Book Savvy Review

<i>"Dear, sweet mother of dogs! My stupid e-book skipped to a later chapter, and I just read the word <b>submissive</b> in a place of work, during a business meeting! Hysterical laughter bubbles up inside me, but I tamp it down. A few more seconds and I would have asked him the rest of that question and then promptly committed seppuku with the Montblanc on his desk. I shut down the tablet and toss it into my bag like it's on fire."</i>

Miko Jin is a quirky, funny twenty-six-year-old event designer who devours books and really bases her romantic ideas around them with classics as well as modern titles. Her best friend is Max Ashton and she just so happens to have a brother, Liam. Once upon a time on a New Year's Eve night a year ago, Miko was able to meet him and since then they've had a few run-ins and small talks.

Liam is a scoundrel, he doesn't do relationships. He does casual affairs, he's too busy and isn't keen on difficulties when his life is difficult and hectic enough with his work life and other needling aspects.

However! Miko has been pining for Liam for a year and over the course of the year she has jotted down [and continues to do so as the mood strikes her,] the best literary moments in her mind between couples. She has marked down Sense & Sensibility, Jane Eyre, Gone with the Wind and the list goes on.

Soon, Liam is asking for Miko to design a new restaurant's layout, this will bring them together more and Miko can finally unleash her devious plan. Except nothing goes according to that plan, she is a quirky, awkward individual and more often than not these plans go awry in a hilarious fashion. These moments actually made me snort, laugh and squeal in delight.

Along the way, somehow and it's sad how true it can be, Miko loses herself and it's sad to see that, but what is unique is that she snaps out of it. She sees it for what it is and owns it. Instead of constantly repeating herself that she needs to be "a worldly woman and accept this." She understands that she needs to respect herself first and foremost, perhaps a little late, but overall. I really did enjoy Miko's character, who can't relate to an awkward book nerd? I sure could relate to it!

There are highs, lows, and in-betweens. It made me laugh, cry, want to toss my iPad.... Overall, I really, really enjoyed this.

Book Nerds unite, Awkward girls - stay true to yourself!

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Admittedly, I haven't read the first book in the series, The Witch's Daughter. I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, which I was very excited for! 

In the beginning, I wasn't connecting with the story and it was through no fault of the author's writing. While it wasn't truly important for me to have read the first book, as it often mentions the happenings of the first, it did make it harder to connect with the characters. So I do suggest reading the first if you have the chance to. Now, on top of that for me, although Brackston's writing is highly eloquent, dreamlike and beautiful, the moments where it is full of more monologue than dialogue seemed to grow a little boring for me.

The story didn't pick up for me until part three, which is nearly into 200 pages. From there it is a real page turner and I had to put it down to go to bed, well I ended up having dreams about the book, that's how much it stayed with me. 

The characters are well developed, the story is at times a little slow moving, but once it gets going it is action packed and we have a driven protagonist who wishes to concur evil, as well as rescue her beloved friend. A smidge of romance is etched  in there and you have a wonderful, beautiful written book. 

Paula Brackston is an intellectual writer and someone I will most assuredly look out for in the future. 

I don't think this is quite as good as Hounded, but I'm trucking along with high hopes.