November

This month I read 3 books and 6 ebooks from the Toronto Public Library, totaling to 9 books.

Before we begin,

Dishonorable Mentions

The Cloisters by Katy Hays

Synopsis: Ann Stilwell has an internship lined up at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Given that she’s just a grad student (studying renaissance-era tarot cards) from a small liberal arts college in Washington state, it’s the best that she could hope for. But when she arrives in New York, the Met has cancelled her contract. Her only hope is to take an internship at the mysterious Cloisters department at the Met. But will it be worth it?

My thoughts: This book was giving a cross between If We Were Villans by M L Rio and the Atlas Series by Olivie Blake. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but I didn’t really want to read it.

You may like this book if: you’re a dark academia and astrology girly

And now,

The Real Reviews

Just Last Night by Mhairi McFarlane

Synopsis: Eve, Susie, Ed, and Justin have been best friends since high school. Now in their 30s, their bonds are closer than ever, even though life has worked out better for some than for others. But after a night out, Eve finds out that Susie was struck by a car and killed, shattering her world. Eve, Ed, and Justin must band together in order to survive the grief that threatens to consume them. Unfortunately, Eve must also cope with discovering some of Susie’s secrets. And how will the gang manage when Finn, Susie’s estranged brother, whom she had no lover for, comes to town for the funeral?

My thoughts: My main issue with this book is with the central conflict: Eve is mad at Susie for sleeping with Ed, because Eve has had a crush on Ed for many years. Truly, I have never really understood this style of conflict where Friend A is mad at Friend B for asking out Friend A’s Crush. To me, I think that it infantilizes the Crush and takes away their autonomy. If Crush doesn’t like Friend A back, then they were never going to be in a relationship! And if Crush likes Friend B (presuming that Friend B likes them back), why shouldn’t Friend B be allowed to date Crush? I understand that in a situation like this, Friend A is probably all emotions and no logic, but still. If Crush was actually Friend A’s ex, then I would feel differently (especially if things ended badly or Crush was toxic, problematic, or abusive), but I feel like that is rarely the situation. In the book, Ed and Eve admitted they had feelings for each other at the end of high school but by the time it was revealed, Ed was already dating someone else, so Ed and Eve’s “relationship” never actually existed. Plus, Eve was actually dating someone else at the time that Susie slept with Ed, so she has even less “right” to Ed than usual. However, I kind of liked the rest of the book. I thought it was a really moving picture of what grief feels like. I also really liked that Eve and Finn’s relationship didn’t develop until the very end of the book; I was worried that Eve was going to immediately start dating Finn and start hating the rest of her friends. Instead, Finn acted more as a therapist (his job), and helped Eve to process her emotions and her grief; plus she was able to do all fo the climactic confrontations without his help, which I also appreciated.

Rating: 4/5 journalists that exclusively cover funky little events happening in your local area (Readers will know that I LIVE for those events)

The First Bright Thing by J. R. Dawson

Synopsis: During the battles of World War I, the first Sparks were discovered: ordinary people that had been gifted with extraordinary powers (like healing, teleportation, and precognition). Edward and Ruth used their sparks to escape the perils of war and live freely. For a while. Years later, Ruth is now the Ringmaster (aka Rin) of Windy van Hooten’s Circus of the Fantasticals. It’s a safe space for outsiders of all kind, including many Sparks. And while Rin enjoys running the circus, she feels compelled to do more with her powers; specifically trying to end WWII before it even begins. It’s an impossible task, but Rin is killing herself trying to achieve it. Her wife Odette and best friend Mauve are begging her to let go of her fears for the future and live with them in the present. But when her past catches up to her, will Rin be able to protect what matters most?

My thoughts: This was an extremely touching and accurate depiction of what it’s like to be in an abusive relationship. I thought that Edward’s spark to coerce people was a great metaphor for a charismatic abuser. Unfortunately, the downside of portraying an abusive relationship and its lasting effects is that it’s that you as the reader end up taking some psychic damage, which made the whole thing a lot less enjoyable for me (especially because I binge-read the whole thing in one night). I also didn’t really like the ending, where Jo was fixated on showing the circus’s audience the future atomic bomb drops on Japan, and I feel like I didn’t really get it. So it was not my favorite.

