July 2023 Mini Reviews - part 4
Published: 6th July 2023 by Penguin Random House
I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.
This seemed like a cute summer romance, which I've definitely been in the mood for recently, but You, With a View ended up being so much more than that. I wasn't sure about the TikTok element to the book, as I'm not a huge fan of integrating technology into the story, but I thought this was done really well, and was used thoughtfully by Joyce to help grow Noelle's relationship with Theo, and his grandad Paul, and also lent itself to helping her realise what she wanted to do with her life following on from her grandmother's death. Another aspect of the book I really appreciated was the fact that Joyce made the decision not to have a dual narrative - it feels as though multi-generational stories are always told from both perspectives at the moment, and while I do think they can be done very well, it was refreshing to remain present in Noelle's life while giving the character of Paul the responsibility of telling her grandmother's story second-hand. I will definitely keep an eye out for Joyce's next work!
Ink Blood Sister Scribe by Emma Torzs
Published: 6th July 2023 by Cornerstone
I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.
As a huge book lover (obviously), I always enjoy reading books that are about books, but this one just didn't quite work for me, unfortunately. I found the beginning quite confusing, but once Esther and Joanna established their own perspectives, I did find myself enjoying their chapters. However, I wasn't nearly as invested in Nicholas's story as I was in theirs, although I can appreciate why his perspective was included. Much like the beginning, I got quite confused towards the end of the book too, as it felt as though Torzs was trying to bring all the characters together in a way that felt more convoluted than anything. I do wish that the relationship between Esther and Joanna as sisters was explored in more depth, as opposed to bringing in concepts like vampires only to not explore them fully. This had a lot of potential, but just didn't fully follow through for me.
Seven Days in June by Tia Williams
Published: 2nd June 2021 by Quercus
I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.
I really couldn't get into Williams' other work, The Perfect Find, so I was a bit wary about trying another one of her books, but I always trust a Reese Witherspoon Book Club, pick so I thought I'd give this one a try, and I'm so glad I did! The chemistry between Genevieve and Shane was honestly palpable, and I haven't felt such a genuine connection between two romantic interests in a book in a long time. From their very first interaction after reuniting I couldn't get enough of the two of them together, and it really warmed my heart to see Shane slowly be integrated into her life at home with her daughter, Audre (who I also loved as a very self-aware 12 -year-old). I really liked how Williams turned the narrative to secondary characters, but only when it felt necessary, and focused mostly on the two lovers. Such a perfect summer romance.
Lioness by Emily Perkins
Published: 6th July 2023 by Bloomsbury
I received a copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley. This in no way affects my review.
I've heard some people praising this recently, around the time of its release at the start of the month, so I thought I'd pick it up and I'm glad I did! I haven't read much fiction set in New Zealand, if any, so I enjoyed reading about life there and how it differs from city to city in the continent. I enjoyed Therese's narrative voice for the most part; she was self-serving but felt guilty for it, and for the life that she had married into, at least to an extent, and I found it interesting seeing how she tried to counteract that in other ways. Her anxieties in her relationship with her husband and his adult children are juxtaposed by her newfound liberation within her friendship with her neighbour Claire, but I found the latter plotline to be what I became much more invested in, and unfortunately just became confused at the whole family dynamic she was embroiled in.
3 stars
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