Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Part scientific mystery, part dazzling interstellar journey, Project Hail Mary is a tale of discovery, speculation, and survival to rival The Martian--while taking us to places it never dreamed of going.

Review:

I think the reason I enjoyed Weir's massive hit, The Martian, so much was because the main character used science as a means to survive a nearly hopeless situation.  The plot of the author's latest novel, Project Hail Mary , centers around a problem humanity will probably never face: the Sun is cooling.  As the world tries to science its way out of the coming apocalypse, we see the epic space journey to save humanity, interspersed with the background of how the project came about.  This was a very entertaining, suspense-filled story that is Weir's best work to date.

What I Liked:

Premise:

The Sun is cooling and it's due to an organism that's taking energy from the sun at a small, but significant, rate.  Scientists notice this is happening in other solar systems as well.  What this means for Earth is a cooling of the earth that will bring on another Ice Age.  And it will happen in the next dozen years, wiping out food supplies, and causing mass starvation.

Could all the countries on Earth find a way to solve the issue together?  What kind of effort would that look like?  And what might happen if it fails?  These are all parts of the plot of this novel.  Unlike scenarios such as if a meteor were about to hit Earth, the kinds of steps the world's scientists take seem plausible.  

Characters:

Due to the structure of the book, we see all the people who work on finding a solution to the problem, and to what lengths they will go to achieve it.  The head of the project, given unlimited authority by all the world leaders, is Eva Stratt.  Stratt is a no-nonsense, ruthless person who is single-minded in her search to solve the problem.  She is willing to do anything to save the planet, including massive environmental destruction, kidnapping, and who knows what else.  She has unlimited resources, and her authority is absolute.  She fully expects to be tried for crimes against humanity when the project is complete.  But she feels it's all worth it to stave off a world -wide disaster.

Ryland Grace is the main character, a brilliant scientist who's had some setbacks in his career.  At the start of the book, instead of leading ground-breaking research, he is teaching science to middle school children.   He is not someone who seeks conflict.  Instead, he craves safety.  No high powered career, no exciting love affair.  He seems quite content to live a quiet life.  But, when Stratt discovers Grace's doctorate thesis, concerning organisms that may not need water to survive, he is plucked from obscurity and lands right in the thick of Project Hail Mary.  Will he rise to the occasion?  Or will fear hold him back from making the ultimate sacrifice?

Science:

I really liked how the characters use science to work out the various issues of the problem.  When they realize they will need to send astronauts deep into another solar system to find the answers to how the organism can be stopped, they must solve a host of issues.  How can they create enough energy to power the ship for the several years it will take to get there?  How can they ensure the astronauts survive years in space?  Can they do anything to buy the Earth some time?  

While purists will likely find some fault in the science presented (as they did with The Martian), most people will find the explanations plausible, and not too confusing.  I didn't need a degree in astrophysics to understand the gist of it.  

Story:

Ryland Grace starts off as a middle school science teacher, but winds up in a space ship headed to a far away solar system.  How does this happen?  The story is told in a series of flashbacks as Ryland awakens from a deep sleep and finds he doesn't remember anything!  Slowly, as his memories return, we see what happened.  

We also see how he works on the main problem.  What can kill the organism that is cooling the Sun?

What Ryland doesn't bargain for is... finding something astounding in space.  I cannot reveal what this is, as I do not want to spoil it.  But it's a doozy!  A good portion of the book is about how Ryland interacts with this revelation.  It's wonderful, and I hope a movie is made of this book as soon as possible (actually, I hear that Ryan Gosling has optioned the book!).

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  May 4th, 2021

Author:  Andy Weir

Publisher:  Ballantine Books

Genre:  Science Fiction

Page Length:  496 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-book

Recommendation:  Another entertaining story filled with science. and loads of humanity.  This is a wonderful book.

Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Thora and Santi are strangers in a foreign city when a chance encounter intertwines their fates. At once, they recognize in each other a kindred spirit—someone who shares their insatiable curiosity, who is longing for more in life than the cards they’ve been dealt. Only days later, though, a tragic accident cuts their story short.

But this is only one of the many connections they share. Like satellites trapped in orbit around each other, Thora and Santi are destined to meet again: as a teacher and prodigy student; a caretaker and dying patient; a cynic and a believer. In numerous lives they become friends, colleagues, lovers, and enemies. But as blurred memories and strange patterns compound, Thora and Santi come to a shocking revelation—they must discover the truth of their mysterious attachment before their many lives come to one, final end.

