ARC Review: Boardwalk Summer by Kimberly Fisk

Title: Boardwalk Summer
Author: Kimberly Fisk
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley Books; June 27, 2017
Genre: Contemporary; Romance
Source/Format: First to Read; eARC

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

In the town of Tranquility Bay, summer is the season of second chances... 

Single mother Hope Thompson has built a happy life for herself and her twins in beautiful Tranquility Bay, Washington. She doesn t dwell on her painful past especially not on the man who broke her heart all those years ago. But when Hope s beloved son needs help, she takes a desperate chance and reaches out to her children s father. Nick Fortune lives life in the spotlight as a champion race car driver. He s shocked to hear from Hope and even more surprised to learn that he s a father. He immediately heads to the Pacific Northwest to confront the past and the woman he once loved. There, on the quiet lakeshore, Nick and Hope must work together to save their son even if it means facing their complicated past for a second chance as a family...

My Thoughts:

Who was looking for a contemporary romance packed full of raw emotions, characters you could root for, and a story about second chances? Well, apparently, me. And I mean that in a good way, because I enjoyed Boardwalk Summer. I basically jumped into this book after another eARC I had to read ended up being incredibly disappointing. For a second, I thought I was going to end up in a reading slump, but once I started Boardwalk Summer, I couldn’t put the book down. This is the kind of story that I could go on and on about, but I don’t want to reveal too much about the plot and ruin the experience for someone else. So, I really had to work on this review, and cut out some things that got too close to spoilers.

The main theme of this story was second chances amidst a medical crisis. Emotions ran high, and things that happened in the past were talked about at length. Boardwalk Summer really illustrated how the past could haunt a person, as shown through the experiences of the characters. I don’t know about anyone else, but I really enjoy second chance stories. So, from the start, I was interested in seeing what Kimberly Fisk would do with the trope in Boardwalk Summer. The initial introduction of the main character, Hope Thompson, was great. I was immediately drawn into the story and wanted everything to work out for Hope and her kids. I don’t read enough contemporary anyway, but I hardly see race car drivers as love interests. So, Nick Fortune and his side of the story came across as particularly entertaining. Some of my favorite parts of the book happened to be the interactions between Hope and Nick.

Boardwalk Summer was a quick read that dealt with some heavy subjects, combined with a romance I could totally get behind. Those things put together is what made this book so readable. Boardwalk Summer is the first book I’ve read by Kimberly Fisk and it certainly won’t be the last.

Rating 4.5/5

Disclaimer: This copy of the book was provided by First to Read (Publisher) for this review, thank you!

ARC Review: The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

Title: The Bear and the Nightingale
Author: Katherine Arden
Publisher/Publication Date: Del Rey; January 10, 2017 
Genre: Fantasy
Source/Format: First to Read; eARC

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

At the edge of the Russian wilderness, winter lasts most of the year and the snowdrifts grow taller than houses. But Vasilisa doesn’t mind—she spends the winter nights huddled around the embers of a fire with her beloved siblings, listening to her nurse’s fairy tales. Above all, she loves the chilling story of Frost, the blue-eyed winter demon, who appears in the frigid night to claim unwary souls. Wise Russians fear him, her nurse says, and honor the spirits of house and yard and forest that protect their homes from evil.

After Vasilisa’s mother dies, her father goes to Moscow and brings home a new wife. Fiercely devout, city-bred, Vasilisa’s new stepmother forbids her family from honoring the household spirits. The family acquiesces, but Vasilisa is frightened, sensing that more hinges upon their rituals than anyone knows. And indeed, crops begin to fail, evil creatures of the forest creep nearer, and misfortune stalks the village. All the while, Vasilisa’s stepmother grows ever harsher in her determination to groom her rebellious stepdaughter for either marriage or confinement in a convent. As danger circles, Vasilisa must defy even the people she loves and call on dangerous gifts she has long concealed—this, in order to protect her family from a threat that seems to have stepped from her nurse’s most frightening tales...

My Thoughts:

The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden is one of my most anticipated 2017 releases. I was very excited to finally start this one and wasn’t disappointed with what I read. The Bear and the Nightingale was a fantastic book. It is my new favorite thing. The writing was descriptive and atmospheric. The story, while slow to begin, was ultimately engaging and compelling, and the setting gave the book a fairytale like ambiance. I’ve come to the conclusion that The Bear and the Nightingale was just my kind of book.

