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Review: The Little Teashop on Main

5/11/2019

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I don't know what I was expecting from The Little Teashop on Main - but I certainly got more than I thought I was. This is a lovely book about love and friendship. This is a story of three women who are friends since childhood. These three little girls were always there for each other. We get to read so many tidbits from their lives together as they grew up - in childhood, college, and the present day. The book itself spans 30 years, so we get a lot of the background of their friendship.

Each woman very much has her own personality - I don't want to say too much about that because so much of fun of this book is learning about each one of them, both as an individual and as a part of a unit. Many of this is learned through the multiple perspectives we get - which I love! I usually like double POVs (the usual for romances, my fave), but this one does not overwhelm me with having more than two POVs.

Jodi Thomas does a wonderful job of getting the reader to care about these characters while at the same time creating a deeply fulfilling story. This is a light read, but there are some sensitive topics - which Thomas does wonderfully. I recommend this book to everyone - but especially women who have had friends like these...or have always wanted friends like these <3

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Excerpt: On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68

5/11/2019

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5/9/19
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5/10/19
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All the Ups and Downs

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Book Fidelity

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Review: The Printed Letter Bookshop

5/9/2019

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The Printed Letter Bookshop
by Katherine Reay

Synopsis

One of Madeline Cullen’s happiest childhood memories is of working with her Aunt Maddie in the quaint and cozy Printed Letter Bookshop. But by the time Madeline inherits the shop nearly twenty years later, family troubles and her own bitter losses have hardened Madeline’s heart toward her once-treasured aunt—and the now struggling bookshop left in her care.

While Madeline intends to sell the shop as quickly as possible, the Printed Letter’s two employees have other ideas. Reeling from a recent divorce, Janet finds sanctuary within the books and within the decadent window displays she creates. Claire, though quieter than the acerbic Janet, feels equally drawn to the daily rhythms of the shop and its loyal clientele, finding a renewed purpose within its walls. When Madeline’s professional life takes an unexpected turn, and when a handsome gardener upends all her preconceived notions, she questions her plans and her heart. She begins to envision a new path for herself and for her aunt’s beloved shop—provided the women’s best combined efforts are not too little, too late.

The Printed Letter Bookshop is a captivating story of good books, a testament to the beauty of new beginnings, and a sweet reminder of the power of friendship.

Review

Readers, I have to be honest - I stray away from books that tend to look like what people may consider "chick lit". I know that's bad, but I really dislike that term! Not so much for the book itself and it's content, but because I don't believe "chick lit' is a genre. It sounds more like an insult sometimes actually. Well, this book has taught me otherwise. I need to learn to push through that label so I can actually appreciate the book.

This was a lovely book about family and friendship and books. There are several perspectives - from the women that helped Maddy run her bookshop and the niece who wasn't visiting her at the end. I also usually don't like more than 3 perspectives in my books, but each of these characters, Claire, Janet, and Madeleine, are so different that I was able to appreciate each of their POVs. Each one is going through their own paths and when you mix grief and hurt in there - well, it makes it extremely interesting.

This was a heartfelt book about love - whether it be romantic, family, or friendship. I was into the book from beginning to end - and I definitely recommend it.

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Review: Saving the Mail Order Bride

5/7/2019

2 Comments

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Anyone who follows my blog knows that I am quite the fan of the romance novel. I love the tropes (most of them), strong heroines, worth-the-wait heroes, and the HEAs (Happily Ever Afters).

Based on all that - Saving the Mail Order Bride did not disappoint! We had the trope of "forced proximity" in that both Nora and Jack find themselves, not only together, but eventually stranded together against the elements when the carriage they were traveling in crashes. At first, neither knows the true identity of the other (the fact that Nora is indeed the mail order bride), so it is quite a shock when the two experience their growing attraction to each other, and eventually get to know who the other is. Nora doesn't expect an "outlaw" to be her groom-to-be. However, what she believes turns out to be very different when she realizes the kind of man Jack actually is.

This was a lovely romance book that was not too heavy to enjoy (sometimes, you just want some fluffy romance, you know?). The book was well written, and the characters were so easy to care about. I love a story where you can really enjoy who the characters are - as if they were real people. I typically do not go for "wild west" stories, but STMOB was definitely stepping out of my comfort zone for!

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Review: Somewhere Only We Know

5/7/2019

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Somewhere Only We Know
by Maurene Goo

Synopsis
A Cosmopolitan Best Young Adult Book of 2019

Sparks fly between a K pop starlet and a tabloid reporter in this heartwarming rom-com from Maurene Goo.
10:00 p.m.: Lucky is the biggest K-pop star on the scene, and she’s just performed her hit song “Heartbeat” in Hong Kong to thousands of adoring fans. She’s about to debut on The Later Tonight Show in America, hopefully a breakout performance for her career. But right now? She’s in her fancy hotel, trying to fall asleep but dying for a hamburger.

11:00 p.m.: Jack is sneaking into a fancy hotel, on assignment for his tabloid job that he keeps secret from his parents. On his way out of the hotel, he runs into a girl wearing slippers, a girl who is single-mindedly determined to find a hamburger. She looks kind of familiar. She’s very cute. He’s maybe curious.

12:00 a.m.: Nothing will ever be the same.

With her trademark humor and voice, Maurene Goo delivers a sparkling story of taking a chance on love—and finding yourself along the way.

Review

Once upon a time, dear reader, I was an avid watcher of Korean dramas. The only reason why I'm not currently an avid watcher is because they do take up quite a bit of time and are very addictive to this fan (points at self). I knew the actors by name, followed their musical groups if they happened to be in them, and proceeded to listen to music I did not understand. And I loved it.

So, it is no surprise that the K-pop part of this book is what got my attention. I'm not a big fan of the "lets fall in love in one single day" trope, but I find that it does work for me depending on the story itself. Needless to say, Somewhere Only We Know definitely worked for me.

Lucky is an adorable K-pop idol who has been working her whole life to be in her position. She is on the brink of debuting in America (where she's actually from) and her career exploding more that it already has. And as much as Lucky does appreciate her career, she's feeling the disconnection that comes with a life in the limelight. And it all accumulates at the end of her Asia tour where she is in dire need of a hamburger.

It's in her search for this mystic hamburger where she meets Jack, a seemingly sweet guy who happens to do side photography jobs for a tabloid. That's right. Uh ohhhh.

Somewhere Only We Know took me on a rollercoaster of emotions (MUCH LIKE A KDRAMA OMG). I loved Lucky from the get-go. She unveils this side of an K-pop idol that goes beyond the so-called manufactured image we think we know from their companies. She's sweet and charismatic, while also being very human in her fears and anxiety. I found myself feeling simultaneously protective of her while also wanting her to have some freedom for herself.

Jack...Jack invoked a different emotion in me. I found him charming and funny - but his backstory created a major problem for me. It was a great conflict to have in the story because it pulls you in two different directions - wanting to see these two characters grow closer, while wanting to protect Lucky from the fact that Jack is a tabloid photographer.

Ultimately, this book gave me an ending that was all truth - it hurt and it gave me hope.

I recommend this read to lovers of Kdramas and K-pop, definitely, but mostly I recommend this book to readers who love stories full of emotion and fantastic character development.

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Review: The Little Teashop on Main

Excerpt: On Wings of Silence: Mexico '68

Click to Purchase

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Review: The Printed Letter Bookshop

Review: Saving the Mail Order Bride

Review: Somewhere Only We Know

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