![]() Thanks to partners NetGalley and Penguin for the digital ARC of Ivy Pochoda’s Ecstasy. The book will be published on June 17! I’ve seen many reviewers calling Ivy Pochoda’s Ecstasy a fever dream, and that feels exactly right. This loose retelling of The Bacchae (which I’ve read about but haven’t read) immerses the reader in a world of entitlement and luxury and oppression, in a battle between masculine and feminine forces, in a power struggle whose fate feels pre-determined. It was a one-sitting read for me. The book begins with a quartet of travelers (not “vacationers”—they’re too cultured to “vacation”) to the island of Naxos where Lena, her best friend Hedy, Lena’s son Drew, and Drew’s pregnant wife Jordan will stay at the family’s luxe hotel, which is in the last stages before its grand opening. Some of the dynamics become immediately clear. Lena and Hedy were dancers together until Lena married Stavros, who swept her away from the excitement of that life into an existence driven by an obsession with class and wealth and putting forth the right facade. It’s a world centered on Stavros in which Lena is a type of prop. Drew has clearly taken it upon himself to continue the dominant role of his father, who recently died on the island’s beach. When the group arrives, they find that there’s a major hiccup with the preparations: there’s a group of women who are refusing to leave the beach. They assert that it’s a cultural and historical landmark that belongs to the island, not to the hotel. Drew, of course, disagrees and is willing to do whatever it takes to eject them from the property. Legally, though, that’s a more complex proposition than he’s willing to accept. That’s the setup. What seems a fairly straightforward tale of class and misogyny quickly, however, shifts because of Luz, the leader of the women on the beach. As Lena is drawn into her circle—into drugs and dancing and unfettered self-expression—she begins to push back against the relationship dynamics that have controlled her life for so long. So much about this book worked for me. I appreciated the shifts in narrative perspective, which allow the reader a glimpse into the group’s slow immersion into surreality, and Pochoda’s writing is undeniably gorgeous. I thought that the changing group dynamics beautifully illuminated the messages of the book: the despicable Drew’s entitled, brought about by his wealth and his gender; the ways that Hedy served as a grounding influence for Lena; Jordan’s attempts to maintain her own agency in the face of Drew’s micromanaging and close-mindedness. I did wish, however, that parts of the book’s message were more subtle, some of the plot elements less predictable. Still, Ecstasy is an absorbing tale that is compelling and thought provoking.
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![]() Thanks to partners NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC of Maggie North's The Ripple Effect. The book will be published on June 17! Just about a year ago, I published a rave review of Rules for Second Chances, the first book in Maggie North’s romance series. I’m thrilled to report that book two, The Ripple Effect, is just as lovely, just as nuanced, just as moving. Lyle “McHuge” McHugh, the psychologist behind the second chances detailed in book one, is the male protagonist here. He’s a relentlessly positive, understanding nurturer whose new company Love Boat, a whitewater canoeing/relationship therapy business, is facing some challenges. Because of some negative press, McHuge needs to anticipate every potential disaster . . . which means having a doctor on staff. In steps Stellar J Byrd who is facing her own challenges. After losing a job she loves as an ER doctor, Stellar has been struggling to make a living wage through gig work, but in their expensive tourist destination, she’s having a hard time. The Love Boat opportunity would be just perfect except for the awkwardness of her relationship with McHuge because of an ill-fated hookup that ended with Stellar ghosting him. Out of desperation, Stellar does accept the job, along with a stake in the burgeoning company. But their first outing includes the journalist who wrote the hit piece on McHuge; his former mentor seems out to steal his idea; and the awkward energy between Stellar and McHuge represents its own problems, particularly after Stellar gets the idea that faking an engagement might help to provide one more shield between the company and the critiques it’s received. North excels at taking romance tropes and offering authentic complexity. Both McHuge and Stellar have intriguing backstories that have shaped their current outlooks on relationships (romantic and otherwise), and watching North peel back their protective layers is both illuminating and satisfying. I’ll continue to read whatever she publishes, and I recommend The Ripple Effect as a perfect read for summer! ![]() Thanks to partners NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the digital ARC of Shea Ernshaw’s The Beautiful Maddening, which is available for purchase! I can always depend on Shea Ernshaw to build an incredibly atmospheric novel—her books are gothic and drenched