protagonist is only a vehicle, not the decisive factor for the story to be successful.

To me, this was a very feminist story, not only because most characters are women and talk/think about women's bodies and issues, but there is a lot of information, directly discussed by the characters or somehow included in thoughts (this is why I think the author had a goal) where we must wonder what it is like for women to think about themselves and what their bodies are meant for. 

The story is divided into two sections, being the first one where Natsu's sister considers having implants - and all that this subject might entail - and then the second one where Natsu ponders her choices, her likes and dislikes and the idea of having a child or not. Of course these subjects can be seen as important, and I'd say perhaps in an unique way in Japan, culturally speaking.

I guess each notion presented by the author could be discussed and can be a matter of opinion, but as a whole, I got the idea she wanted to write about the pressure women feel to be a certain way and to think of their bodies as a means to an end, but what does that really mean in today's society? I was also surprised by how the classes are described, in the sense that Natsu and her sister have always been poor and they don't have a lot and still need to pay debts, and this certainly doesn't match the most general idea people have about Japan, where all is bright and technological in the cities and calm and traditional in the country.

I say this because there does seem to be a direct correlation between affording to look the status and struggling to make ends' meet, just like anywhere else, but the expectations on Japanese women still mean certain choices and what that will cost. Added to the inner thoughts and the musings on a woman's body and what it means when babies are born and all that is related to a woman's body and even motherhood, this story is provocative and good food for thought.

I've seen that the book is actually a compilation of two stories, with the same characters. In Breasts, the point is that women are seen for their bodies first and what those bodies convey physically with the standards of what is beauty, and in Eggs the conversation is about children and family life vs personal choices, especially what it means to be a single mother and how can these women, who are not in a relationship, become mothers using artificial insemination, when that is apparently reserved more easily to couples who are more likely to be accepted.

While the first section was meant to be independent, I can see how the author wrote the second to suit, even though the characters don't seem to act then as they did in the first part. I did find this a little odd, but since the goal was not a plot driven story, that can be overlooked. I think the social commentary and the little things the author writes here and there are quite the ingenious criticism, and a lot of the situations portrayed can be a good example of pros and cons on the subject, as if this is a way to let the reader think which side of things has more merit or if one side should be stringer than the other.

I cannot say I've concluded anything, though, except that women always have it worst and biologically it's inevitable that some roles just need to be taken on by them, but should women be reduced to that? And who gains by imposing laws and rules that say this person deserves something more than another? Again, food for thought...

Grade: 7/10