Review:

Recently, I've read several books where a person explores different versions of their lives.  How did their choices affect what they became?  This is an intriguing question.  In Meet Me in Another Life, by Catriona Silvey, a few other elements are added to the mix.  With each life, Thora and Santi are born into slightly different circumstances.  Also in each scenario, they find each other and remember their past lives.  Why is this happening? Will they be destined to relive their lives over and over again? These questions created a book that was an exciting page turner.  I loved it!

What I Liked:

Premise:

I loved that the two main characters, Thora and Santi, meet again and again in each life.  But, each version of their lives is different from the others.  They are different ages, have different jobs, and their relationships vary from one life to another.  In one life, they are lovers, in another one is a much older professor and the other is their student.  The one constant is that in each life they form a strong connection.  And they begin to remember their past lives.  This made me think about whether we are destined to meet certain people, or is it just random? 

Characters:

Although each life is different, Thora and Santi have consistent personalities throughout.  Thora is more impulsive and independent.  She dyes her hair various colors, and isn't too concerned about what others think of her.

When she meets Santi, she recognizes a kindred spirit.  Santi is a dreamer, and he longs to be an astronaut.  But he's not a person of action, like Thora.  Each has  strengths that compliment the other's.  They push each other to do the most with each life.  Sometimes this causes conflict, which might take several lifetimes to resolve.  But, ultimately, Thora and Santi know they need each other to figure out the mystery of why they keep repeating their lives.

Story:

Learning the rules of this universe is really compelling. Why do they always find each other in the city of Bonn?  Once they get there, why does it seem that they can't leave?   Can they reset their lives by killing themselves?  What are the limits of what they can do without too many dire consequences?

I also like that this is not a love story, per se.  In some of the lives, yes, Thora and Santi are lovers.  But in others, they are student and teacher, doctor and patient, even parent and child.  This strips away the sexual nature of connection.  Humans can make deep connections with others without a sexual element.

Each life reveals a little bit more about what is really happening in the overall story.  As the mystery builds, we wonder what Thora and Santi can do to break the cycle.  This made the story very exciting, and kept me reading.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  April 27th, 2021

Author:  Catriona Silvey

Publisher:  William Morrow

Genre:  Fantasy

Page Length:  320 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation: You'll be hooked by the story's unusual premise, and endearing characters.  Highly recommended.

Please Note:  I received an advance audio copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Between life and death there is a library, and within that library, the shelves go on forever. Every book provides a chance to try another life you could have lived. To see how things would be if you had made other choices . . . Would you have done anything different, if you had the chance to undo your regrets?”

A dazzling novel about all the choices that go into a life well lived, from the internationally bestselling author of Reasons to Stay Alive and How To Stop Time.

Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better?

In The Midnight Library, Matt Haig’s enchanting new novel, Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place.

Review:

I listened to The Midnight Library, by Matt Haig, as part of my book club, but also because I received a copy through Penguin Random House Audio's reviewers program.  I didn't quite know what to expect.  Was the story a fantasy, or a contemporary fiction?  It was all that and more.  

As a young woman lingers between life and death, she is transported into "The Midnight Library" where she can reflect about how her choices shaped her life.  She is given opportunities to open new "books" of her life, where she makes different choices, to see if she would rather life that life.  She's a scientist, a rock star, married with kids, married without kids, and everything in between.

Is this really happening?  Or is this just her mind cycling through many fleeting thoughts as she is dying?  We don't really know.  I found this book to be a thoughtful reflection on depression, our life choices, and the regrets we all feel.  It was also really fun to see the different versions of Nora, and the unintended consequences of her decisions.

What I Liked:

Narrator:

Carey Mulligan adds so much as the story's narrator.  This novel centers around a British woman, so having her lovely accent made Nora a much more believable person to me as a listener.  Plus, Milligan is very good at acting out all the characters.  There are different versions of many of the people in Nora's life.  But I never felt confused by all the characters.  She made each one come to life.

Premise:

If you could make different life choices, would you?  What if you had said yes to that person who wanted to meet for coffee?  What if you had pursued that dream of being a musician?  On the surface, Nora likes the idea that her life would have been better if only she had made different decisions.  Since her current life seems very bleak, this also only reinforces the guilt she feels that she is responsible for her misery, and also for her brother's messed up life.  Filled with so much regret, it's no wonder she is depressed.