in foreboding and full of complicated characters. Ernshaw’s newest book, The Beautiful Maddening, fits right into the stack of Ernshaw’s previous YA novels on my (virtual) shelf. The story of Lark Goode and a family curse and the boy who—maybe—can break it captured my imagination. Lark and her twin brother live alone in a crumbling house on a creek in the very small town of Cutwater. Every year, when their tulips bloom, the curse that began with their ancestor flares to life, and they become irresistible until the tulips die again. For Lark’s brother, this yearly ritual seems uncomplicated: he can revel in the attention, get what he can out of the situation, and then move back to his normal, attractive-but-resistible state. Lark feels differently. She’s desperate to get her high school diploma and then to leave Cutwater, to wrest free from the tulips and the curse that has plagued the love stories of every one of her Goode ancestors. This year, her senior year, the tulips bloom with one week left of school, so Lark steels herself to make it through the laser focus of her classmates so that she can graduate and then escape. And then two things change. First, some of the other students seem to have fallen under the tulips’ curse: they are just as enticing as Lark. And, second, there’s a new boy at school . . . and he’s not falling for her. Ernshaw weaves this story patiently, adding layer after layer of family history, town lore, and mystery. While I didn’t always love the tulips, I was captivated by Lark’s attempts to define her own identity, doing her best to resist the fate that everyone—her parents, her brother, her town—insist is inescapable. ![]() Thanks to partners NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the digital ARC of Ali Brady's Battle of the Bookstores. The book will be published tomorrow! Certain authors have become summer staples for me, and the co-authors known as Ali Brady are for sure on that list. Their newest book, Battle of the Bookstores, is a delight. Josie Klein is a literary fiction connoisseur who finds comfort in order and in unraveling the challenges present in her favorite genre. Her bookstore, a Boston landmark, features carefully curated books for the discerning reader. She’s less than impressed with her competition. Ryan Lawson manages the romance bookstore that’s two shops down, just on the other side of a coffee shop. Ryan, the youngest of a slew of boys, has defied expectations his whole life: he’s a tall guy who never played basketball; a strong man who drinks the most bougie of coffees; a male reader who loves romance. Ryan’s deep connection to his bookstore started when the owner, his mentor, helped him to learn to love the genre. The two would be, perhaps, content to disagree—from a distance—if they weren’t forced into proximity by the man who purchased the coffee shop and its flanking bookstores. He’s decided to unite the spaces and put it all under the management of just one of them. The manager who will stay will be determined by a competition: who can make the most money in the months leading up to the stores’ unification. Josie and Ryan’s initial meeting sets up a confrontational relationship that only worsens as the competition grows. What complicates their story is that they—unbeknownst to them—have been developing a close companionship through private DMs on a booksellers’ chatroom. While sparks fly (and not in a good way) when they’re face to face, they turn to each other for comfort and care online. What follows is a beautiful, enemies-to-lovers romance that delves into Josie’s and Ryan’s backstories with care and nuance and also highlights everything there is to love about books and reading and defying expectations about who-should-love-what. I saved this one for the start of my summer break, and I’m glad I did: I didn’t want to do anything else once I picked it up. Ali Brady delivers the fabulous summer read I’ve come to expect, with the perfect balance of romance and humor, depth of character and compelling plot. Now the wait until their next novel begins… ![]() Thanks so much to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Audio for the ALC of Jason Reynolds's Soundtrack. This audio-only novel was just the book I needed at the perfect moment. Reynolds's story, read by an amazing full cast, centers on Stuy who has always lived alone with his mom, who raised him to love music—especially the drums—as much as she does. She and his dad were founding members of The Bed-Stuy Magic Dusters, but when he found out she was pregnant with Stuy, he left for California. Stuy has never met his dad . . . but he also hasn't missed him much. His mom is nurturing and encourages Stuy to follow his passion for music. All of that changes when she starts dating (for the first time in Stuy's life) and the guy, eventually, moves in. Things become unbearable, so Stuy moves in with his uncle and meets Dunks, who is just as passionate about music as Stuy is. Dunks and Stuy go on the hunt for other members to fill out their band, and they find Alexis (bass), Keith (trumpet), and Frankie (TBD). As the group works to find their identity, together and separately, a gorgeous