Tag: New Release

I did not know what to expect from this book and, to be honest, even after finishing it, I am not quite sure how I feel about it.

The story of Naima (who lost her father) and Dew (who lost both parents) was an interesting premise, and I thought the author would mostly tackle the process of how young adults grieve. This did occur, but it seemed lost in other aspects the author tried to address.

I did not care for Naima’s character. She was obviously angry at the world (as so many kids today are) and lashed out at everyone, including those who loved her most. It seemed as if she was also angry at her father for being in the military (which ultimately led to him being taken from her) and she took her anger out on everyone around her. She was rude and unlikeable a majority of the time. It is difficult to get behind a story where a main character is supposed to garner sympathy but doesn’t.

Dew, on the other hand, was more interesting to me. He dealt with his grief differently from Naima, and his attempts at keeping his life together were more believable. I liked his interactions with his adopted parents and laughed out loud at some of the scenes involving his sister, Faith. I would have liked more with Dew and less with Naima.

Ultimately this book is as much about mental health as it is about love and loss. As a former teacher, I can see some of my high school students being able to relate to the characters, but I did not find them particularly relatable myself. I also think that the emphasis on buzzwords and concepts like gender fluidity, non-binary, and other “of the moment” issues was detrimental to the story. But that is just my perspective. There may be others who love the way these topics were addressed.

While I did not particularly like this book, I would still recommend it. Just because it wasn’t my cup of tea doesn’t mean that others may not find it amazing. Give it a try for yourself.

I seem to be in a “second of series” phase right now because I have read a bunch of books lately that have had me concerned for “sophomore slumps.” Fortunately, I believe that all of them have been successful, and Kiss Me Tonight is no exception. I loved the first book in the series but the second installment hits full stride, and what a fun read it was!

From the initial text message to the method of communication between Noah and Reagan, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read. I loved the interplay between the two, I thought the situations were unique, and I thought the author did a great job of staying true to the characters while creating a realistic scenario.

Nobody would ever think that a random dick pic could lead to something more, but in Reagan’s world, it does. Fortunately, that dick belongs to a decent guy, Noah, who got shafted (no pun intended).

What follows is an unfortunate event, which in turn leads to several realizations by both characters that they are meant for each other.

Oh yeah, and there is a panty-eating chihuahua, a fairly crazy great aunt, the usual best friend snark included in the budding relationship.

Honesty, it’s just as crazy as it sounds, and it is fun reading. Ms. Hart certainly knows how to turn a phrase and create dialogue that is realistic and relatable. I especially loved the banter regarding favorite TV shows. And yes, totally agreeable on the fact that Ross from Friends is one of the most annoying (read: worst) characters ever. Fight me on this (and I LOVE the show).

But you have to read it for yourself to get the full essence. The book even sets up the third in the series, which…YAY! If you haven’t read the first one (and why not?), pick it up for the raccoons, stay for Poosh. I promise you will not be disappointed.

I’m going to give this one to you straight.

I still don’t know how I feel about this book.

On the one hand, I appreciated the setting of higher education. I have extensive knowledge of the current trends in higher ed, and the author did a great job of describing the problems that colleges are facing these days.

The “for-profit” models, the focus on FTEs and enrollment at the expense of programs, the theory of using a business model hierarchy (CEOs, COOs, etc.) instead of traditional positions (Presidents, Provosts, etc.), and especially the propensity to use adjuncts as a replacement for tenured faculty are all very real to today’s world of education.

I also thought that the murder mystery at the heart of the book was intriguing, and the “whodunnit” nature of that thread is what ultimately kept me reading.

Unfortunately, there were a couple of things that made this book a more difficult read than it should have been.

First, the focus on neoliberalism in colleges is misguided in today’s higher ed universe. While it is true that the emphasis on capitalistic practices in higher ed has grown, it is by no means the driving force of today’s colleges.

Indeed, the author almost totally lost me with the statement that colleges have experienced a rightward shift since Thatcher and Reagan.

Now, I may be misunderstanding the intent, but that could not be further from the truth. Colleges have become places where group-think is encouraged, and opposing viewpoints are to be ridiculed or (in many cases) completely shut down. And this is all done from the leftist point of view. So, to say that colleges have shifted right really rubbed me the wrong way.

I also thought that the author got too carried away with the minutiae of academia. I found it to be interesting because of my background, but an average reader could find it challenging to wade through a lot of the detailed academic descriptions to get to the heart of the plot.

Overall, it wasn’t a horrible book. But it certainly could have been tightened up in several places to make it a more exciting and accurate read.