Lisa Jewell - The Family Upstairs

In a large house in London’s fashionable Chelsea, a baby is awake in her cot. Well-fed and cared for, she is happily waiting for someone to pick her up.
In the kitchen lie three decomposing corpses. Close to them is a hastily scrawled note.
They’ve been dead for several days.
Who has been looking after the baby?
And where did they go?
Two entangled families.
A house with the darkest of secrets.

Comment: I've brought this book from the library and had no reason why, simple curiosity. This is also the second book I try by the author but to be honest, I can't remember anything about the plot of that story anymore.

In this book, we follow several narrators as they explain what happened in a house in Chelsea. The house belongs to a rich family but when the story begins, three bodies are found dead, which had happened for some time already, and a baby is found alive and taken care of somehow. The police investigated but found no real evidence of what took place to lead to such a scenario. Now, 25 years later, the baby is a grown up woman, Libby, and she is told she has inherited the house but when she gets there she believes someone is hiding inside. Investigating the news of that time leads her to the journalist who did some research and they decided to dig deeper... but are they ready to find the truth at last?

As I had experienced with the other book by the author I had tried, it was quite easy to read this book, I found myself turning the pages very quickly because the chapters are short and the plot compelling. In terms of execution, I think this was better than the other book I had tried, but still not as great as it could be.

The story is told from the POV of Libby in third person and Lucy in third person, but also in first person by Henry. At first we don't know the connection between Lucy and the others but it becomes clear soon enough, only it's not simple why life took her in the direction it did. The story is told by these people now, but Henry's POV is in the past, leading us through what happened to them all and why the three bodies were found dead.

Although it seems confusing, it really is much easier while reading, since all this is very distinctive on the page and one always has in mind who is who, narrating. Of course, the interesting part is Henry's, and how things come to be. Basically, everything is centered on the life of those who lived in the house, because Henry's mother let a couple she was friends with to stay there until their situation was solved, and later on, she let another family staying as well. All was great at first, but slowly and manipulatively, everything started to change after a while.

I suppose it might be easy to guess where this is going, and how these "guests" influenced what happened after, and from a psychological POV it seemed the plot is quite believable and realistic, after all insidiousness ins't easy to spot right away. Still, however, it always seemed strange who quickly the family was isolated and that no one really paid attention. Although, who knows, considering how everyone kind of protects their privacy...

I can accept the path taken by the characters and the reasons why they felt like those were their only options, but it's still an odd process to think of. Then, personally, the issue probably is the writing style, because for some secrets to be maintained, and for the suspense of some doubts to be carried on, the author has to change third person here to first person there, has to present things in a way that is simply not logical at times. I get it, but made for the twists to seem both predictable and/or easy to spot.

I had a hard time connecting with Lucy and Libby. Each had a different path in life, and while their personalities are certainly justifiable, neither seemed very interesting, more like a necessary type of character for this specific story. Libby is very likable and a true innocent but she also seemed very bland, her character, I think, wasn't developed as much as it perhaps required. Lucy had to live through traumas and I cannot say her choices are surprising, but... again, I struggled to like her.

Henry is the most fascinating character of them all and the means through which we learn all the important bits, but I had this feeling he was made to seem mysterious on purpose for the final twist, which kind of annoyed me. I think a different explanation for some choices everyone did in the past would have been more believable. I also didn't really like how will this was made to look the work of a disturbed person, I'd have preferred the narrative to go a different direction.

All things considered, this was an intriguing story, had great elements and vibe, but there are things that I feel didn't really enrich the plot, but had to be included for other things to make sense. Thus, part of the suspense feels weak...

Grade: 7/10

Jennifer Ryan - The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle

After renowned fashion designer Cressida Westcott loses both her home and her design house in the London Blitz, she has nowhere to go but the family manor house she fled decades ago. Praying that her niece and nephew will be more hospitable than her brother had been, she arrives with nothing but the clothes she stands in, at a loss as to how to rebuild her business from a quaint country village. 

Her niece, Violet Westcott, is thrilled that her famous aunt is coming to stay-the village has been interminably dull with all the men off fighting. But just as Cressida arrives, so does Violet's conscription letter. It couldn't have come at a worse time; how will she ever find a suitably aristocratic husband if she has to spend her days wearing a frumpy uniform and doing war work? Meanwhile, the local vicar's daughter, Grace Carlisle, is trying in vain to repair her mother's gown, her only chance of a white wedding. 

When Cressida Westcott appears at the local Sewing Circle meeting, Grace asks for her help-but Cressida has much more to teach the ladies than just simple sewing skills. Before long, Cressida's spirit and ambition galvanizes the village group into action, and they find themselves mending wedding dresses not only for local brides, but for brides across the country. And as the women dedicate themselves to helping others celebrate love, they might even manage to find it for themselves.

