THE WIFE BETWEEN US BY GREER HENDRICKS & SARAH PEKKANEN {ARC review}

Hardcover, 352 pages

Published January 9th 2018 by St. Martin's Press

Rating: ★★★★

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I'll admit it, the twist halfway through pretty much got me. My mind had lighted upon the reveal in only the briefest and vaguest terms before then so when I got there I was nodding my head, totally into it, because the story was clearly just revving up.

Nellie is young and beautiful, a nursery school teacher about to be married to Richard, a rich, charming, handsome businessman. Everything seems perfect, except for the phone calls with no one on the other end and the creeping feeling that she's being watched.

Vanessa is Richard's ex-wife, the one being replaced by someone younger, fresher and with less baggage. She drinks to excess and fixates too much on Richard and her replacement.

The first half of the book alternates between these two viewpoints, setting the stage for the second half of the novel. I found the first half of the story to be frustrating; it felt as though it dragged, particularly because I couldn't understand why either perspective was so fixated on Richard when he was so crudely drawn. Having finished the book, this dreamy unfinished quality to his characterization was clearly an intentional choice on the part of the authors. I immediately disliked him as he came across as controlling and manipulative with very little actual personality and it was starting to become frustrating to read chapter after chapter of that.

Luckily, the drag of the first part was immediately forgotten, as parts two and three were fast-paced and had me just devouring it. A lot of questions were answered and a lot of 'blank' spaces were filled in. I don't want to give anything away but ultimately, The Wife Between Us is a satisfying read, hovering on the cusp between psychological thriller and a complex story of a marriage. I do wish that the authors had dug a little deeper into Vanessa though, I felt like there was slightly more there than we got and I also felt the ending was a little too pat but those are the only two criticisms that jump to mind.

THE RULES OF MAGIC BY ALICE HOFFMAN {ARC review}

Hardcover, 384 pages

Expected publication: October 10th 2017 by Simon Schuster

Rating: ★★★★

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

The Rules of Magic is a prequel to Hoffman's classic Practical Magic, perhaps even more beloved because of the 1998 movie starring Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman. I confess that though I have seen the movie many times, I've never read the book it was based on. Luckily, as this is a prequel, it does not matter one whit whether you've read it or not.

In this story, you're treated to a previous generation of Owens siblings: Frances, called Franny; Bridget, called Jet; and the first son born to the Owens family, Vincent. All three are imbued with the magic of their bloodline and when the story starts they are curious teenagers shuffling from their Manhattan home to the small Massachusetts town where the Owens house on Magnolia Street has stood for 300 years. It's this summer that truly starts their journeys towards themselves, towards acceptance of who they are and the magic they wield. Many years pass within the novel, something that on occasion left me slightly confused as to the ages of the Owens, but you follow them along from teenagers until Sally and Gillian of Practical Magic come to live with them as children.

I was thoroughly enchanted by The Rules of Magic. It reads like a fairytale or a bedtime story being told to the reader, pulling you in, wrapping you in the lives of the Owens siblings. Each sibling is different, coming to accept themselves and their magic at different times, each of their voices unique. Romantic and gentle without venturing into 'romance novel' territory, Franny, Jet and Vincent each have vastly love stories that nevertheless leave their marks. I found each of them so enjoyable and my desire to know each character was fulfilled in such a satisfying way.

Three themes reiterate themselves throughout the novel: that being the most authentic version of yourself is important above all, not to live a little but live a lot, and that the only remedy for love is to love more. Vincent, Jet and Franny all struggle with each concept, taking steps forward only to take more steps backwards. As the reader, you're aware of where Jet and Franny end up, as aunties wise in the ways of magic and love, so to see these characters not only young but conflicted and combative about their own natures is fascinating. Vincent in particular is a revelation because he's unique to this story; it's easy to connect to him and the affection that Franny and Jet have for him matched my own.

Overall, I found The Rules of Magic to be a, well, magical story following the trials and loves of three intriguing characters.

SWEARING OFF STARS BY DANIELLE WONG {ARC review}

Paperback, 280 pages

Expected publication: October 3rd 2017 by She Writes Press

Rating: ★★★

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Swearing Off Stars is about a young American named Amelia, called Lia, in England to attend a semester of university in the 1920s. There she meets Scarlet, a beautiful aspiring actress and activist, who is part of a group pushing to allow women to actually matriculate and earn degrees. Lia joins the group, finding purpose in the gender equality group and finding love with Scarlet. However, Scarlet lives in fear of their homophobic society and of their relationship being discovered. Their relationship falters and Lia moves back to America, attempting to move on from Scarlet until she finds a letter in her father's study many years later that inspires her to seek Scarlet out and perhaps rekindle their love affair.

