January 2024

We are officially back with the first Reading Roundup of 2024! I had such a good time doing these in 2023, so of course I couldn't leave you, my readers, in the dark about all the books I'll be reading this year. Thanks for joining me on this journey! I'm very excited to see where the year will take us.

This month I read 10 ebooks from the Toronto Public Library.

Before we begin:

Dishonourable Mentions

An American Immigrant by Johanna Rojas Vann

Synopsis: Melanie Carvajal is a journalist working at a Miami newspaper, and it’s her dream job ever since she started last year. But after some lack-luster articles, her career is at risk. It seems the only way for Melanie to save it is by taking an assignment in Colombia, where her mother is originally from. Will Melanie be able to relax enough in order to reconnect with her culture and her family?

My thoughts: Melanie was such an insane workaholic that it really turned me off of the book. Readers will know that I recently graduated with a master’s degree, and now that I’m working a 9-5 job I’m finally in my work-life balance era. Reading is a hobby that I do for fun, so I definitely am not going to read things that give me second-hand stress.

You make like this book if: you are really on that hustle-grindset and need someone to tell you to take a break and reconnect with your roots.

And now,

The Real Reviews

Love Buzz by Neely Tubati Alexander

Synopsis: Serena Khan has made her dead mother proud: she has a stable, high-paying (yet boring) job at an esteemed accounting firm, she’s in a long-term relationship with a reliable (yet boring) boyfriend that her mom met before she passed. But in 6 weeks, Serena is going to be interviewed by her Alma Mater for a popular “Where are they now?” column that focuses on graduates sharing their successes. And she’s not happy with her life. While attending her cousin’s bachelorette party in New Orleans, she meets a tall, handsome stranger, who is from Seattle (like her). His name is Julian, he works in tech, and he likes Nirvana. Serena is instantly in love, but that’s all the information she knows about him by the time she’s forced to go back to Seattle. Impulsively, she breaks up with her boyfriend and quits her job, hoping to find Julian, but also hoping to change up her life. Will she be able to pull her life together in time for the interview, or will she be forced to reveal to the world just how much of a mistake she made?

My thoughts: At first glance, this book definitely seems like a romance, but I’m really glad that the author focused very little on the actual romance between Serena and Julian. Instead, it was mostly about Serena going through a mid-life crisis, and then actually making the changes she needed to in order to be actually satisfied with her life. I also really liked that she experienced a lot of bumps along the way, including a massive failure at her new job that she was still able to overcome.

Rating: 4/5 tops that can feature or flatter the parts of your body in a way that works for YOU

Four Aunties and a Wedding by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Synopsis: Meddy Chan has planned and photographed many weddings, but now it’s finally time for her own wedding! A few years ago she reconnected with her college sweetheart Nathan, but that’s a whole other story (see my November 2023 Reading Roundup for more details). It’s been hard for Meddy to find vendors that work well with her eccentric Chinese-Indonesian family, so she’s grateful to finally meet Staphanie and her family, who are also Chinese-Indonesian. Meddy can rest assured knowing that her dream wedding is safe in Staphanie’s hands. Or can she? During her bachelorette party (the night before her wedding), Meddy overhears Staphanie making plans to “take out a target” the next day; Staphanie and her family must work for the mafia, and are planning to kill someone at her wedding! Meddy cannot let that happen, and enlists the help of her aunties. Will they save a life and still save the wedding?

My thoughts: I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but this book definitely took it a little too far with the silliness. Meddy and her aunts got into a lot of shenanigans, to the point where Meddy kept having to leave her wedding events in order to deal with everything. It actually started to create a wedge between her and Nathan, much to my sadness, but everything did resolve itself in the end. I also liked how the book showcased the variety of families within the Asian Diaspora, and especially the awkward tension between Meddy’s family (new money Chinese immigrants to the US via Indonesia) vs Nathan’s family (his mom is white, his dad is Singaporean but spent most of his time in international schools and the UK).