Comment: I've decided to read this book because of its premise. Also, I had read another book by the author years ago and it was captivating enough that I wanted to try something else by the author.

Grace, Cressida and Violet should not have much in common, but the war has taken a toll on everyone and when Grace becomes engaged, a huge problem is to find cloth and material to do a wedding dress, and she decides to use her mother's, although it needs some fixing. Along with the ladies' sewing group, she decides she would lent her dress afterwards, to any other woman who needs it, and thus they start their task. One thing leads to the next and they soon find themselves at a position to help shape the fashion culture for years to come, but are their personal lives as easy to fix and plan for? Are they all certain their choices are giving them what they need to be happy and to survive the war problems?

In this story, once again the author offers a small community in England during the WWII period. Three women are at the center of a story which is based on true facts, in which economizing and rationing everything is mandatory, even for wedding needs. The idea of reusing and letting others use one's wedding dress might seem unlikely nowadays, at least for most people, but it was a necessity when material was so scarce.

I liked all the elements related to the clothing and sewing the ladies do in this book and having found similar ideas in other books with the same theme helped me to understand some scenes and decisions. Of course what made this story more interesting was how this group helped the protagonists seeing things from a different perspective and trying to find happiness instead of just letting things go as they were.

Grace is about to marry a man who is a little older but she never imagined someone shy and not really a beauty like her would marry, so she is eager to start her new life, even if it means to keep doing what she has always done in terms of parish work. She had forgotten about her youth dreams of Hugh, the son of the most influencing man in the region, and how he disappeared from her life, but now she is about to spend time with his aunt at his house and seeing him again will certainly force her to rethink everything.

Cressida is a well known designer in London but she comes back when her house is destroyed, and she is eager to help the ladies of the sewing group. She also likes Grace for her skills and posture and isn't surprised when she realizes Grace isn't really confident in her future marriage being a happy one. It also happens that the man she imagined she would marry one day, but who died, was friends with Grace's father, a man she becomes closer to now and with whom she finds a lot in common. But she will return to London, surely...

Hugh's sister Violet receives a conscription letter and has to join the women's teams, which she thinks is beneath her aristocratic status, but she decides to be brave even if it means less chances of finding an aristocratic husband too. She discovers, however, that she is a natural for some tasks and not even the slightly irritating American she needs to drive around puts a stop to her self discovering. 

The lives of these three ladies overlaps as they work together to help with the wedding dress fixing, as well as other projects, and the best part was to see them learn things about themselves, and all finding love. In terms of romance elements, this story worked out quite well, but I must say, just as it had happened with the other book, the writing style is a little predictable and the characters' choices very easy to guess. The writing is actually a little too simple, more depth would have elevated the plot.

In spite of the elements I think should be done better, I still had a good experience reading and wanted to know what would happen next.

I will likely read more by the author.

Grade: 7/10

Annabeth Albert - Rough Terrain

Navy SEAL Renzo Bianchi has a soft spot for Canaan Finley, and not only because the man makes a mean smoothie. He’s the first guy to get Renzo’s motor revving in a long time. But when he agrees to Canaan’s insane charade—one all-access fake boyfriend, coming right up—he never expects more than a fling.
Creating a hot Italian SEAL boyfriend to save face seemed like a good idea…until his friends called Canaan’s bluff. Now he’s setting off into the woods with the very man who inspired his deception, and Canaan is not the outdoorsy type. The sparks are already flying when a flash flood separates them from their group, leaving Renzo and Canaan very much trapped…very much alone in the wilderness.
Working together to come up with a plan for survival is sexier than either of them expects. But back in the real world, being a couple is bringing its own set of hazards…

Comment: This is the final full length installment in the Out of Uniform series by Annabeth Albert. There are several short stories in between all the books but I have not read them.

Renzo Bianchi is a Navy Seal who loves what he does and who also happens to have some fame posting videos with exercises, although never referencing the military. He also likes what he sees in Canaan, the guy who prepares the smoothies he and his friends drink after their work outs, and after one fun conversation, they agree on a date. Following that, Renzo accepts Canaan's request to help him with an event camping and hiking, which was organized by his former band mates but it turns out that Renzo and Canaan get along way better than they imagined. However, their jobs and personalities might lead them in different directions too... is there hope for a relationship between them?

This is the last story in the series, featuring several Navy Seal characters and those who interact with them. I have liked most of the stories for the focus is mostly on romance and the relationship challenges and not as much on military content and scenes.

Both protagonists of this story had been secondary in other books but I will say that Canaan had not impressed me much because he had been a key element at one specific part of the plot of book #3, which was the one I liked the least. He had seemed rather aloof then, and showcased as someone who liked to party and some kink and, traditionalist as I think of myself, his character didn't interest me. This is mostly why I had some trepidation in reading this story but, thankfully, there is more to Canaan than who he was before.

