Peasreads: Life, and Death, and Giants A Novel by Ron Rindo

This is a book about Gabriel Fisher a boy who was born an orphan. The events surrounding his birth are scary, and it is mystery who his father is. He is lovingly cared for by his older brother and the town vet. He has a way with animals and is growing at an alarming rate. He is clearly a unique child. He grows up alongside the Amish community that shunned his mother and brother. His mother was put under the ban for not disclosing who the father of her children is.  
While this story is about Gabriel's life, it is also about the family that you choose and the family that you're born into. It is about community, love, loss, and as the description says, everyday miracles. It isn't a religious book. 
I thoroughly enjoyed this book even though it made me cry. 

Trigger warnings- Sexual asault, self harm, addiction. 

Description

A heart too big for this world. A life that changes everyone.

"Life, and Death, and Giants is an intriguing and alluring novel from beginning to end. The events are startling, sad, amusing, invigorating, and informative. Reading it is like meeting a family that you never knew existed and becoming close friends in a few weeks. Highly recommended." --Jane Smiley, author of Lucky and A Thousand Acres

Gabriel Fisher was born an orphan, weighing eighteen pounds and measuring twenty-seven inches long. No one in Lakota, Wisconsin, knows what to make of him. He walks at eight months, communicates with animals, and seems to possess extraordinary athletic talent. But when the older brother who has been caring for him dies, Gabriel is taken in by his devout Amish grandparents who disapprove of all the attention and hide him away from the English world.

But it’s hard to hide forever when you’re nearly eight feet tall. At seventeen, Gabriel is spotted working in a hay field by the local football coach. What happens next transforms not only Gabriel’s life but the lives of everyone he meets.

Life, and Death, and Giants is a moving story of faith, family, buried secrets, and everyday miracles

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and St. Martin's press. I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads: Selkie by Nataly Gruender

More Selkie books please! I like Selkie lore and this one is from the author of Medusa which I really enjoyed (so good!). This wasn't as good o ONLY because it was a little rushed in the end and I didn't want it to end! From the start I if course was angry for Quinn, I saw red when she was held against her will. I understood her feelings towards those adults around her. It made me sad. Reading her journey was so so good though. This didn't end like I thought it might, I'm sad about that but also happy with how it ended for some of the characters. Not happy for others. It was a quick read. I started it yesterday. Finished it today. 

Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for this egalley. I was not obligated to leave a review. All opinions are my own 

Description

From the author of Medusa comes a beautiful and emotional story featuring a selkie: a mythological creature who can turn from a seal into a human. 

Seven years ago, Quinn finally dared to transform from a seal into a human and took her first steps on land. As a selkie, she is both a daughter of land and sea. But when a human stole her pelt, he stole her freedom as well, forcing Quinn to become his wife and bear his children. As legend tells, capturing a selkie will bring you luck, and she became a coveted prize.  

Constrained to a life that was no longer her own, Quinn longed for nothing more than to find her pelt and seize her freedom. Then one day, her eldest daughter hands Quinn her pelt and without a second thought, Quinn snatches it and escapes to the sea. But she's no longer used to swimming and doesn't know where her herd has gone. And after an almost disastrous encounter with her former husband, leaving her severely injured, Quinn doesn't have the strength to go searching.  

Instead, she finds herself taking shelter on a nearby island with a lighthouse and three lighthouse keepers. Quinn doesn't trust humans anymore and wants to stay hidden from the keepers. But she can't survive on her own. Can she learn to trust these humans and shed her hatred of all humankind? Or will she give into her fears and accept the monstrous fate that others have bestowed upon her? 

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I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are  my own.

Peasreads: The God and the Gwisin by Sophie Kim

Magical. Just as good as and maybe even a smidge better than the first book The God and the Gumiho. Seokga is ever the moody, trickster who has searched for Hani's reincarnate. When he finds her she not only doesn't remember him but she is almost the opposite of Hani. Watching Seokga fall in love with  Yoo Kisa for who she is was such a treat.  Sophie Kim is quickly becoming a must read author for me.

Description:

In this swoony sequel to The God and the Gumiho, a trickster god must work with his reincarnated lost love to solve his brother’s murder on board a luxury underworld cruise ship.