Themes:

As Nora tries out different versions of her life, she see that not only her story has changed, but the people in her life also have different outcomes. But is she responsible or are they?  This theme of responsibility, and accountability, continues throughout the book.  It seemed to me that she was certainly responsible for her own choices, but never had control of how others reacted. 

There was message that although the grass is always greener in your neighbor's yard, no life is perfect.  Every life Nora chose had good points and bad.  Even in situations where Nora seems to "have it all", she deals with pressures, and disappointments. She also starts to realize that maybe her first life wasn't all bad.  

Characters:

Nora is a woman dealing with depression, and is full of regrets.  At the start of the book, she can't help but feel her life is beyond repair.  She blames herself for everything that has gone wrong with her life, and for any bad thing that her loved ones experience.  With so much unhappiness and guilt, it's not surprising she considers suicide.  As she considers all the different lives she could have, I found myself empathizing with Nora.  Haven't we all thought "if only" we had made more of an effort, our lives would be better?  I think we all have those thoughts at various moments.

Multiple Life Stories:

I loved all the different versions on Nora's life.  Who doesn't dream of being a rock star?  Or an Olympic champion?  Or living a quiet life as a winemaker (okay, maybe that is just a California dream)?  Each story was compelling as Nora has to first, figure out where she is, and what her new life is like.  How does she do this?  Mr. Google, of course!  But, often, she pops into another life right in the middle of something important.  I really enjoyed the story where Nora was a rock star. She jumps into that life on stage, in the middle of a performance!  This sounds like an anxiety dream (nightmare) I often have!  

The stories also show that each life comes with a set of challenges that never let her be completely happy all the time.  There are always problems.  How you deal with them is what determines if you can remain satisfied with your life, or not.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  September 29th, 2020

Author:  Matt Haig

Audio Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio

Audio Narrator:  Carey Mulligan

Audio Length:   8 Hours, 50 Minutes

Print Publisher:  Viking Press

Page Length:  288 Pages

Source:  Penguin Random House Audio

Format:  Audiobook

Recommendation:  I truly entertaining novel.  This was fun, but also bittersweet and thoughtful.  I highly recommend this book.

Please Note: I received an advance copy of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

In the glittering world of Manhattan's upper crust, where wives turn a blind eye to husbands' infidelities, and women have few rights and even less independence, society is everything. The more celebrated the hostess, the more powerful the woman. And none is more powerful than Caroline Astor—the Mrs. Astor.

But times are changing.

Alva Vanderbilt has recently married into one of America's richest families. But what good is money when society refuses to acknowledge you? Alva, who knows what it is to have nothing, will do whatever it takes to have everything.

Sweeping three decades and based on true events, this is a gripping novel about two fascinating, complicated women going head to head, behaving badly, and discovering what’s truly at stake. 

Review:

If you've ever read any book by Edith Warton (such as The Age of Innocence), then you might be familiar with the rigid social system in New York in the late 1800's, and the clash between "old" money, and "new" money.  Families who inherited their wealth were considered Old Money, while those whose fortunes were self-made were considered New Money.  The Old monied Astors did their upmost to shut out the New monied families,like the Vanderbilts.  Why?  They were considered uneducated, uncultured, and undesirable to marry.  But, by the end of this time period, around 1900, both groups intermingled.  

The Social Graces, by Renee Rosen, chronicles the clash between Caroline Astor, the most influential of the Old monied hostesses, and the ambitious New money, Alva Vanderbilt.  With immense attention to historical detail, Rosen brings this era to life for the reader.  And, although I never would have guessed it, I felt a great deal of empathy towards these two women.  This was a wonderful book.

What I Liked:

Historical Details:

The Gilded Age was a time of excess, and also of extreme poverty.  The author does a wonderful job of showing the contrasts between the two.  I was really captivated by the celebrations that began the era as opulent parties and devolved into garish spectacles by the end of the 1800's.  This was perpetuated by the influx of newly wealthy families, each trying to outdo the other in themed parties.  There were Balls that had a color theme (The White Ball, The Red Ball, etc), and others where the guests of honor were animals!  

The author also showed how much poor people struggled during this time.  Many immigrants lived in tenement housing, with no heat in the winter.  Wages were not enough to buy basic necessities.  When people began to organize, they were brutally put down.  The wealthy going to these parties had to have seen these poor souls, yet few did anything to improve the lives of these people.

