The Little Wartime Library.

 

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*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review* 
 

Clara Button is no ordinary librarian. While the world remains at war, in East London Clara has created the country's only underground Library, built over the tracks in the disused Bethnal Green tube station. Down here a secret community thrives: with thousands of bunk beds, a nursery, a café and a theatre offering shelter, solace and escape from the bombs that fall above. 

Along with her glamorous best friend and library assistant Ruby Munroe, Clara ensures the Library is the beating heart of life underground. But as the war drags on, the women's determination to remain strong in the face of adversity is tested to the limits when it seems it may come at the price of keeping those closest to them alive. 

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 Heart-wrenching, inspirational, extraordinary. 

A beautiful story about courage and hope: at least that's what I thought when I started reading The Little Wartime Library. I can't begin to imagine the terror everyone faced during World War II and having a place where they could escape, even if it was not for long. I have read a lot of historical fiction novels, one of my favorite genres, and a few that dealt with books. But, from all the books I have read in the past, I haven't read anything like The Little Wartime Library, and it didn't take long to become my favorite book of the year. I'm trying to figure out the words to describe how I am feeling right now. This book will make you cry and make you angry, but it will also give you hope and have you smiling. When I came across this book on Netgalley, I wasn't sure what to expect, but both the title and the cover captured my attention, and I'm glad it did. 

Clara &Ruby: I loved them both right from the start. If I were asked which of the two were my favorite, I don’t think I would be able to choose. These are fictional characters, but to me, they were real. Both women had courage, with all the bombing and the losses that both had experienced. Despite everything, they kept going, helping others in need. I loved their friendship; everyone should have a friend like the two. Clara and Ruby reminded me of a few of my closest friends, who were there for me every step of the way. I loved that the book was written from Clara and Ruby’s point of view, giving the readers a chance to get to know each of them. When I reached the end of the book, I hesitated to turn the last page because I didn’t want to say goodbye. I believe that Ruby and Clara’s friendship kept them going until the end. 

Underground Library that’s such a unique location to have a library. Like Clara, and Ruby, I love books, and libraries are such an important part. I loved how each person in the Library, including the children, and the impact it had on each of them. It was an escape for each of them, and that’s what books are me, a chance for escape into a different world. The description of the Library had me imagine that I was transported into the Library, along with everyone else. It was magical. There wasn’t a single page in the book where I wasn’t craving more. The Little Wartime Library is the story I will return to. It was hard to read at times, yet I had difficulty putting this book down. Even now, I cannot get this story out of my mind. A story that is worth every single page.

Carrie Sotto Is Back.

   

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Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular. But by the time she retires from Tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Grand Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father, Javier, as her coach. A former champion himself, Javier has trained her since the age of two. 

But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning player named Nicki Chan. 

At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked “the Battle-Axe” anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever. 

 

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 Taylor Jenkins Reid has been one of my favorite historical fiction authors since I read Daisy Jones & The Six back in 2020. I fell in love with the author and her style of writing. Reid is an author who makes you feel connected with all the characters, a chance to imagine their experience. Carrie Sotto Is Back wasn’t like her other books but in a good way. While reading the book, I felt like I was with Carrie Sotto, playing Tennis with her. One of the things I loved about this book was how much I learned about the game of Tennis, and I could tell how much research went into this book. I knew little about Tennis before reading this book, I had played it for fun when I was younger. However, once I read Carrie Sotto Is Back I learned so much more, I learned about the rules and how Tennis Open works, which was a unique experience for me. I knew Tennis was hard but had no idea how much work went into it. 

 I didn’t know what to think about Carrie Sotto, I had mixed feelings about her. There were times that I loved her, and there were other times that I was way annoyed with her. I loved how hard she worked; she wouldn’t win so many times if she didn’t work hard. Carrie started loving Tennis, but as time went by, I felt that being the best tennis player got into her head, and winning was all she cared about. I didn’t particularly appreciate how she acted when she lost and how she treated her father. However, I was rooting for her when she decided to make a comeback, coming out of retirement. I wondered what would happen if she didn’t win; how would she react? On the other hand, I loved her dad and how he was by her side, cheering her all the way, even when she took out her anger on him. I saw how much love he had for Carrie and that he wanted his daughter to be happy. 