I wish there was more to the plot, but unfortunately that's pretty much it. Probably my biggest criticism is that Swearing Off Stars is too short. Far too short. I wanted to invest in these characters and once I realized that the book spanned decades I wanted to know far more than the story offered. Thirty years passes between the beginning of the story and the end, yet the characters seem to grow more flat and dull as the story progresses rather than richer and more vibrant. We learn the most about Scarlet and Lia as college students, but the years between their meetings are summed up in a few quick paragraphs. That was intensely frustrating for me as Danielle Wong is clearly not without talent but there just wasn't enough of the story to elevate it.

There's not much differentiating the narration of Scarlett and Lia, despite Lia being an American and Scarlett being British; both their internal and external voices sound alike. As the years wore on, I wanted their voices to become more distinct. Scarlet lived the life of a movie star and Lia was a journalist and, during WWII, a military medic. Their adult voices should have felt very distinct and distant from when they were naive university students. Scarlet's surprisingly short perspective chapters almost seem as if they're there to remind you that the their love is mutual. I'm not sure whether that works entirely.

One thing I liked quite a bit, but like everything else suffered from lack of development, was Lia's relationship with her boyfriend-turned-best-friend. He goes from being in love with her to a lifelong best friend that deeply cares for her and their relationship is sweet and steady.

As it is now, homophobia was a spectre hanging over the lives of the queer characters in the story. However, I found the characters' conitnued behaviour frustrating. Queer people have always existed and found ways to exist, yet Scarlet was unable to even attempt it. Back in New York, Lia maintains a long term relationship with another woman, even living with her. Scarlet's reticence felt less related to the sword of homophobic Damocles than to her own issues, but this was not fleshed out at all. It stood out for me because Lia and Scarlet seemed to live lives completely separate from any sort of queer community or connection as well as being met with acceptance from almost all who find out about their lesbianism.

Ultimately, I enjoyed Swearing Off Stars as queer historical novels aren't nearly as popular as contemporary ones and because Danielle Wong clearly has talent, but it was just too short, lacking the depth of character that I need to get really connected to a story.

BEAUTY AND THE BOSS BY ALI VALI {ARC review}

ebook

Expected publication: September 1st 2017 by Bold Strokes Books

Rating: ★★

I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

I don't usually pick up lesbian romances because they're largely not to my tastes, but Beauty and the Boss sounded quick and fun. Unfortunately for me, it was neither.

Ellis is a famous fashion designer and Charlotte is an single mother and aspiring designer granted an internship with Ellis. Ellis, Charlotte and Charlotte's 10 year old daughter Sawyer, already a talented artist, soon take off for New Orleans to prepare for fashion week. Almost immediately one of two copies of the all important book of designs for fashion week is stolen by Ellis' vindictive coworkers and the entire line needs to be replaced. The tension rises as Ellis and Charlotte battle their pasts and their romantic feelings for each other, all while tirelessly work towards salvaging their fashion week.

The main characters, Ellis and Charlotte, work together and fall madly in love quickly, for no real reason as far as I can tell. The emotion just wasn't there. I couldn't connect with them at all and that was a huge disappointment for me. I wanted to like them so much but they were never elevated to vibrant characters who feel real.

Stylistically, the writing didn't do much for me. There are a few things that Vali did that I find amateur-ish, like how a character is always introduced in ways that felt like high school creative writing style.

Fashion designer Ellis Renoir...
Her best friend and partner Rueben Maddox...
"Do you have everything set?" Jennifer Eymard asked Dalton Burton as they had lunch at the Clocktower restaurant.

This sort of thing always pulls me out of a story, as it's an awkward and amateurish way to introduce characters and starts to stick out the more it's used. The sentences were in a simple, almost a fanfic-style, that prevented me from ever really connecting with the characters that I really wanted to connect with. I actually had a really hard time differentiating between who was speaking at any given time, that's how similar every character's voice was. The 10 year old girl sounded the exact same as worldly journalists and international fashionistas.

The main antagonists, Jennifer and Dalton, are hollow, evil caricatures when they're introduced and remain that way the entire story. I don't particularly expect villains to grow and change in the same way I expect the protagonists too, but there was no real explanations for their hatred of Ellis. Despite having a multitude of perspective chapters, I never felt like I understood more about them as people. They were both willing to enact horrible betrayals, ruin families and commit crimes, but their motives lacked any real emotional correlation. Why give them perspectives within the narrative at all if there's no complexities within the characters at all?

In the end, these things made what was actually a fairly short book feel like I was slogging through it, finishing more for completion's sake than enjoyment.

MUNRO VS THE COYOTE BY DARREN GROTH {review}

Softcover ARC, 288 pagesExpected publication: October 17th 2017 by Orca Book Publishers

Rating: ★★★½

This is the second book in a month I've read about a Canadian teenager grieving the death of a younger sibling. It wasn't a conscious choice, but rather chance; I won both Munro vs. the Coyote and Optimists Die First from the LibraryThing Early Reviewer program.

