July releases for summer downtime

The Ice Swan

By J’Nell Ciesielski
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (July 6, 2021)
Language:‎ English
Paperback:‎ 400 pages
ISBN-10:‎ 0785248420
ISBN-13:‎ 978-0785248422

Publisher’s Blurb:
1917, Petrograd. Fleeing the murderous flames of the Russian Revolution, Princess Svetlana Dalsky hopes to find safety in Paris with her mother and sister. But the city is buckling under the weight of the Great War, and the Bolsheviks will not rest until they have erased every Russian aristocrat from memory. Svetlana and her family are forced into hiding in Paris’s underbelly, with little to their name but the jewels they sewed into their corsets before their terrifying escape.

Born the second son of a Scottish duke, the only title Wynn MacCallan cares for is that of surgeon. Putting his talents with a scalpel to good use in the hospitals in Paris, Wynn pushes the boundaries of medical science to give his patients the best care possible. After treating Svetlana for a minor injury, he is pulled into a world of decaying imperial glitter. Intrigued by this mysterious, cold, and beautiful woman, Wynn follows Svetlana to an underground Russian club where drink, dance, and questionable dealings collide on bubbles of vodka.

Out of money and options, Svetlana agrees to a marriage of convenience with the handsome and brilliant Wynn, who will protect her and pay off her family’s debts. It’s the right thing for a good man to do, but Wynn cannot help hoping the marriage will turn into one of true affection. When Wynn’s life takes an unexpected turn, so does Svetlana’s—and soon Paris becomes as dangerous as Petrograd. And as the Bolsheviks chase them to Scotland, Wynn and Svetlana begin to wonder if they will ever be able to outrun the love they are beginning to feel for one another.

My Thoughts:

All things considered, this is a fairly conventional “marriage of convenience” romance plot. I liked both our main characters, particularly Wynn. Svetlana’s imperious mother really bothered me, but she finally improved nearer to the end of the book. I loved secondary characters Leonid and Mrs. Varjensky.

But what I really want to talk about here is the writing. There were so many examples of words being used…not quite correctly. It’s almost as if this had been written in a language other than English and run through Google Translate—a similar level of almost correct English. Syntax is also quite stilted and overly formal, even for a Russian Princess whose first language is not English.

As an English teacher, writer, and editor myself, this was really dismaying. As a writer, it is your job to make sure the words mean what you want them to mean. You need to take nuances into account. And in the instances where the writer fails, then the editor, by very definition, needs to pick up the slack. Both failed in this book. Thomas Nelson is a large enough publisher that this is really inexcusable. Mind you, this was an ARC, so hopefully, things have been improved in the final version.

Possible Objectionable Material:

Mob activity. Violence. Lying. One character is a prostitute.

Who Might Like This Book:
People who like clean romance and don’t get distracted by editing issues.

 Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Heart of Snow
By Katherine Buel
Publisher:‎ Independently published (July 3, 2021)
Paperback: 301 pages
ISBN-13:‎ 979-8513597360

 Publisher’s Blurb:
The Selection is a lie. The five girls chosen each year do not vanish into a life of royal luxury, as most believe. Snow knows this because she knows her aunt Lyric—the Witch-Queen of Cresilea—murderess and usurper.

When the Selection comes to the remote village where Snow has hidden since her father’s murder, she puts herself forward, trusting in her scarred face to hide her identity, and enters the castle she fled seven years ago—a place now haunted by unnatural whispers and eerie shadows.

But more is at stake than Snow’s revenge, or even the fates of five girls, and she must learn all she can about Lyric’s magic—and her own—before it’s too late.

Rich and darkly enchanting, Heart of Snow takes you into a perilous world of fairy tale perfect for fans of Katherine Arden, Naomi Novik, and Madeline Miller

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this new retelling of the Snow White fairy tale. It’s somewhat darker than the versions most of us are familiar with, though probably not darker than the original version!

