{Review} The Gentleman's Guide to Vice & Virtue by Mackenzie Lee

Page Count: 513

Published on: June 27, 2017

Published by: Katherine Tegen Books

Genre(s): Historical, YA, LGBTQIA+, Romance, Action/Adventure
Source: Hardback - personally purchased

Age Rating: 15+
TW: child abuse, alcoholism, abelism, racism

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Book Depository: {click here}

My Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

Henry “Monty” Montague was born and bred to be a gentleman, but he was never one to be tamed. The finest boarding schools in England and the constant disapproval of his father haven’t been able to curb any of his roguish passions—not for gambling halls, late nights spent with a bottle of spirits, or waking up in the arms of women or men.

But as Monty embarks on his Grand Tour of Europe, his quest for a life filled with pleasure and vice is in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

Still it isn’t in Monty’s nature to give up. Even with his younger sister, Felicity, in tow, he vows to make this yearlong escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt that spans across Europe, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

~~~

Hey, guys!

      While rereading this review, I felt like I had more to say. Here is a new and improved version of my review. I've kept some of my points, but I feel like my review makes more logical sense. I hope you enjoy!

      A few months ago (I know. I'm slacking.), I picked up The Gentleman's Guide To Vice & Virtue and I thought it was pretty good. I really enjoyed the characters and their characterization, but the plot just kind of lacked for me. I really enjoyed the diversity and historical elements to this story, but I really did not like the alchemy aspect of this book. It just didn't do anything for me. 

      The characters in this book were fairly well fleshed out. I really loved how their relationships developed throughout the book. Felicity and Monty are such siblings. I absolutely adored their relationship. They had such a modern relationship. I think that their sort of relationship is still very relevant today. I love how they learned to understand each other. It was really beautiful. I'm excited to see how their relationship develops in Felicity's book. Monty, alone, really annoyed me at first...however, it wasn't an angry annoyed feeling. I really loved how much of a turd he was. I saw such amazing potential for his character. I was excited to see if he'd accept himself and love himself. I really rooted for his relationship with Percy to flourish. Percy is such a perfect little cinnamon roll. I loved his character so much. I really loved how these three bonded and interacted with each other. They kept each other grounded and their banter and interactions were so fun to read. 

Monty was such a fun main character. I loved how sassy and flawed he was. His flaws really enhanced his character progression and growth. Not only that, but his narration style was so freaking great. I loved his sassy inner monologue and his rambunctious personality. His character might not be for everyone, but I loved him. 

     Monty's sister, Felicity, is a new favorite character. I loved how driven she was to pursue her own education. I can't wait to see what her character does next in book 2. She's such a boss. Felicity also shows some great growth by the end of the book. I love how she ended up interacting with Monty. I love their sibling dynamic; it's so genuine and real. Her friendship with Percy was freaking adorable too. 

      Percy is so freaking wonderful. He is such a cinnamon roll. I love his relationship with Monty. I was rooting for them the whole book. They're so oblivious of each other, it's kind of hilarious. I just love them a lot. I can't say much without spoiling the story. 

      Though these characters were so well thought out, the plot of this book really fell flat for me. It had the potential to be awesome, but I was kind of bored. I put this book down in the middle of March, picked it back up for a day in early May, and finished it in a day in mid-June. It's a fast read, but if you're not totally into the story, it will drag. 

      The alchemy aspect of this book really slowed down my progress. I just didn't like that aspect of the plot. I guess I just really wanted a character-heavy story. I mean, I really wanted a solid story, but I also just wanted more of Monty, Felicity, and Percy. I love them. 

      I honestly think that this is a personal issue with me rather than the book. For the last few years, I've had a really complicated love-hate relationship with historical fiction. Even if I love the characters, I end up disliking a historical book somehow. They just bore me and drag for me. If you love historical fiction and fantastic and diverse characters, you'll love this book. It just wasn't for me right now. I'm sure I'd love it once I get back into historical fiction. 

         The diversity in this book is fantastic. There is biracial representation, gay/bisexual representation, and there is a character who has to overcome the discrimination of an 18th-century viewpoint of epilepsy. It was just fantastically done. I do recommend. Though historical fiction isn't necessarily for me, it's definitely for someone else. 

      Overall, this book was just okay (for me). I know that other people adore this book, so I'm not going to say that it isn't good. It just wasn't for me. I'm not overly into historical fiction, but I did like this book. I will be reading The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy because I really enjoyed Felicity's character. I cannot wait to read more about her. 

Other Historical Fiction YA That I Love

• The Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer
• Copper Sun by Sharon M. Draper
• The Prince & the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

I hope you enjoyed this review! Happy reading!

Olivia 

~Liv the Book Nerd~

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{Comic Series Review // GN Reviews #6-11} The Runaways #1-6 by Rainbow Rowell & Kris Anka

Page Count: (collectively 130 pages) 18, 28, 20, 22, 21, & 21 pages

Published on: these comics have been published individually starting in September 2017 up to February 2018. There are more single issues in the works and the series will continue for some time. 

Published by: Marvel

Genre(s): Comics, Sequential Art, Superheroes, Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult, Graphic Novels

Source: paperback - personally purchased in single issue form

Age Rating: marketed as YA, but everyone will love it

Where To Find It: Goodreads 

My Rating: 5 stars

Goodreads synopsis: 

GET READY TO RUN! The "IT" book of the early 2000s with the original cast is back – Nico! Karolina! Molly! Chase! Old Lace! And, could it be? GERT?! The heart of the Runaways died years ago, but you won't believe how she returns! Superstar author Rainbow Rowell (Eleanor & Park, Carry On) makes her Marvel debut with fan-favorite artist Kris Anka (ALL-NEW X-MEN, CAPTAIN MARVEL) in the series that will shock you and break your heart!

