en-US Tue, 29 Apr 2025 10:37:57 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg ReadStatus9366832782 Tue, 29 Apr 2025 10:37:57 -0700 /review/show/7528845620 Sara wants to read Lady Tan’s Circle of Women by Lisa See
]]> ReadStatus9365116517 Mon, 28 Apr 2025 21:42:57 -0700 /review/show/7004343862 Sara started reading Real Americans by Rachel Khong
]]> Review7527542840 Mon, 28 Apr 2025 21:00:16 -0700 /review/show/7527542840 Sara gave 5 stars to The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks (Kindle Edition) by Shauna Robinson
bookshelves: 2025, adult-fiction, chick-lit, romance
I have no idea where I heard of this book, but I'm so glad I found it because I thoroughly enjoyed it! Maggie has been kind of floating through life, trying to figure out what she wants to do, when her college friend asks if she wants to manage her bookshop while she's on maternity leave. Maggie isn't much of a reader but she needs a job, so she moves across the country for this. The town, Bell River, is famous because it's where the author Edward Bell used to live, and everything in town is geared to bring in tourists who are interested in Bell himself. Even the bookshop is prohibited from selling books that were published after Bell's death. Unfortunately, those are the books people want to buy, and the bookshop isn't doing too well. In an effort to bring in more business, Maggie decides to start secretly selling contemporary books, host literary events, and befriends almost everyone in town in the meantime.

This was such a fun book to read! I loved the description of the town and all the people who lived there. It felt like such a tourist attraction but shown from the perspective of those who live there. Maggie was so intrepid, and I absolutely loved her idea for secret literary events to bring in business. It made all the attendees (and me, as the reader!) feel like they were in on a secret. I totally want these literary events to be held near me because they were absolutely brilliant! The characters in here felt so real, and the romance that develops between Maggie and one of the men in town was believable and sweet. I also really enjoyed reading about the rivalry (for lack of a better word) between Maggie and one of Bell's descendants, who was committed to preserving Bell's legacy at all costs. This storyline added a hint of mystery and intrigue to the book as well, rounding it out even further.

I am so surprised this book doesn't only have rave reviews because I thought it was just so fun! I would heartily recommend this to anyone looking for a very fun and entertaining story that feels grounded but also makes you feel like you're going away on vacation to a small town somewhere with a really lovable set of characters. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author! ]]> ReadStatus9364999429 Mon, 28 Apr 2025 20:56:39 -0700 /review/show/7527562431 Sara wants to read Must Love Books by Shauna Robinson
]]> Review7527542840 Mon, 28 Apr 2025 20:47:10 -0700 /review/show/7527542840 Sara gave 5 stars to The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks (Kindle Edition) by Shauna Robinson
bookshelves: 2025, adult-fiction, chick-lit, romance
I have no idea where I heard of this book, but I'm so glad I found it because I thoroughly enjoyed it! Maggie has been kind of floating through life, trying to figure out what she wants to do, when her college friend asks if she wants to manage her bookshop while she's on maternity leave. Maggie isn't much of a reader but she needs a job, so she moves across the country for this. The town, Bell River, is famous because it's where the author Edward Bell used to live, and everything in town is geared to bring in tourists who are interested in Bell himself. Even the bookshop is prohibited from selling books that were published after Bell's death. Unfortunately, those are the books people want to buy, and the bookshop isn't doing too well. In an effort to bring in more business, Maggie decides to start secretly selling contemporary books, host literary events, and befriends almost everyone in town in the meantime.

This was such a fun book to read! I loved the description of the town and all the people who lived there. It felt like such a tourist attraction but shown from the perspective of those who live there. Maggie was so intrepid, and I absolutely loved her idea for secret literary events to bring in business. It made all the attendees (and me, as the reader!) feel like they were in on a secret. I totally want these literary events to be held near me because they were absolutely brilliant! The characters in here felt so real, and the romance that develops between Maggie and one of the men in town was believable and sweet. I also really enjoyed reading about the rivalry (for lack of a better word) between Maggie and one of Bell's descendants, who was committed to preserving Bell's legacy at all costs. This storyline added a hint of mystery and intrigue to the book as well, rounding it out even further.

I am so surprised this book doesn't only have rave reviews because I thought it was just so fun! I would heartily recommend this to anyone looking for a very fun and entertaining story that feels grounded but also makes you feel like you're going away on vacation to a small town somewhere with a really lovable set of characters. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author! ]]> Review7066148412 Mon, 28 Apr 2025 20:36:41 -0700 /review/show/7066148412 Sara gave 2 stars to Rental House (Hardcover) by Weike Wang
bookshelves: 2025, adult-fiction
2.5 stars. Keru and Nate are a married couple who rent a home for the summer and plan for both sets of parents to visit (separately) while they try to figure out who is more challenging. Keru's parents are Chinese immigrants who brought Keru to the U.S. when she was young. They love to talk about hard work and speak mostly in Chinese, so Nate has taken classes to help him understand the language and at least vaguely follow along. Nate's parents do a poor job of trying to understand any culture but their own and make vaguely racist (or at least uneducated) comments yet claim Nate and Keru are misunderstanding them and not being tolerant.

I'm not sure what exactly I expected from this book, but the description made it sound like it would be a thoughtful depiction and rumination about cultural differences and what makes a family. I suppose it touched on these aspects. However, the bulk of the book was just kind of showing Keru and Nate muddling through their day to day lives and the ways in which they interacted with each other and how they grow apart in other ways as they become set in their own ways.

There was a lot of "telling" instead of "showing" in this book, and it often felt like nothing was happening. It was a short book (probably why I finished) and there were a few scenes that resonated with me and made me feel like something was on the verge of happening, but as a whole, it mostly fell flat. The writing was fine, and I did like a few parts; for example, the author did a nice job of bringing both sets of parents to life very quickly after they appeared on the page, which was impressive. I also enjoyed the interactions that Keru and Nate had with a couple renting a house next door. However, this minor enjoyments aside, the book mostly just seemed pointless. By the time it ended, I turned the page and thought, that's it? ]]> ReadStatus9364925516 Mon, 28 Apr 2025 20:31:54 -0700 /review/show/7527512485 Sara wants to read The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez
]]> ReadStatus9351221986 Fri, 25 Apr 2025 10:17:32 -0700 /review/show/7518050154 Sara wants to read The Pretender by Jo Harkin
]]> ReadStatus9351218111 Fri, 25 Apr 2025 10:16:11 -0700 /review/show/7518047455 Sara wants to read Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle
]]> ReadStatus9351214356 Fri, 25 Apr 2025 10:14:52 -0700 /review/show/7518044793 Sara wants to read This Is Your Mother: A Memoir by Erika J. Simpson
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