Rating: 2/5 contracts that satisfy child labour laws that have not yet been invented

The Seven Year Slip by Ashley Poston

Synopsis: The world has been grey for Clementine ever since her aunt Analea passed away 6 months ago. To cope, she’s thrown herself even more into her work as a book publicist than usual, only making time for her married lesbian friends Drew and Fiona (who both work at Strauss & Adder with her, so most of their hang-outs still revolve around work). After breaking up with a lack-luster boyfriend and being kicked out of her apartment due to rising rent, she’s forced to move in alone into her aunt’s old apartment, which is filled with too many happy-turned-painful memories of her and her aunt. But the apartment still has some magic left in it: when you really need it, the apartment will take you back exactly 7 years into the past, in order to meet the person who was living there 7 years ago. 7 years ago, Clementine and Analea were backpacking across Europe, and a young man named Iwan was subletting the apartment for the summer. Clementine falls fast and hard for the Iwan of 7 years ago, a dishwasher with dreams of becoming and chef and opening his own restaurant. But Analea’s one rule was to never fall in love at the apartment; back in the day the apartment took her back 7 years to meet Vera, and although their love was intense, they were never able to work in the present day. Will Clementine be able to protect her heart, or is she doomed to a once-in-a-lifetime romance that she’ll never be able to get over.

My thoughts: This book was giving “Book Lovers” by Emily Henry in the best way, with a bit more contemplation and a bit less romance. It was clear that Clementine idolized her aunt, and although Analea may not have been right about every single thing, Clementine was still able to reflect on all the best parts of their relationship. Too often, I find that books go too far in the other direction and demonize the treasured friend/family member, or force a falling out (consider Nora and Libby’s falling out in Book Lovers). I also liked that the real enemy was capitalism; Clementine was able to quit her workaholic job and get back in to her hobbies (mainly painting pictures on the pages of travel guides, which I thought was pretty unique). Iwan also became a bit less of a workaholic, although ideally he would have taken it a bit farther to actually relax for once. Although this book was great, it did have a few small issues that would warrant a 4/5 rating. I felt that the author didn’t really commit to the obstacle preventing Clementine and Iwan from being together in the present day (magic vs professional boundaries in the workplace). I also thought it was a bit unbalanced that Clementine was struggling to reconcile the past Iwan vs the present Iwan, but both Iwans only interacted with present Clementine, so he didn’t have the same issue. (But upon reflection, I think this was probably for the best). However, the absolute devastation I felt after finishing the book, knowing that I could no longer read it, was crushing, so it’s been bumped up to a 5/5.

Rating: 5/5 couples of pigeons that will fly into your living room if you ever open the window, lovingly named Mother and Fucker

Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

Synopsis: This graphic memoir chronicles Maia’s childhood and young adulthood as e discover eir identity as a non-binary and asexual.

My thoughts: I thought this book was an interesting and easy read, so I would definitely recommend it to someone who wants to read more about about gender identity. I also think that a graphic novel was a great choice for the content, not just because Maia is a noted cartoonist. To me, it felt like the graphics gave it a more whimsical feeling, and allowed them to express eir thoughts more dynamically through diagrams, cutaways, and fantastical scenarios. The only drawback about this format was that it illustrated every single scene in the book (including scenes about genitalia, sexual attraction, and masturbation). I want to stress to readers that none of these illustrations were actually graphic (pun intended), and that I would give the majority of the book a PG rating. Readers will know that I have hypophantasia, and never visualize things in my head as I read them, so I think the difference between a novel and a graphic novel was probably more shocking to me. In terms of the content of the book itself, the thing that struck me the most was that Maia seemed to really struggle to understand the world around em, including but not limited to gender norms, sexual desire, and romantic relationships. I wonder how much of this can be attributed to Maia’s gender identity and sexuality compared to other possible factors like being homeschooled, and (hypothetically) autism. It’s worth noting that Maia’s younger sister Phoebe (a cis lesbian) seemed to have a much better understanding of the world around her, and primarily gave guidance to Maia instead of the other way around.