Seokga the No-Longer-Fallen is working on himself. Reinstated as a god, the trickster now attends much-needed therapy, even as he desperately searches for his lost love, Hani. But when the red thread of fate tangled around his finger—signaling Hani’s reincarnation—leads Seokga to a luxury cruise down the river of the dead, the woman he finds waiting for him isn’t Hani . . . she’s Yoo Kisa, and she has no memory of him.

Yoo Kisa is exhausted with her afterlife. While she’d hoped the underworld would be peaceful, whoever she was in a past life racked up quite the karmic debt, and now she must pay it, working thanklessly aboard the SRC Flatliner. Even worse, the red thread wrapped around her pinky followed her into the underworld . . . and although her fated partner has found her, he seems to find her lacking.

When the heavenly emperor is murdered aboard the ship, Seokga and Kisa must solve the crime before the cruise ends. As the mystery draws them closer, the god and the gwisin will have to decide what they truly mean to each other. But there’s something bigger at play aboard the SRC Flatliner, something that holds the key to Kisa and Seokga’s fated connection—and the fate of the mortal and heavenly realms.

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I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are  my own. 

Peasreads: Worth Fighting For by Jesse Q. Sutanto

 If it were not for my love for Mulan and all things Mulan retellings I wouldn't have given this book a second glance. 

This is a Disney a Mulan retelling in an urban setting. There's no going off to war in a literal sense and Mushu isn't a spirit. At first it was a little cheesey then the character development was good, the humor, the way I could relate as a first generation Asian American, the swoon worthy Sheng. I'm laughing, I'm tearing up. I'm hooked. All of a sudden I'm looking down and I'm 95% done with this book but I don't want it to end! Such a sweet fun read 

This is the first book I've read in the Meant To Be series. If they are all this good, sign me up. 

They are all standalone books which is great because I prefer that.

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I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are  my own. 

Peasreads: The Floating World by Axie Oh

I already have this book on pre order and I just finished this e galley.  

This is a beautiful reimagining of the Korean legend of the Celestial Maidens. 

Axie Oh builds amazing worlds and has such interesting characters. The setting:The Floating World, the Underworld, and every where in-between in this book are detailed in description, unique, yet also familiar. Children playing in the streets, a favorite noodle house, buns being sold during a festival. It's all magical but also familiar. 

 The MC are both so likeable. Ren and Sunho were mature, brave, kind. Their friendship grew without drama from pettiness. It was refreshing and so healthy. The side characters were also likeable. Other than the bad guys that is. 

Such a great book if you liked The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea, Castle in the Sky, and Daughter of the Moon Goddess. You'll love this one. 

I cannot wait for the second one. 

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Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing for this egalley. I was not required to leave a review, all opinions are my own.

Peasreads: The Invisible Wild by Nikki Van De Car

 

My first time reading a book by this author. It was an excellent read. I laughed, I cried, and I was overwhelmed by the beauty and mystery of Nikki Van De Car's Hawaii. The relationships in this story from the teen friendships, teens and siblings, to teens and their parents are written so well. Hearing about Hawaii this way makes me both want to go and want to protect it for it's people. What a moving read.

Pub Date May 06 2025 

Running Press | Running Press Kids

An epic adventure steeped in Hawaiian lore, this enchanting novel explores the connection between our world and that of the spirits of the wood, from bestselling author Nikki Van De Car.

According to legend, when the kanaka 'ōiwi sailed over two thousand miles across untraveled seas to the most remote island chain in the world, they encountered another people living there. They were two to three feet tall, squat and strong, good and kind, and bothered no one without cause—they were the Menehune. When the Hawaiians came, the menehune chieftains feared the changes they brought. So, on the night of a full moon, they called all men and their firstborn sons and ordered them to leave Hawai’i. Some refused and, instead, hid behind to remain with their families. In the early 1800s, Kauai chief Kaumaualiʻi took a census of his people—and 65 of his 2,000 subjects were all that remained of the original people of Hawai’i. 

