The Perfect Escape, By Leah Konen ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 4th, 2022

384 Pages

Synopsis: The perfect girls’ weekend turns deadly in this twisty unforgettable thriller that is perfect for fans of Shari Lapena and Riley Sager.

A girls’ weekend to die for.

New friends Sam, Margaret and Diana are thrilled to be getting out of the city for a girls’ weekend—they’ve bonded over their messy divorces, and every mile on the odometer feels like another step towards putting their exes in the past. But when car trouble halfway into their trip strands them in the most unlikely of mountain towns, they come face-to-face with the hurts and betrayals they were so desperate to leave behind.

When Diana doesn’t return home after a night out, Sam and Margaret’s search for her reveals just how little they know about their friend. As eerie coincidences and secrets begin to pile up, and an ex-boyfriend arrives in the tiny town, the women realize that their detour may not have been a mistake…and that someone wants to guarantee that they never make it out. (Goodreads)

The Perfect Escape was a little slow to begin, but it didn’t take long to gather steam. Let me get my main criticism out of the way first. I did not like any of the characters. I found them annoyingly immature, and the switching between first person narratives at times confused me because they sounded so much alike. Usually when I find myself unable to connect with any of the characters, the story loses me as well, but in this case, the it was so much fun with it’s claustrophobic setting and many twists and turns that much to my surprise I wound up really enjoying this. After the first few chapters the action began to pick up and the farther I got in the harder it was to put this down. The finale made it even more difficult to get this out of my head and I found myself mulling it over hours after I finished. Because of the characters, The Perfect Escape wasn’t absolutely perfect for me, but it turned out to be a thoroughly entertaining read, and I’m quite glad I requested it. I’ll definitely be checking out Leah Konen’s next book.

The Therapist, By B.A. Paris ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Mystery, Thriller

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Release Date: July 13th, 2021

320 Pages

Synopsis: When Alice and Leo move into a newly renovated house in The Circle, a gated community of exclusive houses, it is everything they’ve dreamed of. But appearances can be deceptive…

As Alice is getting to know her neighbours, she discovers a devastating secret about her new home, and begins to feel a strong connection with Nina, the therapist who lived there before.

Alice becomes obsessed with trying to piece together what happened two years before. But no one wants to talk about it. Her neighbors are keeping secrets and things are not as perfect as they seem…

The multimillion-copy New York Times bestselling author B.A. Paris returns to her heartland of gripping psychological suspense in The Therapist–a powerful tale of a house that holds a shocking secret. (Goodreads)

I have to be honest and admit The Therapist isn’t one of my favorites by Paris, mainly due to the main character’s propensity for making bad decisions, but it dragged me in almost immediately and I couldn’t pull myself away. 

Alice is the type of protagonist that drives me a little crazy. She’s very likable on one hand, but on the other she’s not quite believable. I won’t divulge any spoilers, but some of her choices make no rational sense whatsoever. A few are even downright contradictory which really had me scratching my head. The other characters with all their secrets, I actually found far more interesting, especially Leo, whose motives kept me guessing through most of the book. The mystery of who killed Nina and why, kept me turning the pages, and the final reveal completely caught me by surprise. 

Although my feelings regarding the main character remained torn throughout the story The Therapist turned out to be an entertaining domestic thriller. It’s a very quick read, and is perfect for the beach or on vacation. I believe fans of B.A. Paris will be pleased by her latest offering, and if you haven’t read anything by her but enjoy a fast-paced twisty mystery, I recommend you give this a try.

The Last Chance Library, By Freya Sampson ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Humor, Libraries, Romance

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 31st, 2021

336 Pages

Synopsis: June Jones emerges from her shell to fight for her beloved local library, and through the efforts and support of an eclectic group of library patrons, she discovers life-changing friendships along the way.

