Book Review: Any Way the Wind Blows

 

Any Way the Winds Blows by Rainbow Rowell 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️3/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

In Any Way the Wind Blows, Simon and Baz and Penelope and Agatha have to decide how to move forward.

For Simon, that means deciding whether he still wants to be part of the World of Mages -- and if he doesn't, what does that mean for his relationship with Baz? Meanwhile Baz is bouncing between two family crises and not finding any time to talk to anyone about his newfound vampire knowledge. Penelope would love to help, but she's smuggled an American Normal into London, and now she isn't sure what to do with him. And Agatha? Well, Agatha Wellbelove has had enough.
Any Way the Wind Blows takes the gang back to England, back to Watford, and back to their families for their longest and most emotionally wrenching adventure yet.

This book is a finale. It tells secrets and answers questions and lays ghosts to rest.

☹️

That is an accurate depiction of my face upon reaching the end of this book. I just… expected more. There were a number of things that I needed to be addressed in the final book in this trilogy that were never even mentioned! I’ve sat on this review for a full 24 hours and finally decided to keep it short and sweet because I’m not here to spark a debate with the diehard fans, but I just didn’t like this book. The Simon Snow Series itself was just okay for me, with Wayward Son being my favorite of the three books by far. 

🤭

I still love Rainbow Rowell, but I would recommend you read some of her standalone books because I don’t believe this series is the best she has to offer. My top three favorites of her books would be: Fangirl, Landline, and Eleanor & Park.  Read one of those and then drop me a line, I’d much rather talk about one of those with you.

🤷🏻‍♀️

Book Review: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid 🎧

 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5 Star Rating

The Summary:

Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. But when she chooses unknown magazine reporter Monique Grant for the job, no one is more astounded than Monique herself. Why her? Why now?

Monique is not exactly on top of the world. Her husband has left her, and her professional life is going nowhere. Regardless of why Evelyn has selected her to write her biography, Monique is determined to use this opportunity to jumpstart her career.

Summoned to Evelyn’s luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the ‘80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way, Evelyn unspools a tale of ruthless ambition, unexpected friendship, and a great forbidden love. Monique begins to feel a very real connection to the legendary star, but as Evelyn’s story near its conclusion, it becomes clear that her life intersects with Monique’s own in tragic and irreversible ways.

💍💍💍💍💍💍💍

This is the fourth book I’ve read from Taylor Jenkins Reid and by far the most enjoyable for me.  As a fan of historical fiction, I was quickly drawn in by Evelyn’s storytelling of her life as an up and coming actress in the Golden Age of Hollywood.  When she discloses the name of who she considers to be the love of her life, the plot thickens and it soon became clear that there was so much more to this story than the seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo.

🎥

I tend to have a soft spot for any story that can genuinely surprise me with a plot twist - bonus points if it happens a bit late in the game 🙌🏻 Let’s just say that Evelyn Hugo serves one up just the way I like it! I loved everything about this book and believe it to be the best Taylor Jenkins Reid has written to date.  I highly recommend this to lovers of historical fiction and contemporary romance.