Month: May 2020

Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid | Book Review

Posted May 28, 2020 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 0 Comments

Neanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid | Book ReviewNeanderthal Seeks Human by Penny Reid
Series: Knitting in the City #1
Published by Cipher-Naught on July 1, 2019
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Pages: 404
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
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There are three things you need to know about Janie Morris:
1) She is incapable of engaging in a conversation without volunteering TMTI (Too Much Trivial Information), especially when she is unnerved,
2) No one unnerves her more than Quinn Sullivan, and
3) She doesn't know how to knit.

After losing her boyfriend, apartment, and job in the same day, Janie Morris can't help wondering what new torment fate has in store.

To her utter mortification, Quinn Sullivan—aka Sir McHotpants—witnesses it all then keeps turning up like a pair of shoes you lust after but can't afford. The last thing she expects is for Quinn to make her an offer she can't refuse.

I’ve had my eye on Penny Reid’s books for quite some time now, but I kept not reading them! There was never a big reason why, there were just always other books to read instead. Then I was talking with my romance book club about fun books and Penny popped up in the conversation and I knew it was time to make time for her! Neanderthal Seeks Human was a JOY to read!

What I Liked:

  • This. Was. Adorkable.
  • Janie is such a sweet and wonderful heroine, and might be one of the most unique characters I’ve ever read about. She has not street smarts whatsoever, but she makes up for it in book smarts. She knows every useless fact you didn’t know you wanted to know. Socially, she’s a little off and awkward… but get her talking about a topic she’s interested in and you can’t get her to be quiet. She comes up with some of the goofiest, most random questions and discussion topics. She spouts off the funniest thoughts. She’s also incredibly insecure, aloof, and has some of the worst luck ever. Oh, and she thinks cell phones are evil and will not use one. She just warmed my heart. I loved her because I could relate to and empathize with her.
  • Quinn is the large and in charge, burly, no-nonsense, gruff, cynical hero and I was here for him. He’s a man of very few words, with a lot of secrets, sarcasm, and snark. He’s a complete and total alpha and has no idea how to date someone because he’s always been the one-night-stand kind of guy. Everyone fantasizes about being wrapped up in some big teddy bear, and that’s what I think of when I think of Quinn. All he needed was to find a girl that he felt strongly enough about to motivate him to work through his crap and become the man he wants to be. He’s so sweet and loves all of Janie’s quirks. It takes a special someone to fall for an oddball, and he is just the right guy for her.
  • Together, Janie and Quinn have some of the best witty banter I’ve read. Their disagreements and debates are hilarious. Their deep and not-so-deep-but-full-of-useless-facts discussions plastered a smile on my face often. They’re just such a fun pair, and they’ve got amazing chemistry.
  • The knitting group… so funny. There’s a little drama and some trouble comes looking for Janie and Quinn, and the knitting group intervenes in a way you will never expect. I can’t wait to read the stories of the other women in this group. Janie has some wonderful friends, and I am so jealous!
  • Penny’s writing is awesome. And she’s incredibly smart to be able to write such a smart heroine! I didn’t know smart romances were my thing, but apparently they are!

What I Disliked:

  • Ho boy, this book was HUGE and it dragged in a few places. I kept being amazed at the small dents I was making in this book as I read.
  • That being said, the book started off pretty slow but once things really got moving I enjoyed the ride.
  • Sometimes Janie’s thoughts and questions and ramblings went on a little too long. But I love her anyway.
  • At times I had a hard time believing what was happening because it just seemed too outlandish or over-the-top.

All in all, this was so cute and the kind of light-hearted fun I needed during this crazy time of quarantine. Janie and Quinn are a couple to root for, and I’m so excited to read about the rest of the women in Janie’s knitting group! I also can’t wait to dive into the sequel to this one, Neanderthal Marries Human, and read more about Janie and Quinn!


Christmas In July Gift Exchange Announcement and Sign-Ups

Posted May 26, 2020 by Jana in Blog Event / 1 Comment

 

Hi everyone! We know that during this time we could all use a little extra kindness, magic, and fun! Since Santa is off at the beach sipping fruit punch and getting a tan, he has enlisted our help in spreading a little Christmas magic! So, we are very excited to announce the Christmas in July gift exchange!

