We made it to another Wednesday — hallelujah! It’s been a busy, busy week, full of work deadlines and events, which is why I couldn’t get this post up at the usual time. But I’m here now and ready to talk about everyone’s favorite topic — books! On the surface, these titles all look extremely different: we have contemporary women’s fiction (I hate that term, btw, but for lack of a better one), a thriller, a young adult romance from the 1940s, and a steamy romantic drama. But you know I enjoy looking for common threads, and this week it’s young women trying to find their places in the great wide world, whether they’re looking to the stars (pun! pun!), escaping from overbearing family expectations, or simply looking for someone to love. While it works out well for most of them, you’ll notice Agatha Christie’s in this Roundup, so obviously, it goes better for some than for others. 😉
The Stand-In by Lily Chu: If you’re looking for a book that provides breezy entertainment while also addressing real struggles with grace, The Stand-In knocks it all out of the park. Watching the heroine gain confidence and learn to break unhealthy patterns was gratifying, and I love that she had friends in her corner who saw her many amazing qualities, even when she didn’t. The found family aspect was so well done and really got to me, too — dare I hope Fangli will get her own romance? Lastly, of course, the romance: funny, swoony, and tender all at once, it manages to be meaningful and satisfying without overshadowing Gracie’s personal growth. I definitely recommend The Stand-In for fun, glamour, and plenty of heart. My thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Endless Night by Agatha Christie: This one is definitely a slow burn, relying on the reader’s mounting sense of dread to make the finale land hard. Even having guessed what was going on, I was still affected (and frankly, a little freaked out) when the reveal actually happened. Not my favorite Christie but still a masterpiece of suspense.
Tammy Out of Time by Cid Ricketts Sumner: Tammy Out of Time is the heartwarming tale of a girl raised on the Mississippi River who comes to stay with friends while her grandfather is in jail (for making and selling corn liquor). If you know the 1957 movie version Tammy and the Bachelor, the book has the same openhearted sincerity, but it’s willing to engage with issues related to class and race, particularly, that the film skirts around (unsurprising, given Hollywood’s concerns at the time about alienating white Southern audiences). It isn’t perfect, but I appreciate that it’s complicated and makes you think. The style and story will not be for everyone, but this book provides a thoughtful look at Southern life in the aftermath of the Civil War and of World War II. The prose, too, is lilting and poetic but not overwritten, filled with a sincere wonder for the world.
Relentless (Moto Grand Prix #3) by Katie Golding: A high-octane romance with drama and heart. I enjoyed how well the leads fit together and their journey to happiness, but the big surprise here was how much I enjoyed the family and friend dynamics. The people in Chiara and Mason’s lives are integral to their stories and actually fun to be around — while also being complicated and messy, as family and friends usually are. So I didn’t begrudge time spent on them, as I sometimes do in a romance series with overlapping couples. Friendship and family are important pieces of our lives, and it’s often downplayed in favor of the Big Romance (both in fiction and in life). Here, it felt just as important, and I was rooting as much for the leads to resolve those relationship issues as I was for their love story to work out. My thanks to NetGalley and to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
And that’s my reading week! I admit I’ve been out of the loop a bit, so how are you all doing? Any books taking the blogosphere (or just you?) by storm that I should check out?
—b
P.S. This week’s song could only be “Tammy,” of course! The Ames Brothers also recorded a lovely version for the film, but Debbie’s will always be my favorite.
Book It With Becca 