In fact, Canaan is studying to become a nurse and he has some jobs in the meantime, which he doesn't ind because it also helps him to keep an eye on his grandfather, with whom he lives. He also has a past of being a party guy, which doesn't bother him much but being with Renzo makes him realize he might more ready for a commitment than he imagined, and I think the author did a good enough job in revealing us how vulnerable he was, and how his past shaped him to be this person who seems one thing but it's not just that.

Renzo seemed, at first, an easier guy to read but he obviously hiding some vulnerability too, and we are told he feels he needs to be closer to his family on the eat coast. This was an important part of the conflict after a while, because the setting is on the west coast and how would a nee relationship survive long distance.... I think everything was dealt with in a satisfying manner, but it also seemed as if some sequences of the plot were there for drama and not because those were really the only options. Still, the difficulties provided a new way of seeing the guys' personalities.

I kind of expected Canaan's past to be more of an obstacle for the romance but this was actually dealt with very quickly. I also thought Renzo's videos would be more of an issue for his career, considering how often they were mentioned in the beginning of the book and in the previous installment, but it didn't really go anywhere specific after all. This is to say that the plot wasn't as intense as I imagined, if I were to think of the possible obstacles, but those things still added layers to what was happening.

This author's writing style is clearly appealing to me, but I have enjoyed other books by her more. This series, as a whole, was satisfying and entertaining, but apart from one book (#4) whose plot was more interesting, all the to hers were more or less average in how gratifying they were. I will certainly read more by this author, at some point.

Grade: 7/10

Lidia Jorge - Mercy

Comment: This book was published in 2022 by Portuguese author Lidia Jorge, a well known writer who writes literary fiction. This book is the result of a request by her mother, who stayed at a nursing home for a while until her death and this is an interpretation of things she said and wrote, which her daughter then turned into a book. Misericórdia could be translated as "mercy".

I saw that this at the library and remembered that it had been praised by both critics and readers and I thought, why not. Although this is a famous writer here, I had not read anything by her before, probably because I got this idea her style would be complicated. In a way, it was so, but I still found this book to be easy to read, in terms of writing style.

The plot tells us the story of Maria Alberta, a character based on the author's own mother, who has been in the same position of needing to stay at a nursing home, as it often happens in the contemporary Portuguese society, for the social division of work vs family life means most families cannot have family members in the house all day, as it certainly happened decades ago. Thus, the quick development of the social work "business" of having, needing and paying for a nursing home.

Most families also cannot afford to do it differently and, thus, many people need to go into one of these places,which is both a blessing - they have care pretty much 24h a day - and a torture - locked in a place without having the means and often the health, to stay in their own houses. This is especially difficult to people from low incomes, or whose children cannot afford to have private care, meaning that there is quite a dissonance for these people's lives, many still aware but without mobility or unaware and in need of even more specific care.

Reading this book was interesting because there is this idea most people have of what happens in places like these. Some are good, others aren't, but it's quite a psychological trauma, I'd say, for older citizens - everyone is going there too at some point! - to adapt to a life in which they aren't in their house anymore and the helpers very likely aren't enough to be there for everyone, unless more were to work but financially that is unbearable. Thus, a conundrum which only expensive private places often can solve.

Anyway, a lot could be said about the logistics of this "business" but when it comes to the book, the author focused on the narrator's experience which is both funny and heartbreaking at times. So many situations she sees and deals with and so many things out of her control, I think this was a good story due to this, the idea of thinking about such a life, such a way of looking at life. I think that, apart from the musings and reflections, the events are recognizable and interesting.

I am also assuming this took place at a nursing home more alike to those we would find in a big city as opposed to smaller rural areas. My grandparents were in a quieter area and they were always well treated  and some of the scenes of the book aren't as similar, but the idea is there. To be fair, the people staying at the nursing home depicted in the book were also well treated, but it is common knowledge this is not always so, and older people are certainly more fragile and vulnerable.

I'd say that the element I wasn't as fond of in this book was the constant poetic/literary descriptions and sentences. Yes, the author is known for this, but I kind of expected a more realistic and exposed scenario of what was happening at the nursing home. Yes, Maria Alberta is a fascinating and erudite person, but I wanted less musings about life and more descriptions of the everyday routines at the nursing home, more interactions with others... I feel this was included but was almost secondary.

Still, I understand why so many readers found this provoking and interesting.... it does give us food for thought, and some allusions were quite a hit, but I think this was a bit too literary if I can say so.

