thoughts on books

Author: Angie Miale

  • love and other paradoxes by catriona silvey

    A time travel and love triangle romance for fans of Ashley Poston and Christina Lauren, with two 21 year old students in Cambridge, England — one from 2044 and the other from 2005. Joe Greene is not doing well in school, his real passion is with his terrible poetry. His roommate Rob is a physics major whose real passion is playing the game Assassins. This is a live action game where you are hunting other players to surprise them and get them eliminated from the game. Joe has a meet cute with Esi at the coffee shop, and they have some interesting chemistry. He just doesn’t know what it is about her.

    Then as she is walking away she drops a book of poetry. Written by him! It turns out she is on a “time travel trip” where people who are fans of someone famous can travel back in time to where they used to live to maybe meet them before they were famous. So everyone on this visit to 2005 is a huge fan of “Joseph Greene the famous poet” except, that is, for Esi. Eli has other plans in mind. Her mother, who tragically died in an accident, was killed returning to Cambridge in celebration of “an award she won in June of 2005.” So Esi has an ulterior motive, find her mother and make sure she doesn’t win this award.

    But will it work? After all, the time travel company says that the Butterfly Effect doesn’t apply, there is nothing you can do in the past to ruin the future. So will Esi save her mom, and will Joe and Esi even find her?

    This time travel romance is about 30% romance, no spice. Mostly this is heavily plot driven and character-building as Joe and Esi inhabit the world they are in and as Joe get his mind around his supposed future. This book asks the question, what would you do if you knew you were destined to succeed? And it changes all of his decisions. Joe’s roommate Rob is a great character, he gets all the best lines. There is plenty of humor. Most of the narrative is Joe’s inner dialogue and Esi becoming a sort of Cyrano to him with his “muse” Diana.

    If you enjoy time travel romances or romances that embrace magical realism, add this one to your TBR list~!

    Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC. Book to be published March 11, 2025.

  • my friends by fredrik backman

    Grief is a selfish bacteria, it demands all our attention.

    The group of friends is 14 years old, with varying levels of trauma and grief and painful lives. But Fredrik Bachman will have you remembering what it is like to be 14, when friendship and infatuation feel exactly the same. Ted is serious, and becomes a history teacher who is tasked with telling their story. Joar is rebellious and funny and a little belligerent. And the artist sees the world in a beautiful way, he paints the way they laugh together.

    Told in alternating timelines, Louisa is the current day 18 year old who has inherited a special painting done by the artist. The artist spends all of his money buying a painting that Louisa, a grieving foster kid, sees beauty in. Ted, who was living with him during his illness, promised to get her the painting. What follows is Ted and Louisa travel together, Ted telling her the story of how the painting came to be. She asks wonderful questions, Louisa has an artist’s eye and an inquisitive nature. Louisa just lost her beloved friend Fish, and is facing how to get along in life without her partner in crime. Ted comes to her from a later period in life but knowing what it means to love someone.

    Fredrik Backman is just the master of beautifully worded observations that will have you reaching for your pen and highlighter. Yes, it is funny, and of course, it is touching, and just a tad bit ….too unnecessarily sad. This is a story of how people view and value fine art, what constitutes art or an artist, how people love and trust their friends, and the loyalty therein. All of the characters are pitiful in some way and they can’t abandon people who need them, even to their own destruction. This painting was described so frequently that I started to envision it in my mind, I am a bit resentful at the cover showing me the teenagers legs under the sea. This is an author I always reach for and the writing is beautiful, if under-edited. I think after some time, when movie directors become really well regarded, the producers stop forcing them to make their movies a good length. Eventually when a director becomes a star in their own right, their movies are just too long. And I think this happens with some beloved authors also, after awhile their editors don’t want to fight them to revise their work. That’s a long explanation to say that perhaps 100 pages or so didn’t contribute to the setting, characterization or narrative.

    And yet, it is truly a beautiful story made of well constructed characters and tenderhearted dialogue. A must read for the Backman fans out there.

    Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC. Book to be published May 20, 2025.

  • don’t let him in by lisa jewell

    Literally could not put this down because I could NOT wait for the reckoning of the Smallest Man Who Ever Lived. Sure to be one of the BEST mystery/thriller of 2025.

    This book has a hell of a villain. A sociopathic, women-hating, gaslighting, love bombing overall horrific human being. He is the kind of guy you could do a 10 episode podcast about. Known by various names, he loves to manipulate and have relationships with women in a long con.

    Multiple POV chapters that skip time and between multiple characters. Although this is a little confusing at first it comes together pretty quickly. Ash lost her father Paddy about a year ago, as a schizophrenic unhoused man pushed him onto the train tracks. He was a successful restauranteur and cookbook author. Now Ash’s mother has gotten romantically involved with a man that she has some questions about.

    The best thing about this book is that the victims are not stupid. Not by a long shot. They are smart, funny, good mothers. In one way or another, they have insecurities, but this guy is an absolute professional at getting women to fall in love with him and in believing his lies. It is so easy to hear a story like this and assume that the victim of a con man is stupid. Our culture teaches us to blame the victim- but I would caution the reader to thinking you are better than falling for a long con. The overall theme is showing the pattern of behavior… and the solution is always community.

    Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Book to be released June 24, 2025.

  • murder takes a vacation by laura lippman

    Hooray for another 2025 cozy mystery! I love a senior citizen solving crimes, Ted Danson’s Netflix series Man on the Inside and the Kathy Bates CBS drama Matlock both take advantage of a trope about how after a certain age, women become invisible. Mrs. Muriel Blossom is a delight, honestly. She is a Baltimorean assistant to a PI who finds a lottery ticket in the parking lot of a gas station. She goes on a holiday to Paris, makes a brief romantic connection with a man named Allan who is found dead the next day. She is to cruise with her friend Elinor, who is more beautiful but a wonderful friend.

    The mystery here was definitely a cozy one, yes someone is murdered, but we didn’t know him well and we aren’t sure we trust him anyway. This is more about the luxury world of art and jewel heists.

    In the author’s notes, Laura talks about how she was challenged by readers to include less fat phobia and a more body positive message. And she took that criticism to heart and educated herself by following the work of body positive authors and content creators. I have to say, I really respect this. Mrs. Muriel Blossom is not at all a caricature of a plus sized 68 year old woman, of course she has insecurities due to the diet culture we are all a part of, but she is so much more than what her body looks like. I really love when someone grows and appreciates feedback, and the research was well worth it. Although her age and stature are a big part of her character, this is presented in the most endearing and respectful way. Bravo.

    Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Book to be published June 17, 2025.

  • fake it like you mean it by Megan Murphy

    Elle is a successful podcaster with a series called Elle on the L in which she interviews people on the Chicago commuter train. This book has one of the cutest and sweetest openings from the first chapter! The first thing we read tells us more about the tone of the book than it does about Elle herself, but that comes later. Elle was raised by her grandparents, and her widowed grandmother Lovie lives in her Indiana hometown. Elle goes home to visit and take care of Lovie only to find a home health nurse named Adam Wheeler. Adam is a good guy, your typical hero that the Hallmark holiday movie heroine falls for when she is back in her hometown. He is completely non-problematic and funny.

    Lovie mistakes them for herself and her late husband, how sweet is that? The majority of the book is them falling for each other and dealing with Lovie’s dementia and advancing Alzheimer’s disease. Lovie is such a firecracker, even in her advanced state of memory loss, with such zingers as “calories only count if you count them.” Adam helps Elle see her limitations in being a caregiver, together they learn that “you don’t have to have lost your memories to not want to keep coming back to what brings you comfort.”

    Alzheimer’s is a main character in this debut novel, and it is so well done that I am sure the novelist is writing from experience. While the romance has some good banter and chemistry, the relationship between Lovie and Elle really takes center stage. The major theme is “Love is supposed to make you more yourself, not less” and Adam and Elle are able to love each other in a way they haven’t before.