Below you will find all event info, including the rules for the exchange, sign up directions, and a questionnaire so the person shopping for you can get to know you better. PLEASE read through this entire post thoroughly before deciding if this event is right for you. 

The Details:

  • Sign ups are open until 11:59 PM EDT on June 17th and I will be sending matches out on June 18th. I’m hoping to give you as much time as possible to gather your goodies for your recipient!
  • This event is open to residents of the USA ONLY. With each country having different rules and plans in place to keep people safe we think this is the best decision. There are so many unknowns, and coordinating internationally would be quite challenging. We’re so sorry to disappoint.
  • This is a commitment. Please only sign-up if you are committed to sending off your gift(s) on time.
  • What you sign up to send is what you will receive. I will be grouping people up based on box type and monetary tier so that everything is fair.
  • Shipping does not count towards the monetary value of the gift.
  • You must be 18 years old or older to participate.
  • Please note that this is not a swap. The person who will be sending to you is not the same person you will be sending to.
  • The event hashtag is #GiftmasInJuly. Please use it lots because the friendships that form around events like there are the best!

If you have any questions or concerns before or during this process, please reach out! You can simply write to ChristmasInJulyExchange@gmail.com or DM one of us on Twitter (@ArtsyReaderGirl and @BrookeWorm33).

The Box Types and Monetary Tiers:

Digital ONLY Box: This box includes ONLY digital gifts. Audiobooks, ebooks, digital albums/movies, e-gift cards, etc. Since this option does not include any physical mail (and, therefore, no enclosed note or card), please email your recipient a note to go along with the gifts you’re sending them. Please do this after you’ve sent them all you’re planning to send, so they know they’ve received everything.

  • Digital Tier 1: $10-$15
  • Digital Tier 2: $15-$20
  • Digital Tier 3: $20+

Mixed Box: This box includes the option to send both digital (ebooks, audiobooks, egift cards, etc.) and physical items shipped DIRECTLY from retailers (amazon, book depository, Barnes & Noble, book outlet, Society6, etsy, target.com, etc.). Digital items are not required if they do not apply to your recipient. Since this option does not include any mail sent directly by you (for example, no notes or cards), please email your recipient a note to go along with the gifts you’re sending them. This allows them to respond/thank you. 

  • Mixed Tier 1: $10-$15 (excluding any shipping costs)
  • Mixed Tier 2: $15-$20 (excluding any shipping costs)
  • Mixed Tier 3: $20+ (excluding any shipping costs)

Curated box: This box is basically a traditional gift swap box (like OTSPSecretSister and TBTBSANTA). You will put together a physical box of goodies (along with a note to reveal yourself), preferably wrapped, and send it directly to your recipient. 

  • Curated Tier 1: $10-$15 (excluding any shipping costs)
  • Curated Tier 2: $15-$20 (excluding any shipping costs)
  • Curated Tier 3: $20+ (excluding any shipping costs)

Signing Up:

Please send the following completed questionnaire to ChristmasInJulyExchange@gmail.com. The more detailed you are, the easier it will be for your sender to spoil you! (Please do not attach a Word (or other) document to the email. Instead, please paste your answers directly into the body of your sign-up email.) 

1. Box Type and Tier:

a. Digital Tier 1: $10-$15
b. Digital Tier 2: $15-$20
c. Digital Tier 3: $20+
d. Mixed Tier 1: $10-$15 (excluding any shipping costs)
e. Mixed Tier 2: $15-$20 (excluding any shipping costs)
f. Mixed Tier 3: $20+ (excluding any shipping costs)
g. Curated Tier 1: $10-$15 (excluding any shipping costs)
h. Curated Tier 2: $15-$20 (excluding any shipping costs)
i. Curated Tier 3: $20+ (excluding any shipping costs)

2. Do you live in the USA? This event is only open to residents of the USA (even the digital-only box type).

3. Name, mailing address, and email address (if you’re signing up for the digital tier, do not include your mailing address. The email address you include must be the one you will be receiving digital gifts to, if applicable. It will also be the one you’ll receive a note from your sender, if applicable.):

4. Are you 18 years old or older?
Yes
No

5. Where can we find you online? (Blog URL, Insta/Twitter handles, etc. You must be active on social media to participate.):

6. Your wish list(s) (Please provide links to any wish lists you have. If you don’t have an online wishlist, please make one. It’s much easier than listing out what you’d like here. These wish lists must remain exclusive to the Christmas In July Gift Exchange until you’ve received your gifts.)