Characters:

While women of this time period had few rights or power to steer their own lives, Caroline Astor and Alva Vanderbilt made the most of their influence to bend society to their will.  They also were mothers who, like any of us, wanted security for their children, especially their daughters. I think Caroline had the more difficult time of it with her children.  She couldn't understand how her daughters would question the norms of society.  Marry for love?  What a ridiculous notion!  When she stands her ground and insists on choosing husbands for her daughters, the consequences are devastating.  

Alva also struggles to conform to a marriage that is more a business arrangement than a relationship.  For most of the book she soldiers on, thinking her sacrifice will benefit her children's social standing.  Until she has finally had enough.  

Through it all, both women use their husband's money to validate themselves.  The parties, dresses, and households are lavish.  And the thought that must have gone in to all the planning would probably put a modern-day project manager to shame.  While this could have been tedious to read about, I was fascinated, especially as the women start to question what they are doing.

Story:

The story follows Alva Vanderbilt, as she fights her way into society.  She knows that women like Caroline Astor do not wish to accept them into society.  When Alva tries the usual polite ways to introduce herself to Caroline are met with silence, Alva tries a different tact.  She becomes a newer, flashier version of Caroline.  Not invited to join the Music Academy?  No problem.  Alva pushes to built what is now know as the greatest opera house in the United States, The Met!  

In the midst of all of this, Caroline struggles to keep her daughters in line.  She wants them to marry respectable men who she has chosen for them.  But her daughters have other ideas.  And Alva, must decide if she can accept the trade-off of a life of ease in a loveless marriage, or risk scandal by considering divorce.

The story becomes the most heartfelt as both women begin to question the whole game of "society".  It's a lot of work to rise to the top of the social ladder.  But what they find is that the rewards are not terribly meaningful in the long run.

Themes:

The theme of this novel is about change.  Not only are the old society families being replaced by new ones, the times are going through rapid changes brought on by the industrial age.  In just a few short years, America went from horse and buggies, to automobiles, workers started organizing, and women began to demand the right to vote.  With all this came an evolution of social norms. It's no wonder the Old families saw themselves as the gatekeepers of tradition.

But, with all the new fortunes being made due to industrialization, there came a certain recklessness from the newly wealthy.  Parties grew increasingly lavish (and outlandish), excess was encouraged, with no thought to (or perhaps to shut out) the suffering of low-wage workers.  The novel not only chronicles the events of the times, but also shows how the excesses of the time turned a Gilded Age into a garish one.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  April 20th, 2021

Author:  Renee Rosen

Publisher: Berkley Press

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Page Length:  400 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation: A lavish book about the Gilded Age, this is a must read for fans of historical fiction.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret.

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.

Review:

I had seen the glorious cover for this book, The House in the Cerulean Sea, by T. J. Klune, on many other people's blogs, but I didn't know much about it.  Even the description from Goodreads makes it difficult to discern what type of book this is.  While it's clearly a fantasy, it has such a whimsical tone that one might first assume it's a Middle Grade book.  And I certainly think this would be a novel appropriate for even young teens.  There is no swearing, and it has a message of acceptance that everyone should like.  There is a gay romance in the book.  If you have a problem with that, then this story is probably not for you.  But I found the romance absolutely adorable.

The main focus of the book is on Linus, is a middle-aged gay man.  It's his transformation from a person leading a bleak life of following the rules to the letter into a person who is open to seeing (and reacting to) people for who they are that makes this novel truly special.  Set in an imaginative universe filled with people who magical abilities, this book about looking past labels and assumptions is delightful.  The characters and themes make this book truly special.

What I Liked:

World-Building:

The world of this book is filled with people who possess magic, along with other kinds of magical beings.  The majority of people, though, do not have magic, and are weary of those who do.  Magical people must "register" with the government, and they are discriminated against for most jobs.  Many are abandoned as children by their parents.  That's where the orphanages come in.  Linus is an inspector of these orphanages for magical youth.  His job is to ensure the wards are not being abused or exploited, and there seems to be a lot of that in these institutions.

I was really struck by how the author used phrases from real-life like, "See something, say something", to point out how magical people are viewed with suspicion.  The parallels between that and real-life discrimination are obvious.  