Rating: 3/5 fancy hats with dragons wearing purple cheetah-print suits

When in Rome by Sarah Adams

Synopsis: Rae Rose is one of the world’s biggest pop stars, two weeks away from embarking on her global tour. She has talent, fame, and fortune, and she should be the happiest person in the world. But Rae Rose (real name Amelia) isn’t happy with life, and desperately needs a break. She loves all of Audrey Hepburn’s movies, especially Roman Holiday, but Rome, Italy is just too far for her to escape to unnoticed. However, Rome, Kentucky is only a two-hour drive from her house in Nashville. It’s the perfect small town to escape to. Unfortunately, Amelia only makes it 90% of the way there before her car completely breaks down on someone’s lawn. That someone is Noah, a grumpy older brother to three sisters, and owner of a small pie shop in Rome. Sparks fly between Amelia and Noah, especially when they learn it will take days for her car to be repaired. But can this big city pop star really make things work with such a small town boy?

My thoughts: This was a classic fluffy romance novel, nothing more and nothing less. I actually read it because I read the sequel (again, see my November 2023 roundup), which deals with Noah’s sister Annie and Amelia’s bodyguard Will. I loved the adorable small-town vibe of Rome, and I definitely got more of that with this book. I also really liked how Noah’s sisters became such good friends with Amelia (readers will know that my boyfriend and his friends are basically brothers, so their girlfriends (including me) are basically sisters-in-law). The only thing I wasn’t really a fan of was Amelia’s obsession with Audrey Hepburn; it felt super forced, like the author was trying to shoe-horn in their special interest.

Rating: 3/5 thermostats that were mysteriously turned down to 60 degrees fahrenheit, so you have no choice but to wrap your girl up in a blanket burrito

Dead Beat by Jim Butcher

Synopsis: It’s almost Halloween, and Harry Dresden has suddenly become very busy. One of his many mortal enemies (Mavra, Queen of the Black Court Vampires and suspected wizard) has demanded that he find and procure the Word of Kemmler, a notebook filled with the works of a notorious Nazi necromancer. If he doesn’t, Mavra will release photos of Sgt Karrin Murphy killing what appear to be innocent civilians (but what were actually Renfields, former humans whose minds have been shattered and will kill anyone who stands in front of them). Murphy was only doing that as a favour to help Harry out, so the least he can do is make sure that she doesn’t get fired from the Chicago Police Department in disgrace. Even more troubling, Harry isn’t the only one searching for the Word of Kemmler; there are at least three other necromancers in town. Plus, a few books ago Harry inadvertently picked up the coin of Lasciel, a fallen angel who could grant him tremendous power if he agrees to be her vassal.

My thoughts: I definitely liked this Dresden Files installment more than some of the earlier ones that I’ve read, and I’m almost struggling to put my finger on why. I think part of it is because there was more complexity in the characters and their relationships. At the same time, I think that Butcher changed up his normal formula. Typically, he gives Harry 3-4 distinct plot threads; they are all connected in some way but the relationships are usually not realized until the very end. This time, at least some of the plot threads were more connected (there were three different necromancer factions that Harry was battling, but they were all after the same prize). Regardless of what is causing it, this is the high that I’ve been chasing since I read book #10 (the first book that I listened too, and the one that really got me hooked on the series), so I’m definitely here for it.

Rating: 4/5 one-man polka bands

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston

Synopsis: Florence Day has a secret: people know that she edits books for a famous romance author, but in reality she’s actually the ghostwriter. Florence has a second secret: she can talk to ghosts. She’s not resentful of this ability, but it’s definitely put strain on a lot of the relationships in her life, especially with her family and her hometown. And she also has a third secret: ever since she broke up with her boyfriend (who didn’t believe that she could talk to ghosts), she’s been unable to believe in love, which is a huge problem for a romance writer. All of these things come to a head when her new editor Benji says that she has 24 hours to submit a manuscript that she’s been unable to finish for a year. That night, Florence’s dad dies, and she is forced to go back to her hometown and see her family and neighbors for the first time in years. And on top of all that, her new editor Benji appears in her hometown as a ghost, after he was hit by a car the same night that Florence’s dad died. Will Florence be able to reconnect with her family, oblige her dad’s wacky funeral requests, finish her manuscript, and help Benji come to terms with his newfound ghost status?

My thoughts: If I had a nickel for every time I read a romance novel by Ashley Poston where the female main character worked in the publishing industry in New York, fell in love with a man who would be a great boyfriend but is metaphysically unavailable, and knew an older woman who recently died in a way that profoundly impacted her, I’d have two nickels (which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice). I read the Seven Year Slip, which is also by Asley Poston (again, see my November 2023 round-up), and I really enjoyed it, so it’s not so surprising that I also really enjoyed The Dead Romantics. Perhaps it’s a bit formulaic, but it’s definitely a formula that is working for me, so I’m definitely not mad about it.