Grade: 7/10

Irina Shapiro - Murder on Platform Four

Inspector Sebastian Bell arrives at Paddington station through thick Victorian mist, hoping to reconcile with his estranged brother. Instead, he discovers a young woman’s body in an abandoned trunk, stabbed with a peculiar bone-handled knife. But with no clues to her identity and his new boss dismissing the case, Sebastian’s investigation seems doomed.
Nurse Gemma Tate is at work when the nameless woman is brought in for an autopsy. Realizing how desperate Sebastian is for a lead, she risks a forbidden examination and makes two tragic discoveries: the woman recently gave birth, and she wears a wedding ring with the inscription “G loves H”. Has this brutal act of violence shattered not just one life, but an entire family?
Determined to get justice, Sebastian and Gemma pursue answers to the woman’s wretched fate. But when the trail of clues leads them uncomfortably close to home, Sebastian realizes too late the danger they are in. By ignoring his superior to follow this case, has he fatally doomed the woman he loves…?

Comment: This is the fifth installment in the Tate and Bell series, which I have been reading recently with my buddy read friend. The series features detective Sebastian Bell and Nurse Gemma Tate as they investigate a case and fall in love.

In this story, Sebastian and Gemma are still debating what to do with their lives, but Gemma's period of mourning is ending and they are planning on becoming engaged after that. In the meantime, a body is found inside a trunk on platform four and Sebastian is quick on the discovery since he had planned to meet his brother at the station. As they investigate the dead woman found inside, they follow the clues to a hotel, where the woman had stayed, and the hospital, where she had planned to meet someone. Why is the woman dead and what as she doing in the city? Can they find out what happened before someone else is killed?

This being the fifth installment means there are situations that have become easy to spot in the series and a certain vibe has become predictable. Still, I must say i was surprised by how much easier it was to read this book as opposed to the last two, for instance, which felt a lot bleaker. This one still had the crime investigation, which always touches subjects that can seem sensitive, but the overall impression was one of a much more approachable story line and secondary characters.

In fact, my biggest disappointment in the previous book was how unlikable most secondary characters had been and the tone of the story suggested some very bad thoughts and emotions. I'm glad that this one was a lot lighter to me, and not at the expanse of an intriguing story, for the crime committed and the solving of it still offered a lot of food for thought. This means that this book felt like it was easier to read and to appreciate.

The crime investigated provided interesting details to analyse and to wonder about and this is one of my favorite things about these novels, how the police investigates certain things with pretty much only their wit and by asking questions. At a time where so much of our contemporary science is set on technology or artificial means of finding evidence, it always impresses me how much Sebastian and Gemma can learn by talking to people and assuming things. Of course, some coincidence makes all this sound better too...

I think the case wasn't very complex, however, and the real challenge was to see how the clues would fit. Despite this, the investigation went towards a path in which it was interesting to learn what motivated the killer to act that way. And, as always, the author added interesting historical facts about this and that to make the reading experience feel richer.

My buddy friend and I have talked about the books and for me the biggest "negative" issue has been the tone of the books and how unpleasant some characters are and how that affected my enjoyment of the book. For my friend, the issue is the lack of development of Gemma and Sebastian's romance. This is an historical, so the author is trying to keep up a realistic evolution of how such a couple would behave in public, but I can understand why this also feels like an excuse, and their romance seems too bland and relatively platonic. I, too, would not mind more evidence that they are falling in love.

This book did work better for me than others and some of the things that take place give me hope for what is to come. There is always something I'd change to suit my preferences but I think this one had a good balance of the elements used. I hope the next one can feel stronger, though.

Grade: 8/10

Mini - Comments

These are the last books I've read in April. Nothing in common between them, but since I don't have much to say about them, I've decided to group both in a smaller post.

The Postman by Antonio Skarmeta is a well known short story featuring Pablo Neruda and a man who is his postman for a while, Mario. The story isn't developed much and the social and political allusions to the situation in Chile in the 1970s quite superficial. I suppose a short book would not contain much anyway, but I did expect a bit more setting and sequence to what was being said. 

The focus is on the postman who, by getting to know the poet, sees Neruda for who he is and not for his fame. Mario was a likable character but he is also quite distracted by his feelings for Beatriz. This relationship didn't convince me, but it was also a way for Mario and Neruda to talk and the best part of the book was certainly the supposed meaningful short conversations they shared. 

This short book was one of those that I think have a special value but don't leave a big mark on the reader, at least not for me. Sadly, it's very likely I'll forget about it easily.
Grade: 6/10

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki is also a short story (less than 200 pages, just like Skarmeta's book) about a set of characters who connect somehow. The element they all have in common is the coffee shop which only seems to be open and available at certain times, and is managed by talking cats. In recent years, I have read several books by Japanese authors who have stories with cats and bookshops or coffee shops and in general all have been easy to appreciate. Of course, not all have been great for most include some sort of magical realism element too, and this can be tricky to do well.