Characters:

Linus is a person who doesn't like to take risks.  He has a steady job that he has done for many years, never seeking a promotion.  He lives in a tiny home in a dreary city, and doesn't have a social life.  It's all too much trouble.  And yet...  He dreams of visiting the beach, listens to romantic music, and cares deeply about the welfare of the children in the orphanages he inspects.  He just has never felt seen by those around him, so he acts invisible.

I loved his journey.  He has such a good heart.  But he just hasn't had any motivation to venture out of his comfort zone.  When he arrives at the seaside village near the orphanage, he reads the files of the children he will meet and forms an immediate impression of them.  As the book progresses, he has to unlearn his assumptions and open his mind in order for him to see these wards for the children they are.  And as he has always felt, all children are deserving of love and safety.

Arthur, the headmaster of the orphanage, is a mysterious person who is both alluring and aloof to Linus.  He most certainly isn't following all the rules and regulations set forth in the department's giant rule book.  But he is also clearly doing a wonderful job of helping these children, many of whom were abused or neglected before they came to his orphanage.

Each of the children are such wonderful characters.  I don't want to spoil anything by revealing too much about them. But readers will be able to feel such empathy towards each of them. I especially felt drawn to Sal.  He can barely look people in the eye because of the abuse he endured at a previous orphanage.  When he finally felt safe around Linus, I nearly cried.  

Story:

The story follows Linus, as he is sent on a secret assignment to inspect the Marsyas Island Orphanage.  This is a government run institution where they are keeping the most dangerous (and misunderstood) magical children.  While Linus is part of this bureaucracy, he truly cares about the welfare of these children.  As his heart responds to the various children, and their charismatic headmaster Arthur, Linus is transformed.  He becomes the kind of person her has always wanted to be: taking chances and leading an interesting life.

He is also able to fight for these children, against a world who is all to eager to label them as dangerous.  Sadly it's easy to be afraid of the "other", especially if they look or act differently than you do.  Linus is determined to change the minds of , at least, the small village near the island.  It's a strong message to not be a bystander when people discriminate against others.  We can all use Linus's courage in this day and age.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  March 17th, 2020

Author:  T.J. Klune

Publisher:  Tor Books

Genre:  Fantasy

Page Length:  394 Pages

Source:  Public Library

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation: This is a delightful book with a message of empathy that is perfect for readers from young teens to adults.  The development of a gay relationship between the adults is lovely.

Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

Caroline Grant is struggling to accept the end of her marriage when she receives an unexpected bequest. Her beloved great-aunt Lettie leaves her a sketchbook, three keys, and a final whisper…Venice. Caroline’s quest: to scatter Juliet “Lettie” Browning’s ashes in the city she loved and to unlock the mysteries stored away for more than sixty years.

It’s 1938 when art teacher Juliet Browning arrives in romantic Venice. For her students, it’s a wealth of history, art, and beauty. For Juliet, it’s poignant memories and a chance to reconnect with Leonardo Da Rossi, the man she loves whose future is already determined by his noble family. However star-crossed, nothing can come between them. Until the threat of war closes in on Venice and they’re forced to fight, survive, and protect a secret that will bind them forever.

Key by key, Lettie’s life of impossible love, loss, and courage unfolds. It’s one that Caroline can now make right again as her own journey of self-discovery begins.

Review:

As someone who has read a lot of historical fiction (one of my favorite genres), I was really looking forward to this book.  Venice, WWII... I should have loved it.  While it had wonderful historical detail about life in Venice in the 1930's through the end of World War Two, the story was full of cheesy, unlikely scenarios, meant to throw the main characters together.  It took me out of the story and had me shaking my head at how silly it got.  I would recommend this book as a library read only.

What I Liked:

Historical Details:

The author does a credible job of showing life for a British expat living in Venice.  As Lettie learns about the city, we see Venice in all it's magic.  There are no cars, and streets bend and turn around on themselves.  It's inevitable that people get lost.  And that is the city's charm, turning a corner to find a hidden gem in this impossible city.

I also appreciated the details of life during WWII.  For much of the war, Italy is aligned with Germany, so life goes along no differently than before.  There are numerous festivals and traditions that only locals know about.  Then, when Italy breaks from Germany, the reality of war finally sets in.  Jewish people begin to be persecuted, there are checkpoints everywhere.  People can be arrested and put in camps just for not having the right papers.  It must have been terrifying.