Rating: 5/5 rabid possums that were released into a police station (even though possums don’t usually get rabies)

Bad Cree by Jessica Johns

Synopsis: Mackenzie has been having bad dreams. But considering that she keeps waking up holding objects that were in her dreams (including twigs, pinecones, and the head of a crow), she’s starting to think that they might be more than just dreams (especially when her sister Sabrina keeps appearing in them). After three weeks (and several threatening text messages from someone claiming to be Sabrina), she reluctantly consults an auntie, who says that she needs to come back to her hometown of High Prairie, Alberta in order to get some help from the family. She hasn’t been back home in three years, not even returning when Sabrina died of an aneurysm last year, so her reunion with her mother, sister, and cousins is strained to say the least. Worryingly, the dreams actually get worse once Mackenzie arrives home, and even worse. Will Mackenzie and her family figure out what is causing the dreams, and defeat it? Or will she become the next victim?

My thoughts: This is one of the 2024 Canada Reads selections, and I’m really glad that it was, because I otherwise may not have ever heard of this book. It was definitely one of the strongest candidates, personally I hope that it wins. I thought it was a really interesting look into Mackenzie’s family, and an insightful portrait of how many Indigenous people (and also rural Canadians) are living in Canada today. I also thought the plot was very horrifying and very compelling at the same time, since I was gripped until the very end.

Rating: 4/5 High Prairie minutes (the distance between two branches of the trail through the local forest).

Grave Expectations by Alice Bell

Synopsis: Claire and Sophie have been best friends since high school, and still go everywhere together even 10 years later. The only caveat is that Sophie died in high school, and reappeared as a ghost that only Claire can see and talk to. Together, Claire is able to eek out a living as a medium performing seances. A college friend hires Claire (and Sophie) to be the entertainment for her grandmother’s birthday at an estate in the English countryside. The next day, Nana passes away in her sleep (100% natural causes, there’s truly nothing fishy going on), and her final request is that Claire solve the mystery of the other spirit that lives in the estate. This spirit is clearly tormented and suffering, but has only been dead for about a year. Claire (and Sophie) decide that they must fulfill Nana’s last request, and set out to investigate with the help of ex-policeman Sebastian and cool nonbinary teen Alex (Nana’s grandson and great-grandchild, respectively). Will this rag-tag team be able to solve the mystery and put the spirit to rest?

My thoughts: This was a pretty fine novel. I liked reading it, but nothing really stands out as being particularly good or bad. I wasn’t in love with the writing style, which was a little too British for my liking, but that’s my own fault for reading a very British book. I was a bit disappointed that they didn’t end up solving the mystery surrounding Sophie’s death, so I guess that that plot line may have been saved for a sequel.

Rating: 3/5 grandfathers who don’t care what the Wokerati say, they won’t stop putting mayonnaise in their Welsh Rarebits

Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher

Synopsis: After Harry Dresden was reluctantly recruited to be a Warden of the White Council of Wizards, he hasn’t really had a lot of time. First, he had to attend the execution of a teenage Warlock (an out-of-control apprentice wizard that has been performing black magic). Even though the warlock had been committing terrible crimes and was unquestionably guilty, Harry was still crushed that he couldn’t be saved. After the meeting, a member of the Senior Council asks him to look into Black Magic that has been loose in Chicago. At the same time, Molly Carpenter comes to Harry for help. Harry is too chivalrous to say no to any woman, child, or friend, so he’s forced to help Molly (daughter of Michael Carpenter, who is best known for being a Knight of the Cross and one of Harry’s few friends). Molly and her friends have organized a horror movie convention that keeps being attacked by real-life horror movie villains (with a lot of real-life consequences). After investigation, it turns out that the convention is under attack by phobophages (monsters that feed on fear). Harry devises a clever plan to dispatch the phobophages, but when it has unintended consequences, he must do the unthinkable: invade the very heart of the Kingdom of Winter.