 

Flash forward to today: sixteen-year-old Emma is out running errands when she comes across a boy from Hilo living in the woods, saying things that do not make sense. It’s here, in these woods, that Emma has memories of finding a space between “the worlds” as a child. She soon realizes this boy has accessed the place she lost, as well as the people, the Menehune. She helps him hide until whatever spell has been cast over him is broken. Together, Emma and the Hilo boy have to figure out what the Menehune want before it’s too late to save the only home any of them have known.  

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I received this book from NetGalley for this review. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are  my own.

Peasreads: I Am Not Jessica Chen -Ann Liang

I finished this in one day.  One. 

Are the MCs in highschool? Yes.  

Am I in my late forties? Yes. 

Was it still a great read for me? Absolutely yes.

 This book was sad and eye-opening not only as a parent but personally. So many times we try to live up to other people's expectations. We never can. We also try to live up to the strict expectations we put on ourselves. These expectations are impossible at any age. The MC Jenna had expectations put on her by her parents, but she also heaped on even more impossible expectations for herself. We so often do that. Not realizing that those who love us, truly love us as we are and that they too are imperfect.

As a parent reading this book broke my heart to hear about how these students feel in these situations where it's all about how your grades are, if you're in enough extracurriculars, are they the right extracurriculars, I just felt so bad for these kids. I wanted to scoop them up and comfort them. I also was angry at the environment that was made for some to succeed regardless of the effort they put in, while also being a place for others to potentially succeed if they don't rock the boat.

From the Publisher

Harlequin Teen, Jan 29, 2025 - Young Adult Fiction - 384 pages

Jenna Chen has spent her life in the shadow of her flawless cousin. Jessica Chen is so smart she gets the top score on every test. Jessica Chen is so beautiful people stop in the hallway to stare at her. Jessica Chen is so perfect she got into Harvard.

And Jenna Chen will only ever be a disappointment.

So when Jenna makes a desperate wish to become her cousin, the last thing she expects is for it to come true — literally. All of a sudden she gets to live the life she’s always dreamed of...but being the model student at cutthroat Havenwood Private Academy isn’t quite what she’d imagined. Worse, people seem to be forgetting that someone named Jenna Chen ever existed. But isn’t it worth trading it all away — her artistic talent, her childhood home, even the hope of golden boy Aaron Cai loving her back — to be Jessica Chen? 

HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins | Harlequin Teen

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I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Peasreads: The Sirens by Emilia Hart

 This book is so good.  It is a story of familial love, secrets, betrayal, and forgiveness. With a little more that makes it magical. Mermaids? Shipwrecks? Mystery?  Magical realism.? Resilience? Sisterly love and strength? Check. Check. Check. All the checks.

I liked these characters. I could relate to them in ways. I could empathize with them. Even when I thought I had the whole story figured out I couldn't find that last puzzle piece. That last piece did end up making me lose some respect for the person but in the end it tied everything together. That's the realism for you.  All in all a good entertaining read. 

From the publisher:

A story of sisters separated by hundreds of years but bound together in more ways than they can imagine

2019: Lucy awakens in her ex-lover’s room in the middle of the night with her hands around his throat. Horrified, she flees to her sister’s house on the coast of New South Wales hoping Jess can help explain the vivid dreams that preceded the attack—but her sister is missing. As Lucy waits for her return, she starts to unearth strange rumours about Jess’s town—tales of numerous missing men, spread over decades. A baby abandoned in a sea-swept cave. Whispers of women’s voices on the waves. All the while, her dreams start to feel closer than ever.

1800: Mary and Eliza are torn from their loving home in Ireland and forced onto a convict ship heading for Australia. As the boat takes them farther and farther away from all they know, they begin to notice unexplainable changes in their bodies.

A breathtaking tale of female resilience, The Sirens is an extraordinary novel that captures the sheer power of sisterhood and the indefinable magic of the sea. 