Snow has been raised by a former member of her father’s guard, who rescued her and disfigured her face to make her unrecognizable by anyone the Queen might send to search for her. It is not a thing either of them discusses. There is a moment near the end when Snow realizes just how much care he took to protect her—and not just out of duty to his former king. It’s a bittersweet realization when it comes.

Snow also discovers a very unexpected ally, and their relationship is quite uneasy at first, for good reasons. But they work together for their common goal, and make peace with each other as they do.

There are dwarves. There is a huntsman. But they are done in a way that adds new interest to the old expected tale.

If you’ve been following my reviews at all, you know I love retold fairytales—when they’re done well. This one is done well!

Possible Objectionable Material:

Violence. People are killed in various ways. Snow describes how her face was disfigured, and it’s not nice. Very mild cursing. Magic.

Who Might Like This Book:
I think it’s appropriate for age 12 on up. It leans a little more to female characters, but isn’t “girly”. If you like retold tales, give this a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Little Barn of Dreams
By Lucy Knott
Publisher: Aria (July 8, 2021)
Paperback: 420 pages
ISBN-10: 1800246234
ISBN-13: 978-1800246232

Publisher’s Blurb:
When quirky bookworm Florence Danver loses her job, she knows it's time to make some serious changes. Nanna Margot encourages Flo to spend a week at Camp Calla Lily, where she hasn't been since she lost her parents. Her return is filled with bittersweet memories... until she meets Jo Hadlee.
Soon enough, Flo and fellow dreamer Jo are inseparable as they connect over books and build castles in the air. But when Jo leaves suddenly for his job in London, the fantasy bubble bursts and real-life comes roaring back in.

For Florence to turn her fairy-tale summer into a happily-ever-after, she'll have to dive head-first into real life and all its chaos.

My Thoughts:
While this was a cute little romance, it was also rather annoying. Florence is just over-the-top whimsical and eccentric with her constant escapist fantasy moments.

I want to give her a little bit of a pass in that she had a very traumatic experience in her childhood, but she’s cloistered her mind and life so much as a result that it’s amazing that she was able to hold down a job at all.

I also question how, on her very first morning at the camp, Jo is outside her door and already flirting before they’ve even said hello. It’s a little too sudden.

The camp itself sounds fabulous—I would totally spend a week there!

Florence’s nan, Margot, is sweet, but a bit of an enabler. I love how she comes into her own at the end of the book.

Florence makes some interesting friends and definitely grows as the book progresses. It’s good to see her re-enter reality and become a stronger—and less obnoxious to the reader!—person.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Florence herself is such an innocent, there’s not much here. Recounting the trauma in her past could upset sensitive readers. There might have been some mild cursing. Some characters aren’t entirely truthful.

Who Might Like This Book:
Anyone who likes a clean romance and doesn’t mind a sometimes annoying protagonist. Easily appropriate for teens.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Faking Reality
By Sara Fujimura
Publisher: Tor Teen (July 13, 2021)
Hardcover: 320 pages
ISBN-10: 1250204100
ISBN-13:‎ 978-1250204103
Reading age: 12 - 17 years

Grade level: ‎7 – 9

Publisher’s Blurb:
Dakota McDonald swore after “The Great Homecoming Disaster” that she’d never allow her romantic life to be a plot line in her parents’ HGTV show again. But when the restaurant run by the family of her best friend (and secret crush), Leo, is on the line, Dakota might end up eating her own words.
 
Leo Matsuda dreams of escaping the suffocating demands of working in his family’s restaurant, but the closer he gets to his goal—thanks to the help of his best friend (and secret crush) Dakota—the more reasons there are for him to stay.

Sara Fujimura's Faking Reality is another charming multicultural romance by the award-winning author of Every Reason We Shouldn’t, a National Public Radio Best YA Book of the Year.

My Thoughts:
This book was a lot of fun! Dakota has literally grown up on her parents’ TV show, which, as her 16^th birthday approaches, is coming to its end. She tries to keep her school life as separate from her TV life as she can, but it’s not always easy. Neither is having a serious crush on her best friend.
 
