The Perfect Guests Blog Tour

The Perfect Guests by Emma Rous is out today, January 12th! You may remember Emma Rous as the author of The Au Pair, which is on my bookshelf waiting to be read.
The Perfect Guests is told in dual timelines, and I enjoyed the past timeline a lot more. After her family dies in an accident, Beth is dropped off at a country manor to live with a family who she is not quite sure about. Since she has nowhere else to go, she feels she has to stay in the good graces of the family. They have a daughter who they keep very isolated and expect Beth to be her playmate, but Beth starts to suspect that there are other reasons they want her there.
In the present, Sadie, a young actress, is invited to that very mansion, Raven Hall, which is now in a dilapidated state, to play a part in a murder mystery. Soon after arrival, Sadie notices that the other guests don't really seem to be having fun, and is not sure if she should continue to play along. Will the past of Raven Hall finally come to light?
This was a fun read, but I didn't love the ending because so much unraveled and was explained at once, which is why I rated it 3 stars.
Thanks to the publisher for the review copy and inviting me along on the blog tour!

Take it Back by Kia Abdullah

When I first read the description of Take it Back by Kia Abdullah, I was on the fence because it seemed like it could be heavy-handed, but I was wrong. I jumped at the chance to join the blog tour for this book, and I'm glad I did.

Take it Back is set in London, and centers around a gifted, driven attorney named Zara. Living independently as a single Muslim woman from a traditional family, dating a white man, and working as an advocate for rape victims, Zara is being pulled in many directions and is on the verge of imploding from all the pressure. Things get even more complicated for Zara when her latest client turns out to be a white teenager who tells Zara she was raped by four Muslim classmates at a party, forcing Zara to choose between her community and her passion for justice.
I really enjoyed this book and thought Zara was a strong and inspiring character. It was realistic and thought-provoking around themes of family, culture, ambition, power, and self-confidence, and the ending was amazing.

The Loop by Jeremy Robert Johnson

The Loop by Jeremy Robert Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After witnessing a fellow student die a mysterious death in the middle of class, Lucy decides to go to a party in some caves hosted by the local rich kids. Soon after, she finds herself facing her town's apocalypse with a band of misfits while trying to process what exactly is happening and why.

The Loop is action-packed, well-written, and, as long as you have a sick and twisted sense of humor, absolutely hilarious. I loved Lucy and the fact that while she is a total badass, she also has emotions.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.

White Ivy by Susie Yang

White Ivy by Susie Yang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When I went into White Ivy, I was expecting a very dark Talented Mr. Ripley situation. Ivy was born in China and felt like her family was second-class compared to those of her private school classmates. When she reconnects with one of those classmates, she seizes the opportunity to gain access to his world, but eschews her own past and family in the process. While this didn't exactly turn out to be the twisted thriller I thought and was a little uneven at times, I really enjoyed Ivy's story and the exploration of what a marriage and family means, and what is worth sacrificing to get it.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.

Which Fall Book Should You Read Quiz

Take my quiz to get a fall book recommendation based on your favorite fall nail polish! (To see the pictures bigger, open in this link: https://www.quiz-maker.com/Q62EAFFSL)

Choose a Fall Nail Color, Get a Fall Read

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse

Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Typically when I read fantasy books, I'll go into them all gung-ho and then end up abandoning them about halfway through because they've turned totally repetitive, simplistic, or the world-building is just not good.
Rebecca Roanhorse has broken that streak for me with Black Sun, the first in a series set in the Meridian, a culture that is built from ancient South American civilization and mythology.

From the very beginning, we are thrust into nonstop action told from multiple points of view that are all engrossing and overlap around preparations for an upcoming eclipse. There is a sun priest who does not have the typical noble background and is thus constantly questioned and threatened but just wants peace, a mysterious man on a long journey who has been subjected to painful training and rituals for some unknown end, and a free-wheeling, magical ship captain who is sprung out of jail by a lord because she may be the only one with the expertise to get his cargo where it needs to be on time.
The ending tied everything together but left me on the edge of my seat for the next book.

Thank you to the publisher for the review copy.

My October-November TBR List

Okay. I'm bordering on that frenzied state where I'm so excited that there are so many books I want to read, but also terrified that I will never finish them all before the next batch of amazing books come. So, I'm putting my list out into the world to ease some of my anxiety. Are any of these also on your TBR?

October
Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse - Oct. 13, 2020
This comes out today and I'm only about halfway through, but I totally recommend this engrossing fantasy that's the start of a series! I read Marie Lu's Skyhunter right before this, and I loved the characters but felt like the plot was a little simplistic. Black Sun is similar in some ways, with several outcast or lower-rank characters fighting for a place in a society that was not built for them, but is more complex and does a great job building the culture of the Meridian.

The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop by Fannie Flagg - Oct. 27, 2020
When I picked up The All Girl Filling Station's Last Reunion, I couldn't even believe myself. Dark and moody me reading something so adorable, joyful, and probably corny? I loved it and my smile was glued to my face. Thus, I will be reading this one to lift my spirits from this time we call 2020.


November
White Ivy by Susie Yang - Nov. 3rd, 2020
Some sort of Talented Mr. Ripley situation between a young woman and her college classmate, I've been hearing about this everywhere and can't wait to read it.