Happy Monday, Boozie Book Nerds!

Sam’s Update

I don’t know what’s gotten in to me but I’ve read EIGHT books this year already. That’s so many… I hope I can keep up with the reviews cause I am behind

What Sam is Finished:

• The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson – this is a rom com about Maggie, who takes in a bookshop for her best friend while she’s on maternity. Maggie is just trying to figure out what she wants to do with her life. The bookstore is sort of owned by this guy who’s the worst, and he sends his spy, Malcolm, to make sure Maggie is up to snuff, only selling classics, etc. so when the store isn’t doing well, she starts an underground book club that will allow her to sell more contemporary things. It’s super cute. And I loved it.
• A Very Merry Bromance by Lyssa Kay Adams – the newest Bromance book about the country singer and Mac’s ex gf and it’s also super cute. Not my fave of the bunch but still enjoyed it and inhaled the audiobook.
• Master of Djinn by P. Djèlí Clark – This is steam punk historical alternate history fantasy book set in Cairo… that’s a lot of adjectives but it’s all true. So book starts with a murder of a secret society by someone who may or may not be a Djinn (which are back btw) and the story is about the lady cop tryna solve it. This was great. I know why it was a Hugo finalist.
• Farilane by Michael J. Sullivan – this is the sequel (sorta) to Nolyn which is the bridge series between Riyria and Legends of the First Empire. This is about the great great granddaughter of Persephone, who’s looking for the lost book of Brin. She sets out on a journey with Kile (who we know is Malcolm) and things go from there. I loved this so so much.
• Bravely by Maggie Stiefvater – this is a story that happens after the events of Brave the Disney movie. Merida’s gotten herself in another magical pickle, in a wager with the god of Ruin to save her kingdom from being… well… ruined. This was also fab.

What Sam is Currently Reading:

• The Dragon’s Promise by Elizabeth Lim – this is the sequel to Sox Crimson Cranes. Shiori has to find the dragon who’s pearl she’s got and broke.. listening on audio and love it
• Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez – this is a YA Fiction book set in Argentina… need I say more? I will say, this genre isn’t for me, so I’m going to give it at least 100 pages but I’m on such a hot streak, I don’t want this to slow me down
• Cooking at Home: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying About Recipes by David Chang and Priya Krishna – I read a review online that said this book is meant to be read cover to cover like a novel… so that’s what I’m doing and it’s actually fab. It helps that they’re talking a lot about Asian flavors (naturally) and I’ve been dying to learn more about those flavor profiles.

Ginny’s Update

Happy 2023 everyone! Utah has been buried in the snow which is wonderful and made for a really good first week of hte year.

What Ginny Finished:

• The World We Make by N.K. Jemisin: This is the sequel to The City We Became. I loved the first book and I really enjoyed this book too. Again, this book is basically a love letter to New York and I so enjoy the way the character of the different boroughs came through. I will say, it was obvious when the switch happened to make this a duology instead of a trilogy but that doesn’t take anything away from the book. 
• A Marvellous Light by Freya Markse: Robin Blythe, a normal person, has accidentally stumbled into the world of magic complete with a horrible curse. Enter Edwin Courcery, who has limited magic, but still feels responsible for helping Robin. It turns out there’s a really intense plot concerning ancient magic, badass old ladies, and a very queer romance. This book was a ton of fun, but for all that it was a (murder) mystery, the romance almost felt more important to me. But, big fan.

What Ginny is Currently Reading:

• In One Person by John Irving: I literally just started this so I’m not sure what the plot is. But I gotta be honest, the beginning is a little bit rough. Lots of someone talking about their sexual awakening at 15…
• Hide by Kiersten White: Mac’s dad killed her sister and mother when she was a child and years later she ends up in a competition for hide and seek in a creepy abandoned amusement park. Also the abandoned amusement park is super haunted. I’m enjoying how creepy this is, but also I’m hoping this has a ‘Cabin in the Woods’ style ending. 
• The Hookup Plan by Farrah Rochon: Well, I accidentally skipped the second book in this series, but so far London and Drew (the main characters) have great snarky energy. I think I’m really gonna like this one.

What Ginny Put Down:

• The Maid by Nita Prose: I had heard lots of good things about this book, but ugh. Molly Gray is a maid who works in a hotel where someone gets murdered and because she’s (I assume) autistic and trusting means she’s framed for his murder. Everyone was a dick and I checked with a friend and it turns out that I figured out the murderer in the first, like, 10% of the book. I DNF’d at 33% because god, there just wasn’t enough here to make me want to read it.

Until next time, we remain forever drunkenly yours,

— Sam, Minda, and Ginny