Lonely librarian June Jones has never left the sleepy English village where she grew up. Shy and reclusive, the thirty-year-old would rather spend her time buried in books than venture out into the world. But when her library is threatened with closure, June is forced to emerge from behind the shelves to save the heart of her community and the place that holds the dearest memories of her mother.

Joining a band of eccentric yet dedicated locals in a campaign to keep the library, June opens herself up to other people for the first time since her mother died. It just so happens that her old school friend Alex Chen is back in town and willing to lend a helping hand. The kindhearted lawyer’s feelings for her are obvious to everyone but June, who won’t believe that anyone could ever care for her in that way.

To save the place and the books that mean so much to her, June must finally make some changes to her life. For once, she’s determined not to go down without a fight. And maybe, in fighting for her cherished library, June can save herself, too. (Goodreads)

You see, libraries aren’t just about books. They’re places where an eight-year-old boy can have his eyes opened to the wonders of the world, and where a lonely eighty-year-old woman can come for some vital human contact. Where a teenager can come for some precious quiet space to do her homework, and a recently arrived immigrant can find a new community. Libraries are places where everyone, rich or poor, wherever they come from in the world, can feel safe. Where they can access information that will empower them.

I was drawn to The Last Chance Library for obvious reasons, but little did I suspect how taken I’d be by the story and its delightful cast of eccentric and quirky characters! I completely connected with June and her desire to help people, which was at odds with her shyness, insecurity, and crippling fear of public speaking in any form. It was a joy to watch her slowly climb out of her shell and come into her own. The rest of the cast are wonderfully drawn, and I had a sense of deja vu from my working with similar library patrons during my twenty-six year career as a children’s librarian. Seeing these colorful personalities and learning their backstories is a lesson in not judging people based on first appearances.

The battle for this small village library is representative of the ill-formed decisions to close so many libraries in England over the last several years. So many people just don’t realize the important and necessary functions of libraries in their communities. While free and easy access to books are of course an integral part of it, as the above quote says, they’re a safe place for everyone who walks through their doors. Not to be dramatic, but you close a town’s library and you cut the heart right out of it. Freya Sampson does a marvelous job illuminating why it’s so important that these sanctuaries remain open, and she does this with laugh-out-loud humor as well as tear-inducing heartbreak. The ending, while happy for the most part, doesn’t take the easy way out either, which I quite appreciated.

The Last Chance Library is a charming love letter to libraries, their patrons, and bibliophiles everywhere. It truly is a must read that will make you laugh and cry, and remind you that:

It’s never too late to find your voice.

You Can Never Tell, By Sarah Warburton ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Serial Killers, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: August 10th, 2021

288 Pages

Synopsis: Perfect for fans of Melanie Golding and Joshilyn Jackson, Sarah Warburton’s chilling thriller, inspired by the Moors Murder, explores the twisted side of suburbia.

Framed for embezzlement by her best friend Aimee, museum curator, Kacy Tremain and her husband Michael, move from New Jersey to a charming Texas suburb to escape their past. Kacy quickly makes new friends—preppy, inscrutable Elizabeth, chatty yet evasive Rahmia, and red-headed, unapologetic Lena. But good friends aren’t always what they seem.

As she navigates the unexpectedly cutthroat social scene of her new town, Kacy begins to receive taunting postcards—and worse, discovers cameras hidden in the wall of her home. Lena and her husband Brady reassure her that the cameras are just relics of a paranoid previous homeowner. Once the cameras are removed and Kacy’s fears are quelled, Kacy and Michael make the happy discovery that they are going to be new parents.

Months after the birth of their daughter, Michael accidentally makes a shocking discovery about Brady’s past. And when Lena suddenly goes missing, Kacy and Michael begin to uncover the truth about their neighbors—and it’s more terrible than anyone could have imagined.

