Table For Two.

 

 

★★★★

The millions of readers of Amor Towles are in for a treat as he shares some of his shorter six stories set in New York City and a novella in Los Angeles. The New York stories, most of which are set around the turn of the millennium, take up everything from the death-defying acrobatics of the male ego, to the fateful consequences of brief encounters, and the delicate mechanics of compromise which operate at the heart of modern marriages. 

In Towles’s novel, Rules of Civility, the indomitable Evelyn Ross leaves New York City in September, 1938, with the intention of returning home to Indiana. But as her train pulls into Chicago, where her parents are waiting, she instead extends her ticket to Los Angeles. Told from seven points of view, “Eve in Hollywood” describes how Eve crafts a new future for herself—and others—in the midst of Hollywood’s golden age. 

Throughout the stories, two characters often find themselves sitting across a table for two where the direction of their futures may hinge upon what they say to each other next.
Written with his signature wit, humor, and sophistication, Table for Two is another glittering addition to Towles’s canon of stylish and transporting historical fiction. 

 

 🌼

 
Table for Two is the third book I have read by Amor Towles , whom I accidentally discovered back in 2020, while I was in the library. This collection of short stories has been on my reading list since I learned that he was releasing it, and I was finally able to grab a copy from the library. Once again, I was not disappointed. I enjoyed most of the short stories in this book; the only downside was that they were short pieces, and I wanted the story to continue for these characters. I couldn't get enough of these people and their stories. I didn't want these stories to end. 

The first four short stories (The Line, The Ballad of Timothy Touchette, Hasta Luego, and I Will Survive) were my favorites. It wasn't that the rest weren't good, but they didn't grab my attention as much as the first four did. I kept reading because I wanted to see how they would end; even if part of me didn't want them to end, I didn't want to say goodbye. There was so much going on, I was constantly on the edge of my seat. I haven't got the chance to read Rules Of Civility yet, but I read that Eve In Hollywood is a separate story. I enjoyed most of the story, but I felt it was longer than it should have been. 

Once again, I was blown away. I had only read three of his books, but I already look forward to when he comes out with new ones. I'm excited to see what Amor Towles has in store for us next!

Uglies (Uglies,#1)

 

 

★★★★

4.5 ★

 

Everybody gets to be supermodel gorgeous. What could be wrong with that? 

 
Tally is about to turn sixteen, and she can't wait. Not for her license -- for turning pretty. In Tally's world, your sixteenth birthday brings an operation that turns you from a repellent ugly into a stunningly attractive pretty and catapults you into a high-tech paradise where your only job is to have a really great time. In just a few weeks Tally will be there. 

But Tally's new friend Shay isn't sure she wants to be pretty. She'd rather risk life on the outside. When Shay runs away, Tally learns about a whole new side of the pretty world -- and it isn't very pretty. The authorities offer Tally the worst choice she can imagine: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. The choice Tally makes changes her world forever.

 

 🌼

 
I discovered Uglies during my senior year of high school. It was the first novel I had read by Scott Westerfeld, and it would not be the last. I had read it several times and consider it one of my favorite books, but it had been a few years since I had read it. I decided to reread it before watching a movie on Netflix. It reminded me of why I loved this book so much, one of which was because it was unlike anything I had ever read before. I have a feeling that I will be returning to this book again in the future. Uglies is the type of novel; you'll be observing not just the story but also the character's lives; by the middle of the book, I felt as if most of them had become my friends. Every page and chapter kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering how things would turn out for Tally and the rest of her friends. 

There was something about Tally; you couldn't help but love her, yet there were times when you found yourself questioning her decisions. A part of me understood why she took that decision, but I was also concerned that she would be exposed, and things would not go well for her. I found myself praying she wouldn't go through it and that no one would discover out why she went after Shay. I was mostly anxious about David and what he would think, given how much he cared for Tally. I was also intrigued about the Specials, and whether they would transform everyone pretty if they found them, as well as why they wanted to go through all this effort. There was something that they were hiding. 

Despite having read it before, I couldn't get enough of the story; it kept running through my mind. This is not like any other fantasy story you've read before. You'll want to read the next book straight away to learn what happens to Tally, Shay, David, and the rest of the characters. I am eager to see how the movie turned out. Prepare for an unforgettable ride!

The Trade Off.

 

 

★★★★★

Thank you to publisher, Lake Union Publishing for providing me with copy via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

 

RELEASE DATE: 10/08/2024

 

A brilliant and ambitious young woman strives to find her place amid the promise and tumult of 1920s Wall Street in a captivating historical novel by the author of The Lobotomist’s Wife.

