Book Reviews

The Princess Diarist

Posted on by The Novel Girl

princess-diarist-cover

Author: Carrie Fisher

Genre: Memoir/Humor

Publisher: Blue Rider Press

Pages: 272

 

I have been a fan of Carrie Fisher for a very long time. I have always thought that she represented a lot of what I wanted to be as a woman- intelligent, outspoken, hilarious, fiercely unashamed to be who she is, and f*ck ‘em if they can’t take a joke! She had her struggles, and never hid that. In fact, she put them right out there in the hopes that she could help others. That was just another one of her amazing qualities. I read this book before her passing, and I can honestly say that it made me love her even more. Carrie was a very gifted author. This memoir was based on her journals that were kept during the making of the original Star Wars film. Rather than just a copy of her journal entries (although some of those are included for your reading pleasure), she tells the story in her own words based off of those journals. She is honest, straightforward, and hysterical in her storytelling. If you love Star Wars, Carrie, great memoirs, or all the above read this!!!

RIP Carrie. The Force will always be with you.

carrie

 

Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist

Posted on by The Novel Girl

nick-and-norahs-cover

Author: David Levithan & Rachel Cohn

Genre: YA

Publisher: Knopf

Pages: 192

 

Nick, the straight bassist for a “queercore” punk band, is onstage when he sees his ex walk in to his performance with a new guy. When he realizes that avoiding her is not an option, he asks Norah (a girl in the midst of heart break, there to see the show with a friend) a question that will change both of their nights, and possibly their lives, completely: “Will you be my girlfriend for five minutes?”. This leads to a roller coaster of a night for the two of them that leads through all the ups and downs of teenage (and quite frankly adult) emotions- love, heartbreak, anger, lust, disappointment, and forgiveness. This one very long night ends up in a place that neither of them had ever imagined.

This short read was a bunch of fun! It’s filled with all of those angsty teenage emotions that we can all remember having, but that can still be applied to relationships at any age. It will remind you of what it’s like to meet someone and feel that instant connections with them, but still have doubts because of your past, and want to work through them anyway. These authors have created a fun environment and filled it with a great cast of characters. It’s a great book for anyone looking for an easy, quick read that will make you reminisce a little a pick you up.

In a Dark, Dark Wood

Posted on by The Novel Girl

in-a-dark-dark-wood-cover

Author: Ruth Ware

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press

Pages: 320

 

Crime fiction author Leonora (Nora, as she now goes by) is taken aback to be invited to the hen of an old school friend, Clare, whom she hasn’t seen in ten years. She is really debating as to whether she is going to go, but decides that she will go if another of their school friends whom she has kept in touch with goes as well. When they arrive, they soon begin to regret their decision as they are thrust in to a glass home in the middle of the woods, in an unfamiliar area, with people that they do not know. Nora decides to go for a run, and meets Clare in the drive as she is returning to the house. While in the car, Clare informs her of the reason for her invitation. This drags up many old memories and hard feelings that make Nora want to bolt from the house immediately, but she doesn’t have her own vehicle, and she would have to contend with Clare’s new BFF who is just a touch on the insane side! She, instead, joins in the party and drinks and drugs her way in to dealing with the weekend. Throw in one home invasion, one murder, one car accident, and one bout of amnesia (Nora’s), and you have the rest of In a Dark, Dark Wood.

I will admit that this book began just a bit slow for me. It took me a couple of chapters to really get in to it. Once I did, though, I didn’t want to put it down! I had to know what happened. Ware’s writing in this novel has been compared to Christie, and I guess that I can see where they were coming from in some areas of her writing- she placed the characters in a contained space where it would be difficult for them to escape, etc. She has her own style, though, and I really enjoyed it. The suspense was drawn out, and had me changing my mind about who I thought the murderer was until the last couple of chapters, which is rare for me. That was incredibly enjoyable. If you’re looking for a fun psychological thriller, I would recommend this one!

Scrappy Little Nobody

Posted on by The Novel Girl

scrappy-little-nobody-cover

Author: Anna Kendrick

Genre: Memoir/Humor

Publisher: Touchstone

Pages: 304

 

Confession time: I am a bit in love with Anna Kendrick. I have followed her work for years, and her Twitter feed cracks me up on a regular basis. She is witty, funny, charming, and just the right amount of crazy….so….relatable! In this collection of stories, she recounts her life experiences starting as a young girl beginning on Broadway, to the false start of beginning her dating life, to really trying to launch her career. I am so glad that AK decided to “let the crazy out” in this memoir, because it was in many parts laugh-out-loud funny, which was just what I needed. If you are a fan, you will hear her voice loud and clear in this book and love every second of it! If you just need a good laugh, pick it up!