The characters, well, there were some that I just didn’t enjoy reading about as much as others, but for the most part, they were great. Vasilisa was the main character of The Bear and the Nightingale. This was her story and it showed. I liked her personality. Most of all, I liked how she was just herself despite all that happened to her. Also, the horses—I won’t get into their role too much since it would be a spoiler, but they were fantastic and I loved them.

I think what I liked most about this book was the pace of the story. Typically, if a story moves too slowly it runs the risk of losing my interest. The Bear and the Nightingale was far from boring. This story had layers of detail found in the folklore and traditions. It had a lot going on, both in the character’s everyday lives, and the story that slowly unfolded around them. Religion and faith was one of the more prominent elements of the story, and I did like how it was incorporated into the lives of the characters.

The Bear and the Nightingale isn’t that short of a book, but I felt like it flew by so quickly. It was easy to get lost in the story, and those are the best kinds of books in my opinion. By the time the book ended, I was already wishing for more. I’m really impressed with this book, and I’m definitely going to continue on with this series.

Rating 4.5/5

This copy of the book was provided by First to Read (Publisher) for this review, thank you!

Review: The Hike by Drew Magary

Title: The Hike
Author: Drew Magary
Publisher/Publication Date: Viking; August 2, 2016
Genre: Fantasy
Source/Format: Won; Hardcover

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

From the author of The Postmortal, a fantasy saga unlike any you’ve read before, weaving elements of folk tale and video game into a riveting, unforgettable adventure of what a man will endure to return to his family...

When Ben, a suburban family man, takes a business trip to rural Pennsylvania, he decides to spend the afternoon before his dinner meeting on a short hike. Once he sets out into the woods behind his hotel, he quickly comes to realize that the path he has chosen cannot be given up easily. With no choice but to move forward, Ben finds himself falling deeper and deeper into a world of man-eating giants, bizarre demons, and colossal insects. On a quest of epic, life-or-death proportions, Ben finds help comes in some of the most unexpected forms, including a profane crustacean and a variety of magical objects, tools, and potions. Desperate to return to his family, Ben is determined to track down the “Producer,” the creator of the world in which he is being held hostage and the only one who can free him from the path. At once bitingly funny and emotionally absorbing, Magary’s novel is a remarkably unique addition to the contemporary fantasy genre, one that draws as easily from the world of classic folk tales as it does from video games. In The Hike, Magary takes readers on a daring odyssey away from our day-to-day grind and transports them into an enthralling world propelled by heart, imagination, and survival...

My Thoughts:

The Hike is the first book I’ve read by Drew Magary. In fact, this is the first I’ve actually heard of him. I happened to win a copy of the book, and was really excited since the synopsis had me sold. I was convinced I was going to like it. And, legit, I think The Hike is the most bizarrely entertaining book I’ve ever read.

The Hike could be summed up as one man’s personal struggle bus and his journey to get away from it. From very early on, troubles plagued Ben after he took an ill-timed walk and ended up on a path that was random and strange. Seemingly impossible things happened. And that’s one of the things I liked most about The Hike. It was random at times, but that randomness tied into the overall plot. I kept reading because I was curious to know if Ben would survive his ordeals and figure out the secrets of the Path. The Hike kept me guessing, and that was a good thing. 

I liked the way Magary wrote The Hike. The writing accented the plot, which allowed the beginning to set a brisk pace that continued consistently throughout the novel. The setting was a mismatched mixture of random places with even stranger inhabitants, and was kind of cool at times; although, strange and dangerous more often than not.

Now, there isn’t much I can say on the characters since there really weren’t that many that I can mention without saying some kind of spoiler. Many of the secondary characters had important roles, but I won’t reveal them. But, I can talk about Ben. Ben’s POV made the story. His internal thoughts, emotions, and reactions were some of the best parts of The Hike.

All in all, The Hike was very good. 

Rating 4.5/5

About the author...

Drew Magary is a correspondent for GQ Magazine, a columnist for Deadspin, and a Chopped Champion. He’s also the author of four books: The Hike, The Postmortal, Someone Could Get Hurt, and Men With Balls. He lives in Maryland with his wife and three children, and enjoys taking long walks...