soundtrack helps to tell their story. Reynolds, as always, has such a gift for teenage voices, and I came to love these characters so much. The novel has twists and turns that I enjoyed, but the music is always at the center. This would be a perfect addition to anyone's summer TBR! ![]() Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of Katherine Center's The Love Haters, which will be out on Tuesday! Is The Love Haters my favorite book by Katherine Center? It is not. It was still, however, a good read, and I continue to be infatuated with Center's ability to tell a story, to create compelling characters. Here's the synopsis: "Katie Vaughn has been burned by love in the past—now she may be lighting her career on fire. She has two choices: wait to get laid off from her job as a video producer or, at her coworker Cole’s request, take a career-making gig profiling Tom 'Hutch' Hutcheson, a Coast Guard rescue swimmer in Key West. The catch? Katie’s not exactly qualified. She can’t swim—but pretends that she can. "Plus, Cole and Hutch are brothers. And they don’t get along. Next stop: paradise! But paradise is messier than it seems. As Katie gets entangled with Hutch (the most scientifically good-looking man she has ever seen . . . but maybe a bit of a love hater), along with his colorful aunt Rue and his rescue Great Dane, she gets trapped in a lie. Or two. Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last. "Swim lessons, helicopter flights, conga lines, drinking contests, hurricanes, and stolen kisses ensue—along with chances to tell the truth, to face old fears, and to be truly brave at last." Parts of this one stretched my credulity in ways I didn't love, and I've seen other reviews point out that this one should probably come with content warnings about body image issues. I thought Center worked through Katie's process of coming to accept herself well, but I do agree that, for some readers, parts of this might be very tough to read. I did enjoy the awkwardness of Katie and Hutch's early meetings, and Aunt Rue and her friends are a delight. And I'm always a sucker for the complications a dog (in this case, a BIG dog) brings to a romance. Overall, this one is a fun, summer read . . . and I'll definitely keep reading whatever Center writes. (I'm almost a completionist!) ![]() Thanks to partners NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the digital ARC of Silvia Park’s Luminous. The book will be published next week, on March 11. I love fiction that confronts a classic question posed by sci fi: what does it mean to be human? Silvia Park’s Luminous lives vibrantly within this question, diving into the lives of characters who are robots, characters who are largely bionic, characters who require robotic support to survive. The question of where the line between robot and human lies is one with which the novel wrestles, a thought-provoking conundrum that becomes less answerable as the book unfolds. More important, the novel confronts whether that line really matters: do we owe compassion and empathy to “mere machines”? While I often wished that the novel was more propulsive, I was nevertheless fascinated by its array of characters who are wrestling with their place in the world, with what they owe to others and to themselves. ![]() Thanks to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the egalley of Kristin Koval's Penitence, which is available for purchase. The foundation of Penitence rests on a horrific murder: thirteen-year-old Norah shoots her older brother, then calls 911. She's immediately taken away from her family and into a juvenile detention center. Norah's parents are ill equipped—as anyone would be—to deal with the simultaneous loss of both of their children. They do what's needed: they bury their son, and they hire an attorney, Martine. As the narrative shifts points of view and timelines, there's a murkiness that shades everyone's understanding of Norah's motivation. Koval explores the history of Norah's mother, Angie, who dated Martine's son, Julian, for much of her young adulthood. It seems their relationship is in the past . . . and then Martine brings in Julian as lead attorney on Norah's defense. I found Penitence to be a compelling read. I definitely wanted to know what happened, and I was intrigued by the complexity of each character and of the ways their lives intertwined. Ultimately, there was something about the narrative that kept me at a distance, but I admired it greatly and enjoyed the reading experience. ![]() Thanks to partners NetGalley and Macmillan for the digital ARC of Libba Bray’s Under the Same Stars, which will be published on February 4. I’m a long-time fan of Libba Bray’s work, of the way she’s able to shift between fantasy and historical fiction, incisive cultural and societal commentary and truly hilarious comedy, gorgeous romance and thrilling action. When I saw a promo for her new YA novel Under the Same Stars, I requested it without even reading the synopsis. It was the right decision. Under the Same Stars is historical fiction that weaves between three time periods, three protagonists. First is Sophie, a teenager in 1940s Germany. Sophie and her