Rating: 3/5 homemade “Johnny Weir, professional figure skater” halloween costumes

Practice Makes Perfect by Sarah Adams

Synopsis: Annie Walker is living her parent’s dream: she owns her own flower shop in her home town of Rome, Kentucky; she gets along with all of her siblings; and the whole town views her as a sweet (if naive) younger sister. The only thing she doesn’t have is a husband. So, Annie decides to go on her first date in years with the cute bank teller. Except, it ends disaster when her date thinks she’s so boring that he fakes and emergency just to leave early. Will Griffin is everything that Annie is not: exciting, adventurous, tattooed, and dangerous. He’s working as a bodyguard (sorry, Executive Protection Agent) in order to protect Annie’s future sister-in-law Amelia (aka famous pop star Rae Rose). After growing up witnessing his parents toxic and loveless marriage, Will has deep commitment issues, and even freaks out when he hears that his brother Ethan is about to get engaged. Amelia decides that what Annie and Will most need is each other: she arranges for Will to give Annie “dating lessons.” As the sparks fly, will two opposite strangers learn to fall for each other?

My thoughts: This was a good book, but it was undeniably a romance book. And by that, I mean that the romantic subplot was basically the entire plot, and almost every scene or interaction was viewed through the lens of a romance novel. I’m not saying that this book was a Harlequin-tier pulp romance (because it wasn’t), but I bring it up because it was such a drastic difference from the book I read right before this: The Seven Year Slip. While Annie did have a bit of a journey of self confidence, The Seven Year Slip had a lot more depth, and Clementine’s life was the central focus, instead of her romance with Iwan.

Rating: 3/5 pieces of siding that you ripped off the side of house just to create a distraction

Vera Wong’s Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Synopsis: Vera Wang’s World Famous Tea Shoppe is Vera Wong’s pride and joy (she named it after Vera Wang in the hopes of drumming up more publicity). But business has slowed down over the years, and now Vera only gets one customer a day. Her husband passed years ago, and her son Tillbert barely even talks to her. Then one day, Vera comes downstairs to find a dead man lying on the floor of her tea shop. How exciting! The police don’t seem to care all that much, so Vera takes it upon herself to investigate the crime, assisted by Rikki (allegedly a Buzzfeed journalist), Sana (allegedly a podcaster), Julia, the dead man’s wife, and Oliver, the dead man’s twin brother. What could go wrong?

My thoughts: Initially I was a bit weary of this book because the tone that was being used to describe Vera was a bit too mocking. Yes I understand that this is supposed to be a critique about Asian mothers and how overbearing they are, but I went in to this book expecting to like them and I thought it was a bit mean-spirited. However, I was able to push through and I’m really glad I did. Vera really did come through and put together her own found family, which was so heartwarming. Honestly the actual murder investigation was more a silly little thing that they were doing as a way to pass the time, instead of being the driving force of the book, which I appreciated. I also thought that the other characters (Rikki, Sana, Oliver, and Julia) in the family were compelling, and it was so nice watching them all pick up the pieces of their lives and start over happily (tbh it was almost too easy, but it was really nice to see all the same). I also appreciated that the dead guy was awful, so it was kind of good that he died.

Rating: 4/5 fresh lunches that Vera spent all morning cooking, so it would be incredibly rude to not let her in and answer her questions about your dead husband.

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare

Synopsis: Baptista Minola, a wealthy Italian, has two daughters: the youngest is lovely Bianca, courted by many, but the oldest is bitter Katherine, who hates everyone. Eligible bachelors across Padua are disappointed, for Baptista will not allow Bianca to marry until Katherine is married. Until one day, when Petruchio comes to town, and declares that he will make Katherine his wife. While he attempts to tame the eponymous shrew, the other men are still trying to secretly woo Bianca. But none go as far as Lucentio, who takes up a false identity as Bianca’s tutor Cambio, while having his servant Tranio pretending to be him (Lucentio) in order to keep up appearances.