Munro Maddox has been struggling since the sudden death of his thirteen year old sister six months earlier. Munro hears a cruel, pessimistic voice in his head that he has named 'the Coyote' and, though it is never mentioned in the text, he also seems to suffer from post traumatic stress disorder. Munro's symptoms make it difficult for him to attend school, the place where his sister died, so he signs up for a school exchange program in Australia. In Australia he stays with a nice foster family that are more sympathetic to what he's going through than he expected and is assigned a volunteer position at a care community. The community is set up like a village, for adults who have developmental or physical disabilities. One girl in particular reminds Munro of his dead sister, who also had Down's Syndrome. At first this triggers Munro's issues, before eventually alleviating them. Munro's interactions with the residents are sweet and you can see how it helps him.

The story is quick and readable, the language accessible and, in many ways, quite simple. Munro's a sympathetic character, his pain is palpable and relatable, his confusion understandable. However, the length of the book made the story feel very rushed, particularly towards the end. That was a big drawback for me as it made Munro's recovery feel far too fast. I would have liked the setback Munro has towards the end of the book to have been focused on more. It felt like it wrapped up too early.

Other than that, I really liked it. There's minor romance that's sweet and doesn't overpower the story as well. The school exchange to Australia was a particularly nice conception; the location served as a reminder that you cannot run away from grief, while at the same time recognizing that sometimes the only way to come to terms with trauma is to remove yourself from the emotional triggers. Plus the culture clash was cute and fun.

OPTIMISTS DIE FIRST BY SUSIN NIELSEN {review}

Hardcover, 240 pages

Published February 21st 2017 by Wendy Lamb Books

Rating: ★★★½

Review I didn't really know anything about this book when I received it from the Library Thing Early Reviewer program. Petula is sixteen and suffers from anxiety, depression and an compulsive obsession with avoiding potential accidents after the death of her younger sister. She attends an art therapy group with other teenagers that are struggling with their own issues. A new boy from Toronto with a bionic arm befriends the entire group, his own desire to pretend his past doesn't exist driving him to help Petula and the others come to terms with their traumas.

Despite being double the protagonists age, I saw aspects of my teenage self in her quite a few times. Like the protagonist, Petula, I also lost a sibling to a stupid freak accident as a teenager and I also struggle with anxiety and depression. I found myself relating heavily to Petula's anxiety-ridden habits, her avoidance of the people and things she used to love, her inability to connect in the ways she used to. The sides of grief that you don't often see in media.

The Art Therapy group that Petula goes to was one of my favourite parts. Though none of the kids in it truly want to be there or even like each other, they're all struggling with issues that set them apart from their peers. They're not all likable, but you sympathize with them anyway. At first, Petula isn't able to connect with them, but as Jacob befriends them all, each group member begins to find it easier to relate to the others, to cope with their own traumas and issues. The members of the art therapy group stand out, unique in their characterization even without major focus.

I've seen some complaints in reviews that other readers didn't like the tone of the book or didn't like that Petula's relationship with Jacob "cured" her anxiety. I'm usually the first to call these things out but I didn't find them egregious errors in Optimists Die First. I liked the tone a lot; grief is a nebulous, difficult experience and there are moments of levity within the tsunami of anger and sadness. Likewise, I didn't feel that there was some magical boyfriend fix for the way Petula's grief made her feel, in the same way Petula didn't heal the overwhelming guilt felt by Jacob. Having someone who is able to comprehend aspects of your own trauma is a large part of recovery after the death of a loved one, and I think Optimists Die First showed Petula managing a lot of that on her own, or with the help of her friends.

Optimists Die First is small in scope, its focus tight on Petula's world, but manages to have a lot to say about loss and grieving. The moments of levity keep the story from dragging or being too depressing despite the heavy subject matter.

ONCE IN A TOWN CALLED MOTH BY TRILBY KENT {review}

Hardcover, 224 pages

Published September 6th 2016 by Tundra Books
Rating: ★★★★

Once in a Town Called Moth is the kind of book you give a teenager if you want to introduce them to Canadian literature.

The premise is interesting enough: a young teenage girl and her father leave their small Mennonite community in Bolivia and settle in Toronto. Why they left is a major thread of the story.

The main character, Ana, is fourteen and just starting high school. After growing up in a reserved and small community, the city - and high school - is a bizarre world she's never before encountered. Ana is a lovely narrator, expressing how she is caught between worlds and emotions with aplomb.

The narrative switches between the present in Toronto and Ana's recollections of Colony Felicidad in Bolivia, which works in more than one way by revealing more of her past as well as containing pieces to the emotional puzzle Ana hopes to solve about her missing mother.

At just over 200 pages, Once in a Town Called Moth is a very quick read with only a small cast of characters and no romance. It's about Ana's struggle with family and identity, which makes it stand apart from a good number of other YA books. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would definitely recommend it as a relatively quick intro to the Canlit genre.