Rachel Reads & Reviews

Sharing books for everyone

  • Always Be My Bibi Review

    Bibi Hossain was supposed to get her first kiss this summer.

    Too bad her father finds out and grounds her for breaking his most arcane rule: No boys until your sister gets married.

    Just when Bibi thinks she’ll be stuck helping him at their popular fried chicken chain until school reopens, her oh-so-perfect older sister Halima drops a bombshell: she’s marrying the heir of a princely estate turned tea garden in Bangladesh. Soon, Bibi is hopping on the next flight to Sylhet for Halima’s Big Fat Bengali Wedding, hoping Abbu might even rethink the dating ban while they’re there.

    Unfortunately, the stuffy Rahmans are a nightmare—especially Sohel, the groom’s younger brother. The only thing they can agree on is that their siblings are not a good match. But as the two scheme to break their siblings up, Bibi finds it impossible to stay away from the infuriatingly handsome boy.

    Could her own happily ever after be brewing even as she stirs up trouble for her sister’s engagement—or is there more steeping at the tea estate than Bibi knows?

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  • Gabriela and His Grace Review

    As the youngest and most rebellious daughter of the overly protective Luna family, Gabriela Luna Valdés claws after her freedom in any way she can. This time, her hunger for adventure has led her aboard a windswept ship bearing for her homeland, away from a mob of fumbling British suitors. But Gabby can’t escape her father’s expectation that she settle down to find a proper husband—a compromise she’s unwilling to make.

    For Sebastian Brooks, Duke of Whitfield, the trip to Mexico is his last chance. His last chance to rectify his family’s estate and refill their dwindling coffers. And his last chance to match wits with the sharp-tongued but deliciously tempting Gabriela.

    When Gabby finds herself in need of a hasty escape, Sebastian agrees to assist her…but their close proximity sparks a red-hot passion that could ruin all their plans. With scandal looming, can Sebastian convince Gabby his regard is sincere or will she sail away with his heart?

    This was a lovely conclusion to the Luna Sisters trilogy. In the four years (within the story) since it began, the French imperialist forces have fallen, and the girls have bonded as true sisters. And Gabby has continued to verbally spar with the cocky Duke Whitfield. Which in Romancelandia is code for they’re so gonna get together.

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  • American Quilt

    This quartet by Susan Kirby is perfect for fans of Little House on the Prairie or Ann Martin’s Family Tree quartet. 12 year old Lacey is dealing with a new stepmom and stepsisters and each story her great-grandmother weaves out of special family quilts imparts lessons that relate and help her in life.

    As one can imagine, a major theme is family as in the olden days death was common so there were a few second marriages with accompanying half-siblings and step-siblings. The first book, Ellen’s Story, and the final book, Ida Lou’s Story deal with that topic as the protagonists learn to adjust to new family members and accept that finding love for them doesn’t diminish the one you have for your absent parent.

    The middle books focus more on tolerance and prejudice. Most specifically Hattie’s Story focuses on her learning to stand up for her family’s beliefs in abolition in pro-slavery Illinois while Daniel’s Story has him looking past the news stories of the day to find out Sioux Natives aren’t the savage menaces settlers think they are. This applies more broadly to Lacey’s situation in which learns to appreciate and tolerate her stepsisters being so different from her personality and that they can still find some common ground.

    As it’s a family tree story, it’s cool to see the appearances of family members and other adult characters in subsequent books and see how events have changed them into adults. But the more compelling part is how Kirby brings readers into the past and integrates you to the sights, sounds, technology and mindsets of early farmers and settlers. Like I said before, it gives major Little House vibes because the setting is 1820, 1856, 1890, and 1918.

    Hattie’s Story was probably the most powerful, second to Daniel’s Story. Ellen’s Story was probably the most generic/low stakes as the opening of the series while Ida Lou’s Story could have been compelling (being in 1918 in the modern city with a focus on early circus life and aerialists) but it’s unlikable and impulsive protagonist dragged it down.

    Hope readers enjoy looking back at this wholesome series.

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  • Love at Second Sight Review

    Tired of being known as the artsy oddball, fifteen-year-old Cam Reynolds hopes to fly under the radar when he changes high schools as a sophomore. It shouldn’t be too hard, considering he’s a human going to school with kids who have super-cool paranormal powers, like his best friend and witch, Al, and longtime werewolf crush, Mateo.

