May was a month of great weather, great reading, and getting things done.  As part of getting things done, I participated in Caffeinated Book Reviewer's Clean Sweep Challenge!

I had a very ambitious list of ARC's to read, but...I only got about half of them read.  



There were several books that I really enjoyed, especially Rich People Problems, by Kevin Kwan, and The Women In The Castle, by Jessica Shattuck.  Rich People Problems is the third in a series that is about the ultra rich in Asia.  It will be a fun beach read for this summer.  The Women In The Castle, continues a trend of amazing historical novels about WWII.  This book was from the perspective of German women.

One of the books, It Started With Goodbye by Christina June, was a disappointment.  There were too many cliches (the missing parent, for one), and the characters were not well-developed.

Overall, I am so grateful to be a part of this challenge.  It helped me focus on a goal, and kept me on task.  Thank you, Kimberly, The Caffeinated Book Reviewer, for creating this challenge.

Did you do this challenge?  How many ARCs did you read in May?  Which ones did you like?  Let me know in the comments.

Please Note:  I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from Penguin Random House's First In Line program in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinion of my review in any way.

Synopsis (From Goodreads):
Years ago, Rachel had a crush on Henry Jones. The day before she moved away, she tucked a love letter into his favorite book in his family’s bookshop. She waited. But Henry never came.

Now Rachel has returned to the city—and to the bookshop—to work alongside the boy she’d rather not see, if at all possible, for the rest of her life. But Rachel needs the distraction. Her brother drowned months ago, and she can’t feel anything anymore.

As Henry and Rachel work side by side—surrounded by books, watching love stories unfold, exchanging letters between the pages—they find hope in each other. Because life may be uncontrollable, even unbearable sometimes. But it’s possible that words, and love, and second chances are enough.  

Review:
One of the happy daydreams I have is winning the lottery and having a bookshop of my very own.  It would have a combination of new and used books, and be a place where people could sit for hours, reading and having daydreams of their own.  There would be comfy couches and reading nooks, and people would gather there to talk about books.

Words In Deep Blue, by Cath Crowley, has just such a bookshop in the story.   I love novels about people with a deep love of reading and this book was filled with characters talking about books.  It was beautifully written, and now my head is filled with books I need to find, read, and treasure.

Setting:
The story takes place in small town in Australia.  It's the kind of town where main character Henry is sure to see all the teens he just graduated with.  He is happiest at his family's second-hand bookshop, Howling Books.  This is the kind of bookshop where people sit and read (or sleep), and stay to play scrabble, or meet with their book club.  There is even a special library where favorite books are kept and people can write in the margins, underline their favorite passages, and leave notes for others.  Many of the characters in this books communicate with each other in this charming way.

I also liked the descriptions of the club scene where the teens hang out.  I was a little confused, at first, that everyone was getting into clubs and drinking when they had only just graduated from high school.  But the drinking age in Australia must be eighteen (not twenty-one as it is in the U.S.).  But I can see that after school is over, going to clubs is one of the only ways to see one's friends.

Characters:
Rachel and Henry were best friends until she moved away three years ago.  I love how well read all the characters are (believable, considering Henry's family), and how they talk with each other through books and poetry.  

I also like Henry's father and mother.  They are divorced and I thought were presented in a very realistic manner.  Sometimes they could get along with each other, but sometimes they fought, too.  I appreciate that they aren't missing in action.  While they are not the main focus of the book, they are present enough to remind you that Henry's family is important to him.

I also liked that Henry has other good female friends other than Rachel.  Sometimes I get a little tired of the "best friends who actually are in love with each other" trope.  But having Henry have other close female friends helps make the situation more plausible.  

Each secondary character is fully developed with issues of their own.  This helps create that wonderful small town feeling that is present in this book.

Books:
In the introduction to this advanced reader's copy, the editor says the reader will want to underline words and highlight sections.  I really did find myself doing just that.  There were also several books mentioned in the story that I now must read!  The meanings in books, and what books mean to us, are vital aspects of this novel.

Letters between characters:
One of lovely parts of the book is how many of the characters interact with each other through writing letters and leaving them to be found in books.  This was so wonderful that I want to start leaving letters to my husband and see how long it takes him to find them!  This is such a smart way to show another aspect of the characters.  By showing how they write, it gives us a deeper glimpse into each personality.

Tropes:
As I said, there are so many YA books where two characters are best friends but secretly love each other, that when I first saw this, I was weary.  I was also skeptical about one of the characters having a dead sibling.  But as the book progressed, I was pleasantly surprised by how fresh the author made these situations.  Each of these devices serves a purpose in this book.