Interlaced with transcripts of a chilling true life podcast that follow the tangled threads of the drama, You Can Never Tell is a taut and complex psychological thriller that never lets up until its breathless conclusion. (Goodreads)

You Can Never Tell was an entertaining read for me which I easily polished off in a couple of hours. For a fairly short story, the characters are impressively well-developed and I instantly connected with Kacy, who seemingly has terrible luck in picking friends. After being set-up for embezzlement by her bestie, Aimee, she escapes being criminally charged, but her professional and social life is ruined. Kacy has the opportunity to start over with her supportive husband, Michael, but her anxiety, depression and insecurity keep getting in the way. I felt so much sympathy for her, and not once did her emotional reactions seem over-the-top. Despite the trauma, she slowly starts settling in, even becoming pregnant, when would you believe it, one of her newfound friends turns out to be a serial killer! While there aren’t any big twists or surprises here, that didn’t take anything away from the fascinating story. I did think the first few chapters were slow to start, and the hunt for the killer was a bit drawn out. I’m also unsure about my feelings regarding the podcast transcripts. Usually I like it when an author cleverly inserts things like this into a story, but with this one, it seemed choppy and slightly annoying, maybe because the book was so short. Overall though, You Can Never Tell was quite the fun read that I believe will have wide appeal for readers looking for a solid suspense story with relatable characters.

 

A Good Day For Chardonnay (Sunshine Vicram #2), By Darynda Jones ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Humor, Mystery, New Mexico, Romance, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: July 27th, 2021

416 Pages

Synopsis: Running a small-town police force in the mountains of New Mexico should be a smooth, carefree kind of job. Sadly, full-time Sheriff—and even fuller-time coffee guzzler—Sunshine Vicram, didn’t get that memo.

All Sunshine really wants is one easy-going day. You know, the kind that starts with a coffee and a donut (or three) and ends with take-out pizza and a glass of chardonnay (or seven). Turns out that’s about as easy as switching to decaf. (What kind of people do that? And who hurt them?)

Before she can say iced mocha latte, Sunshine’s got a bar fight gone bad, a teenage daughter hunting a serial killer, and, oh yes, the still unresolved mystery of her own abduction years prior. All evidence points to a local distiller, a dangerous bad boy named Levi Ravinder, but Sun knows he’s not the villain of her story. Still, perhaps underneath it all, he possesses the keys to her disappearance. At the very least, beneath it all, he possesses a serious set of abs. She’s seen it. Once. Accidentally.

Between policing a town her hunky chief deputy calls “four cents short of a nickel,”  that pesky crush she has on Levi that seems to grow exponentially every day, and an irascible raccoon that just doesn’t know when to quit, Sunshine’s life is about to rocket to a whole new level of crazy. (Goodreads)

Welcome to Del Sol, Home of Something…Or Somebody Famous…Someday…Maybe…

I’ve been a fan of Darynda Jones since I read, First Grave on the Right (2011), and I know when I pick up one of her books I can always count on: captivating storytelling with characters I want to be friends with in real life, red hot romance, side splitting humor, and suspenseful mystery. A Good Day for Chardonnay is the second entry in her Sunshine Vicram series, and I think it just might be her best yet (which is really saying something)!

If you refer to your librarian as your dealer, this is the place for you. – Sign at Del Sol Public Library

Unlike the Charley Davidson series, there’s no supernatural woo-woo going on here. Instead, there are two main mysteries to be solved as well as the personal one involving Sunshine’s abduction. In less talented hands, multiple storylines as well as a large cast of characters could result in one hot mess, but Darynda Jones skillfully juggles all without breaking any eggs. The chapters alternate between Sunshine and her adorable teen daughter Aurora, who’s a mini version of her mom. I love their close bond and the teasing that goes on between them. In addition to the two separate mysteries, the relationships between Sunshine and her soulmate Levi, and Auri and her heartthrob, Cruz, progress further, and I have a difficult time saying which one I’m more invested in right now. Auri and Cruz are in the beginning stages of first love and it’s sweet without giving you a toothache. In contrast, the romance between Sunshine and Levi is definitely heating up and at times I had to check my Kindle to make sure it wasn’t smoking!