7. Tell us about your digital preferences. (Do you have an e-reader? Which one? Would you enjoy getting an Audible credit? Do you want any online subscriptions or gift memberships? Where do you prefer getting MP3 albums from? If you’re not a digital person, explain that here.)

8. How do you practice self care? Tell us about the things you do that make you happy.

9. What do you collect?

10. What are some of your favorite genres/authors?

11. What won’t you read?

12. What fandoms do you belong to?

13. What are you always in need of?

14. What are your favorite things?

15. Do you have any allergies? What can’t you receive?

16. Tell us anything else we need to know about you that was not covered by the questions above.

17. Please provide the contact information (twitter handle and/or email) of 1-2 buddies that your sender can contact with questions about you or information they need relayed to you. (This person does not need to know you well, they just need to be willing to be the go-between between you and the person sending to you. If you have nobody to ask, post to the event hashtag and ask for a volunteer.)

Things to Do:

  • Please send your digital, mixed, or curated box by Monday, July 27th at the absolute latest.
  • Once you’ve sent all of your gifts, please email us (ChristmasInJulyExchange@gmail.com) any pertinent information. This can include tracking numbers, screenshots of online orders, etc. We just want proof of purchase/sending to ensure that if things get lost we know you fulfilled your commitment. Please send just one email with ALL gift information.
  • Once you receive ALL your Christmas in July gifts, please email us to let us know! A simple, “I got my gifts and my sender wrote to me!” email is enough.
  • Be sure to thank your sender in some way, whether through social media or email.
  • Please utilize the event hashtag #GiftmasInJuly to ask questions, post hints, share in your shopping/gifting/receiving/sending process! Show us what you got! This makes the event so much fun!

 

Gift Giving Guidelines:

Please keep in mind that ARCs, swag, and shipping DO NOT count towards the monetary value of the gift

Due to everything going on in the world right now, please do not send homemade food items. Pre-packaged, store-bought foods are fine (and encouraged!). 

Be thoughtful! You don’t have to stick to a person’s wish list at all, but please pay attention to their questionnaire answers and send your recipient things you think they’d like.

Have so much fun shopping and spreading some holiday magic during this crazy time in the world!
Any questions? Ask in a comment below so you can help others. :)

The palm trees in the event logo were created by photographeeasia at Freepik.com. The rest of the design was created by Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl.

 


Top Ten Tuesday Link-up 5/25/20

Posted May 25, 2020 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 6 Comments

Welcome to TTT! I flaked this week… So sorry! Quarantine brain, I suppose. Anyway, the topic for the week is “Opening Lines” and you can interpret this any way you want. Best, favorite, funny, unique, shocking, gripping, lines that grabbed you immediately, etc. Sometimes I can throw together a post in 15-20 minutes when TTT slipped my mind, but this one takes a lot more thought than some. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to think! I’ve been VERY busy planning two fun things for this summer, though, so get excited about those and watch this blog over the next week!

Which books have particularly noteworthy opening lines?
And have you been plagued by quarantine brain any over the last two months?


The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware | Book Review

Posted May 21, 2020 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 7 Comments

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware | Book ReviewThe Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
Published by Gallery/Scout Press on August 6, 2019
Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Pages: 337
Format: Audiobook
Source: Audible
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When she stumbles across the ad, she’s looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss—a live-in nannying post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when Rowan Caine arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten—by the luxurious “smart” home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family.

What she doesn’t know is that she’s stepping into a nightmare—one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.

Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unravelling events that led to her incarceration. It wasn’t just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music, or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn’t just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn’t even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant.

It was everything.

She knows she’s made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn’t always ideal. She’s not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she’s not guilty—at least not of murder. Which means someone else is.

I really love books set in creepy buildings… and I love them even more if isolation is thrown into the mix, so The Turn of the Key had my name written all over it. And Riley Sager, author of my favorite creepy building book: Lock Every Door, recommended it to me when I reached out on twitter so I was EXCITED. And I was so engrossed. I quickly became very addicted to the story and could not stop myself from reading long into the wee hours of the night.