ARC Review: The City Baker's Guide to Country Living by Louise Miller

Title:The City Baker's Guide to Country Living
Author: Louise Miller
Publisher/Publication Date: Pamela Dorman Books; August 9, 2016
Genre: Contemporary
Source/Format: First to read; eARC

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

A full-hearted novel about a big-city baker who discovers the true meaning of home—and that sometimes the best things are found when you didn’t even know you were looking...

When Olivia Rawlings—pastry chef extraordinaire for an exclusive Boston dinner club—sets not just her flambéed dessert but the entire building alight, she escapes to the most comforting place she can think of—the idyllic town of Guthrie, Vermont, home of Bag Balm, the country’s longest-running contra dance, and her best friend Hannah. But the getaway turns into something more lasting when Margaret Hurley, the cantankerous, sweater-set-wearing owner of the Sugar Maple Inn, offers Livvy a job. Broke and knowing that her days at the club are numbered, Livvy accepts. Livvy moves with her larger-than-life, uberenthusiastic dog, Salty, into a sugarhouse on the inn’s property and begins creating her mouthwatering desserts for the residents of Guthrie. She soon uncovers the real reason she has been hired—to help Margaret reclaim the inn’s blue ribbon status at the annual county fair apple pie contest.

With the joys of a fragrant kitchen, the sound of banjos and fiddles being tuned in a barn, and the crisp scent of the orchard just outside the front door, Livvy soon finds herself immersed in small town life. And when she meets Martin McCracken, the Guthrie native who has returned from Seattle to tend his ailing father, Livvy comes to understand that she may not be as alone in this world as she once thought. But then another new arrival takes the community by surprise, and Livvy must decide whether to do what she does best and flee—or stay and finally discover what it means to belong. Olivia Rawlings may finally find out that the life you want may not be the one you expected—it could be even better...

My Thoughts:

Lately, I’ve read a lot of good contemporary novels, mainly ones released in 2016 like Break in Case of Emergency by Jessica Winters and I Almost Forgot About You by Terry McMillan. Both were pretty great. So, I was extremely excited to read Louise Miller’s debut novel. And for a book about baking and finding out what really matters in life, The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living was one heck of a charming and engaging novel. The beginning offered a glimpse into the life of the main character. Before getting to the point of the novel, a city baker abruptly dropped into country life after a mistake that lands her in hot water.

It was a pretty good premise that had a strong opening. The first chapter alone was enough to catch my interest and hang on to it. I liked Miller’s style. Her writing had an easy kind of flow to it. She got to the point yet managed to put in enough details to develop both the characters and setting. Speaking of the setting, I really loved it. The town of Guthrie, Vermont, was idyllic, and wonderfully developed. I could get a real sense of the seasons, and the everyday life of the residents, even if the majority of them were mentioned in passing. The descriptions helped with that. I could basically picture the landscape as the main character, Livvy, was seeing it. Another thing I enjoyed was the annual events put on in Guthrie. It was a nice detail, and I liked the way it added to the development of the setting.

The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living also touched on adultery. For the most part, Miller handled that element pretty well, and framed the situations as something of a learning experience. It put the characters in situations where they really had to think about their decisions and where they were in their life.

Baking was also a large aspect of this book—it’s in the title after all. Miller demonstrated her know-how of baking, and it translated well into the story. Half the stuff Livvy baked, I wanted to try too. That’s probably the best reaction I can have to a book that features food.

For the most part, I liked Olivia (Livvy) Rawlings. She was a good narrator for the story. Her reactions to the rapidly unfolding changes in her life were as entertaining as her interactions with the secondary characters. For me, one of the best parts of this book was definitely the least expected friendships that Livvy formed. And one of my favorite characters from the story was definitely Margaret Hurley, the owner of the Sugar Maple. She was fantastic, and I liked seeing how Margaret and Livvy interacted.

So, to close out this review I’ll admit that I had no idea what to expect from this book. From the start, the synopsis sold the book as something I would enjoy. And honestly, The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living ended up being a new favorite. It’s one of the best books I’ve read this year. 

Rating 4.5/5

This copy of the book was provided by Penguin First to Read (publisher) for this review, thank you!

About the Author...

Louise Miller is a pastry chef who lives and works in Boston, MA. She received a scholarship to attend GrubStreet’s Novel Incubator program, a yearlong workshop for novelists. She is an art school dropout, an amateur flower gardener, an old-time banjo player, an obsessive moviegoer, and a champion of old dogs. The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living is her debut novel...