My thoughts: This book has the same je ne sais quoi that Dead Beat had, and really should have earned a 4/5 rating. It was really cool to witness the battle in Arcutus Tor, which was referenced several times in Small Favour (the first book I ever read in the Dresden Files). However, there was such an egregious romance scene that I was forced to knock it down a full point to 3/5. I refuse to believe that any other sane writer (or any female writer at all) would have orchestrated a romance scene between Harry Dresden (who is about 33 years old, according to my calculations) and Molly Carpenter (who is probably 17, and basically Harry’s niece). Even though nothing actually happened between the two of them, and Harry didn’t do anything wrong, the scene definitely went way too far with sexualizing Molly and generally feeling like pandering to the male gaze in a way that made me feel gross. If I wasn’t already 8 books deep, I probably would have stopped reading the whole series here. But fortunately (or unfortunately, depending how you look at it), the rest of the book was actually pretty good, and I’m excited to see what new developments will happen in future books.

Rating: 3/5 guest passes to the first annual Splattercon!!

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune

Synopsis: Fern Brookbanks hates the family business. Her mother, Maggie, was always focused on running the Brookbanks Resort just outside of Huntsville, Ontario. But Fern hates living in a small town. As soon as she could, she moved to Toronto for university, and stayed there to work in a variety of coffee shops. Now, she’s a manager of a small chain of shops in the west end of the city, although the hipster Scandanavian vibe is the complete opposite of the simple, cozy coffee shop she’s always dreamed of opening. But after Maggie was killed in a car accident, Fern is forced to come back to the struggling resort and take over as the owner. Being back up there, surrounded by memories of her mother (as well as her unfortunately teenaged rebellious phase) is difficult. But nothing is quite as difficult as seeing Will Baxter check in to Brookbanks for 6 weeks, as a business consultant hired by her mother to help the hotel. 10 years ago, Fern and Will spent a single day together, but it was a day that neither of them ever forgot. And 9 years ago, Fern and Will pledged to meet each other at the lake, but it never happened. Will Fern be able to overcome her grief and her feelings to pull her life together and save Brookbanks?

My thoughts: This is another Canada Reads nominee for 2024, and it was definitely a good one. Overall, I did really like this book, although it didn’t quite have enough for me to rate it a 5/5. 10 years is a really, really long time to hold a torch for someone you’ve only ever spent one day with. And I wasn’t seeing the evidence that that single day “changed Fern’s life.” But I’m glad that Fern and Will’s relationship was the main focus, instead of a love triangle between Will, Fern, and Jaime. (Will is also an A+ love interest; complex but completely unproblematic). I also thought it was definitely a choice for the author to not actually focus very much on running (and saving) the actual resort; it was merely the backdrop for Fern’s relationships and inner struggles, and I’m not mad about it. Readers will know that I am a woman in my 20s just starting to figure my life out, so I resonated with Fern’s struggle to decide how she wanted her life to play out, especially in the face of her youthful (and someone arrogant) decisions.

Rating: 4/5 pencil drawings of you, with a big floppy sun hat and a bag full of books, waiting all alone on the dock

Fire Starters by Jen Storm and Scott B. Henderson

Synopsis: Ron and Ben are two Indigenous teens living on a reserve in Northwestern Ontario. After finding their uncle’s old flare gun, the two meet up with Mike and Jason, two white teenagers, to hang out at the town dump and practice shooting the flare gun. After Ron and Ben head home, Jason (and Mike, somewhat) end up burning down a convenience store to erase any evidence of Jason stealing a pack of cigarettes. When the town investigates the crime, old prejudices come to light. Will the real perpetrator be identified, or will someone else take the fall?

My thoughts: To preface any review that I make, I need to remind myself that this book is for a middle grade audience. Most of the issues I had with this book was that the story was extremely short and simple, which is idea for a book aimed at middle schoolers, so I won’t let that colour my rating. This book is a graphic novel, and some frames had an interesting 3D effect, where key objects (like blood spatters or flare gun shells) appeared 3D, as though they were scattered on top of the page. Some were even used to cover up swearing, which I thought was creative. But because it was a graphic novel, I had a lot of trouble (even more than usual) figuring out which teenagers were which, and that really hampered my understanding of the story. But readers will know that I am notoriously bad at identifying faces, so this is just me problem.

Rating: 3/5 hockey brawls that are a metaphor for strained relationships between the Indigenous and White populations

That's all 10 books I read in January, and my yearly total is now 10 books. See you next month!

i am, your most faithful blogger, elisa