What I Liked:

  • I listened to the audio, and Imogen Church is an amazing narrator.
  • Ruth Ware is SO GOOD at the atmospheric, suspenseful feelings. This book is eerie and dark and tense in a very subtle way that works itself into your very being. I’d read about a creepy sound and then feel sure I’d just heard that sound in my own house. I was afraid to run across the hall to go to the bathroom at 2 AM. I wouldn’t say the book is scary, it’s just got this underlying sense of foreboding like anything could happen at any moment.
  • The Turn of the Key is written as a letter from Rowan to a solicitor she hopes will represent her in her murder trial. I enjoyed reading a book in this format, and felt it brought some added intrigue to the situation. Rowan is currently in prison for murdering one of the girls in her care, but she swears she’s innocent. I loved unraveling her story and trying to figure out what really happened. 
  • The setting was exactly what I hoped it would be. I was so creeped out and uncomfortable reading about this isolated smart home with cameras and voice controlled everything (and I mean everything). Lights turning on on their own, doors locking themselves on their own, secret locked doors with who knows what behind them, a do-I-trust-him-or-not groundskeeper who seems to be very nice but might actually be a serial killer. I was so unsure of everything.
  • During the day Rowan and the girls explore the grounds a little bit, and discover a bit of the house’s history. CREEPY. I’d love a prequel book to get the story of the original inhabitants of the house in more detail. 
  • All the previous nannies could not handle living in Heatherbrae House, and I really loved trying to figure out the mystery of why. This book was really one mystery within another, and I liked all the layers that gave me to work through. I was never bored.

What I Didn’t Like:

  • I feel like we never get a heroine who is strong and level-headed in a Ruth Ware book. Unreliable narrators are a Ware hallmark, it would seem, and sometimes I don’t love it. Rowan put herself into some pretty sucky situations and then didn’t trust herself enough to be able to handle them. She never stuck up for herself. She never put the bratty, misbehaving girls in their places. I got a bit annoyed at how spineless she was, and how quick she was to believe that’s she’s going insane instead of the victim of someone other than herself.
  • The ending is VERY unsatisfying. So much is left up in the air and, after everything I had gone through as a reader, I wanted more answers. Be prepared to Google for other readers’ theories or find someone to chat with when you’re done (I’m happy to DM on twitter if you need someone to listen to your theories or discuss things!).

Additional Thoughts:

  • I really want to read The Turn of the Screw by Henry James now and see what the original story is like!
  • Imogen Church has to mimic a creaking floor in her narration, and oh man. It gave me goosebumps.
  • I never, in a million years, would have guessed the ending. Ruth Ware always tricks me and I never get it right, so that’s obviously one of the main reasons I keep coming back for more! She’s a very entertaining storyteller and a great writer.

All in all, The Turn of the Key was creepy and atmospheric and so engrossing. The ending drove me insane and I still think about it all the time, but I guess that serves Ruth Ware well! She’s always marinating in the back of my head. I keep telling myself I need to stop reading her books because I always come away slightly frustrated, but perhaps that’s her goal. And… I know I’m going to read more of her books. lol. So great. More torture on the horizon for me!


Beach Read by Emily Henry | Book Review

Posted May 13, 2020 by Jana in Adult Fiction, Book Review / 15 Comments

Beach Read by Emily Henry | Book ReviewBeach Read by Emily Henry
Published by Berkley on May 19, 2020
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance
Pages: 384
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher (Netgalley)
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A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters.

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast.

They're polar opposites.

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they're living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer's block.

Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She'll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he'll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.

Who doesn’t love a good beach read? This cute summery cover, the fun title, and the unique synopsis had me reaching for some fun, swoony romantic comedy in the sun. While this was a fun book, unfortunately it wasn’t as fun and swoony as I had hoped. As always, my main points are bolded.