 
Bea Abramovitz has a gift for math and numbers. With her father, she studies the burgeoning Wall Street market’s stocks and patterns in the financial pages. After college she’s determined to parlay her talent for the prediction game into personal and professional success. But in the 1920s, in a Lower East Side tenement, opportunities for women don’t just come knocking. Bea will have to create them. 

It’s easier for her golden-boy twin brother, Jake, who longs to reclaim all their parents lost after fleeing the pogroms in Russia to come to America. Well intentioned but undisciplined, Jake has a charm that can carry him only so far on Wall Street. So Bea devises a plan. They’ll be a secret team, and she’ll be the brains behind the broker. As Jake’s reputation, his heedless ego, and the family fortune soar, Bea foresees an impending crash that could destroy everything if she doesn’t finally take control. 

 

 🌼

 
I'm delighted I could read the ARC of this book. It's one of those books that you can't seem to put down. You didn't want this story to end. I don't recall a moment in the book when I wasn't on the edge of my seat. I read it after studying all day; I read it during nap time at work; I couldn't stop and wasn't reading it; I was wondering what would happen next for Bea, Jake, and Nate. I love reading books about strong women, and Bea was one of the most powerful women I've read about. Despite all the obstacles she had to endure as a woman, it didn't stop her from pursuing her dream of being a stockbroker. This is one of the reasons she was my favorite character in the novel. I was rooting for her until the end. 

I love how the book began, drawing you straight into the story. I like the book's timeline, how it was written before the crash, and how the tension built as the crash approached. The closer the crash came, the bigger the tension began and the harder it was to put the book down. Before reading the book, I had some knowledge of the stock market and how it functioned. As the story progressed, I learned more about the financial industry, including how tough it was for women to become stockbrokers in 1929. I felt others should know that Bea was helping Jake. I was rooting for her and hoping she'd fulfill her dream. 

I read Samantha Greene Woodruff's debut novel, The Lobotomist Wife, in 2022 and loved it. I didn't realize she had a new book coming out until I found The Trade Off on Netgalley. I recognized the author, and the title also caught my attention. I’m so glad that I got a chance to read it. I'm very glad I had the opportunity to read it. Even though I loved her debut work, this was my favorite. I'm excited to see what the author has planned for us next. Be prepared for a thrilling ride!

The New Couple In 5B.

 

 

★★★★

CONTAINS SPOILERS  

 

Rosie and Chad Lowan are barely making ends meet in New York City when they receive life-changing news: Chad’s late uncle has left them his luxury apartment at the historic Windermere in glamorous Murray Hill. With its prewar elegance and impeccably uniformed doorman, the building is the epitome of old New York charm. One would almost never suspect the dark history lurking behind its perfectly maintained facade. 

At first, the building and its eclectic tenants couldn’t feel more welcoming. But as the Lowans settle into their new home, Rosie starts to suspect that there’s more to the Windermere than meets the eye. Why is the doorman ever-present? Why are there cameras everywhere? And why have so many gruesome crimes occurred there throughout the years? When one of the neighbors turns up dead, Rosie must get to the truth about the Windermere before she, too, falls under its dangerous spell.

 🌼

 
Haunting. 

I've been hearing about The New Couple in 5B for a while, and it sounded exactly the type of thriller I love to read. After reading the book's synopsis, I sensed it would be an intense read. However, this did not prepare me for the book's numerous turns and twists. This is that mystery in which you think you know who is responsible until sudden twists prove you wrong. I couldn't help but fall in love with Rosie; there was something special about her. I loved how much she loved Chad, but I also adored her friendship with Max. Chad was the one character I wasn't sure about, and I wondered whether Dana was correct about him when she said he forced her father to give him and Rosie the apartment. This was primarily based on Chad's actions at times. 

I couldn't help but be caught up in the story. A lot was happening in that building, particularly with the doorman, who seemed suspicious. The doorman, Abi, had something strange going on with him, merely how he acted with Rosie, and, like Rosie, I wondered if he was listening to other people's conversations through the intercom. As the story proceeded, my mistrust of him rose, and practically everyone else in the building, except Rosie and Chad's neighbors, I never even imagined that they might be responsible. I was in as much shock as Rosie had been. 

The last few chapters were the most engaging. I couldn't get enough, and I read past the time I should have stayed up, but I needed to see how everything would end. It turns out that what I thought was the end was not the actual ending. It's as if it kept going. I guess I'm still in shock; my emotions are everywhere. The New Couple In 5B was the first book that I read by Lisa Unger and it won’t be the last one. I am eager for a chance to check out the rest of her books!

Summers At Saint.

 

 

★★★★

 4.5 ★

 

 

Welcome to the St. Cecelia, a landmark hotel on the coast of Georgia, where traditions run deep and scandals run even deeper. . . .