Bowe . You could see the connection between the two of them instantly. There was a special connection between the two of them, the one that Carrie refused to see. I believe that Bowe brought out the best of her, and I saw the change in her after the two started training together. I loved seeing and following Carrie to each Tennis Open, and when she was playing against the other players and all those descriptions of the games, it made me feel as if I was there, at the games. After reading the book, it made me wish that I knew how to play Tennis. I wasn’t fond of all the Spanish that was used without the translation. Sometimes Carrie and her father would respond to each other in Spanish, but there would be no translation, so it was a little confusing what happened. I think if there were some translations, it would be easier to follow those conversations. Otherwise, I loved the book and the story. If you love books about sports, I would highly recommend this book. I’m excited to see what Taylor Jenkins Reid has for us next.

French Kissing In New York.

 

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*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review* 
 

 

Welcome to New York. . . . He’s been waiting for you. 

Margot hasn't been able to stop thinking about Zach, the dreamy American boy she met one magical night in Paris. In an instant, they fell head over heels in love and spent the perfect evening ensemble—sealed with a kiss and a promise: if the universe wants them to be together, fate will find a way.
Flash forward one year later: Margot has finished high school and is newly arrived in New York, ready to roll up her chef's-coat sleeves in Manhattan's bustling restaurant scene, celebrate her father's upcoming wedding . . . and reconnect with Zach. 

But a lot can happen in a year and promises made in the shadows of the Eiffel Tower look different in the neon glow of the Big Apple. Margot spends the summer desperate to find Zach and enlists the help of Ben, the sweet line cook at her restaurant. Margot is convinced she found her soul mate that night in Paris . . . but what if the universe has a different plan? 

Anything's possible in New York City. Especially l'amour, American-style.

 

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  Another book that took my breath away. There are so many words I could use to describe this book, but that would be pages. I don't think I could accurately represent all my emotions right now. Anne-Sophie Jouhanneau is a new author, and this is my favorite way of discovering a new author. The cover and the title is what captured my attention first. Look at the cover, how colorful it is, and how the couple embraces one another. I was curious about the story before reading the book's description. I didn't know what to expect when I picked up the book since it was my first by the author. It didn't take long to fall in love with the story and the characters. French Kissing In New York transports you to Paris, New York. All the descriptions within the book make you feel like you are there, along with Margot, Ben, and Zach. It felt real and magical. 

Ben and Margot. There’s a lot that I can say about the two of them. I felt the connection between the two of them even before they did. I could tell how much Ben cared about Margot, how he went out of his way to help Margot find Zach, despite how he felt about her. I couldn’t believe that Margot didn’t see it, that Ben loved her. I was waiting for her to figure out and realize that it was Ben that she belonged with, not Zach. I wasn’t t sure how I felt about Zach from the beginning, it was romantic how he and Margot met, but like Ben, I thought it was weird that he didn’t want to exchange numbers. If you meet someone special, wouldn’t you want to keep in touch, especially if you are not going to see each other for a while? I had a feeling that maybe he didn’t take their meeting as seriously as she did. I hoped that he wouldn’t hurt her if they did finally meet. 

I love New York and have visited it a couple of times. I loved that the book took place in New York. I loved all the descriptions; making me remember how magical it is. French Kissing In New York will make you go and revisit New York. This book will make you hungry, all the food descriptions, even if you just ate, it would make you want to eat again. Another character that I wasn’t fond of was the chef, I understand that he was running a restaurant, but he still should treat everyone with respect. I wonder how long Margot would last working for him. 

I loved the friendship between Liz and Margot. It reminded me of a friendship between a few of my closest friends. French Kissing In New York was one of my favorite reads of this year so far. I’m happy that I got to read an early copy of the book. Now that I read the book, I’m eager to see what the author has in store for us next.