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Karena's Reviews

Karena is in a non-monogamous relationship with Speculative Fiction, Romance, Feminist manifestos and any other little ARC that catches her eye. Snarky heroines are her weakness. She spends her nonreading time playing video games, traveling, and hanging out with her family (but really still thinking about what she could be reading).

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters By Balli Kaur Jaswal

I will read anything and everything that Jaswal (Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows) writes. This fantastically written book about three sisters on a journey arranged by their recently deceased mother charmed me. Within a story of sisterhood and family, Jaswal explores an immigrant experience as well as the complexities women go through in different ways. Sisterhood isn’t always about getting along and having everything in common, and Jaswal dives into that in this novel. I will be thinking about the Shergill sisters for a while, finding new things to love about them. — Karena

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The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters: A Novel By Balli Kaur Jaswal Cover Image
$16.99
ISBN: 9780062645159
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: William Morrow Paperbacks - April 7th, 2020

Middlegame by Seanan McGuire

From beginning to end Middlegame is the book you’ve been waiting for. I’ve been reading McGuire’s work for years and this is her best. The technical writing alone is masterful, then add in complex characters, and a plot that defies time and space, and you can see why it’s been nominated for a Hugo Award. Roger and Dodger, despite their ridiculous names, are characters to fall in love with even when they’re being their most exasperating. 

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Middlegame (Alchemical Journeys #1) By Seanan McGuire Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781250234209
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Tordotcom - April 7th, 2020

Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner

This lesbian slow-burn romance hit all the right spots. Under the bright and shiny lights of Hollywood, we meet Jo and her assistant, Emma. Wilsner handles the boss/employee dynamic with skill. The dialogue is smart and the plot a breath of fresh air. There’s a lot of wonderful tension and you’re gonna be yelling, “Kiss already!” But the payoff will be worth it.

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Something to Talk About By Meryl Wilsner Cover Image
$16.00
ISBN: 9780593102527
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Berkley - May 26th, 2020

Naturally Tan by Tan France

I am such a fan of Queer Eye that I jumped on the chance to read France’s biography. It is such a fun book. This was like sitting down with a friend and sharing your life’s highs and lows while getting the best fashion advice. I love how France relates certain articles of clothing to a moment in his life. He made me laugh and contemplate (and consider whether my jewelry collection could use just one more piece). - Karena

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Naturally Tan: A Memoir By Tan France Cover Image
$27.99
This item may be available from the publisher! Give us a call or send us an email to find out.
ISBN: 9781250208668
Published: St. Martin's Press - June 4th, 2019

Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis

Helen Ellis is everything I would want to be if I were a Southern lady instead of a California girl. Her essays have the kind of wit that warms the cockles of my jaded heart. I cackled at every snark. She’s the one you want sitting next to you at the wedding, spilling dirt (and let’s be honest, probably her wine) about all of the groom’s relatives. She’s brilliant and I want to read everything she writes forever. - Karena

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Southern Lady Code: Essays By Helen Ellis Cover Image
$22.00
This item may be available from the publisher! Give us a call or send us an email to find out.
ISBN: 9780385543897
Published: Doubleday - April 16th, 2019

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

I love when an author continues to delight. Helen Hoang is that author. The charm and sexiness of her earlier The Kiss Quotient is also in abundance in The Bride Test. Even though I know the book ends in a happily-ever-after (it’s a romance, that’s what they’re supposed to do!), I had no idea how we were going to get there. Hoang handles autism, being an immigrant, and meddling mothers while giving you the steamiest of sexy times and all the feels. - Karena

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The Bride Test By Helen Hoang Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9780451490827
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Berkley - May 7th, 2019

The Book of Essie By Meghan MacLean Weir

I kind of have an obsession with books where a woman is raised in extreme religious families. This fictional tale of a girl raised on TV with her preacher father, machinating mother, and five siblings fit the bill perfectly. I love the way Essie figures out how to escape by  using the rules and restrictions her parents set up against her. It is fantastically written. - Karena

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The Book of Essie By Meghan MacLean Weir Cover Image
$16.00
This item may be available from the publisher! Give us a call or send us an email to find out.
ISBN: 9780525436072
Published: Vintage - May 7th, 2019

The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters by Balli Kaur Jaswal

I will read anything and everything that Jaswal (Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows) writes. This fantastically written book about three sisters on a journey arranged by their recently deceased mother charmed me. Within a story of sisterhood and family, Jaswal explores an immigrant experience as well as the complexities women go through in different ways. Sisterhood isn’t always about getting along and having everything in common, and Jaswal dives into that in this novel. I will be thinking about the Shergill sisters for a while, finding new things to love about them. - Karena 

Staff Pick Badge
The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters: A Novel By Balli Kaur Jaswal Cover Image
$26.99
ISBN: 9780062645142
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: William Morrow - April 30th, 2019

The Bird King by G. Willow WIlson

The Bird King is so many things at once. It plays with love, power, religion, freedom and what those words mean to different people at different times. You will be swept away in this gorgeously written historical fantasy. I have been a fan of Wilson’s ever since Alif the Unseen and she doesn’t disappoint here. In fact, she’s only gotten better as an author. - Karena

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The Bird King By G. Willow Wilson Cover Image
$26.00
ISBN: 9780802129031
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Grove Press - March 12th, 2019

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

I make time every year to reread this and I always find a new reason to love it. The imagery alone is worth it. Descriptions of tents full of magic and wonder, characters who defy reality, and a circus that no one can predict makes this one of my favorite books of all time. "The circus arrives without warning." Consider this your warning. This is the read you were waiting for. - Karena

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The Night Circus: A Novel By Erin Morgenstern Cover Image
$19.00
ISBN: 9780307744432
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Vintage - July 3rd, 2012

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