“April showers bring May flowers.” I was thinking about this the other day, even though May is almost over, and I remembered this photo and this book that I read earlier this year.
Inspired by the film Bringing Up Baby starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, Wild Life follows Zoey Fong, a cancer researcher, who ends up stuck on a private island animal sanctuary in Vancouver with Davy Hsieh, a former C-Pop star, and his pet cougar, Baby.
When it comes to Silvia Moreno-Garcia, I will read practically anything she writes. I love her writing and how she is able to dabble into different genres so seamlessly from speculative to science fiction or, in this case, historical fiction. The Seventh Veil of Salome is one of my most anticipated books this year. Now having read it, this may just be Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s best work to date.
In 1950s Hollywood, the biggest production in town is “The Seventh Veil of Salome.” It’s bound to be a sword-and-sandals Biblical epic on the heels of other hit films alike with every actress clamoring for the lead role. After the studio casts an unknown Mexican ingénue named Vera Larios, much to the envy of bit player Nancy Hartley, she is thrown into the spotlight of celebrity and scandal alongside the whirlwind production of the film. At the same time, Salome’s story is also at the forefront and her love for a prophet who foresees her stepfather Herod’s demise.
There are so many things I love about this book, but I don’t want to give too much away. What I can say however and praise, is how Silvia Moreno-Garcia weaves together a tale of Hollywood and the myth that is Salome. With the story told through multiple perspectives, including Vera, Nancy, and Salome’s (or so we think), there is a build up that will have you anticipating what is in store.Through this narrative, the three women are seen or scrutinized in a certain way when there is actually much more to them than what we think we know. It all converges into a cinematic climax about dreams, desire, and identity.
I love movies. Everything about them is fascinating along with what is projected on screen. The history, the behind the scene stories, the allure of Hollywood, the artistry that goes into a film, are all pieces of how the silver screen is a place where dreams are made and come to life. Then, when you combine that with Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s impeccable writing, you get a novel that brings together the Golden Age of Hollywood, the magic of the movies, and the truth within the fantasy.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Del Rey Books for the ARC, and Silvia Moreno Garcia for the giveaway ARC.
Pub Date: August 6, 2024
If you’re looking for a book to buddy read with a friend that has romance and is most wholeheartedly about love, then I would recommend Beth O’Leary’s The No-Show.
While I suggest going into The No-Show blind, its basic premise is that it follows three women, Siobhan, Miranda, and Jane, who have each been stood up by the same man on Valentine’s Day. As we get to know each of them and their relationship with him, it is gradually revealed how they are all connected and that there is so much more to the person they have been falling in love with.
This was actually the first Beth O’Leary book I read and it was a good one to start with. When I read it with Mel @bruhasbookshelf earlier this year, we had a lot of fun theorizing and sending each other gift wrapped messages that hid potential spoilers as we tried to figure out where the story was going.
With that in mind, this is a book where you have to let the story unfold as much as you want answers. It starts off a little slow, but in no way is it dull, especially as we learn more about Siobhan, Miranda, and Jane, and all the pieces start to come together. I really love getting to know them and found their characters to be very well developed alongside their relationship with the man they’ve been seeing. The story is more about them before it’s about him.
It’s a lovely and tender novel, which makes the ending all the more beautiful that Mel and I were left in tears (I say this hopefully without spoiling too much). I’ve actually considered rereading it again in a different way to see if there was anything I missed or to see the story in a new light. I read the physical copy of the book, but near the end I listened to the audiobook as soon as Mel told me it was narrated by multiple people, including Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood herself) and Luke Thompson (Mr. Benedict Bridgerton, I swoon!).
💭 Have you read any of Beth O’Leary’s books? Which one would you recommend to read next?
I love this book so much.
How to End a Love Story was my most highly anticipated read this year. It’s a romance that features an Asian FMC, which I always love, and it’s written by the very talented Yulin Kuang, who is also adapting Emily Henry’s Beach Read into a movie. After finishing it and taking a few days to process it, I can confidently say that it is my favorite romance and one of my new favorite books.
Helen Zhang is a best-selling author whose YA books are about to be adapted for TV. When she arrives in Hollywood to work with the showrunner and screenwriters, she is unexpectedly reunited with Grant Shepard - a popular classmate she went to high school with, who was involved in the tragic car accident that resulted in her sister’s intentional death. Helen wants nothing to do with Grant, while he hopes for them to at least work amicably together. As they get to know each other over time, growing close and reflecting on the past and their shared grief, there’s a chance and risk that they could be something more.
Grief is complicated, especially when it’s intertwined with love and accepting it back. The writing brings this through and handles it with as much care and honesty, as well as looking at all its intricacies through Helen and Grant. Both of them are bound by tragedy and are still trying to heal and mourn while reconciling with their own guilt. What’s unexpected is the love and trust that forms between them. Seeing how it plays out is the book's biggest strength with their chemistry being the best part of it.
Their first meeting is met with ambivalence, but with curiosity. Then, as soon as they gradually become friends, reminiscing about high school (because how could you not after all these years) - all bets are off! It’s endearing, nostalgic and gets quite spicy though I can’t complain. 😏
With Helen, I found myself relating to her a lot and knowing what it means to be the eldest daughter. It bears a heavy weight alongside being the “good girl” or the responsible one, especially in an immigrant family. Much of my annotations for her were “this is me coded.” It’s also interesting in comparison to Grant, who is always held with such high regard because of his genuine charm, when he actually feels he doesn’t deserve it. He has his own pain and doubts apart from how people see him. I think it’s why he and Helen can read each other so well.
Every time I come across this book, I can’t help but harken back to everything I felt reading it. It had me head over heels to literally sobbing (more like ugly crying over Ch. 32 😖). After rereading it, I’m still not over it nor do I want to be. It’s too good to let go.
- A Couple of Favorite Quotes -