In this book, sadly to me, I think the conjunction of things did not work out. I could not seem to connect with the characters, I had some difficulty recognizing the fun or the cuteness of the talking cats and although the book is short, it was also boring. There is also an element of astrology, which the author inserts in each character's life by having the cat providing advice and wisdom, but I was not convinced. I cannot say this bothered me as it did other readers but yes, it didn't help.
All in all, it just didn't make sense to me at any level, so I've decided to not finish.
Grade: DNF

Sally Britton - Mr Gardiner and the Governess

A duke’s governess, a gentleman entomologist, and a castle full of flowers is the perfect setting for a summer romance.
As the new governess to the duke's family, Alice Sharpe must learn to control her impulsiveness. Employment in the duke’s household is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and could mean living in comfort the rest of her days. Unfortunately, her first encounter with the duke's houseguest, a handsome gentleman obsessed with insects, proves she may not be ready for the austere role of governess.
Rupert Gardiner has one goal: to have his work in entomology and botany published by the Royal Society. He is fortunate that the Duke of Montfort, believes in him and enlists Rupert to make a record of all the flora on the castle grounds. But Miss Sharpe’s spontaneity and continual appearance during his work is an annoying distraction. At least, that’s what he tells himself.
While Alice struggles to adapt to her new role, constantly striving to go unnoticed while still being herself, she cannot help but admire Rupert’s intelligence and focus. The more often they fall in together, the more her admiration deepens. But could a gentleman such as he ever fall in love with the governess?

Comment: I can't remember why I've added this book to my TBR but it was likely because of the different class dynamics, since the hero is a guest of a duke and the heroine is the governess. I'm always on the lookout for romances where the characters need to deal with their circumstances.

Alice is a young woman who, despite her being an orphan after the death of her parents, has had the privilege of an educated life but at the mercy of many relatives who, from time to time, would pass her around to someone else. Now she is starting her life as a governess and that is how she meets mr Rupert Gardiner, a scientist interested in insects who is working on the duke's garden. They like each other from the start and their common interests make their conversations interesting, however, he is the son of an reputed member of the Royal Society and she is only the governess. It doesn't seem they should match but is there any hope for them to be a happy couple?

This is a very light and almost novella sized story, which means it was easy and quick to read. I liked this in general, but it is true that it wasn't a very challenging read, because for me nothing was developed with much depth. The characters were likable, except the ones who were meant to be antagonists, but there wasn't much to them and I foresee this won't be a story I'll remember much of later on.

The plot is very simple and doesn't offer any real drama nor challenge because while we are told about the protagonists and of the fears/difficulties they claim to have, we never dig deep into anything. I mean, I certainly would not like to read about all the negative aspects that surely I can imagine they would think of - for instance, Rupert's need to prove himself to the Royal Society and Alice's need to prove her reliability as a governess - but even though we knows these things worry them, this is only addressed superficially, for plot purposes.

I suppose I need to be fair by saying the story doesn't take long to happen, thus no time to really discuss serious issues. Although, I think in terms of writing skill the author could have done things differently to convey the importance of some things without them sounding as superficial as it happened to be. I can infer and understand what the point was, of course, but the telling instead of showing really seemed like a miss in this book, which means the potential was a little lost.

The romance is mostly cute, and nothing intimate happens except for a kiss if I remember correctly. It's not always the case, but this time this decision made me think the chemistry between them was mute, and not really special. It was cute yes, that they respected each other, but I wasn't blown away by how they behaved and acted with one another. It was very meh.

There are some situations that are meant to convey doubt and that provide a contrast to what "feels right", namely how another governess at some point is unfair, and we see how much more adequate Alice is, or when another man mistreats Alice and we see how much more decent Rupert is, but these things felt like they were presented in a very juvenile manner, at least to me, although I assume the point was to offer a contrast, but why would the author use this tactic,  after all the reader should understand this easily anyway.

I guess I can summarize this story as boring. The secondary characters were superficial, in the sense that while interesting on their own, we don't get to see them for more than what role they represent, and the protagonists are kind of predictable within the limits the author imagined. I know more books with secondary characters as protagonist come after but I don't feel like trying them.

Grade: 6/10

Livy Hart - Some Kind of Blunderful

If you ask Mia Madden, the road to dating hell is paved with suspiciously hot online profiles. Take tonight’s date, for example. Alex Conroy’s whole “boardroom in the streets, lumberjack in the sheets” thing totally works for her, but his profile did not convey that he represents everything she loathes about corporate hustle culture. He’s not even worth her bottle of purse wine.
Imagine her horror when it turns out that Alex is also the hot-shot new boss her dad can’t stop complaining about—the Forbes 30-under-30 company fixer of his nightmares. Worse, their respective best friends are dating. Mia and Alex are constantly thrown together, whether it’s for corporate volunteer hours at the animal rescue, squaring off at the company picnic, or literally trapped in an escape room. It’s one nightmare after another... no matter how sexy the company is.
Mia’s life is now a romantic-comedy of errors, complete with her kinda, sorta, accidentally sleeping with the enemy. And she’s not sure which is worse: that Alex could ruin her dad’s career, or that she might actually like him.