    Biggest criticism is my second lease favorite trope- the miscommunication/third act breakup. I would make a 3rd act breakup illegal if I could. I feel like it’s unnecessary easy pacing element that this book could have done without.

    Overall, I loved it. A must read for any contemporary romance readers that have been through the life altering experience of loving someone with Alzheimer’s.

    Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Book to be released March 18, 2025.

  • now is not the time to panic by kevin wilson

    Kevin Wilson is my favorite. I read [b:Nothing to See Here|42519313|Nothing to See Here|Kevin Wilson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1559591792l/42519313.SY75.jpg|66239115] recently and loved it- such a unique and heartwarming story. I then read his 2025 release [b:Run for the Hills|218671843|Run for the Hills|Kevin Wilson|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1727261499l/218671843.SY75.jpg|225604603] and it is one of my top ten books of 2025- I simply adored them both. Of course I had to read this novel from back in 2022, and not only did it not disappoint, it solidified Kevin Wilson as one of my top ten favorite authors. His stories are absolutely unique and also lovingly crafted. In fact, the main character in this novel is a writer and discusses ideas for new books- and describes the plot of Run For the Hills, his 2025 release, so I know that the idea for this book has been bouncing around his head for many years.

    I think there is a little bit of truth in each of his plots, then fantasy surrounding them, based on a mundane experience that meant a lot to him, that he fashioned into the plot of something big. The author’s note at the end of this novel explains exactly the background behind where the idea came from, and it then becomes obvious how unique and realistic this voice becomes.

    This book begins as it seems a typical YA coming of age story, but it is anything but. Frankie and Zeke meet each other as their mother’s make the best of how their fathers have let them down. They complete each other, and inspire the artistic tendencies of the other. They don’t exactly fall in love, but they do become each other’s more important muse. They create a poster that is pretty emo and artsy, then put up copies of it all over town. No one understands this, and it takes on a life of its own.

    High recommendation on all of his books, I would read them in order if I were starting again.

  • my best friend’s honeymoon by meryl wilsner

    What a fun and romantic story! Elsie’s fiancé Derrick has a surprise for her. After nearly 2 years of an engagement in which Elsie hated doing any wedding planning, he has a wedding and honeymoon completely planned- he already sent out the invitations. Elsie’s best friend Ginny has carried a torch for Elsie since sophomore year. They asked her to the dance, and Elsie declined, because she just couldn’t lose them as a friend. And since the honeymoon was completely paid for and all inclusive, Derrick suggests that Elsie ask Ginny to come on the honeymoon with her. And sparks fly! But what will happen when the honeymoon is over?

    Ginny hates their job but they love woodworking and remodeling. Elsie loves working at her family’s hardware store, but she wants her family to listen to her ideas about rebranding. 

    This book is pretty delightful and really nails the experience, the pressure and uncertainty about being 23. Your parents have expectations of you and you want a different life. I love that Derrick isn’t a one-dimensional villain- the jilted fiancé actually seems like a pretty good guy. Not the smartest guy, but he just wants something different than Elsie does. I appreciate how much the author invests time in minor characters, this really pays off in understanding Elsie and Ginny. The way that the best-friend-shared-language continues after coupling makes the reader really root for Elsie and Ginny to admit their feelings and become official. 

    If you have been following my reviews for awhile, you know that I am not a fan of the super spicy/steamy scenes- that just isn’t for me. And this book – while it includes all of the romance- it also includes a lot of the SPICE- so there were a few scenes that I skipped past … but you may really enjoy them!

    ~best friends-to-lovers
    ~one bed
    ~forced proximity
    ~third act breakup
    ~multi-dimensional minor characters

    Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review. Book to be published April 29, 2025.

