These three books are really so different, but I’m very delighted to be bringing you reviews for them during the month of their release. Not always a thing I manage. (In fact, it’s often NOT something I manage.) Anyway, I received an e-ARC of Thirty, Flirty, and Forever Alone by Christine Riccio, The Odds of You by Kate Dramis, and Enchanting the Fae Queen by Stephanie Burgis from Netgalley via their respective publishers. I also received an audio review copy of Enchanting the Fae Queen, which is how I actually consumed the story, from Netgalley as well. So let’s talk about them.
Thirty, Flirty, and Forever Alone
by Christine Riccio
One day, I will learn that I do not need to pick up books with a magical realism plot. Except, that’s not exactly true, because I have really enjoyed The Enchanted Hacienda, but to me that feels MORE fantasy than it does magical realism. So basically, what I mean is that I need to stop picking up books that have a magical element that is intended solely as a plot device and isn’t well grounded into the world. But, for the actual review of this book, essentially, Rikki Ramona is in attendance at her second wedding in a weekend (I think) when she finds herself unexpectedly hitting it off and having quite the meet cute with Reed. I loved the beginning of this book so much actually because the dynamic between Reed and Rikki was so fun. Absolutely wild, but very fun. But post-wedding an element of magical realism is introduced and so was a truly overwhelming amount of incidents that had my secondhand embarrassment out of control.
Anyway, ultimately, despite considering DNF’ing the book multiple times, I didn’t because I really did enjoy Rikki as a character. I think Riccio’s voice is distinctive and if you’ve enjoyed her content on social media, there’s no reason to think you wouldn’t enjoy the book. However, if you are also susceptible to secondhand embarrassment, tread with caution. But in general, I think if you’re okay with the random magical element of this book, you’ll probably be fine.
Also, if someone knows a good resource to explain the difference between magical realism and fabulism, can you point me in that direction? I don’t know that there is a difference as this isn’t an area of fiction I’ve explored much. But there’s something in the back of my mind telling me that it’s a thing.
The Odds of You by Kate Dramis
Sage meets Theo on a plane into NYC where she knows she has an appearance at NY Comic Con, but she doesn’t recognize Theo. When the two are caught by the paparazzi, the social media backlash against Sage is W I L D. I know everyone isn’t a Swiftie, but the way people reacted when Taylor and Harry Styles were dating? That’s the vibe. So many people were very protective of Theo and this idea that Sage was taking advantage of him. Meanwhile, Sage is just desperately trying to fight through writer’s block, but cannot help but let the outside noise really impact her. The tl;dr though is that ultimately the two of them meet again somewhere else and it’s lovely.
What I liked best about this book is really hard to say. I loved Sage’s personal journey. The struggle with letting outside noise and outside pressure in because it echoes so loudly the worst things that your own brain tells you is something I think so many of us are likely a little too familiar with. But I also really loved the way Theo is still struggling with grief and the way that Sage tries to support him through that. And then there’s the connection between Sage and Theo. I really, really, really love Theo as a love interest.
The third act conflict happens late in this book and it did upset me quite a bit. However, I still found myself so satisfied when I finished the book and just felt like overall, it was actually perfect for me. So this go a very easy five stars and is at the top of my list of books to pick up physically for a re-read.
Enchanting the Fae Queen
by Stephanie Burgis
Considering the pretty significant joy I got from reading book one in this series, I was really optimistic about Enchanting the Fae Queen, but unfortunately, it didn’t quite live up to those lofty expectations. Queen Lorelei is a fun character to follow, because she presents so different outwardly as compared to who she is inside. So it’s really no surprise when she kidnaps Gerard, the very important military man for the Empire she and her allies are fighting against without being actually at war with them. But she is determined to make sure that Gerard understands what’s at stake, by which she means, for Gerard to remember that just because the fae and other creatures aren’t “human” per se, they still have humanity. I’m not explaining that particularly well, but basically, she’s trying to make sure he understands that he can’t support the Emperor’s goal to eradicate non-humans.
Perhaps, actually, part of my struggle in this is that at the moment, it seems like there’s a lot of people who are positioned in a placement of authority who are just… not seeming to recognize that people matter. So in some ways, this book was more challenging to escape into than the first book in the series was. And that’s something for which this book cannot be blamed. Nevertheless, I am extremely looking forward to the next book in the series, which looks to be sapphic. And all in all, I did still enjoy this book. It just didn’t deliver the level of delight that the first book in the series did.
Also, the narration was great! Jennifer Jill Aarya did a really wonderful job doing all of the different voices.
Closing Thoughts
I’ve also DNF’d one new release this month, Cross Your Heart and Hope He Dies, which I was offered because it’s “like Finlay Donovan” but I’m beginning to think my love of Finlay is a fluke because I haven’t seemed to enjoy any of the books that are compared to it. All in all though, one super big win and two books that were okay, this set of ARCs wasn’t bad! Have you or are you planning to read any of these three books? Let me know!
xx
firewhiskeyreader 