Characters:

Lettie, Caroline's quiet spinster aunt, is anything but reserved in her youth.  An art student with a thirst for life, she is torn over her attraction to Leo, a handsome Venetian.  Leo is set to be married, so a relationship with him is impossible.  But fate seems to always throw them together (which I found to be a bit much).  I did like how strong Lettie was in a scary, stressful situation.  And I could understand why she didn't ever speak of her time in Venice with her family in England, later in life.  Perhaps her niece would have been impressed.  But her family in the 1940's would have disowned her for what transpired.

What I Didn't Like:

Story:

There are many situations in the story that hinge too much on chance to be a credible way to advance the action.  For instance, Caroline is given some keys, and the word, Venice, from her dying aunt.  Somehow, she is able to get to Venice, and find out what the keys are for?  This happens only be chance, as she walks by a bank with the same design on their logo as on one of the keys.  Could it be a safety deposit box?  Why, yes it is!  I found this way too convenient to be believable.

In the earlier story, there are numerous situations where Lettie runs in to Leo at just the right time: as she falls into the canal, as she falls into the ocean, as she is in a prisoner camp.  Wow, Leo has impeccable timing!  I would have found all these situations more credible if there was more deliberate purpose to the characters finding each other in these encounters.  Instead, it just seems incredibly lucky that these two are near each other in the exact right moment, again and again.

Romance:

I found the romance between Lettie and Leo to be very melodramatic.  There is the convenient obstacle of Leo being married to a beautiful, yet cruel young woman.  It's also handy to the story that he can't divorce his wife because her family are in the Mob (stereotype much?).

In the present day, Caroline (seperated from her husband) meets a Venetian who she might be related to, and jumps into bed with him.  If I found out I might be distantly related to someone, my first reaction would not be, "Wow, he's just my type!".  I was super icked out by this!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  April 13th, 2021

Author:  Ryes Bowen

Publisher:  Lake Union Publishing

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Page Length:  412 Pages

Source:  NetGalley

Format:  E-Book

Recommendation:  While there are wonderful descriptions of life in Venice, I found the story to be silly.   I would read this as a library check out only.

Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

With its delightful adaptation of Napoleon Bonaparte's real attempt to write a novel, Finding Napoleon offers a fresh take on Europe's most powerful man after he's lost everything. A forgotten woman of history--Napoleon's last love, the audacious Albine de Montholon--narrates their tale of intrigue, passion, and betrayal.

After the defeated Emperor Napoleon goes into exile on tiny St. Helena Island in the remote South Atlantic, he and his lover, Albine de Montholon, plot to escape and rescue his young son. Banding together African slaves, British sympathizers, a Jewish merchant, a Corsican rogue, and French followers, they confront British opposition--as well as treachery within their own ranks--with sometimes subtle, sometimes bold, but always desperate action.
When Napoleon and Albine break faith with one another, ambition and Albine's husband threaten their reconciliation. To succeed, Napoleon must learn whom to trust. To survive, Albine must decide whom to betray.

Two hundred years after Napoleon's death, this elegant, richly researched novel reveals a relationship history conceals.

Review:

I was approached by the publisher to review this book.  Being a fan of historical fiction, I readily agreed.  I don't really know much about Napoleon other than he lost the battle of Waterloo and was exiled after he lost.  But there is so much more to this man and his escapades,  The author, Margaret Rodenberg, really knows how to bring historical figures to life, and comes up with a suspenseful story.  The amount of historical detail in this book is impressive. I only wish that the characters were people I could find more sympathy with.  Mostly, it was rather sad how Napoleon, and his hangers-on, were stuck trying to return to their glory days, rather than accept their fate and find peace.

What I Liked:

Historical Details:

The amount of research that the author did was truly amazing.  She even traveled to the remote island of St. Helena, in the South Atlantic, where Napoleon was exiled for a second time.  From the clothing, to the food, to how goods were bartered on the island, the novel was rich in details.

I also found it fascinating that Rodenberg was able to incorporate the unfinished novel that Napoleon, himself, wrote as a young man.  It was a smart device to show aspects of Napoleon's own formative years.  Both Clisson, the character in Napoleon's novel and young Napoleon himself, were from the island of Corsica, which had a profound impact on their lives.  Napoleon is often portrayed as feeling inferior, and I'm sure that being from Corsica, he was dismissed as an uncivilized person by the French.  You can see that the author was making the point that this had a deep impact on Napoleon's life.