    Then Cam has a psychic glimpse of the future in front of most of the student body, seeing a gruesomely murdered teen girl from the point of view of the killer. When Cam comes to, he knows two things: someone he goes to school with is a future murderer and his life is about to change. No longer a mere human but a clairvoyant, one of the rarest of supernatural beings, Cam finds himself at the center of attention for the first time.

    As the most powerful supernatural factions in the city court Cam and his gift, he’ll have to work with his friends, both old and new, to figure out who he can trust. Because the clock is ticking, and Cam and his friends must identify the girl in the vision, find her potential killer, and prevent the murder from happening. Or the next murder Cam sees might be his own.

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  • This is Kind of an Epic Love Story Review

    Nathan Bird doesn’t believe in happy endings.

    Although he’s the ultimate film buff and an aspiring screenwriter, Nate’s seen the demise of too many relationships to believe that happy endings exist in real life.

    Playing it safe to avoid a broken heart has been his MO ever since his father died and left his mom to unravel—but this strategy is not without fault. His best-friend-turned-girlfriend-turned-best-friend-again, Florence, is set on making sure Nate finds someone else. And in a twist that is rom-com-worthy, someone does come along: Oliver James Hernández, his childhood best friend.

    After a painful mix-up when they were little, Nate finally has the chance to tell Ollie the truth about his feelings. But can Nate find the courage to pursue his own happily ever after?

    Much like Perks of Being a Wallflower, this novel captures the mundanities and hormonal ups and downs of teenage life. Nathan is a bit of an overthinker, moreso than usual as he tries to get over his feelings about his ex-girlfriend/current still friend cheating on him. He forces himself to forgive her because he wants her in his life, and has a tiny hope that she’ll come back to him while knowing it will never happen. And she is busy trying to get him to be friends with her new gf and encouraging new relationships because she feels guilty for cheating and is also scared that his resentment will make him leave her.

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  • Idol Gossip Review

    Every Friday after school, dressed in their new South Korean prep-school uniforms — sweater vests, knee-highs, pleated skirts, and blazers — seventeen-year old Alice Choy and her little sister, Olivia, head to Myeongdong, brave a dank, basement-level stairwell full of graffiti, and slip into a noreabang.

    Back in San Francisco, when she still had friends and earthly possessions, Alice took regular singing lessons. But since their diplomat mom moved them to Seoul, she pours herself into karaoke, vamping it up in their booth to Lady Gaga while loyal Olivia applauds and howls with laughter. Alice lives for Fridays, but when an older woman stops her on their way out one day, handing Alice a business card with a bow, singing turns serious.

    Could the chance encounter really be her ticket to elite status at Top10 Entertainment’s Star Academy?

    With a little sisterly support, backed by one of the world’s top talent agencies, can Alice lead her group on stage before a stadium of 50,000 chanting fans — and just maybe strike K-pop gold? Not if a certain influential blogger and the anti-fans get their way.

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  • Book of the Month: Emma

    Austen once wrote to her sister that Emma may be her most unlikable heroine she’s written, but my friend and I agree that may have been by olden day standards. At most she is spoiled and sheltered, but there are worst things rich people could be.

    In rereading Emma I have found Frank Churchill much more unlikable. First I must commend Austen’s writing in that she really guides the readers in feeling what they should feel. For example, I was charmed when Emma was charmed by Frank, then thought he was a jerk, then I was won over again by the letter like Emma did. She is a good writer, but we already knew that. So I was charmed again by Frank’s apology until I really thought and realized he’s totally the type of guy who’d flirt even while married.

    I mean, he went so far to flirt while hiding his engagement. I know they were keeping it secret, but he didn’t have to be that good at hiding it that even Jane thought he had feelings for Emma. OMG! And she forgives him. Well, women had less options back then so I can understand why, but ugh, I feel like she deserves better.

    At least she’s friends with Emma now that everything’s cleared up. For that time period, Emma was such a good friend to other females. Barring those petty jealousies of Jane Fairfax which I think stemmed from insecurity that she’s the more behaved version of what she’s expected to be that holds Knightly’s esteem. But she hyped up Harriet (even though she kinda got her hopes up way too much), was besties with her governess, she values her female friendships.

    This was the first time my friend read it, so she thought it was good. Most of it was trying to match the characters/situations to Clueless. It really is a good book to modernize. We also had a side tangent agreeing that Cher and Elle Woods would be besties, and there’d be so much pink.

    Other thoughts include Mr. Elton is so true to real life. So many guys like him still exist. Knightly and Emma is kinda weird from this lens because he saw her grow-up and most of their interactions are him lecturing her about her behavior (which granted, needed correction, but not romantic). It was fair for its day, but the movie update made it slightly less weird.

    Hopefully, our next book club book we’ll actually finish in less than two months but I make no promises.

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  • Rosa By Any Other Name Review

    Rosa Capistrano has been attending posh North Phoenix High School to boost her chances of a college education and a career in journalism, thanks to the groundbreaking Brown v. Board of Education verdict for desegregation. But though she’s legally allowed to be there, it’s still unsafe for Mexican Americans. That’s why she’s secretly passing as Rosie, a white girl. All she has to do to secure her future is make sure her Mexican home life and her white school experience never intersect.

    However, Rosa’s two worlds collide when her best friend Ramon and classmate Julianne meet and find themselves entangled in a star-crossed romance. Rosa is terrified about what their relationship could mean for her and them . . . and her worst fears are soon realized in an unspeakable tragedy. Rosa is thrown into the center of a town-wide scandal and her true identity is put in the spotlight. With the help of Marco, Ramon’s brooding and volatile brother whose passion ignites hers, Rosa must choose what is more important to her—protecting her fragile future, or risking everything to help her friends find justice.

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  • Secrets of the Manor

    For fans of Downtown Abbey, this historical fiction series follows the three generations of Chatswood and Vandermeer girls from 1848 to 1934. But it is not a linear journey which I believe adds to the fun.

    While I figured out the answer to the overlying mystery in the first book (and was thus impatient for the big reveal in #6), each novel features an episodic mystery that ends up tying into the final revelation.

    The shift between eras allows for Whitby to hint at the various historical events that dimly affect the rich (advent of WW1, the Great Potato Famine, etc), but is primarily focused on the classic tension between downstairs and upstairs people. The protagonists are young, twelve, and thus not completely obsessed with status and upholding the distance from the servants. Therefore, they are much more tender-hearted to helping their maids whom they feel are more maternal caretakers than their dead mothers (it’s always the dead mother).

    Plus there’s the glamour and intrigue of Downtown Abbey with the reoccurring theme of family secrets and sisterhood, sumptuous dresses and desire to have a ball to celebrate every occasion. Unfortunately, the last two books in the series seem to be the beginning of another quartet that didn’t come into fruition so I would suggest one read only the first six as to feel like the story is complete and not in a cliffhanger.

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  • Contemporary Summer Romances

    Gold Coast Dilemma by Nana Malone

    During an opulent publishing party, Ofosua Addo crosses paths with Cole Drake for the first time. Their flirtatiously witty exchange culminates in a kiss that etches a permanent mark on both their hearts.

    But Ofosua’s identity as a Ghanaian heiress comes before Cole. She loves the vibrant traditions of Ghana’s Gold Coast, and her hand is already promised to a man that even her overbearing mother loves. Yet, when her big Ghanaian wedding transforms from a fairy tale into a spectacle, she’s thrust into a whirlwind of heartbreak and self-discovery.

    In the midst of it all, Cole enters her life once again, under circumstances far different from their magical first encounter. Can Ofosua and Cole’s rediscovered spark overcome the weight of tradition?

    First off, as a wannabe writer and editor, I enjoyed how Malone showed the realities of the publishing industry. Most specifically the creation of imprints for diversity. It’s a big topic, and while the industry is making strides in hiring diverse writers and characters, the people in the higher role remain overwhelmingly white. Those who want to pay lip-service to diversity, but not truly invested in change or hiring writers with authentic experience instead of checking boxes and stereotypes.

    As for the characters, while Ofosua and Cole initially butt heads in a classic bad first impressions way, I enjoyed how Malone intertwined the pressure of familial expectation. Ofosua’s story was a bit more interesting as she also has to deal with the cultural expectations of her parents wanting her to marry a good Ghanian man to save face and adding to her panic attacks. This is a common problem I think where the FMC is generally more interesting than the man because the author and female readers can relate more to her universal struggle of juggling it all. But Cole learning how to unpack and stand up against his father’s overt racism and his mother’s white savior microaggressions was pretty cool too.

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