Comment: I got this book after seeing some positive reviews about the main couple having a sort of enemies to lovers relationship. Since this trope does appeal to me, I decided to give it a go.

Mia and Alex set up a date after finding one another on a dating app but after half an hour, Mia thinks Alex won't show up and leaves. While complaining to her best friend, though, she notices someone listening in to her conversation, and that person is Alex. After all, they were waiting for one another in different spots, so they go along with the date, but the first impression isn't positive and they agree to not have another date. However, somehow, they find each other again again, which can be tricky because Alex is Mia's father new boss and their interactions haven't been great. Is there any hope for Mia and Alex, fate does seem to bring them together very easily...

Based on the cover, I assumed this would be a cute and light romance, perhaps with some interesting characters who would have strong personalities, and funny scenes to carry the plot along. In a way, this did happen but I didn't find the main characters' interactions after they become a couple as engaging as when they weren't.

The story started off quite well for me, to be fair. Alex and Mia seemed to be easy characters to read and I was interested in seeing how their personalities would mesh and how the little things they had in common would make for a solid relationship. I also liked the tactic of having them wary after the first date but then, there are constant situations in which they find themselves together again, and it felt that the longer they would interact, the easier it would be to see they could work out as a couple.

For the first half of the book, more or less, things were super engaging and I didn't mind the coincidences that allowed them to be in each other's orbit, even when some things seemed rather contrived. I also liked it that as we get to see them together and interacting with others, their personalities became more obvious and I started to have an idea of who they were. Some details weren't as captivating to me, namely the whole mess about her father working for Alex and so on, although that situation did seem realistic.

The writing was fluid and attractive but I will say that I struggled a little to see the chemistry between Mia and Alex. I liked them as individuals, I liked them as a potential couple, but they weren't always characters I wish I could meet in person, for instance. Thus, around half way, they finally admit their attraction and become intimate, after we, the reader, having watched them deal with suggestive meetings and possibilities. I've skipped the sex scenes for they didn't seem to add layers to who they were, so no real point in reading the details.

From then on, it seemed the focus would be on them dealing with the repercussions of being together although her father would not approve, and of them admitting they were in love. I confess I've struggled, I could not feel as attentive to what was happening as I had been before this moment of the plot. A story that felt like a good one was now sounding less and less engaging and the elements related to their personal lives and jobs also lacked interested for me. Yes, what was to come would likely be predictable but more than that, it seemed it would be boring. Which it was, for me.

As one can imagine, there's an HEA, there is conversations that were necessary between characters, and not just the main couple, but my focus was lost. I've finished, but it wasn't as fun to finish the book as it had been to start. There were also a few details that I don't think had enough closure, and I didn't finish thinking Alex and Mia were the best couple they could be.

All in all, easy to read, had some good elements, but as a whole did not convince me.

Grade: 6/10

Jenn Burke - Out of the Ashes

Vampire PI Evan Fournier has dealt with his fair share of danger and heartache, but nothing prepares him for the pain of a broken bond with his mate—especially when his mate is the one who severed it. Bond or no, he still loves Colin—fiercely. Trust, however, is harder to come by. And when a demon starts terrorizing paranormals in Toronto, trust in one another is exactly what they’ll need.
Former firefighter turned crime-fighting phoenix Colin Zhang knows who Evan was—is—to him, but he doesn’t know if he can give him what he wants. He just needs a little time to figure things out. Unfortunately, bringing down a demon bent on mass murder leaves little time for anything else.
The only way they’ll destroy the demon is by teaming up with an unlikely partner to infiltrate a gang of terrorists. But the only way they’ll save themselves is by finding a path back into each other’s arms—and hearts—once again.

Comment: This is the third installment in the Ashes and Dust trilogy by Jenn Burke, concluding the story of Evan and Colin.

In this story, things seem to have reached a quiet point, although the dangers of who was responsible for the killing of so many people in the previous book are still on everyone's minds. Evan is also wary about what to expect, since he no longer has a bond with Colin and he isn't certain about Colin's intention of still wanting to be with him, now that the bond isn't there. However, their personal emotions need to take a back seat when a demon starts causing even more problems on top of those they already had. Is there any solution for these difficulties, will they be able to catch the demon?

This was an interesting story to conclude the trilogy, that's a fact, but I must say I thought the overall plot a little convoluted, and the main characters didn't seem to have had the focus I imagined they should, considering how complex looking the first book was. The second was less intense, but this one, being the last, should have been more engaging and I didn't always feel that.