 





Rating: 




Release Date:  June 6th, 2017

Genre:  YA fiction

Source:  Penguin Random House's First In Line Program

Format:  Paperback book

Recommendation:  With the adorable bookshop, well-developed secondary characters, and deftly crafted story, this book will make you want find a quiet corner to write a love letter and hide it in your favorite novel.

Due to the enormous size of this list, I only show events about four weeks in advance.  The master calendar will continue to show all the events I can find that are listed on each bookstore's site.

Bookstores in this list may include:  
Barnes & Noble (various Bay Area Locations)
Book Passage (Corte Madera & San Francisco)
The Booksmith (San Francisco)
Books Inc. (various Bay Area Locations)
Pegasus Books (Berkeley & Oakland)
Hicklebee's Children's Books (San Jose)
A Great Good Place For Books (Oakland)
Kepler's Books (Menlo Park) 
Diesel, A Bookstore (Oakland)   
Orinda Books (Orinda)
Rakestraw Books (Danville)  
I am attempting to make this a one stop place to find book signings in the San Francisco Bay Area! I will mostly focus on YA books, but I will also include some general fiction if I think it will be of interest.  I do not list non-fiction books (There are simply too many events of those to list).  I think this is an extensive list, but there is always the possibility that I missed an event (Hey, I'm human). If you think there is an event that I should include, please leave me a note in the comments section. Thanks.

All  book graphics have links to GoodReads so you can check them out.

As always, it is a good idea to call the store a day or two before to confirm that the scheduled event is still on.  I have learned that these events change constantly.



Book:  One Day We'll All Be Dead And None Of This Will Matter: Essays  
Author:  Scaachi Koul  
Book:  Startup
Author:  Doree Shafri  
Location:  Book Passage (San Francisco)  
Address:  1 Ferry Building, San Francisco  
Tel:  (415) 835-1020
 



Book:  Miss Burma  
Author: Charmaine Craig
Location:  Book Passage (Corte Madera)  
Address:  51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera 
Tel:  (415) 927-0960 
 


Book:  Miss Burma  
Author: Charmaine Craig  
Location:  Books Inc. (Burlingame)  
Address:  1375 Burlingame Ave., Burlingame   
Tel: (650) 685-4914
 

Book:  When Dimple Met Rishi  
Author:  Sandhya Menon
Location:  Hicklebee's Books, (San Jose)  
Address:  1378 Lincoln Ave., San Jose  
Tel: (408) 292-8880
 

Book:  The Couple Next Door  
Author:  Shari Lapena  
Location:  Book Passage (Cortea Madera) 
Address:  51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera  
Tel:  (415) 927-0960




Dozens of Authors will be participating in panels, book signings and more!  There will be tons of displays and activities for the whole family.  One of the highlights is the display of thousands of free books set up in Civic Center Park!

Location:  Downtown Berkeley

For more information, visit The Bay Area Book Festival website.
 

Book:  Gilded Deceit  
Author:  Tracy Grant  
Location:  Book Passage (Corte Madera)  
Address:  51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera  
Tel: (415) 927-0960





Tel:  (415) 927-0960














Book:  The Leavers
Author:  Lisa Ko
Book:  The Last Days Of Cafe Leila
Author:  Donia Bijan
Location:  Books Inc., (Alameda)
Address:  1344 Park Street, Alameda
Tel: (510) 522-2226



Book:  Murder In Saing-Germain
Author:  Cara Black
Location:  Book Passage (Corte Madera)
Address:  51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera
Tel (415) 927-0960


Book:  Do Not Become Alarmed: A Novel
Author:  Maile Meloy
Location:  A Great Good Place For Books
Address:   6120 LaSalle Ave., Oakland
Tel: (510) 339-8210 



Book:  What I Lost
Author:  Alexandra Ballard
Location:  Books Inc. (Berkeley)
Address:  1491 Shattuck Av., Berkeley
Tel (510)  525-7777


Book:  The Leavers
Author:  Lisa Ko
Location:  Book Passage (Corte Madera)
Address:  51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera
Tel: (415) 927-0960 



Book:  Rich People Problems
Author:  Kevin Kwan
Location:  Book Passage (San Francisco)
Address:  1 Ferry Building, San Francisco
Tel:  (415)  835-1020
 

Book:  Royal Bastards  
Author:  Andrew Shvarts
Location:  Kepler's Books  
Address:  1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park  
Tel:  (650) 324-4321   


Book:  The Frozen Hours
Author:  Jeff Shaara
Location:  Book Passage
Address:  51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera
Tel: (415)927-0960



Book:  Kintu
Author:  Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
Location:  Diesel, A Bookstore
Address:  5433 College Avenue, Oakland
Tel:  (510) 653-9965



Book:  Heirlooms: Stories
Author:  Rachel Hall
Location:  Orinda Books
Address:  276 Village Square, Orinda
Tel:  (925) 254-7606 