best friend Hanna are more focused on love and friendship than on the war that increasingly encroaches on their village. They write romantic letters to mysterious pen pals, leaving their notes in the Bridegroom’s Oak that lies in the nearby forest, checking back frequently for responses. Soon, though, they are unable to deny the threats among them and have to decide how they will react to the injustice they see. The second story takes place in West Germany in 1980. The Berlin Wall runs through the city where Jenny Campbell and her family move because of her father’s promotion. Jenny hasn’t been satisfied with herself or her life for a while, but this major change opens up possibilities for her as she happens upon the underground punk scene and, in particular, Lena, who seems to embody all that Jenny wants for herself. As Jenny is drawn into Lena’s world—and drawn to Lena herself—she struggles with the expectations of her parents, her vision for herself, and the demands of her new friends in the face of the wall that looms over them all. Finally, there’s Miles in New York City, at the beginning of the COVID lockdown, during Miles’s senior year of high school. Miles is living alone—one of his mothers was traveling when the lockdown happened, and the other is a nurse who is self-isolating to keep Miles safe. Miles is even more lonely because he and his best friend Chloe hadn’t talked for months, and now the lockdown makes it seem as if they’ll never talk again…until she reaches out for her help unraveling a mystery. Chloe’s grandmother suffered from a stroke and is now in an assisted living home, unable to communicate. But she sent a mysterious package to Chloe with details about her youth in Germany. Miles has taken three years of Germany and, like Chloe, is a huge fan of an investigative podcast, which has inspired Chloe to look into her grandmother’s history . . . with Miles’s help. From here, Bray orchestrates a gorgeous balancing act, one that navigates each teenager’s coming of age, the upheaval of their unique eras, and the decisions they must make for who they want to be in the changing worlds around them. Because there’s always just a little magic in Bray’s books, there’s also a beautiful fairytale that is told and re-told through the novel, transforming as truths emerge and come into focus. Under the Same Stars is a stunning novel that shows, through these characters, how important it has always been to stand up for what is right and to take hold of who they truly are. ![]() Thanks to partners NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC of Emma Lord’s The Rival, which will be published on January 21. Emma Lord has such a talent for writing YA romances with compelling premises that don’t fall victim to oversimplification. (It’s why she’s one of my auto-read authors.) With her newest novel The Rival, she tells a sort of enemies-to-lovers romance that confronts the challenges of being a college freshman and the best way to stand up for a cause we believe in. Sadie earned her high school’s single, coveted spot at Maple Ride University, winning out over her family friend—and secret, long-time rival—Seb, who’s attending a different, prestigious school. Sadie is determined to make her mark at Maple Ride and to earn the one staff position for a freshman at the college’s zine Newsbag, all as a way of setting up her comedy career. There’s a twist, of course. Seb, who was waitlisted, has shown up on campus. And he also wants to join the Newsbag staff. Sadie had looked forward to escaping the constant challenges of her rivalry with Seb but also of establishing a new, true college identity, the one she had never been able to live out when she was with our family. With them? Well, they’re A. LOT. And Sadie always finds herself in the role of mediator, smoothing things over, evening out everyone’s emotions. Now? She may want to be a lot, too. That’s the initial setup. Add in a budget controversy in which the college is pulling money away from extracurriculars like Newsbag to fund their sports teams, and there’s the perfect recipe for a compelling, complicated, wonderful YA novel. The romance is at the center of the book here, but it’s not the only focus. There are wonderful conversations about Sadie and Seb’s challenges as they leave their families—they’re excited to be on their own, homesick for their families, ready to carve out new identities, but not quite prepared to leave who they were behind. There are great considerations of friendship, of how to be an advocate and an ally without dismissing the concerns of those who may be affected by change. There’s a fantastic subplot about romantic relationships—Sadie is completely inexperienced and, now that she’s in college, is having a hard time moving past the feeling that she is the ONLY one who is in her same position. That may sound like too much, but Emma Lord makes it work. The Rival navigates these various threads easily, with humor and empathy and swoony romance. It epitomizes everything I love about Lord’s writing. |
AuthorI'm Jen Moyers, co-host of the Unabridged Podcast and an English teacher. Archives
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