If your housekeeping style can be best described as ‘There appears to have been a struggle?’ Let us help! – Sign at Del Sol Cleaning Service

Both central mysteries are interesting and twisty, and I can honestly say I was surprised at their resolutions. The revelations regarding what happened to Sunshine fifteen years earlier weren’t quite as surprising thanks to the bread crumbs that led to them, but it was nice having most of my suspicions confirmed. The pace of the story is extremely fast and the ending came all too soon. While I was laughing through most of the book, there were parts that were nail biting, and a couple that were downright heartbreaking. The two main mysteries were satisfactorily wrapped up, and more questions were answered about Sunshine’s abduction when she was seventeen, but there’s obviously more to come.

Did you accidentally go shopping on an empty stomach and are now the proud owner of aisle 4? We can help! – Sign at Del Sol Fitness & More

Darynda Jones is one of my favorite authors and she never disappoints. I can sing her praises all day, but rather than give you all a headache, let me just say this: A Good Day for Chardonnay is rather like a box of your favorite chocolates, or in Sunshine’s case, pizza and coffee. Once you start, just try not to scarf the entire thing down in one sitting!

The Drowning Kind, By Jennifer McMahon ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Bipolar Disorder, Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Substance Abuse, Supernatural Fiction, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: April 6th, 2021

336 Pages

Synopsis: Be careful what you wish for.

When social worker Jax receive nine missed calls from her sister, Lexie, she assumes it’s just one of her sister’s episodes. Manic and increasingly out of touch with reality, Lexie has pushed  Jax away for over a year. But the next day, Lexie is dead: drowned in the pool at their grandmother’s estate. When Jax arrives at the house to go through her sister’s things, she learns Lexie was researching the history of their family and the property. As she dives deeper into the research herself, she discovers the land holds a far darker past than she ever could have imagined.

In 1929, thirty-seven-year-old newlywed Ethel Monroe hopes desperately for a baby. In an effort to distract her, her husband whisks her away on a trip to Vermont, where a natural spring is showcased by the newest and most modern hotel in the Northeast. Once there, Ethel learns the water is rumored to grant wishes, never suspecting the spring takes in equal measure to what it gives. (Goodreads)

I started The Drowning Kind about 2:00 p.m and after a brief break for supper found myself at the end, a scant four hours later. This is the type of book that grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. 

The storyline alternates between Ethel in 1929, and Jax in 2019. The common denominator are the sinister Springs which are rumored to grant wishes, but in return, to take something of equal value. As the story progresses, the two timelines are drawn inexorably closer. Through the main characters, the reader learns the complex history of the sinister Springs and the tragedies surrounding their reflective black waters. It’s incredibly suspenseful and I literally could not tear myself away. There were just two things that spoiled my enjoyment. One was the portrayal of bipolar disorder. I’ve known a couple of people who have suffered from this, and I’ve never seen the mean and vindictive behavior that Lexie displayed as a child as part of it. I also think that depicting Lexie and the sisters’ father (who also is bipolar) as flaky artists with substance abuse issues treats the topic rather stereotypically.

This is the second book in a row where the author did something a little different with the ending, that has left me with mixed feelings. I have to admit though, I’m still thinking about it a day later. Overall, The Drowning Kind is another twisty, spooky, atmospheric page-turner by Jennifer McMahon, that I guarantee will keep you up at night!

 

The Castle School (for Troubled Girls), By Alyssa B. Scheinmel ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Coming-of age, Contemporary Fiction, Mental Illness, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: March 2nd, 2021

400 Pages

Synopsis: When Moira Dreyfuss’s parents announce that they’re sending her to an all-girls boarding school deep in the Maine woods, Moira isn’t fooled. She knows her parents are punishing her; she’s been too much trouble since her best friend, Nathan, died—and for a while before that. At the Castle School, isolated from the rest of the world, Moira will be expected to pour her heart out to the odd headmaster, Dr. Prince. But she isn’t interested in getting over Nathan’s death, or befriending her fellow students.