Curious Minds (Knight and Moon #1)

Posted on by The Novel Girl

curious-minds-cover

Author: Janet Evanovich

Series: Knight and Moon

Genre: Mystery

Publisher: Bantam

Pages: 336

 

Riley Moon, a native Texan and recent Harvard grad, has landed the job of her dreams working for the esteemed Blane-Grunwald company. She’s low on the totem pole, and her first “big job” ends up being basically a babysitting job to the eccentric recluse (but incredibly wealthy), Emerson Knight. Knight decides that he would like to see his gold that is supposedly being held at Blane-Grunwald. When it can’t be produced, along with a missing Grunwald brother, an investigation ensues. The head of that investigation: Knight and Moon. Their investigation leads them running for their lives, across the country, underground, in to the federal reserve, and more before they uncover the true plot.

I have always been a big fan of Janet Evanovich. Her Stephanie Plum series is one of my all-time favorites, I love Lizzie and Diesel, and I have long thought that she should have kept her Barnaby and Hooker series going. This one fell kind of flat for me. The premise was good, I just wasn’t as invested in these characters as I usually am, and it didn’t hold my interest. Was it worth reading? Absolutely! Am I glad that I borrowed it instead of buying it? Yes, because I most likely will not be re-reading it. Will I read the next one in the series? You bet! I love this author, so I will definitely give this series a second chance to make a good impression.

City of Demons (Georgina Kincaid Novella)

Posted on by The Novel Girl

city-of-demons-cover

Author: Richelle Mead

Series: Georgina Kincaid Succubus

Genre: PNR

Publisher: Zebra

Pages: 119

 

In this novella, set between the second and third books in the series, Georgina is summoned to serve on a demon jury to determine who killed another powerful demon. While the others on the jury are only there to enjoy the show, and to see what they can get out of the bribes from the accused, Georgina has decided that if she must be there she will find the truth. What she finds, of course, is that things are much more complicated than they first seem to be. While they are on this trip, Georgina also finds that Seth may be having second thoughts about their relationship, and the fact that they can’t have a typical physical relationship. Georgina decides to test his loyalty to her in a way that only a succubus can.

I was so excited when I thought that this was a new novella in the series, but as it turns out, it was one that I just missed when it was previously published in an anthology. However, it was a lot of fun to revisit Georgina’s world in a new-to-me novella. It was just as much fun as it was the first time around. If you were a fan of this series, and missed this story when it was published in the anthology, I highly recommend reading it! If yo missed this series, but love a laugh out loud, sexy PNR-What are you waiting for?!

The Book of Joan

Posted on by The Novel Girl

the-book-of-joan-cover

Author: Melissa Rivers

Genre: Biography/Memoir

Publisher: Crown Archetype

Pages: 304

 

I have a confession: I am a HUGE Joan Rivers fan. I loved her, and was so sad when she died. I loved her no-nonsense attitude, the way that she would tell it like it was (no matter who it was that she was telling or telling about!), and her crass sense of humor. I had to imagine that she was a hysterical mother to have, and was truly looking forward to getting a true behind the scenes look from Melissa. I am sad to report that I was a bit underwhelmed by this memoir. I have been trying to figure out and put in to words exactly what it was that just didn’t hook me, but it seemed like it just never really got off of the ground for me. Some of the stories were very funny, and did make me laugh out loud, but overall it just wasn’t the book that I was looking for. I know that there are many, many reviews that disagree with me, so it very well could be that I was looking for something different or was expecting a different “voice” than the one that I heard come through. It was fun, however, to get hear some stories about Joan that I had not heard before, so that made it worth the read. If you choose to read it, I truly hope that you enjoy it more than I did.