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I received this book from NetGalley and Macmillan. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Peasreads: The Enchanted Greenhouse- Sarah Beth Durst

 

I was enchanted by SarahBeth Durst's world and writing from The Spellshop. The Enchanted Greenhouse is a standalone book that takes place in the same world as. It tells the story of a librarian, named Terlu Perna. Terlu uses a spell to create a friend, a certain sentient spider plant named Caz from the first book. The spell is harmless but there is a problem. All magic is forbidden unless you're a sorcerer. The punishment was both swift and harsh as Terlu is transformed into a statue. The story picks up after a brief history of that incident to when Terlu awakens from her punishment in a strange place she's never been. There she meets the caretaker of enchanted greenhouses. He's the only person on the island and he doesn't really have any answers. Just questions of his own to a pretty big problem. The Enchanted Greenhouses are failing. One by one. He needs a sorcerer, but Terlu isn't one. Is there a way she can still help though? She is willing to take the risks as she and her new friends tackle the problem. 

I fell in love with The Enchanted Greenhouse and all its amazing rooms. I want to go back to this world. I hope we all get the chance to. This is the kind of cozy Cottagecore we all need for 2025.

From the publisher:

New York Times bestselling author Sarah Beth Durst invites you to her new standalone novel nestled on a far-away island brimming with singing flowers, honey cakes, and honeyed love. The hardcover edition features beautiful sprayed edges.

Terlu Perna broke the law because she was lonely. She cast a spell and created a magically sentient spider plant. As punishment, she was turned into a wooden statue and tucked away into an alcove in the North Reading Room of the Great Library of Alyssium.

This should have been the end of her story . . . Yet one day, Terlu wakes in the cold of winter on a nearly-deserted island full of hundreds of magical greenhouses. She’s starving and freezing, and the only other human on the island is a grumpy gardener. To her surprise, he offers Terlu a place to sleep, clean clothes, and freshly baked honey cakes—at least until she’s ready to sail home.

But Terlu can’t return home and doesn’t want to—the greenhouses are a dream come true, each more wondrous than the next. When she learns that the magic that sustains them is failing—causing the death of everything within them—Terlu knows she must help. Even if that means breaking the law again.

This time, though, she isn’t alone. Assisted by the gardener and a sentient rose, Terlu must unravel the secrets of a long-dead sorcerer if she wants to save the island—and have a fresh chance at happiness and love.

Funny, kind, and forgiving, The Enchanted Greenhouse is a story about giving second chances—to others and to yourself.

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I received this book from NetGalley and Macmillan/Bramble publishers. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Peasreads: Glass: A Cinderella Tale by Kathryn Lasky

 

From the Publisher:

Newbery Honoree and New York Times bestselling author of the Guardians of Ga’Hoole series Kathryn Lasky delivers an enchanting prequel to the Cinderella story from the perspective of a young fairy godmother.

In a grand glass house, there was a girl named Bess whose power would, one day, change the fate of her family. . . Bess Wickham has always felt like a bit of an outcast among her family of extraordinary glassblowers, but then an immense, magical power that’s lain dormant in her bloodline begins to emerge. So, when she suspects her family’s business has taken a sinister turn, Bess must find the strength to defeat dark magic and save a certain cinder girl. But will she shatter under the weight of such evil or get her happily ever after?

Peasreads: The Spellshop

 My thoughts: 

The Spellshop is such an enchanting, funny, entertaining read. I loved it! It is categorized as romantasy but it's so much more. I didn't feel like romance was the main theme. Which was refreshing.

This story is about loss, belonging, found family, love, friendship, and the power of community. Set in a world where magic is outlawed to everyone but the sorcerers appointed by the empower. There is a revolution to take back knowledge. MC Keila a librarian and keeper of Spellbooks flees the capitol city as revolutionaries burn the library down with as many books as she can save. Afraid of what might happen if she's found with the books Keila hides them in her childhood cottage. Her plan is to hold on to them until she can return to the city. In the meantime, she plans to keep her head down and speak to as few people as possible. Her hometown however is not as she remembered it. It is run down, the weather is completely unpredictable and dangerous due to magic being misused in the capital. Keila wants to help the town, but in doing so she may risk the discovery of the books.

Peasreads: Pride and Preston Lin by Christine Hwong Dudley

 

Pride and Preston Lin by Christine Hwong Dudley is available on

Paperback
Kindle

from Amazon and other book retailers.