The plot was definitely a little confusing, because there is still the ongoing issues from the past books, but now new characters, investigators for the paranormal groups, go on a mission to try to uncover who is helping a certain extremist group accessing weapons to harm paranormals. Along with them, Evan and Colin go too as undercovers, to play the role of people who joined a survivalist group who doesn't want paranormals to live. I mean, this was interesting but... to me it felt like a prop to make Evan and Colin be in such a situation, when the story could have focused on another path.

Of course, this led the guys to act as if they aren't a couple, and to make things worse, before they go on this mission, Colin had told Evan he didn't remember - after the break of the bond - what they had felt for one another anymore, which added much drama to everything. I thought this be so... unnecessary, because here w have our attention divided into different segments and, in my opinion, none was accomplished properly.

In regards to the plot, it was always assumed the good guys would solve things, which they do, but only after some challenges and apparent struggles. I was invested in this idea of defeating the big power causing all the problems but I must confess that it felt the author had a great idea for the first book, which she could have expanded and it would work well as a single story. Having this as a trilogy means the subjects had to be spread through more pages and this made some jumps to feel jarring. I don't mind how things ended, plot wise, but I'm also not a big fan of the choices made to choose a culprit.

The romance between Colin and Evan had so much potential, especially considering how they met and the events of the first book. In this one, I just could not buy the speed in which their decisions are made, because the emotional impact, with Evan's story also, was simply lost and unbelievable to match what they go through here. The whole coming and going in how Colin changed his mind, and how they got together for real and talked about their bond, while dealing with the plot issues... the romance definitely feels like it was secondary here.

In spite of this, I still had a positive experience reading this story and I still wanted to see where everything went, which, as one might expect, ends in a happy mode for pretty much everyone. but yes, some things could have been polished and presented better. I will try something more by the author one day.

Grade: 7/10

Catherine Ryan Howard - Rewind

PLAY
Andrew, the manager of Shanamore Holiday Cottages, watches his only guest via a hidden camera in her room. One night the unthinkable happens: a shadowy figure emerges onscreen, kills her and destroys the camera. But who is the murderer? How did they know about the camera? And how will Andrew live with himself?
PAUSE
Natalie wishes she'd stayed at home as soon as she arrives in the wintry isolation of Shanamore. There's something creepy about the manager. She wants to leave, but she can't - not until she's found what she's looking for...
REWIND
This is an explosive story about a murder caught on camera. You've already missed the start. To get the full picture you must rewind the tape and play it through to the end, no matter how shocking...

Comment: Last year I've read a book by this author which I enjoyed, even though it wasn't perfection for me. Still, I was curious enough to try another and now, finally, I did.

Natalie is a successful instagramer and her life seems to be what everyone always envisions but the truth is that Natalie is somewhat tired of keeping up the happy persona. One day, she finds out a strange receipt of a stay under her husband's name, of a place neither have been to, and she decides to investigate, thinking the worst. From then on, only terrible things happen, and as the police and a reporter start investigating what might have happened, new secrets start to unravel, and details which seemed meaningless, and people who seemed harmless,turn out to be key in finding out certain things. What is going on at the cottage where Natalie went to learn how the receipt came to be? Who is there that might have been aiming to hurt her?

Now that I have finished a second book by this author, I can say I have an idea of her style and my conclusion about this novel is the same I had in regards to the other one I had read. The plot is ingenious, the writing is competent, but there is a little something missing when it comes to how the reveal of the big twist was done.

The story is told in an interesting way: we have chapters from the POV of several characters, namely Natalie, Andrew the receptionist at the cottages she is staying at, Jennifer the receptionist at another hotel, Audrey the reporter, Seanie the young police officer and if I'm missing someone I cannot remember now. Some of these characters don't know each other, so part of the story is told in the past (rewind), in what happened when Audrey investigates (fast forward) and in apparently isolated moments (play and pause). This method made it exciting, yes, but there were times I was a little confused about what was happening because, for instance, the rewind scenes were both told by Andrew and Natalie's POVs, and things didn't always match.

In spite of this, it was easy to keep turning the pages, since something new is always being added, and the tension of finding out what might come next was well achieved. The little things related to the characters' possible secrets and why they do certain things are given at believable intervals and I had many doubts for a long time. Of course, there comes a time where something more substantial needs to be said, and once some clues come in, the big picture becomes a bit obvious.

I mean, the hows and who become obvious but the why took longer for me to understand. It's not that I'm a reader that guesses things quickly, but the way this is told, for some things to make sense, means a few details start to become evident. For instance, Natalie checks the cottages because the fears her husband had an affair, and the whole set up was quite clever, but we are never really told if he is guilty or not. And if not, why did Natalie receive the receipt suggesting he was? This was done well, but as soon as the reader accepts the possibility he might not have had an affair, a lot of things make perfect sense.