Book:  The Scribe Of Siena
Author:  Melodie Winawer
Location:  Books Inc., (Opera Plaza)
Address:  601 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco
Tel:  (415) 776-1111




Book: Siracusa
Author:  Delia Ephron
Location:  Book Passage
Address:  51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera
Tel (415) 927-0960




Book:  The Scribe Of Siena
Author:  Melodie Winawer
Location:  Book Passage (Corte Madera)
Address:  51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera
Tel: (415) 927-0960


Book: Siracusa
Author:  Delia Ephron
Location:  A Great Good Place For Books
Address:  6120 LaSalle Avenue, Oakland
Tel:  (510) 339-8210





Book:  Lockdown
Author:  Laurie R. King
Location:  Book Passage (San Francisco)
Address:  1 Ferry Building, San Francisco
Tel:  (415) 835-1020 





Books & Authors:  Tattoo Atlas (Tim Floreen),  Jess, Chunk, and The Road Trip To Infinity (Kristin Elizabeth Clark), Beast (Brie Spangler)
Location:  Books Inc., (Santa Clara)
Address:  2712 Augustine Drive, Santa Clara
Tel:  (408) 727-1500 






Book:  A Good Country
Author:  Laleh Khadivi
Book:  Stealing Buddha's Dinner
Author:  Bich Minh Bguyen 
Location:  Books Inc. (Berkeley)
Address:  1491 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley
Tel:  (510)  525-7777





Book: The Coming
Author:  David Osborne
Location:  Hicklebee's Children's Books
Address:  1378 Lincoln Ave, San Jose
Tel:  (408) 292-8880





Book: Once and for All
Author:  Sarah Dessen
Location:  Kepler's Books
Address:  1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park
Tel: (650) 324-4321  





Book:  The Rise And Fall Of D.O.D.O
Authors:  Neal Stephenson & Nicole Galland
Location:  The Booksmith
Address:  1644 Haight Street, San Francisco
Tel:  (415) 863-8688





Book:  The Templars' Last Secret
Author:  Martin Walker
Location:  Book Passage (Corte Madera)
Address:  51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera
Tel:  (415) 927-0960





Book:  Dark Associations
Author:  Marie Sutro
Location:  Barnes & Noble (San Jose)
Address:  3600 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose
Tel:  (408) 984-3495


Tickets:  $55 (Includes meal and signed book)
Book:  The Sunshine Sisters
Author:  Jane Green
Location:  Book Passage (Corte Madera)
Address:  51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera
Tel:  (415) 927-0960
 


Book:  Defectors
Author:  Joseph Kanon
Location:  Book Passage (Corte Madera)
Address:  51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera
Tel:  (415) 927-0960 


Book:  The Spy Across The Table
Author:  Barry Lancet
Location:  Books Inc. (Mountain View)
Address:  301 Castro Street, Mountain View
Tel:  (650) 428-1247
 



Book:  Lockdown
Author:  Laurie R. King
Location:  Kepler's Books
Address:  1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park
Tel: (650) 324-4321



Book:  Since I Laid My Burden Down
Author:  Brontez Purnell
Location:  Pegasus Books - Downtown
Address:  2349 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
Tel: (510) 649-1320




Book:  The Lost History Of Stars
Author:  David Boling
Location:  Book Passage (San Francisco)
Address:  1 Ferry Building
Tel:  (415) 835-1020


Book:  The Glamshack
Author:  Paul Cohen
Location:  Books Inc., (The Marina)
Address:  2251 Chestnut Street, San Francisco
Tel:  (415) 931-3633


Book:  House Of Names
Author:  Colm Toibin
Location:  Rakestraw Books (Danville)
Address:  3 Railroad Avenue, Danville
Tel: (925)  837-7337



Book:  The Half-Life of Remorse
Author:  Grand Jarrett
Location:  Books Inc., (The Marina)
Address:  2251 Chestnut Street, San Francisco
Tel:  (415) 931-3633  
 


Book:  Give Up The Dead
Author:  Joe Clifford
Location:  Pegasus Books - Downtown
Address:  2340 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley
Tel: (510) 649-1320

 

Book:  What I Lost
Author:  Alexandra Ballard
Book:  The Hidden Memory Of Objects
Author:  Danielle Mages Amato
Location:  A Great Good Place For Books
Address:  6120 LaSalle Ave., Oakland
Tel:  (510) 339-8210


The regular tickets for this event are sold out.  There will be Standing Room Only tickets available.  Go to www.Bookpassage.com to get tickets.

Book:  Theft By Finding
Author:  Davis Sedaris
Location: Book Passage (Corte Madera)
Address:  51 Tamal Vista Blvd., Corte Madera
Tel:  (415) 927-0960