1. The first thing I think of when I think about Beach Read is that it’s a lot heavier than I expected. I was expecting a light, fluffy storyline with two authors throwing their witty banter back and forth, all while the summer sun blazes down on them as the waves crash against the shore outside their beach houses. This was not that. We learn immediately that January is reeling from the death of her secret-keeping father. The beach house is the house he owned with his mistress. January finds out about this mistress (whom he was spending time with while his wife, and January’s mom, was at home going through chemotherapy) at her father’s funeral, when said mistress hands her a key, a note, and a teary smile. Holy heavy. That’s a lot to grapple with. While struggling with the worst case of writer’s block ever (because what even is love anymore?), she’s living in his home cleaning out his and his mistress’s things and preparing to sell it. Gus is also carrying a lot of his own baggage. Both characters go through a lot of emotional ups and downs. This book also didn’t feel summery to me. Yes, it’s hot and sticky during the day but no beach stuff really happens. The rom-com field trips that January takes Gus on are highly overshadowed by Gus’s death cult excursions and their own personal demons. The evenings and mornings are cold and damp. I just didn’t get the warm fuzzy feelings I had hoped for with this title.

2. On the flip side, when Beach Read chooses to be a rom-com, it does such a good job! January and Gus have this awesome chemistry. They pick at each other and push each other’s buttons, and the sexual tension is totally there. They spend their days sitting in their own kitchens, which are mirror images of each other, working on their books. If they look up from their laptops they can see each other, through the windows, sitting at their kitchen tables. Even though they both have phones, they choose to communicate by writing notes to each other with sharpies on their notebooks and then holding them up and waiting for the other person to look up and read them. Some of these notes are funny, some are flirty, and some are motivational. This was my favorite part of their relationship, and the book. I thought it was really cute.

3. I didn’t love the execution of January (the romance writer) writing literary fiction and Gus (the literary fiction writer) writing romance. Maybe I didn’t like this because I hate it when my favorite authors make a disappointing genre jump, thereby writing a book that holds absolutely no interest for me. The tidbits of both January’s and Gus’s novels sounded kind of crummy to me. lol. Her literary fiction novel ends up being about a circus, and his romance novels ends up being about a death cult (don’t worry, this is not a spoiler). I would have ZERO interest in both of these books, and I have a hard time believing that this was a good career move for either of them. All for a silly bet. Honestly, I wish this part had been left out. It would have been fine if they’d both just had writer’s block and tagged along on each other’s research trips just for fun.

4. I liked the supporting characters better than the main characters. January’s best friend, Shadi, was my favorite character in the book. She seems like such a sweet, supportive, loving best friend. Throughout the story, a romance is budding in her life, and I loved reading about it. There’s also Gus’s aunt Pete who owns the book store and the coffee shop. Pete is hilarious. January’s publicist, Anya, is a treat and I’d love to read a book about her. Her emails checking in on January’s writing progress were so much fun. She’s got quite a personality.

5. Unfortunately, I never really connected with January or Gus. I liked them, and I felt bad for their heartaches and personal struggles, but I never felt connected to or invested in them. I think that’s why I struggled to get through this book. I’m a very character-driven reader, so not being able to connect with either main character was very hard for me.

6. I did like all the writer stuff. The advance reader copies, the writing process, the writer’s block, professional and reader reviews. That was fun.

7. The death cult stuff honestly made me uncomfortable. It was just too creepy and kind of upsetting in places. If this were in a mystery or thriller I would have been fine because I would have been expecting to feel uncomfortable and creeped out. That’s not what I wanted to feel when I picked up Beach Read, though. I would have preferred more of January’s rom-com 101 field trips. 

8. This didn’t feel at all romantic to me. Gus says some GREAT things that are very swoony on their own, but they didn’t feel swoony when mixed in with everything else. There wasn’t any wooing. I didn’t feel like there were any grand gestures. The cover and synopsis actually seem a little deceiving. The romance is there, and there’s sexytimes… it just didn’t feel romantic.

9. I came away feeling kind of dark about the entire reading experience. The ending wasn’t even satisfying. 

All in all, I’m kind of all over the place with Beach Read. I liked some parts, I was meh about many parts, and I really didn’t like some parts. There was SO much going on. The book was kind of all over the place, now that I think about it. I think my biggest issue, though, is that I couldn’t connect with the characters I was really supposed to love and feel for. I really think that’s where it all went wrong for me. Not being able to connect with them made their story feel very flat and not the least bit romantic. I’m disappointed.