 
Everyone refers to the St. Cecelia as “the Saint.” If you grew up coming here, you were “a Saint.” If you came from the wrong side of the river, you were “an Ain’t.” Traci Eddings was one of those outsiders whose family wasn’t rich enough or connected enough to vacation here. But she could work here. One fateful summer she did, and married the boss’s son. Now, she’s the widowed owner of the hotel, determined to see it return to its glory days, even as staff shortages and financial troubles threaten to ruin it. Plus, her greedy and unscrupulous brother-in-law wants to make sure she fails. Enlisting a motley crew of recently hired summer help—including the daughter of her estranged best friend—Traci has one summer season to turn it around. But new information about a long-ago drowning at the hotel threatens to come to light, and the tragic death of one of their own brings Traci to the brink of despair. 

Traci Eddings has her back against the pink-painted wall of this beloved institution. And it will take all the wits and guts she has to see wrongs put to right, to see guilty parties put in their place, and maybe even to find a new romance along the way. Told with Mary Kay Andrew’s warmth, humor, knack for twists, and eye for delicious detail about human nature, Summers at the Saint is a beach read with depth and heart. 

 

 

 🌼

 
I'd heard about Mary Kay Andrews and had her on my to-read list for a while. After reading Summers At Saint , I understood why so many people are raving about her and her books. I know I've only read one of her books, but I believe she'll be an author I enjoy. Summer At Saint is not the book you expect it to be. I expected it to be a lighter read than it ended up being. I loved the book's mystery element and how it kept you wondering until almost the end. Just when you think you've figured out what happened and who was behind it, another twist makes you reconsider everything. That's my favorite type of mystery. Of course, like Traci, I wondered why they did it. I couldn't put the book down; I needed to know how it would end. 

I liked that the story was told from multiple points of view, allowing the reader to learn more about each character. In addition, I liked that the story was simple to follow and featured romance, humor, and murder. I couldn't help but wonder what Shannon had against Saint and Traci, especially since they used to be great friends. I wondered if she still blamed her for what happened while the two were lifeguards all those years ago. I sensed there was more to it; she was hiding something. I hoped that the two of them would be able to put it behind them. I could not get enough of this story. When I wasn't reading it, I anticipated what would happen next. 

I adored Traci's journey from admiring the Saint to working there in the book's opening chapter. I have much more to say about the book, but I don't want to spoil it for people who haven't read it. I am eager to read the remainder of her books. I highly recommend checking this book out.

The Booklover's Library.

 

★★★★

 Thank you to publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing/Hanover Square Press for providing me with copy via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

 RELEASE DATE: 09/10/2024.

In Nottingham, England, widow Emma Taylor finds herself in desperate need of a job to provide for herself and her beloved daughter, Olivia. But with the legal restrictions prohibiting widows with children from most employment opportunities, she’s left with only one persuading the manageress at Boots’ Booklover’s Library to take a chance on her. 

When the threat of war becomes a reality, Olivia must be evacuated to the countryside. In her daughter’s absence, Emma seeks solace in the unlikely friendships she forms with her neighbors and coworkers, as well as the recommendations she provides to the library’s quirky regulars. But the job doesn’t come without its difficulties. Books are mysteriously misshelved and disappearing, and her work forces her to confront the memories of her late father and the bookstore they once owned together before a terrible accident. 

As the Blitz intensifies in Nottingham and Emma fights to reunite with her daughter, she must learn to depend on her community and the power of literature more than ever to find hope in the darkest of times.

 

 🌼

 

 When I saw the cover for The Booklover's Library, I knew I needed to read this book. I was intrigued by the book's cover and even more so by its story. I had a strong feeling that I'd fall in love with the story, and I did, but it wasn't the only thing I loved. The emotions in this book were very vivid; I felt every single emotion Emma felt. My heart broke for Emma multiple times because of everything she had gone through to keep herself and her daughter, Olivia, safe. You can't help but fall in love with the characters, especially Olivia and Emma. Even if they didn't realize it, Olivia and Emma wanted to protect one another during the war. I loved their relationship and hoped it would always be this strong. 

The Booklover's Library is based on a true story, which I learned more about after finishing the book, and I love that. I loved how most of the employees carried themselves and how much they seemed to love what they did. I have a feeling that it would be a job that I would love. It was astounding how many rules there were for lending libraries back then. I would struggle to check out just one book at a time because I usually get at least five when I go to the library. I was intrigued about the missing and shelved books and couldn’t help but wonder who was behind them. Was it one of the employees or perhaps a subscriber? I loved that the mystery was added to the story. 

I felt the book began slowly, and it took me a few chapters to get into the story. After that, I couldn't put the book down; I needed to know what happened to Emma and Olivia next. The Booklover's Library was the first book I read by Madeline Martin , but she has been on my reading list for a while now. I'm so glad I got to read this amazing book, and I can't wait to read the rest of her books!