Leo, the best friend, struggles with family expectations, especially as the only son. His grandfather, in particular, puts pressure on him to work in the family restaurant, while he has some other goals.
 
When the TV producers want to throw an over-the-top 16^th birthday party for Dakota, things take an interesting turn, as they try to find her the perfect date. Grudgingly, Leo takes the job.
 
This was sweet, with real messages about the struggles of growing up famous, living up to family expectations, and more. The conclusion was satisfying.
 
Possible Objectionable Material:
One of Dakota’s friends is genderqueer. People are sometimes mean to her. Some mild cursing. Mild teenage rebellion and sneakiness.
 
Who Might Like This Book:
People who like coming-of-age stories. Fans of Japanese cuisine—Dakota’s descriptions of food are pretty enticing! Appropriate for tweens on up.
 
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
 
 

A House Full of Windsor
By Kristin Contino
Publisher:‎ Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing (July 13, 2021)
Paperback:‎ 291 pages
ISBN-10: ‏ 1948018993
ISBN-13:‎ 978-1948018999

Publisher’s Blurb:
Spanning from 1980s London to a present-day reality TV show, A House Full of Windsor explores how one woman’s messy past shapes her family’s future and how long-buried secrets and resentment must come to the surface for them to move on.

Debbie Windsor was always fascinated by royalty, but when her marriage fell apart, she turned to collecting to fill the void. Now the house is a royal mess, and Debbie’s health and safety is on the line. 

Even her etiquette expert daughter can’t fix this disaster, and when the entire family ends up on a hoarding show, everyone has something at stake.

My Thoughts:
Told in dual timelines, we see how Debbie became a hoarder, as well as how her adult children deal with it.

Debbie hoards very specific things: memorabilia of the British royal family. And she’ll buy anything and everything that falls into that category, to the point where she can’t sleep in her bed and her home is unsafe.

In the current-day narration, we focus on daughter Sarah, who is an etiquette expert on morning television. Sister Anne is a neat freak. Brother Will, also works in TV and has just been hired as an assistant producer on a hoarding cleanup show. You can see where this is going, right?

I like that this book is sympathetic to Debbie’s situation, while not being shy about the damaging effects it has on her and her children. All of her kids have issues, and they can be tied more to Debbie’s problem than to her split from their British father during their childhood.

Possible Objectionable Material:

Hoarding isn’t pretty. Unmarried sex. Drinking. Drug use. Swearing. One of the characters is gay.

Who Might Like This Story:
Might be of interest to older teens. Anyone who likes stories about difficult family dynamics.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

A Varied Crop of June Releases

The Lucky List

By Rachael Lippincott

Publisher: ‎Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (June 1, 2021)

Hardcover:‎ 304 pages

ISBN-10: 1534468536

ISBN-13: 978-1534468535

Reading age: 12 years and up

Grade level: 7 – 9

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

Emily and her mom were always lucky. Every month they’d take her lucky quarter, select lucky card 505, and dominate the heatedly competitive bingo night in their small, quirky town of Huckabee. But Emily’s mom’s luck ran out three years ago when she succumbed to cancer, and nothing has felt right for Emily since.

Now, the summer before her senior year, things are getting worse. Not only has Emily wrecked things with her boyfriend Matt, who her mom adored, but her dad is selling the house she grew up in and giving her mom’s belongings away. Soon, she’ll have no connections left to Mom but that lucky quarter. And with her best friend away for the summer and her other friends taking her ex’s side, the only person she has to talk to about it is her dad’s best friend’s daughter, Blake, a girl she barely knows.

But that’s when Emily finds the list—her mom’s senior year summer bucket list—buried in a box in the back of her closet. When Blake suggests that Emily take it on as a challenge, the two set off on a journey to tick each box and help Emily face her fears before everything changes.

 

As they go further down the list, Emily finally begins to feel closer to mom again, but her bond with Blake starts to deepen, too, into something she wasn’t expecting. Suddenly Emily must face another fear: accepting the secret part of herself she never got a chance to share with the person who knew her best.

 

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this book. Overall, the teenagers act like teenagers. For Emily and her father, working through the loss of her mother is fraught, and they tiptoe around each other a lot. They finally learn to communicate better.

 

Emily overthinks the big thing that happened at the end of junior year. She is certain she is a complete pariah, but I think all her “former” friends that she’s avoiding are not as hung up on it as she is. But her boyfriend problems are definitely something she has to think about more deeply.

 

Free-spirited Blake is a positive force. She is more open and willing to be who she is, and it is she who encourages Emily to do the things on her mother’s list. There are some definitely surprises along the way!

 

Possible Objectionable Material:

The usual teenage hijinks. Some swearing. Same-gender relationships. Sneaking out.

 

Who Might Like This Book:

Those who enjoy coming of age stories. I think boys could enjoy this story, though it is definitely targeted more toward girls.

 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

 

The Car Share

By Zoe Brisby

Publisher: Hodder (UK June 3, 2021) (US March 29, 2022)

Paperback: 336 pages

ISBN-10:‎ 1529366607

ISBN-13:‎ 978-1529366600

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

A ninety-year-old woman with Alzheimer's and a heartbroken young man end up sharing a ride to Brussels that changes their lives forever.

When Alex pulls up to meet "Max", he expects everything but a ninety-year-old lady who has her heart set on getting to Brussels by carpool.

As for 'Max', who is actually called Maxine, she could not be more ill at ease when settling into the seat next to this young man with bloodshot eyes. God help her if he turned out to be a drug addict who hasn't slept in days!

When it becomes clear that Maxine is suffering from Alzheimer's and wants to take matters in her own hands while she still can, and that Alex battles severe depression, a wonderful friendship starts to form between the unlikely pair. Before long, their travel plans take an unexpected turn...

 

My Thoughts:

This was a lot of fun. Our two lead characters are real characters. Alex is clinically depressed after taking an unsuccessful chance on love. Max has watched her husband die with Alzheimer’s, and recognizes symptoms in herself.

 

Their meeting is completely by chance…and entirely the best chance they have. Max is determined to help Alex get some confidence before she dies. Alex is determined to stop Max from going too soon.

 

Lots of funny coincidences as runaway Max is suspected to have been abducted by Alex. Max’s handbag may need to be acknowledged as its own character.

 

The resolution of the book is tidy without being far-fetched.

 

Possible Objectionable Material:

Mild swearing. Conversation about suicide. Mental illness. Drinking.

 

Who Might Like This Book:

Although this book is targeted at adults, teens could certainly enjoy the story. Anyone who likes road trips and unlikely friendships.

 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

 

 

Reckless: The Petrified Flesh

By Cornelia Funke

Publisher:‎ Pushkin Children's Books (June 8, 2021)

Paperback:‎ 352 pages

ISBN-10:‎ 1782691243

ISBN-13:‎ 978-1782691242

Reading age: 13 - 17 years

Grade level:‎ 8 – 12

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

Jacob has uncovered the doorway to another world, hidden behind a mirror. It is a place of dark magic and enchanted objects, scheming dwarves and fearsome ogres, fairies born from water and men born from stone.

Here, he hunts for treasure and seeks adventure in the company of Fox - a beautiful, shape­shifting girl, who guides and guards him.

But now Jacob's younger brother has followed him into the mirrored world, and all that was freedom has turned to fear. Because a deadly curse has been spoken; and Jacob must risk his life to reverse it, before his brother is turned to stone forever...

Revised and updated by Cornelia Funke, The Petrified Flesh is the first book in the thrilling Reckless series.

 

My Thoughts:

I actually own and have read the original book. In this one, however, Funke notes that she has made changes to pretty much every page of the story. It’s been quite a while since I read the book, but this does feel like it has more depth and shading to it.