On her first night there, Moira hears distant music. On her second, she discovers the lock on her window is broken. On her third, she and her roommate venture outside…and learn they’re not so isolated after all. There’s another, very different, Castle School nearby—this one filled with boys whose parents sent them away, too.

Moira is convinced that the Castle Schools and the doctors who run them are hiding something. But exploring the schools will force Moira to confront her overwhelming grief—and the real reasons her parents sent her away.

The Castle School (for Troubled Girls) was not what I was expecting, which was more along the lines of another boarding school mystery that’s so popular in YA fiction. Instead, it’s a thoughtful exploration of various mental health disorders in teen girls. The students of the Castle School suffer from a myriad of illnesses: cutting, selective mutism, depression, kleptomania, trichotillomania (obsessive hair pulling), and alcoholism. While most of the story is focused on Moira, each of her fellow classmates have their own chapters which briefly relate what led them to the point where they wound up at the school. This is the strongest part of the book. The so-called “mystery” of why there are two schools is superfluous and actually detracts from what the characters are going through, and I wish the author had simply stuck to the main theme of the story. Despite this, I think The Castle School (for Troubled Girls) would be a solid choice for YA book discussion groups.

Lore, By Alexandra Bracken ~ 4.0 Stars

Tags

Contemporary Fiction, Greek Mythology, LGBTQ, Mystery, Romance, Thriller, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney-Hyperion for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 5th, 2021

480 Pages

Synopsis: Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of  ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.

Long ago, Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family’s sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt’s promises of eternal glory. For years she’s pushed away thought of revenge against the man—now a god—responsible for their deaths.

Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.

The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to finally leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore’s decision to bind her fate to Athena’s and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost—and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.

Before I start this review, if you’re getting a sense of deja vu, or see that you’ve already written a comment, that’s because this is an updated post I did a few months ago on the chapter sampler of Lore. I apologize for being lazy, but instead of writing out the entire synopsis again, I thought I’d just update my original review now that I’ve had the opportunity to read the entire book.

What do you get when you combine bestselling YA author Alexandra Bracken with Greek gods? A surefire blockbuster is what I’m thinking! Except for Madeline Miller’s phenomenal Circe(2019), once Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series ended, there haven’t been many Greek mythology-based books released, so I had high hopes for Lore. Well, it starts off with a bang and plenty of blood, gore, and even a decapitation. One word of warning, the violence continues throughout the book, including two scenes involving the murder of little girls. These two particular sections relate the murders in the third person, and compared to other parts, aren’t terribly graphic, but they still made me squirm, and may make some readers uncomfortable as well. While the storyline may sound similar to previous series, like Percy Jackson and The Hunger Games, let me assure you that this is completely unique. There are a lot of characters but they’re easily remembered because they each have an integral part to play. The romance is a bit ho-hum, but that’s okay because there’s so much else going on. The pacing is insane, and I flew through this in two days despite it being just under 500 pages. The only reason why I rated this 4 stars is because there are some rough passages, especially in the first fifty or so pages where the reader is being introduced to the history and rules of the Agon. I’ve been a voracious reader of Greek Mythology since I was a child and I consider myself fairly well-versed in the stories and characters involved, but there were a few times I was left confused and frustrated. Thankfully things became clearer the deeper I got into the story. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Lore and unhesitatingly recommend it to my fellow mythology enthusiasts who are looking for a refreshing take on the old legends.

What She Found in the Woods, By Josephine Angelini ~ 2.0 Stars

Tags

Contemporary Fiction, Mental Illness, Mystery, Serial Killers, Substance Abuse, Suicide, Suspense, YA Fiction

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: December 1st, 2020

384 Pages

Synopsis: Running from a scandal at her New York private school, Magdalena heads to her family home to recover under the radar.

