Pageboy | Elliot Page

I have enjoyed Elliot Page's work over the years and was excited to see he released a memoir.

W.O.W.

Not only is Elliot a gifted actor, he is a wordsmith. I listened to this on Libby, which made the memoir even more of an emotional rollercoaster.

I loved the honesty and openness in which he relays his childhood journey riddled with bullying from inside and outside of his immediate family, gender dysphoria, struggles within the acting community, and his eventual transition. The memoir is full of raw emotion and he exuded sadness, frustration, and pain in the words he wrote. His self awareness of his priviledge when pursuing his transition was apparent and he is not seeking to be a spokesperson, he's seeking to live life as himself and to be accepted by those he loves.

This was an emotional listen, but one that I am so glad I chose. Much respect to Elliot Page. I look forward to seeing him shine on the big screen and (hopefully) to read another of his novels in the future.

Thank you Netgalley, Catherine Fearns, and Quill & Crow for the opportunity to read this ARC and provide feedback.

In the early 1900s, couple Lydia and Seraphine move to Switzerland to improve Seraphine's health. Finding solace in the mountains, Lydia builds a house for them near an obsidian fault mirror. Time and space cease to exist in their mountain home as Seraphine embraces the study of astral planes and Lydia slowly begins to feel out of place in her world.

In 1980, Honeymooners Cyrus and Daphne are in Switzerland. Daphne becomes infatuated with a disappearing house and she, herself, will eventually disappear leaving Cyrus to puzzle the mystery for the rest of his life.

In a war-torn 2035, Cyrus is a college professor that forms an unlikely partnership with a student that believes the disappearing house exists. Will Cyrus and Hadyn solve the mystery before the world ends?

This book reads more into the Sci-Fi genre than fantasy, which was relatively new for me. It also speaks heavily of the impending apocalypse - so if that is a trigger this book might not be for you.

I truly wanted to enjoy this book but there were several things that just missed the mark for me, primarily when it came to the characters.

📌I did not find any of the characters to be likeable. I found it very hard to empathize or relate to them on any level. 📌The development of Seraphine and Lydia was the strongest of all characters, however, I found the characters to be shallow and self-indulgent for the most part. The switch to selflessness during the war was dramatic and seemed out of character. 📌Cyrus and Daphne's relationship and characters were not developed prior to her disappearance and it was hard to understand his life's mission to understand the disappearing house when the few interactions they had seemed strained and forced.
📌Other than Hadyn being related in a distanced way to Lydia's confidant, it is not explained early on why she's interested in the disappearing house which makes her sporadic involvement in the first 75% of the book confusing.

Furthermore, the nonchalant attitude toward the war and impending apocalypse was disturbing and unbelievable. Not knowing the length of the war, the cause of it, or the scope of it really made for an underwhelming plot point.

The last couple chapters had a twist but too much dialogue existed around it which resulted in it being underwhelming.

Overall, I wish this book focused more on character development and plot explanation then it did on explaining scientific principles. The idea, although unique and full of potential, just didn't have what it needed to keep my attention and entertain. It is a debut novel, and I would read other works by Catherine Fearns in the future.

Harriet Hunt, a Victorian social outcast with magical abilities, spends her days surrounded by her garden and in the company of her only friend, Eunice. Harriet soon becomes a person of interest in the sudden disappearance of her abusive father. To maintain appearances, Harriet marries Christian Comstock, hoping to detract attention from the detective. However, she soon realizes that there is a bigger plan in place and the men in her life cannot be trusted.

I was interested in this book because it was described as "a feminist fairytale" and "women taking control of their lives." Unfortunately, I feel the book fell short of its promises.

I fear that describing my feelings in too much detail will lead to spoilers, so I'll summarize what I felt was the biggest flaw of the book. There simply was no "empowerment" for Harriet. She never stood up to anyone or found any sense of power - she just hid (behind her garden, behind her friends) and waited for a solution to happen FOR her not BY her.

Harriet does grow into her power, which was nice to see because Harriet needed a win. However, controlling powers is not "fiercely feminist" to me and it read more like a standard fantasy/fairytale novel. The origin of the magical system is not explained at all - so that detracts a bit from the book. The characters are inconsistent and the dialogue at times is awkward.

For those triggered by physical, sexual, and emotional abuse - it is quite graphic and might not be for you. Please proceed cautiously. It was much more graphic than I anticipated for a novel described as a "gothic fairytale ."

Mountains Made Of Glass | Scarlett St. Clair

This book was a great change of pace from the spooky season ARCs I've been reading!

I enjoyed the mashup of fairy tales represented in this story - Beauty and the Beast, Rumpelstiltskin, and a bit of Snow White. It was a fun spin on these classics but with a dark Romantasy vibe. It leans a bit more toward the dark, so reminiscent of the original Grimms Fairytale. There was a bit of humor between the MMC, his maid, and the mirror that was well spaced to break up the darkness and lusty/spicy scenes of the story.

The magical system was fun and the twist on the "beast" being more in nature than in appearance was a refreshing change. I liked the FMC and enjoyed her stubborn, sometimes hotheaded temperament. The MMC was sweetly misunderstood and his development throughout the story was well done. There are some instances of miscommunication if that trope isn't for you, just be aware.

I enjoyed this quick read and look forward to diving into Apples Dipped In Gold!

Thank you Netgalley, Minotaur Books, and Jess Armstrong for the opportunity to read this ARC and provide honest feedback.

I threw my hat in the ring not expecting to be approved for this ARC and literally cried when I was!

I became hooked on this series when The Curse of Penryth Hall released and solidified Jess as an auto-buy author for me.  The Secret of the Three Fates continued the journey and was a perfect addition to Ruby's adventures.  The Devil in Oxford is leaving me waiting (impatiently) for the next installment! 

Why do I love these books?  Besides a great, captivating mystery with a fun and unique magical system, Ruby is my favorite fictional FMC.  She is willful, independent, stubborn, intelligent, relatable, and flawed.  She is developed so well in the first book that subsequent books feel like visiting with an old friend.  Jess has a gift for consistency - the core characteristics of her characters remain a constant from book to book - but they grow and develop in a very relatable way.  Ruby reminds me of myself, or at least the person I hope that I am, and that in and of itself makes these books true gems.

Ruan is a fantastically written MMC.  He is off to the side but fully developed and allows Ruby's story to shine without taking over.  He helps to make this a true female led series and provides the support needed without overstepping.  

The mystery of A Devil in Oxford had me hooked from page 1 (as I expected it would) and was a very different read than the first two.  Varying the mysteries at the center of the books is a great move by Jess because nothing seems repetitive, which allows the reader a new adventure but still the consistent characters we've grown to love. 

Each book sprinkles in new side characters, and The Devil in Oxford did not disappoint.  I really liked Leona and was so curious about her involvement in the mystery, but found her unable to be trusted.  The unreliable nature of her character lent well to the story as well as Ruby's character development.  The same goes for Frederick Reaver, I thoroughly enjoyed his storyline and my back and forth between "he's definitely the villain" and "he's definitely misunderstood."

I had the pleasure of being in a chat with Jess, and other Ruby fans, as we read the new installment.  Jess is a truly genuine soul and is kind, humble, and great fun to chat with.  Thank you, Jess, for the candid conversations and invaluable insight.  You've created a masterpiece with this series and I look forward to reading more of your works!