 

This is not a happy, rainbows and fairies story, although it is set in a sort of fairytale universe. Bad, scary things happen. There is a war.

 

But the reactions of our characters ring true for the situations they find themselves in. My favorite characters in this story are the women—Fox and Clara. Especially Clara, who finds herself in an unbelievable situation and doesn’t dramatize—she just does what needs to be done.

Possible Objectionable Material:

Lots of perilous situations. Sleeping together is mentioned, not seen. There’s a war going on, so there is some violence, some of it bloody.

 

Who Might Like This Book:

This book is marketed to teens, but the story is about adults. Those who like fairy tale retellings will probably enjoy seeing the fairy tale elements here.

 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

 

 

Text in Show

By Whitney Dineen and Melanie Summers

Publisher:‎ 33 Partners Publishing & Indigo Group (June 4, 2021)

Paperback:‎ 278 pages

ISBN-10: 198889140X

ISBN-13:‎ 978-1988891408

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

It's a Dog Text World ...Autumn Jones is at a crossroads. With no job offers in sight, she can either return to Koshkonong, Wisconsin to work at her dad’s feed store or she can move to New York and help her older sister Helen coordinate the Manhattan Kennel Club Show. She and Helen may fight like cats and dogs, but Autumn would rather live with a thousand Helens than go home after seven years of college.

Jack Campbell is the veterinarian to Manhattan’s elite. Despite their adoration, he does not love them back. In fact, he’s vowed never to date anyone who walks through the front door of his clinic. He spends his days caring for pampered poodles sporting diamond encrusted collars and placating their high maintenance owners. When he meets Autumn, he assumes she’s going to be another client with more money than brains.

Autumn is thrown into a bizarre world of highly competitive rich women who will do anything to win the coveted title of Best in Show at Manhattan’s most exclusive competition. With her haughty sister breathing down her neck, and a high-strung poodle following her everywhere she goes, she doesn’t have time for love, even if she does find herself face-to-face with America’s hottest vet every day.

Will Autumn run back to Wisconsin with her tail between her legs? Will Jack find out that appearances can be deceiving? Will Helen’s dog Fifi win Best in Show? Find out in the hysterical fourth edition of the Accidentally in Love Series, Text in Show.

 

My Thoughts:

This rom-com is a quick read. It’s light and undemanding. Autumn is a likable protagonist, as is Jack as a love interest. Much of the plot here revolves around their pre-conceived ideas about each other. Less likable is Autumn’s sister, Helen. I mean Helena. She’s all about appearances and social climbing, along with her husband. I’m glad to say, though, that she does get a redeeming moment.

 

Really, this is much like the Hallmark Channel movies I like to watch while I’m knitting. They don’t take much brain power, and are a pleasant and predictable way to pass the time. I’ve already purchased a couple of others in this series on sale for my Kindle.

 

Possible Objectionable Material:

These are grownups, so drinking, sex (not described), infidelity, cursing. There’s a scene of women in their swimsuits with some description of their bodies.

 

Who Might Like This Book:

If you like Hallmark Channel movies—or dogs—or both—this is for you!

 

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

 

The 100 Years of Lenni and Margot

By Marianne Cronin

Publisher: ‎ Harper Perennial (June 1, 2021)

Paperback:‎ 352 pages

ISBN-10:‎ 0063017504

ISBN-13:‎ 978-0063017504

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

An extraordinary friendship. A lifetime of stories. 

 

Seventeen-year-old Lenni Pettersson lives on the Terminal Ward at the Glasgow Princess Royal Hospital. Though the teenager has been told she’s dying, she still has plenty of living to do. Joining the hospital’s arts and crafts class, she meets the magnificent Margot, an 83-year-old, purple-pajama-wearing, fruitcake-eating rebel, who transforms Lenni in ways she never imagined.