Description:

Lissie is the middle of three sisters, orphaned and taken in by their aunt and uncle. Both she and her older sister, Jenny, work in the family restaurant while pursuing their education and career dreams. When Lissie accidentally serves a dish containing shellfish paste to an allergic customer, she runs afoul of the wealthy Lin family. Their golden boy, Preston, star swimmer and Stanford Ph.D. student, is as handsome as he is self-righteous. Lissie hates him and everything he stands for, but circumstances keep bringing them together. Can she overcome her pride and her initial misgivings about Preston Lin and his condescending mother? Will love prevail, and will these enemies turn into lovers?

Pride and Preston Lin by popular Regency romance writer Christina Hwang Dudley is a hilarious and earnest contemporary riff on Jane Austen’s classic work. And readers will undoubtedly root for Lissie Cheng, a sassy new Elizabeth Bennet for our times, to find lasting love and happiness.

My thoughts:

First of all, I am a Pride and Prejudice fan but you do NOT need to be to enjoy this book. It is set in modern times. There are nods to Chinese American culture both good and cringe that were all relatable to me being a first-generation Asian American. There is also the world of competitive swim culture that author Dudley seems knowledgeable about. I don't know anything about competitive swim. I didn't feel "left out" or confused because the descriptions (of both worlds) seamlessly flowed with the storyline. I appreciated the world she built.

All the characters in this book fit their personality, from genial to condescending. Charles Bing is a classic lovely Charles Bingley. I liked him a lot and he fit the kind caring character arc. He isn't a pushover and doesn't let people sway him easily. He is smart, kind, and reasonable. Lissie is smart, clever, bold, and witty. She just wants her family to be okay. Preston Lin was infuriating at first but once we truly got to know him it was easy to see why Lissie started falling for him. Dudley brings each character to life in a way that makes you either root for them or dislike them and rightly so! Despite being a riff on Pride and Prejudice this is a fresh take that is quirky and fun. I truly enjoyed this read.

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I received this book from Netgalley, Third State Books, and Christina Hwang Dudley. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads: The Silent Prince- CJ Brightley

 

The Silent Prince can be found on Amazon in

Paperback

on Kindle

My thoughts:

CJ Brightley writes a great retelling of The Little Mermaid. The prince is arrogant but not uncaring. He is also very much in a new to him world when he becomes a human. It is delightful seeing him discover new fun things. Sometimes it's downright funny. 

There is a fake relationship trope to this story but it isn't full of sexual tension like some of those tend to be. This is a clean read. 

If you like reimagined stories, fantasy, mermaids, magic, loyalty, and bravery, this book would be a great read for you. I really enjoyed it and it made me laugh out loud several times.

If you're looking for more noblebright clean reads check out the Phoenix Crate sub.

Peasreads: Daughters of Olympus by Hannah Lynn

 

Retelling of mythology is one of my favorite genres right now and Hannah Lynn writes them so well. This one is about Demeter and her daughter Core, later Persephone. It's a story about living, learning, yielding, a mother's love, a daughter's faithfulness, and the events that shape us. 

The story is written around and built up around what we've been told about Demeter, Core, Hades, and Zeus. It creates such a lush rounded story that is a page-turner.

I would read this again. It's one of my favorites from Hannah. 

Description

A daughter pulled between two worlds and a mother willing to destroy both to protect her...

Demeter: a goddess of life, living half of one.

Demeter did not always live in fear. Once, she loved the world and the humans who inhabited it. After an act of devastating violence, though, she hides herself away among the grasses and wildflowers. Her only solace is her daughter… 

Before she was Persephone, she was Core. 

Peasreads: Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier

 

Dragonfruit

Dragonfruit is a Pacific Island mythology inspired tale. It has dragons, pirates, magic, and mystery. I absolutely enjoyed reading this story. The description says romance, it has a little romance which to me was not the focus and that made it great. It is so much more. This is such a great story about family, friendship, belonging, forgiveness, and strength.

The main characters were likeable. I wanted them to succeed.  The word building beautiful and lush 

It is a clean read. Great for YA and Teens also.

Description: 

From acclaimed author Makiia Lucier, a dazzling, romantic fantasy inspired by Pacific Island mythology.

In the old tales, it is written that the egg of a seadragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person's greatest sorrow. An unwanted marriage, a painful illness, and unpaid debt...gone. But as with all things that promise the moon and the stars and offer hope when hope has gone, the tale comes with a warning.