  • I did something bad by pyae moe thet war

    What a fun mystery with some romance thrown in. I got this book as a part of my Afterlight/Illumicrate subscription, and I hadn’t read or heard of it, so I am happy to have this special signed edition. I don’t often get to read books set in South Asia or with South asian characters, and this was a fun low stakes mystery that reds like a rom com. Khin is a freelance reporter who has found her big break- she has been asked to shadow movie star Tyler Tun, who is rumored to be the newest James Bond. An Oscar winner, he is insanely famous and single, although his female best friend is a famous actress also.

    There is great chemistry between Tyler and Khin! I liked the magazine publishing/movie production backdrop, and the mystery of a stalker who ends up accidentally dead came out of nowhere. But as Tyler and Khin get to know each other and try to find out who the mystery dead Australian guy is, secrets and background come to the forefront. This is a page turner with feminist undertones. If you like the Vera Wong Series by Jesse Q. Sutanto and cozy mysteries like the Molly the Maid series by Nita Prose, add this one to your TBR list.

  • leaving the station by jake maia arlow

    A wonderful queer romcom that tackles some deep content while also being descriptive, sweet and relatable. Sure to be one of the top sapphic romances of 2025.

    Zoe is escaping from their first semester in New York, they are figuring out if pre-med is right for them. In fact, they’re figuring out a lot of stuff. Zoe has a great group of friends from freshman orientation, but soon becomes interested in Alden, another college student that they love hanging out with.

    The narrative is dual-linear, meaning we are following both Zoe’s experiences on a cross country train ride from New York to Seattle, as well as Zoe’s experiences in their first college semester up until fall break. The experiences on the train are well crafted, character-driven, and nuanced. There is a strong theme of train travel and how the characters of Zoe and Oakley evolve and grow as they are on the journey. There is something so romantic about train travel- and everyone on the train has a story as to why they have chosen that transportation method and how they are experiencing the trip.

    The narratives following Zoe in college, while starting only 3 months apart, show us that Zoe has learned more about themselves in the experience. The train gives us a side character of Aya, a 9 year old traveling with her mom, she is precocious, sweet, and very realistic.

    Jake Maia Arlow writes young people very well, they are bright, clever, and insecure while being confident. It is the ultimate contradiction of teenagers, they simultaneously view themselves as both inferior to and superior to others. Some YA romantic fiction really misses the mark on an 18 year old, their inner dialogue sounds like a much younger child. That is certainly not the case here, and it is a breath of fresh air. I absolutely loved this book. It’s so smart.

    Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Book to be published August 19, 2025.

  • bitter sweet by hattie williams

    No idea why I requested this but I’m grateful that I did. I’m more of a heartwarming / happy ending person. This debut novel is just wonderful, despite the cringeworthy subject matter. So many novels about an imbalanced extramarital affair are heavy handed and depressing, you read with your hand over your eyes. This one is tender, realistic, and will anger you but also keep you wanting to protect Charlie.

    Charlie is an assistant at a UK publishing company, she does pretty menial work, processing expense reports and getting coffee. But at age 23, she is happy just to be working in the publishing industry and hoping to advance her career. She inevitably meets Richard, a 56 year old bestselling author, her favorite. Immediately she is star struck and they connect and start an affair that lasts a year. Obviously the imbalances of power in the relationship is egregious, and the reader is likely older than Charlie. I remember what it is like to be- truly- in a sort of relationship with your job, with the hope of your industry and in becoming something special. “Work never ceased to give us something to talk about.”

    The author has this way of sharing a few anecdotes about a character, and within a few paragraphs, you know exactly who this person is and how they will interact with everyone else. Charlie never really properly grieved the sudden loss of her mother at age 16, and at 23 she is eager for love and approval in a way that makes her – while brilliant – insecure to the point of being incredibly vulnerable. It is also written from a past perspective, as if Charlie has had 10 years of therapy and is now able to look back at her relationship with a healed perspective. “If you told me … I wouldn’t believe you.”

    Somehow by the end- you realize that she has grown and taken back her power. It’s depressing and sad and yet at the end she has come full circle. Well written and a fresh voice in literary fiction.

    Thanks to @netgalley and @randomhouse for the complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review. Book to be published July 3, 2025.