 

As their friendship blooms, a world of stories opens for these unlikely companions who, between them, have been alive for one hundred years. Though their days are dwindling, both are determined to leave their mark on the world. With the help of Lenni’s doting palliative care nurse and Father Arthur, the hospital’s patient chaplain, Lenni and Margot devise a plan to create one hundred paintings showcasing the stories of the century they have lived—stories of love and loss, of courage and kindness, of unexpected tenderness and pure joy.

 

Though the end is near, life isn’t quite done with these unforgettable women just yet.

 

Delightfully funny and bittersweet, heartbreaking yet ultimately uplifting, The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot reminds us of the preciousness of life as it considers the legacy we choose to leave, how we influence the lives of others even after we’re gone, and the wonder of a friendship that transcends time.

My Thoughts:

This was an absolute delight. But I’m just going to warn you right now: have some tissues for the final few chapters.

 

The story is told in first person, mainly by Lenni, but she also records Margot’s stories from her life as they create their paintings. We are never told precisely what Lenni is dying from, and it doesn’t really matter. Her condition deteriorates as the story progresses, but her personality and will remain vibrant and strong.

 

Margot is also clearly drawn and a distinctive character. The supporting characters in this story have depth to them and serve a purpose beyond just moving the plot along.

 

There are tragic things in both of our main characters’ stories, but they are never broken by their circumstances.

 

Possible Objectionable Material:

Sneaking around. Cursing, including some f words. Same gender relationships. References to sex. Illness and death.

 

Who Might Like This Book:

This one is marketed to adults, but teens could definitely enjoy it. The main characters are female, but I think the stories are fairly universal. If you like to hear grandma’s stories about her life, this could be a good fit.

 

Thank you to the publisher and GoodReads for the giveaway!

 

Ace of Spades

Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé

Publisher:‎ Feiwel & Friends (June 1, 2021)

Hardcover: 432 pages

ISBN-10: 1250800811

ISBN-13: 978-1250800817

Reading age: 14 - 18 years

Grade level: 10 – 12

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

Gossip Girl meets Get Out in Ace of Spades, a YA contemporary thriller by debut author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé about two students, Devon & Chiamaka, and their struggles against an anonymous bully.

All you need to know is . . . I’m here to divide and conquer. Like all great tyrants do. ―Aces

When two Niveus Private Academy students, Devon Richards and Chiamaka Adebayo, are selected to be part of the elite school’s senior class prefects, it looks like their year is off to an amazing start. After all, not only does it look great on college applications, but it officially puts each of them in the running for valedictorian, too.

Shortly after the announcement is made, though, someone who goes by Aces begins using anonymous text messages to reveal secrets about the two of them that turn their lives upside down and threaten every aspect of their carefully planned futures.

As Aces shows no sign of stopping, what seemed like a sick prank quickly turns into a dangerous game, with all the cards stacked against them. Can Devon and Chiamaka stop Aces before things become incredibly deadly?

With heart-pounding suspense and relevant social commentary comes a high-octane thriller from debut author Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé.

 

My Thoughts:

To be clear: I am not the target demographic. I have never watched Gossip Girl or Get Out. I am a straight, white, middle-aged woman.

 

So some of this book didn’t work for me as it might for people of color or part of the LGBTQIA community, or a teenager.

 

This might most closely be called a psychological thriller. Someone is definitely trying to get to Chi and Devon. The story is about who and why—and that’s where it gets really heavy really fast.

 

The underlying plot is frightening. Realistically, while I 100% believe that racism is rampant and sometimes targeted to keep people from getting ahead, I don’t believe that it’s as deeply widespread as the author postulates here. I really, really, really hope it’s not.

 

I don’t want to say too much more about the plot, for fear of giving away any of the surprises. But I do want to address something about Chiamaka that has been bothering me. Like, if I randomly wake up at night, I start thinking about it.

 

Chiamaka has endured racism from a very young age. Biracial, her father’s family doesn’t even want her or her mother to visit them. But she’s also very, very wealthy. As in, she wears Jimmy Choo shoes to school. She has a dressing room. With a side room just for her shoes. She is virtually amoral as she recounts her social manipulation in order to be top of the school, in pursuit of her goal to be admitted to Yale and go on to medical school.

 

But she herself is bigoted. Devon is a scholarship student from the bad side of town, and he’s poor. Chiamaka is constantly criticizing his clothes, and can’t believe he doesn’t have a tuxedo, and wonders why he wears the same thing all the time. She seems to be absolutely unable to recognize her own prejudices.

 

Overall, it was a good book. It moved quickly enough for me to read it in a single day. I did find the resolution of Chi and Devon’s problem to have a little bit of a deus ex machina vibe. It built and built, and then…what?

 

The epilogue was fun, although I do wonder…what happened next? It doesn’t really matter, but it kind of does.

 

Possible Objectionable Material:

Materialism. Same-sex relationships, teens having sex (none of it described past kissing). Lots of swearing, including the f word. Fighting. Drug dealing. Drinking. Sneaking around. Psychological manipulation. A hit-and-run accident.

 

Who Might Like This Book:

People in the target demographics. Those who like psychological thrillers. Those interested in racial and queer issues.

 

Thank you to the publisher and GoodReads for this giveaway.

 

 

One Great Lie

By Deb Caletti

Publisher:‎ Atheneum Books for Young Readers (June 1, 2021)

Hardcover: 384 pages

ISBN-10: 1534463178

ISBN-13: ‎978-1534463172

Reading age: 4 years and up

Grade level: ‎ 9 – 12

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

When Charlotte wins a scholarship to a writing workshop in Venice with the charismatic and brilliant Luca Bruni, it’s a dream come true. Writing is her passion, she loves Bruni’s books, and going to that romantic and magical sinking city gives her the chance to solve a long-time family mystery about a Venetian poet deep in their lineage, Isabella Di Angelo, who just might be the real author of a very famous poem.

Bruni’s villa on the eerie island of La Calamita is extravagant—lush beyond belief, and the other students are both inspiring and intimidating. Venice itself is beautiful, charming, and seductive, but so is Luca Bruni. As his behavior becomes increasingly unnerving, and as Charlotte begins to unearth the long-lost work of Isabella with the help of sweet, smart Italian Dante, other things begin to rise, too—secrets about the past, and secrets about the present.

As the events of the summer build to a shattering climax, Charlotte will be forced to confront some dark truths about the history of powerful men—and about the determination of creative girls—in this stunning new novel from award-winning author Deb Caletti.

 

My Thoughts:

Honestly? I requested this book because my one day in Venice was not enough.

 

This book was…fine. It wasn’t great. It wasn’t terrible. It was…fine. I think I became more engaged in the subplot than in the actual plot.

Young writer Charlotte is a character with depth. She has insecurities. She has a boyfriend because that’s what you do in high school. She has a major case of hero worship for an author whose work resonates with her, and is ecstatic to be able to attend his writing camp in Venice.

 

And then she finds out that, while he may be a great writer, he’s a horrible human being. Other reviewers have mentioned that she should have caught on sooner and not doubted her instincts as much, but he used his fame and her admiration (and that of others) as part of his arsenal to manipulate the girls at the camp.

 

The secondary plot is Charlotte investigating a book of poetry that has been handed down in her family. She is eager to prove that her ancestress was the writer, although everything indicates that the poems were written by a man. It is her pursuit of proof that really caught my interest, and the way that the author showed how early woman poets were treated was really interesting.

 

In the end, Charlotte does not get the resolution in the main plot that we hope for. But her search for Isabella is much more rewarding.

 

Possible Objectionable Material:

Teenage drinking. Sex, though not described. Sexual assault. An adult manipulates and takes advantage of younger women, and is borderline abusive of the young men. Swearing, including the f word.

 

Who Might Like This Book:

People who like coming of age. People like me who love Venice. The protagonist is female, but I think boys could also enjoy this book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.