Knights of Stone: Mason (Highland Gargoyles: Book 1)

Posted on by The Novel Girl

knights-of-stone-mason-cover

Author: Lisa Carlisle

Series: Highland Gargoyles

Genre: PNR

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing

Pages: 140

 

A battle twenty-five years before this story begins left the Isle of Stone divided. The gargoyles, tree witches, and wolf shifters must remain within their own borders, and that is the way that it remains: that is until Kayla hears about the concerts that are being performed by the gargoyles. She decides that she must sneak away to see what all the fuss is about. Once she begins going to see she gargoyles shift to their human forms and play these magnificent concerts, she can’t stop. She returns each night, mesmerized by one specific bandmate, Mason. What Kayla doesn’t realize is that Mason has been eyeing her, as well. They know that their attraction is forbidden, and there would be consequences to them being together. While they are attempting to figure this out, other things begin taking place on the Isle that could prove disastrous for all its inhabitants. What will they decide, and how will it impact life on the Isle?

Anyone who has read my review of shifter novels before knows that I love my shifters! This is the first time that I have come across gargoyle shifters, though, and I must say: Wow! I wasn’t sure what to expect from this, but I was duly impressed. Carlisle has built a very different, imaginative, and complex world that was a lot of fun to get lost in. The characters have a lot of personality and depth. This was a great first novel to read from this author, and I will definitely be returning to the Isle of Stone to spend some more time with these wonderful characters!

The Possession (Book 1 Secret Journals)

Posted on by The Novel Girl

the-possession-cover

Author: J.D. Spikes

Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy

Publisher: Lachesis Publishing

Pages: 212

 

Daphne Wentworth is a tall, red-headed seventeen-year-old who is spending two months living at the Maine light house that her Aunt Dwill is the keeper of. She doesn’t have much experience in the dating area, as she has always been a bit awkward around boys. While helping her aunt prepare the light house property for the 200th celebration, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Zach Philbrook. Zach is a local Micmac boy who works helping her aunt around the property. As they work alongside each other, the two teens find themselves drawn closer together. The closer they become, though, odd occurrences begin happening to the two of them. The spirits of their ancestors, Vincent and Ro, who were lovers generations before them have begun possessing the two of them in order to solve the mystery behind their deaths. This is not the first time that this has happened, but will they be the ones who will finally solve the mystery and allow Vincent and Ro’s souls to rest in peace?

The Possession brings us a brand new type of story in an incredibly hot genre! I love my typical paranormals as much as the next girl, but it is always fun to find a story that brings something new to the table, and this story definitely did that. The characters are easy to fall in love with, as they are well fleshed out fairly early in to the story. The world is well built, with a great back story, and you can tell that the author did her research well. The scenes are beautifully described, and easy to visualize. One of the things that I really loved about this book, though, is what it did not have. As someone who loves, and reads a ton of YA novels, I have noticed the trend shift to the majority of them having more mature or “adult themed” situations in them (which, for the record, I have no problem with!). I am not naïve enough to believe that teens are not aware of, or even involved in, some of these situations/behaviors. However, it is nice to read a beautifully written story that, while it did have some sexual overtones in a couple of the scenes, did not have any content in it that any parent would have to be concerned about their fourteen-year-old reading. In that regard, Spikes’ writing was a breath of fresh air. I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and look forward to the next installment immensely!

 

Penny Dread Tales Vol. 1: Gears, Coils, Aether & Steam

Posted on by The Novel Girl

penny-dread-tales-1-cover

Edited by: Christopher Ficco

Genre: Steampunk/Sci-Fi

Publisher: RuneWright LLC

Pages: 390

 

Penny Dread Tales is a nod to the 19th and early 20th Century publication format known as Penny Dreadful, which is what this wonderful Steampunk short story anthology is dedicated to. In the vein of Jules Verne and Mary Shelley, these wonderfully written and beautifully imagined stories will make your mind wander to its far reaches, and really contemplate “what might have been” or “what could be”. At the time of its publication, many of the authors whom contributed to this anthology were publishing for the first time. This is a fact that was not lost on me, but one that I never would have gleaned from their brilliant writing, had I not known this ahead of time. I know that it will come as no surprise to any of you, my dear readers, that my favorite story of the anthology came at the hands of the one and only Quincy J. Allen- Lasater’s Lucky Left. It was engaging and brilliant, with amazingly fleshed out characters, as always. There are many, many amazing stories in this anthology, but if I had to pick a second favorite, I think that would be Iron Angel by Cayleigh Hickey. If you have any interest at all in Steampunk, I think that you would really enjoy this anthology!

*This is one of the reviews that I mentioned did not post originally due to computer issues, so my apologies to the authors for the belated review. -T