My Thoughts: I had low expectations going into this. I would say that I’m pretty neutral on Shakespeare, I don’t hate him but I don’t love him. Most of the plays that I’ve read by him were the ones we studied in school, and were either histories or dramas (MacBeth, Julius Caesar, Hamlet, etc). I think this is the first Shakespearean comedy that I read, and low key it kinda slapped? There was a lot of banter, plus a lot of gaslighting and gatekeeping, but tragically no girlbossing, and that soured it for me. Katherine was basically forced into an abusive marriage in order to make her more palatable to men, which was not cool. I also was disappointed that Petruchio forced Katherine to marry him about halfway into the play; I assumed that most of the play would focus on Petruchio winning over Katherine by getting her to fall in love with him.

Rating: 3/5 wild Kates, conformable Kates, and household Kates

The Chandler Legacies by Abdi Nazemian

Synopsis: Chander Academy is one of the most exclusive private schools in the United States; it’s full of the children of politicians, CEOs, and celebrities. There are a lot of extracurriculars for students, but the most sought-after one is called The Circle. Every year, Professor Douglas picks a handful of students to join her exclusive writing seminar, and this year she’s picked five. Beth Kramer, who resents her status as a “townie” and just desperately wants to fit in. Sarah Brunson, who is tired of taking care of her mother and raising her younger sister. Amanda Priya Spencer, aka Spence, who is the privileged daughter of a model and a legendary alumni, but is being mentored by the shadiest teacher on campus. Freddie Bello, a champion pole vaulter who isn’t sure if he wants to continue with the sport he used to love. And Ramin Golafshar, who fled Iran because he was gay. Will these five students bond? Or will their secrets sink them?

My Thoughts: Don’t hate me, but I just didn’t really like this book. I’m not saying that it was a bad book, but it just wasn’t for me. (Yes, I am an adult, and yes, this book is about highschoolers, but it is so highly recommended that I just thought I was going to like it anyway). I definitely think that this book was written by the author for his own catharsis (especially considering it was semi-autobiographical, had a self-insert character, and focused a lot on the act of writing), which is totally fine, but it probably why I didn’t really get into it. I also felt like the pacing of the book was kind of rushed, especially towards the climax at the end. (It didn’t help that the ebook had no demarcators, so different scenes in the same chapter weren’t separated in any way, making them run together). Plus, I was kind of disappointed that the author spent so much time on the straight-passing relationship that fizzled out at the end, instead of the queer relationship that were married by the time of the epilogue.

Rating: 2/5 quotes from “Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite” by The Beatles that the characters saying to each other and I don’t understand why

Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q Sutanto

Synopsis: Meddy is the last remaining daughter in the Chan family (her cousins aren’t dead, but they’ve all moved far away from Southern California in order to get away from their overbearing mothers/aunts). But Meddy isn’t brave enough to leave, so she’s stuck with her family: Big Aunt, Second Aunt, Third Aunt (aka her mother), and Fourth Aunt. Together, they have a wedding business, meaning that they spend even more of their time together. It’s not a bad life, but Meddy is getting a bit claustrophobic (not to mention her inability to leave ruined her best relationship with her college boyfriend Nathan, one that she hasn’t been able to get over even years later). Her mother is determined to set her up with someone else, and creates a fake tinder profile for Meddy. But her date ends disastrously, and Meddy is left with a dead body, and no one to turn to except for her mother and aunties. Will the Chans be able to cover up Meddy’s crime and cater the biggest wedding of the year?

My thoughts: This book was a kooky dark comedy (more emphasis on comedy than on dark) and was pretty delightful to read. I really liked how the author portrayed her own ethnic background (Chinese immigrants that came to the United States after initially settling in Indonesia), and I thought it was a wonderful backdrop for a very interesting (and comedic) family dynamic between Meddy’s aunts and mother. I also really appreciated that Nathan (the main love interest) was never ever problematic, loved Meddy exactly for who she was, and took her back with open arms and zero resentment. Other male love interests: take notes.

Rating: 4/5 business slogans that just tickle me (Don’t leave your wedding to chance! Leave it to the Chans!)

And finally,

The Bonus Bracelet of the Month

... will be posted to the cafe.

i am, your most faithful blogger, elisa