~~~

Hey, guys!

Back in December, my boyfriend and I decided to start the new Marvel show, Runaways, on Hulu. We automatically were hooked to the awesome story that was being told. Because of this, we had a genuine interest in reading the comics and fully understanding the original Runaways storyline. Soon after Christmas, we went book shopping and managed to be sucked into the comics and graphic novel section of our local Books-A-Million. We actually managed to find the first few single issues of the newest Runaways comic series by Rainbow Rowell and Kris Anka. I was, personally, hooked. Since December, I've read a few more of the single issues that have been put out and I've picked up the first two massive volumes of Brian K. Vaughan's adaptation of the Runaways.

     I'm not going to individually review every single volume of this series, but I'm just going to say that I absolutely love it. Kris Anka has perfectly captured the essence of the Runaways and Rainbow Rowell has, once again, stolen my heart with her writing. She is a beautiful wordsmith from above. I just love basically everything she writes. I cannot wait to continue on with this awesome story. I wish I had money to buy all of the rest of the single issues, and the larger compiled volumes, and the eventual massive ultra volume bind-ups. I'm that extra. 

I highly recommend this series if you love Marvel, kids with superpowers, and action-packed stories. 

Happy reading!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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{Review} An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

Page Count: 300

Published on: September 26, 2017

Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books

Genre(s): Fantasy, YA, Romance

Source: hardback

Age Rating: YA

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 5

Goodreads synopsis:

A skilled painter must stand up to the ancient power of the faerie courts—even as she falls in love with a faerie prince—in this gorgeous debut novel.

Isobel is a prodigy portrait artist with a dangerous set of clients: the sinister fair folk, immortal creatures who cannot bake bread, weave cloth, or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and Isobel’s paintings are highly prized. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—she makes a terrible mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes—a weakness that could cost him his life.

Furious and devastated, Rook spirits her away to the autumnlands to stand trial for her crime. Waylaid by the Wild Hunt’s ghostly hounds, the tainted influence of the Alder King, and hideous monsters risen from barrow mounds, Isobel and Rook depend on one another for survival. Their alliance blossoms into trust, then love—and that love violates the fair folks’ ruthless laws. Now both of their lives are forfeit, unless Isobel can use her skill as an artist to fight the fairy courts. Because secretly, her Craft represents a threat the fair folk have never faced in all the millennia of their unchanging lives: for the first time, her portraits have the power to make them feel.

~~~

Hey, guys!

     This review is just so long over due. I've literally had no time to write reviews. I feel terrible, but school has had to come first. I'm currently writing this at 1:30 AM on the 24th. I was given this beautiful book for my birthday by my twin sister for our 20th birthday and I was so excited to recieve it. An Enchantment of Ravens was one of my most anticipated 2017 releases. Although this book didn't live up to the hype that I expected, I take full responsibility for that. Sometimes I tend to expect books to be better than they are. Granted, this book was absolutely fantastic and I adored it, but I'm a dork and I expected it to be as fantastic as A Court of Mist and Fury. This standard is unhealthy because I do not think any book can live up to ACOMAF. 

     An Enchantment of Ravens was the last book that I read in 2017. I'm pretty sure I finished it around 10:30 in the evening. I was completely blown away by this book. It was absolutely lovely. The writing style was so beautiful and I'm so enchanted by the story. I desperately wish that this book would have been expanded upon and made into a duology. While I do think that this book was well thought out and the story was beautifully executed, the book lover in me really wanted the book to be much longer. The world that Rogerson created was so gorgeous and I just really really wanted more. 

     There were a couple "issues" that I had with this book, but overall the rest of the book made up for them. First of all, this book kind of deals with some insta-love or insta-attraction, but I really just enjoyed the time that Rook and Isobel spent together. I loved their friendship and I really aggressively shipped them. Rook is such an interesting character. Rook really had some of the best lines in this book. 

“If you must stare at something for hours on end, I’d prefer it to be me alone.” 

~~~


"I love you wholly. I love you eternally. I love you so dearly it frightens me. I fear I could not live without you. I could see your face every morning upon waking for a thousand years and still look forward to the next as though it were the first.” 

     Overall, I really do recommend this book if you adore fae stories, gorgeous writing, gorgeous worlds, and a fantastic magic system then I recommend this book. I cannot wait to read what Margaret Rogerson puts out next. She has a fantastic ability for story telling. Her book was magical.

Happy reading!

Olivia

~LivTheBookNerd~

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{Review} Ruby & Olivia by Rachel Hawkins

Page Count: 240

Published on: October 24, 2017

Published by: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Genre(s): Middle Grade, Mystery, Paranormal

Source: Paperback - via publisher 

Age Rating: PG

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon // Book Depository

My Rating: 3 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

A spooky middle-grade story that's full of fun, friendship, and humor--perfect for fans of Ingrid Law and Lisa Graff.
Ruby is best friends with Emma, but she and Emma's twin sister Olivia are definitely not friends. Unfortunately, Emma will be away for the summer, while Ruby and Olivia are going to be stuck at a community service day camp for troublemakers--together. 
To kick off the spirit of service, the campers are outfitted with bright pink polka-dotted t-shirts with smiley faces on the front, then tasked with cataloging the contents of an abandoned mansion. Sorting through objects in an old house sounds boring, and working with each other is that last thing the girls want to do, but the stuff is actually pretty cool. There's everything from mink stoles to golf clubs to stuffed deer heads . . . and . . . wait . . . is that stuffed deer head watching them? 
When the taps run freezing cold and doors slam inexplicably, Ruby and Olivia wonder if the other campers are having a bit of fun, or if the abandoned mansion is looking for new residents. To solve the mystery, Ruby and Olivia will have to put their grudges aside and figure out how to be a team with or without Emma.

~~~

Hey, guys!

This adorable spooky middle-grade book was sent to me for an honest review from Penguin Random House. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

   Ruby and Olivia follows two young girls who are sent to a community service camp after getting into trouble. The kids are sent to a spooky house to inventory and count the items in preparation for renovation. Two of the girls, Ruby and Olivia, become unlikely friends as supernatural and spooky things begin to happen to the campers. They begin to investigate the house in order to figure out what's happening; and when they begin to find clues to the answer, who knows what will happen. 

   I was so excited to receive this book for review. I'm such a sucker for twin books and the fact that it had a spooky element to it really reeled me in. I really enjoyed those aspects, as well, however, I do not think they were incorporated as well as they could have been. I feel like the characters could have been a bit more dynamic and their relationships could have been more realistic. The relationships in this book felt like plot devices rather than something that should have been a concrete part of the book. The plot could have been more fleshed out as well. I think that Rachel Hawkins has a really sweet base to an even spookier story. However, this is an adorable middle-grade novel. I really did enjoy the characters and I really enjoyed the premise of the plot. 

     I really enjoyed the spooky bits of this book, but I really didn't think that they were fleshed out enough to actually be spooky. There just wasn't enough happening for it to be legitimately spooky. Granted, it's a middle-grade book, but I know plenty of kids in the age group that would like to get scared pantsless. 

     I really didn't think that the sister relationship between Emma and Olivia was resolved either. I just felt like it was resolved too quickly and too efficiently. There wasn't nearly enough said to resolve their issues. I also don't like how the drama between Olivia and Ruby was resolved. It was too convenient and too quick. I just felt like the characters were two dimensional and static. I wish there had been more development.

     I really loved how Ruby and Olivia's friendship developed. I think that their friendship is really interesting and as they grow closer, they'll become really good for each other. I love how Ruby helped Olivia grow as a sister and I love how Olivia helped Ruby communicate and express herself. This book perfectly showed what it's like to be in the awkward middle school age. These girls were super cute. I'd love to read more about them.

      For what this book is and for the age group that it is marketed for, I think this is a cute book. I think that it is thoroughly entertaining. I would have loved to read this ten years ago. This would have been one of my favorite books, I'm sure. As a twenty-year-old, it just wasn't all for me. My sister, Bailey, will love this book, though. I can't wait to show her it. She loves Liesel and Po by Lauren Oliver and this gives me some spooky vibes, so she will definitely love this one.

AUTHOR BIO

Rachel Hawkins is the author of Journey's End, the Rebel Belle series, and the New York Times bestselling Hex Hall series. Born in Virginia and raised in Alabama, Rachel taught high school English before becoming a full-time writer.

Happy reading!
Olivia 

~LivTheBookNerd~

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August 2017 Book Haul

Hey, guys!

      I've done so well this month and I basically haven't bought any books! I did let myself splurge right before school started, so that's where two of them came from. My boyfriend and I went on a mini-adventure to the city and went to the nearest Barnes and Noble. We spent probably two and a half hours in there and I know that I had a blast. I can't speak for him, but he came out with some goodies as well. I love Barnes and Noble! Here are the books I bought (2) and received (3). 

Bought/Received 

• Night Shift by Deb Gliori*
• Thank you
• 4 stars
• Review coming September 12
• Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
• Reread/Current read/Buddy listen
• Previous rating: 4 stars
• Review: {click here}
• The Gunslinger by Stephen King
• TBR
• I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up For Education & Was Shot By the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb
• Currently reading for my university's book club
• First Came Forever by Annie Woods*
• TBR - thank you, Annie Woods, for sending me your book!

*review copies 

Text Books:

• Utilitarianism by John Stuart Mill
• Already finished...I hated it. 
• Aristotle the Nicomachean
• It's Not News, It's FARK by Drew Curtis
• Technopoly the Surrender of Culture to Technology by Neil postman
• Moral Tribes: Emotion Reason and the Gap Between Us and Them by Joshua Greene
• The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
• Grendel by John Gardner
• Beowulf
• The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood
• Revolutions in the Atlantic World: A Comparative History by Wim Klooster

I can't wait to read these books. I mean....only a couple of my textbooks look good, but oh well. I can't wait to read the books I picked up/received for me. 

From Barnes & Noble: 2
From School: 1
For School: 10 (waiting for +2)
For Review: 2

Number of Books I've Read: 3
Number of Books I'm Currently Reading: 4
Number of Books Unread: 8

Happy reading!

Olivia
~LivTheBookNerd~

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{Review} When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Page Count: 380

Published on: May 30, 2017

Published by: Simon Pulse

Genre(s): YA, Contemporary, Romance

Source: Hardback - personally purchased

Age Rating: YA

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon // Book Depository

Twitter: @smenonbooks

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

Dimple Shah has it all figured out. With graduation behind her, she’s more than ready for a break from her family, from Mamma’s inexplicable obsession with her finding the “Ideal Indian Husband.” Ugh. Dimple knows they must respect her principles on some level, though. If they truly believed she needed a husband right now, they wouldn’t have paid for her to attend a summer program for aspiring web developers…right?

Rishi Patel is a hopeless romantic. So when his parents tell him that his future wife will be attending the same summer program as him—wherein he’ll have to woo her—he’s totally on board. Because as silly as it sounds to most people in his life, Rishi wants to be arranged, believes in the power of tradition, stability, and being a part of something much bigger than himself.
The Shahs and Patels didn’t mean to start turning the wheels on this “suggested arrangement” so early in their children’s lives, but when they noticed them both gravitate toward the same summer program, they figured, Why not?
Dimple and Rishi may think they have each other figured out. But when opposites clash, love works hard to prove itself in the most unexpected ways.

~~~

Hey, guys!

     I, of course, had to pick this book up! I've been meaning to acquire this book for the longest time, but there weren't many copies whenever I went to my local Books A Million. Everyone has snatched it up! I don't blame them either! This book was so entertaining and adorable! The diversity and Indian representation was so great to read and I'm so glad that this book was published. However, this book suffered from an annoying main character, so that was why I didn't give it the full 5 stars. I just really didn't enjoy her character. 

     Dimple Shah is basically the opposite of what her mother wants her to be. Dimple is a head strong and independent Indian young woman who desperately wants to pursue a career in web development. When she's accepted to Stanford for the fall term, Dimple can only dream that her parents would send her to Insomnia Con that summer. Insomnia Con is a huge summer program for incoming freshman who are pursuing web development. Dimple miraculously is allowed to go and then she abruptly meets a boy...Rishi Patel. The sweetest cinnamon roll I've ever read about. Apparently, Dimple and Rishi are expected to eventually get married...Dimple is not a fan. Shenanigans ensue and drama occurs. This book is so adorable. I have my issues with it, but I'm totally impressed. 

      The diversity and culture were so amazing! I haven't read enough diverse books in my life, so I'm so glad that I read this book. It is such a great window into a culture that I'm not as familiar with. I just adored the whole concept of this book.

     I really did enjoy Dimple's character 50% of the time, but for a good chunk of the time, she got pretty annoying when it came to Rishi. There wasn't exactly insta-love, but their relationship developed a bit too quickly for my taste. I also didn't like that once she and Rishi started to actively hang out, any mention of the app contest became an after thought. She was so complex and independent in the beginning of the book. but I felt like she lacked something once the middle hit. I had really hoped for her independence and passion for web development to shine through. She was also really rude to everyone. Half the time I felt like she had an "I'm too cool for everyone" vibe which got on my nerves. She just kind of made assumptions about people and went with it. Granted, the majority of the time her assumptions were accurate, but she was just so rude! However, her sassy character was really appreciated for the majority of the time. I really loved her spunk.

      Rishi was such a sweet character. What a cutie. What a precious cinnamon roll! At first, I didn't like him as much because of how complacent he was, but as the book continued he really grew on me. I really admire his passion for his traditions and culture. Of the pair, I think Rishi was my favorite. He was just a really genuine and real guy! His character development was precious to read and I just loved him so much! His conflict and worries were so real and I don't think that they are confined to his Indian heritage. I think it is a very real and relatable issue for youths today. 

“This is our life. We get to decide the rules. We get to say what goes and what stays, what matters and what doesn’t.”

(literally one of my favorite quotes from this book)

      I was so stoked for the web development aspect to this book. I was so ready to get behind Dimple's passion and love for this task! But unfortunately, I felt like the romance overshadowed her passion and actual desire to go into this field. I loved the parts where Dimple and Rishi actually planned out the app and discussed what they were planning, but then the romance just took over. 

      I loved how Menon tackled the subject of entitlement and privilege. There was a group of d-bags that really got on my nerves, got on Dimple's nerves, got on Rishi's nerves...okay basically they were the worst entitled buttholes ever. They were also a more diverse group of buttholes. Idiotic people come in all colors and from every background. I really appreciated that rich white heterosexual males weren't the only group called out for being dumb sometimes. Peer pressure was also a prominent theme in this book. I really appreciated that that was tackled as well. 

      I also really enjoyed Dimple's family dynamic. I felt like Dimple was super harsh towards her mother for a good majority of the book, but their growth was really great to see how their relationship changed. Dimple's dad was the cutest. I loved how he communicated and supported his daughter even when she was really internally ungrateful. Their family was really interesting to read about. 

     Celia was a really interesting character, however, I felt like her character shifted really abruptly once she got into the "cool group" and then changed abruptly again towards the end. I feel like a real friendship between Celia and Dimple lacked throughout the book. I enjoyed how she dealt with peer pressure. It's really unfortunate that girls have to feel the way Celia and Isabelle had to fit in.
     Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I'm not sure if my review reflected that, but I really did enjoy this book. It was super cute and I definitely plan on reading Sandhya's future books. I need more of her writing in my life. It was such a joy to read. I definitely recommend that you read this book. It's so sweet. 

Other Adorable Romance/Contemporary Books:

• Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
• Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
• The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson
• Anna & the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins
• Eliza & Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

Happy reading!

Olivia 

~LivTheBookNerd~

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Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave

Page Count: 256

Published on: July 11, 2017

Published by: Simon Schuster

Genre(s): Fiction, Women's Fiction (Chick Lit), Contemporary, Adult, Mystery, Drama

Source: Paperback ARC from publisher

Age Rating: New Adult/Adult

Where To Find It: Goodreads // Amazon

Book Depository: {click here}

Twitter: @lauradave

My Rating: 4 stars

Goodreads synopsis:

From Laura Dave—the author of the “addictive” (Us Weekly), “winning” (Publishers Weekly) and critically acclaimed bestseller Eight Hundred Grapes—comes a new novel about the secrets we keep…even from ourselves.

Sunshine Mackenzie truly is living the dream. A lifestyle guru for the modern age, Sunshine is beloved by millions of people who tune into her YouTube cooking show, and millions more scour her website for recipes, wisdom, and her enticing suggestions for how to curate a perfect life. She boasts a series of #1 New York Times bestselling cookbooks, a devoted architect husband, and a reputation for sincerity and kindness—Sunshine seems to have it all. But she’s hiding who she really is. And when her secret is revealed, her fall from grace is catastrophic. What Sunshine does in the ashes of destruction will save her in more ways than she can imagine.

In our modern world, where celebrity is a careful construct, Laura Dave’s compelling, enticing novel explores the devastating effect of the secrets we keep in public…and in private. Hello, Sunshine is a fresh, provocative look at a woman teetering between a scrupulously assembled life and the redemptive power of revealing the truth.

~~~

This book was sent to me from the publisher for an honest review. This does not affect my review at all. 

Hey, guys!

      I was contacted by Simon Schuster to read and review Laura Dave's newest novel (WHICH COMES OUT TODAY!). I was automatically intrigued by the synopsis of this book. YouTube star? Cooking? Drama? Secrets? This sounds like a great novel! Of course, I accepted the review request and I anxiously waited for my copy to come in the mail. This book was compelling and addicting from page one. I really could not put it down! The main character had such a complex and drama-filled story that I just had to know more. It didn't matter that I didn't like her one bit! 

     This book was such a lovely read. It sucked me in and wouldn't let me go. Laura Dave has such a great writing style. Her characters are so complex and she manages to create such interesting backstories within a fairly short book. 250-ish pages isn't very long, but with Dave's writing it seemed much longer (I mean this in the best way. I didn't want this story to end).

      Hello, Sunshine follows the lifestyle mogul and internet chef, Sunshine Mackenzie. Sunshine has everything! A loving, hunky architect husband, multiple #1 NYT best selling cookbooks, a great reputation, and a new cooking show with the Food Network in the works! In reality, Sunshine isn't the golden girl that she reveals online...she has secrets..lots of secrets that she doesn't want revealed to the world. When those secrets are revealed, her "perfect" world comes crumbling down and she doesn't know what to do. In this novel, Sunshine Mackenzie has to figure out who she is. 

      I really enjoyed this book. I thought the characters that Laura Dave created were really interesting, though not all were very likable. The main character, Sunshine, was definitely not the greatest. This doesn't mean that she was a bad character, she was just not a great person. Sunshine is very cringe-y sometimes and it's hard to feel much sympathy for someone who basically ruined her own life. The other characters, were also tragically realistic as well. There weren't too many people that I genuinely liked all the time. I don't think that was an issue though, because all of the character had their own REAL issues that they dealt with on a daily basis. The one character that I absolutely loved was Sunshine's nce, Sammy. She was just such a cute kid. She was so smart and snarky. She reminded me of my sister Reagan. A character who is like my sister is a huge win for me. 

      I felt like all of the side characters had really interesting stories and backstories. There was never a time where I thought a character should have been omitted from the story. Each side character helped the main character's story progress or added another interesting quality to the story. I loved how Laura Dave wrote these characters. It was so fun to read. 

     I also don't think that this book is driven by a strict plot line. This book is very character oriented, which I loved. It also wasn't driven by any kind of romance. It was all about Sunshine's story and her journey to finding herself again. If you're looking for a women's fiction story without the unrealistic romantic relationships and interesting characters around every corner, than this book is definitely for you. 

       Sunshine's story was so compelling and her character arc throughout the book was fantastically done. Dave wrote her change in such a real way. Sunshine had to go through denial, forgiveness, and growth to get to where she was at the end of the book. This book is a great beach read, car read...well, it's just a great summer read! I recommend it to anyone who is looking for an interesting contemporary read. I'm definitely going to have to pick up Dave's other popular novel, Eight Hundred Grapes. It sounds so interesting. If it's anything like Hello, Sunshine then I will be more than pleased. 

Other Awesome Contemporaries:

Me Before You (Me Before You #1) by Jojo Moyes

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson

Anna & the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

Eliza & Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

I hope you enjoyed this review! 
Happy reading!
Olivia 

~LivTheBookNerd~

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