The book has an extensive section, at the end of the book, that details who all the real life characters were, along with background information for readers (like myself) who aren't experts in European history.  This was much appreciated.

Story:

Even though I knew the outcome of the book (spoiler: Napoleon never leaves St. Helena), I found all the various plots he concocted to leave were quite compelling.  With his charisma and intellect, Napoleon manages to find ways to get messages out to the world, and get information about his family back to him.  He even finds ways to convince people to help him escape.  

But there was also a rather sad component to the plot.  Napoleon was rather like a fading rock star (or former politician...).  Everyone who stays with him in exile wants something from him.  They're really only with him because they are infatuated with his fame, they think he will reward their loyalty when he comes back into power, or they have no other place to go.  Even though he is surrounded by "Yes" men, he is very much alone.

What I Was Mixed About:

Characters:

There were no empathetic characters in this novel, aside from Napoleon himself.  The narration moves between Napoleon, and his lover, Albine de Montholon.  Although the novel does show that she had very few options as a woman in that era, I found Albine to be too calculating, and selfish.  She is constantly scheming to become Napoleon's lover so she can influence him.  She always thinks she's smarter than everyone else with her plots, and feels she's hit the jackpot when she becomes pregnant with Napoleon's child.  I might have had more sympathy with Albine if the author had shown more of her background,  I'm sure she had a difficult life.  But she never seemed to feel any kind of love for anyone other than herself.

Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  April 6th, 2021

Author:  Margaret Rodenberg

Publisher:  She Writes Press

Genre:  Historical Fiction

Page Length:  358 Pages

Source:  Publisher

Format:  Paperback

Recommendation:  A lush historical novel of the waning years of Napoleon in exile.  While you won't find anyone you can cheer on, you will find the plot suspenseful, and the historical details superb.

Please Note:  I received an advance copy of this audiobook from Libro.fm in exchange for an honest review.  This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

As Jenny Lawson’s hundreds of thousands of fans know, she suffers from depression. In Broken, she explores her experimental treatment of transcranial magnetic stimulation with brutal honesty. But also with brutal humor. Jenny discusses the frustration of dealing with her insurance company in “An Open Letter to My Insurance Company,” which should be an anthem for anyone who has ever had to call their insurance company to try and get a claim covered. She tackles such timelessly debated questions as “How do dogs know they have penises?” We see how her vacuum cleaner almost set her house on fire, how she was attacked by three bears, business ideas she wants to pitch to Shark Tank, and why she can never go back to the post office. Of course, Jenny’s long-suffering husband Victor―the Ricky to Jenny’s Lucille Ball―is present throughout.

A treat for Jenny Lawson’s already existing fans, and destined to convert new ones, Broken is a beacon of hope and a wellspring of laughter.

Review:

I've seen the covers of Jenny Lawson's many books, but this is the first book of hers I've picked up.  Although the humor in this book took some getting used to (there's a lot of bathroom humor for a woman in her late forties), Lawson speaks eloquently about the challenges of living with  mental health issues.  She shares her experiences with the various treatments, and health insurance problems she must cycle through to find something that works for her.  

Along the way, she also speaks to the impact this has on her family.  It seems like she feels no small amount of guilt that her illness takes up so much energy in her marriage. But she also understands that her husband and child accept her, and love her, for who she is.  Besides depression, Lawson has anxiety, which means she and her family have never taken a real vacation.  And she knows that she's different from the other mother's at her child's school. 

Where the book really shines is when Lawson talks about the universality of embarrassment.  Everyone has done stupid, foot-in-mouth, embarrassing things.  Her examples of fans sharing their embarrassing moments are hilarious, and help reminds us that whatever dumb thing we've done, we can move on.

Jenny Lawson also provides the narration for this book.  She is the natural choice for this and adds a sense of intimacy that no one else could provide.

This was a wonderful book that makes me want to go back and read all her other works.

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Rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Release Date:  April 6th, 2021

Author:  Jenny Lawson

Genre:  Humor/Memoir

Audio Publisher:   MacMillan Audio

Audio Length:  8 Hours, 18 Minutes

Narrator:  Jenny Lawson

Print Publisher:  Henry Holt & Co.

Book Length:  288 Pages

Source:  Libro.fm

Format:  Audiobook

Recommendation:  While the humor may be crude at times, this book had wonderful, humorous insights into life, mental illness, and long-term marriage.  I really enjoyed this book and I highly recommend it.