Every wish demands a price.

Hanalei of Tamarind is the cherished daughter of an old island family. But when her father steals a seadragon egg meant for an ailing princess, she is forced into a life of exile. In the years that follow, Hanalei finds solace in studying the majestic seadragons that roam the Nominomi Sea. Until, one day, an encounter with a female dragon offers her what she desires most. A chance to return home, and to right a terrible wrong.

Samahtitamahenele, Sam, is the last remaining prince of Tamarind. But he can never inherit the throne, for Tamarind is a matriarchal society. With his mother ill and his grandmother nearing the end of her reign, Sam is left with two choices: to marry, or to find a cure for the sickness that has plagued his mother for ten long years. When a childhood companion returns from exile, she brings with her something he has not felt in a very long time-hope.

But Hanalei and Sam are not the only ones searching for the dragonfruit. And as they battle enemies both near and far, there is another danger they cannot escape...that of the dragonfruit itself.

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I received this book from NetGalley and Clarion books. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Thank you NetGalley and Clarion books for this galley. All opinions are my own, I was not expected to give a review. 

Peasread: A Spartan's Sorrow (The Grecian Women Trilogy, #2) Hannah Lynn

 

A Spartan's Sorrow (The Grecian Women Trilogy, #2) 

My thoughts:

This retelling of the life of Clytemnestra and later in the book her son, Orestes. The focus is on Queen Clytemnestra's life during the Trojan War. The King, Agamemnon, her husband is away with many of the men in the kingdom. Many await the return of their loved ones, and Clytemnestra hopes the King never returns. Agamemnon does the unthinkable and sacrifices their oldest daughter to a goddess. Clytemnestra is determined to keep her remaining children safe. 

This is a story about a mother's love, revenge, and obligation. I am a fan of Hannah Lynn and this subgenre. This is a great retelling. There is depth and complexity to the characters. If you liked Circe you'll love A Spartan's Sorrow.

Peasreads: Goodnight Night Sweats A Parody for the Menopausal (and their Perimenopausal Friends)

 What a hilarious parody this is! For those of you who have been following Give Peas a Chance since my first lunch post in 2007 . For my oldest child who is now a full-on (young) adult by the way, yikes! Some of you were young mothers like I was and I loved learning from you all. Sharing lunches, recipes, and crafts, mostly on my Facebook page. We used to pack lunches in the morning and tuck our kids in at night and recite (because by the fifth time it was requested I know you memorized it) Goodnight Moon before kissing those babies. Now here we are. If you're anything like me your body is a vile betrayer and doing all sorts of wrong things, at the wrong times, for no reason at all. Well, to you all I raise a glass in solidarity and present to you:

Goodnight Night Sweats

A Parody for the Menopausal (and their Perimenopausal Friends)

by Haut Flasch and Mina Pauze (Brenda Bowen and Jessie Hartland)

I laughed. I groaned. I may have had a hot flash in between. Who among us was fully prepared for this stage in our lives? Not I! I heard of night sweats... did you know that they also come DURING THE DAY!? Why am I constantly sweating? Who turned the heat on in here!? Are you SURE I'm not premenopausal, doc? Surely there is SOMETHING you can do for me? I hope you ladies have a tribe that you can grumble to about all the trials of menopause AND celebrate all the freedoms that come with it together!

Grab a copy of this for all of your girlfriends and let's celebrate our hard-won battle scars (after this hot flash passes!), toss our silver manes of wisdom, and walk proudly into this new season of life together.

Peasreads: The God and the Gumiho by Sophie Kim

One of my favorite reads so far this year!

This story about a Korean diety (Seokga)

who has lost everything and is sent to the moral world to earn his powers and position back. His job is to catch demons that tried to help him take over as top god. He is on the hunt for a notorious gumiho. 

The Gumiho, Hani is a nine tailed fox. She is powerful, witty, smart, funny.  She inserts herself into the investigation to throw Seokga off her trail. 

These two characters are fun, snarky, smart, and determined. It's a battle between two strong characters both with everything to lose. Will they risk it all in the end? 