All the characters have secrets, some more dangerous and/or disgusting than others, but the psychological state of mind of each were quite provocative. Even Audrey the reporter, who seems to be doing only an aftermath work is hiding insecurities and some impulsiveness that makes the reader momentarily doubt her skills or motifs. Some of the others are even more complex, which makes the exercise of following them even more interesting.

To me, the flaw, let's call it that, in the plot was about this. As soon as a certain idea takes root, all the pieces fit, and I cannot understand why it isn't obvious sooner, but from the moment I assumed the husband didn't have an affair, everything became easier and the big reveal at the end was not truly surprising because I already had imagined that scenario. But, evidently, perhaps my assumption might not be correct. Nevertheless, it was still rewarding to see the culprit being caught and the explanations given by reporter Audrey. The end also provided information on some red herrings which sometimes worked, sometimes were too glaring.

I will certainly read more by this author because while a few things aren't as seamlessly added as they could, the overall effect is still quite worthwhile.

Grade: 8/10

Evie Woods - The Lost Bookshop

‘The thing about books,’ she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.’
On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found…
For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.
But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder… where nothing is as it seems.

Comment: This is another buddy read choice and my friend and I have picked this one because it would be about books, of course, and we do like the "books about books" theme.

In this story we follow three main characters as their personal stories connect through the same element, a bookshop in Ireland. In 1920s, Opaline is a daring young woman who doesn't want to conform to the expectations on her role, and she runs from her brother, who aims to marry her off to someone she doesn't know. Her dream is to work with books and she goes to Paris to pursue her dream, which leads her to live through many adventures and worries, as her brother pursues her. In the present, Martha and Henry meet by chance and see themselves in constant contact from then on, for Henry is looking for Opaline's bookshop, which should be next door to the house where Martha works at as a housekeeper, but which doesn't seem to exist. What happened, why is the building simply not where it should? What is Martha hiding? What happened to Opaline?

On paper, this story had everything to make it a great one, secrets and weird things, daring characters and hints at romance, magical realism elements... books and stuff about books, it did seem like this had to be a successful book to me, but the truth is that the writing style didn't win me over.

The story is told alternatively by three characters, Opaline in the 1920s and Martha and Henry in the present. All share their POVs in first person, and sometimes this annoyed me to no end, although this isn't a romance - which is where first person, badly done, really gets on my nerves -  because the writing felt very simplistic and without enough depth to sustain the type of plot and what the characters go through. All face some sort of difficulty in their lives, and there are traumatic situations they must deal with as well, which I think weren't really developed and almost glossed over.

Opaline is certainly the most interesting character, she lives at a time women still have no real rights and she dreams of working, of doing something that makes her happy and that is book related. I could empathize with her very easily and root for her being successful, but the way she simply leaves to a foreign place and things work out with only mild worries at first felt very childish written. Surely the author could add more urgency and layers to all this.

Martha and Henry are living in the contemporary years and their meeting is quite simple but apparently develops into seriousness very quickly. However, both have to deal with current relationships (Martha has run from her abusive husband, and Henry has a girlfriend in England) before something happens, but their connection is immediate. I mean, I did struggle with this element because, again, the writing made this seem very juvenile and now the result of thoughtful adult emotions, as I imagined it should, considering their personal stories, which we learn of as the story moves on.

My main issue has to be the fact the voices/personalities of these three all seem the same! The author wrote them in first person but apart from the details related to each, I'd not differentiate them. It's really a pity how such a promising story, with so many elements that could enrich the storytelling felt short if the writing isn't as polished. I mean, nothing is badly done, only not masterful nor smooth. Plus, since most situations are presented in a slightly superficial way, of course the emotional connection failed for me as well.

There are some magical realism elements here and there, sometimes so random that I wonder why bothering with them, and to be honest, some things still don't make sense to me. In the meantime, I have even looked at questions readers asked on GR about the book, I've read some reviews hoping to understand one detail or two but my conclusion is that when it was handy, the magical realism element was there, to add a certain vibe, when it didn't seem important, it wasn't there.

Opaline and Martha have complicated challenges for their role as women when there are men in their lives who seemingly have all the power. I think this theme offered interesting food for thought elements and I did like that they have what we could say were relatively traditional HEAs, but what they go through was only alluded at, not really developed. This is a pity, considering the author decided to include those themes. Perhaps less intense elements would have been a better choice.

I did like the book conversations, the book references, the characters sometimes talk abut this title or that, and Opaline's bookshop and her look for deals seemed intriguing and something I'd like to know more of. The bookshop and how it is there and then it isn't also offered interesting ideas, so not everything is bad, certainly, but I feel this book could have been so much better.

Grade: 6/10