Over-medicated and under-confident, she’s fearful she’ll never escape her past.

Until she meets Bo out hiking. Gorgeous, wild, and free he makes her believe she might finally be able to move on.

But when a mutilated body is discovered in the woods, Magdalena realizes she can’t trust anyone.

Not even herself.

I’ve enjoyed Josephine Angelini’s previous books, especially her Starcrossed series, so it comes as a shock that I really didn’t care for her standalone What She Found in the Woods.

My biggest issue was the way social issues like mental illness and drug addiction were portrayed. I don’t want to venture into spoiler territory, but in my opinion these themes were used as shallow plot devices instead of being a thoughtful exploration of the afflictions that plague so many. I feel terrible writing this after reading Angelini’s reasons why she included these topics as part of the story, but as always, I feel the need to be honest with my review.

While the enigmatic Magdalena was a puzzle to me that I felt the need to solve, most of her teen friends were pampered, entitled brats who annoyed the heck out of me. The romance between Magdalena and Bo was sweet, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the main problems I had.

There were some elements here that I enjoyed, namely the mystery of what was really happening and who was responsible, but as intriguing as that was, my distaste for the mainly superficial depiction of the all too real illnesses that millions battle, overrode everything else. There are many positive reviews of What She Found in the Woods, on Goodreads, so if your interest is peaked by the premise, don’t just go by my opinion, as I believe I’m an outlier regarding my feelings. As I said, I’ve enjoyed Angelini’s other books, so I’m looking forward to her next.

 

The Awakening (The Dragon Heart Legacy #1), By Nora Roberts ~ 5.0 Stars

Tags

Adult Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Diversity, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance, Suspense

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 24th, 2020

464 Pages

Synopsis: #1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts, begins a new trilogy of adventure, romance, and magick in The Awakening.

In the realm of Talamh, a teenage warrior named Keegan, emerges from a lake holding a sword—representing both power and the terrifying responsibility to protect the Fey. In another realm known as Philadelphia, a young woman has just discovered she possesses a treasure of her own…

When Breen Kelly was a girl, her father would tell her stories of magical places. Now she’s an anxious twenty-something mired in student debt and working a job she hates. But one day she stumbles upon a shocking discovery: her mother has been hiding an investment account in her name. It has been funded by her long-lost father—and it’s worth nearly four million dollars.

This newfound fortune would be life-changing for anyone. But little does Breen know that when she uses some of the money to journey to Ireland, it will unlock mysteries she couldn’t have imagined. Here she will begin to understand why she kept seeing that silver-haired, elusive man, why she imagined his voice in her head saying “Come home Breen Siobhan. It’s time you came home.” Why she dreamed of dragons. And where her true destiny lies—through a portal in Galway that takes her to a realm of faeries and mermaids, to a man named Keegan, and to the courage in her own heart that will guide her through a powerful, dangerous destiny…

Many of you already know that I’m a longtime fan of Nora Roberts, and her upcoming novel is a perfect example of why. The first in a new fantasy trilogy, The Awakening is a gorgeously told tale that has left me eager for more.

For personal reasons, I really connected with Breen and enjoyed her transformation from timid mouse, to the beginnings of a fierce warrior. I was a little slower to embrace Keegan as his alpha male persona put me off in the beginning, but it didn’t take long for my feelings toward him to thaw. The secondary characters are numerous, but all are immensely likable. The world building is, well in a word, magical. From a Philadelphia drag queen club, to the misty Irish countryside, to the delightful world of Talahm, I was fully immersed with the delightful settings and characters. Except for a few scenes with the big bad and a couple of his minions, there’s not a lot of action, but due to Robert’s talented storytelling skills, this in no way takes away from the story.

For me, the mark of a perfectly written story is when it’s so immersive that it’s difficult to get my head back in the real world. If you’re looking for an escape I can’t recommend The Awakening enough. It’s an enchanting tale with memorable characters that will leave you eager for the next book.