The flow of this book is a good steady one with some twists. In the end I was surprised. I cannot wait for the second installment.  If you like folklore, mythology, kitsune\gumiho, Asian stories read this book! I will definitely add this title to my personal library.

 

Publisher description. 

They'll do anything to outsmart each other. Anything, except fall in love.

In this delightful Korean contemporary fantasy, a fallen trickster god must pair up with a coffee-slinging, shapeshifting fox to track down a demon of darkness before it devours the mortal world.

Kim Hani - the once-terrible gumiho known as the Scarlet Fox - spends her days working at a café and trying not to let a certain customer irk her.

Seokga - a trickster god thrown from the heavens for his attempt at a coup - spends his days hunting demons and irking a particular gumiho.

When a demon of darkness escapes the underworld, and the Scarlet Fox emerges from hiding before quickly vanishing, Seokga is offered a chance at redemption: kill them both, and his sins will be forgiven.

But Hani is prepared to do anything to prevent Seokga from bringing her to justice, even trick her way into his investigation. Anything, that is - except fall in love . . . 

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I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Peasreads: Escape to the Rome Apartment by Kerry Fisher

 

Escape to the Rome Apartment

A heart-warming and emotional romantic page-turner

by Kerry Fisher

My thoughts:

I've never read a book my this author before. This is a part of Kerry Fisher's The Rome Apartment trilogy but it is a stand alone read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's about friendship, letting go of the past, unlearning who you aren't and finding yourself again, boundaries, and bit of romance.

I could have highlighted most of this book. It's refreshing to read books about older mature women who are still living life. Learning, exploring. Letting go of expectations, even though there is some reluctance to let go of what's comfortable and live fully. Getting second chances, whether at love or life in general. Kerry Fisher's writing is so thoughtful.

I liked this book so much I put the other two in this series on my to be read most.

#EscapetotheRomeApartment

Description

Sara’s eyes fill with tears as she reads the letter, her last words from her dearest friend: ‘I’m buying you your freedom. You don’t need to ask your husband’s permission and you have to put yourself first for once. Have an incredible adventure before it’s too late for both of us…’

Sara has lost her zest for life. Trapped sharing a house with her soon-to-be-ex-husband, with grown-up children who still need her but take her for granted, working in a job where her boss bullies her, the final straw is the heartbreak of losing her beloved best friend Lainey.

But Lainey’s death could be the beginning of Sara’s new life… as the last gift Lainey gives to her friend is a sum of money and a request: that Sara travels to Italy, the scene of the pair’s youthful adventures, and scatters Lainey’s ashes on the beach at Portofino.

For once, Sara decides to be brave. She quits her job, tells her family they can manage without her, and sets off on the trip of a lifetime. Swept up by new friends and relishing the freedom of being away from home in beautiful Florence, Sara finds herself drawn to Carlo. Handsome and charming, he is everything Sara finds it so hard to be: carefree, impulsive, living in the moment without worrying about the future.

And then Sara sees something she shouldn’t… and discovers a secret about Carlo that makes her question everything she thought she knew. Stuck at a crossroads in her life and her travels, she can’t face returning home yet, but nor is she brave enough to continue the challenge that Lainey set her. And then she meets an English woman who tells her about an apartment in Rome, that could just be the answer to everything…

Return to the sunny streets of beautiful Rome with this heart-warming and romantic story about discovering your true path in life. Perfect for fans of Jill Mansell, Elin Hilderbrand and Sheila O’Flanagan.

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I received this book from NetGalley and/or the publisher, Bookouture. I was under no obligation to post a review. All opinions are my own. I am disclosing this per the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Peasreads: Women of Good Fortune- By Sophie Wan

My thoughts:

Crazy Rich Asians. A risky heist. Friendship. Love. Betrayal. Societal expectations. Healing family trauma. Women of Good Fortune has it all.

During the first 2-3 chapters of this book, I wasn't sure if I would like the characters. As I continued to read I saw their weaknesses, their flaws, and their strengths. I began to see the character development. Seeing how their upbringing and societal pressures shaped who they were and how they reacted to different situations. This book is a fast-paced page turner, and in the end, I wanted to read it again. Congratulations to Sophie Wan on her debut novel!
Find it on Amazon.

Description: