Hi, and welcome (or welcome back) to my book review column! This month, since fall is finally here and autumn holidays are around the corner, I thought I’d read and review some seasonal reads that fit fall because of their vibes, plot, setting, or other reasons. I hope one of these will catch your eye!
YOU, AGAIN by Kate Goldbeck
The first time that Josh and Ari meet, they hate each other immediately. Ari and Josh are true opposites; Ari is a struggling comedian who refuses to stay the night and likes to keep things casual, whereas Josh, an ambitious born-and-bred New Yorker who hopes to take the culinary world by storm, hopes to one day find “the one”. After a terrible initial meeting, they never expect—or want—to see each other again.
Years later, however, their paths cross again. Neither is in a good space; both are struggling with their careers, relationships, and identities. In their shared misery, an opportunity arises: friendship. They find comfort in each other’s hardships, and their friendship starts to grow into something more…up until one night, when the boundaries of friendship and romance begin to blur between them.
This book might not have been perfect, but it was a really fun read. It had a very slow beginning (and I had trouble getting into it), but once I pushed through the beginning, the plot really started to ramp up. The characters were the best part of the book (even though there were parts where they made me want to scream). Both Ari and Josh were so fun to read, and their realistic flaws and quirks made the book much more than a silly romance cliche. Another part that added to the book’s “realistic” feel was the banter. I adored the banter between every single character in You, Again. Goldbeck does a wonderful job of incorporating real emotions and thoughts into the characters and the dialogue, which makes the story more intriguing and the plot more believable. Overall, You,Again was a pretty perfect blend of silly cliches, cheesy plot, and funny characters. It hasn’t been my favorite book that I’ve read this year, but if you are looking for a little autumn romance, I’d definitely recommend this one. 3/5 stars.
KATABASIS by R.F. Kuang
Alice Law has sacrificed everything in her life, always with one goal in front of her: to become one of the brightest minds in the field of Magic. Everything she has done has been to have the chance to work with Professor Jacob Grimes at Cambridge, a world-renowned magician. Everything she wants appears to be achievable—until Grimes dies in an accident that she may have caused.
Grimes is now in Hell, and Alice is going after him. Her future may rest in the hands of his recommendation, and nothing—not even death—will stop her from getting what she wants. However, another student of Grimes’s—Peter Murdoch, Oxford’s “golden boy” and Alice’s arch-rival—has had the same idea. With no other options, they reluctantly agree to work together and set off to rescue Grimes’ soul from the underworld with nothing but the records of Orpheus and Dante to guide them.
My favorite part of this book has been worldbuilding. Like any other book by R.F. Kuang has a really unique magic system that is elaborately developed, giving the story so much more life. I also find it really fun how other stories about hell—like that of Orpheus—are interwoven into the lore of the book as nonfiction. It adds a fun, unique little twist to the tale that I haven’t found in any other book.
Another amazing part of this book is the characters. Every single one is so unique, with their own motives, flaws, and personalities. I fell in love with each and every side character, and really learned to adore the two main characters. But, if anything, this book is gorgeously written. Kuang’s writing style is something unlike that of any other author that I’ve read. Each sentence flows into the next so intricately and poetically that, while reading, I had to stop myself from underlining and quoting almost every line of Katabasis. This book, while not my favorite of Kuang’s, was still beautifully written. And since dark academia is a classic theme of fall, I’d recommend it to almost anyone. 3.5/5 stars.
WEYWARD by Emilia Hart
2019: In the middle of the night, Kate flees to Weyward Cottage from London, inherited from a great-aunt she hardly knew. With its overgrown garden and old stone walls, it feels worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. Yet as she begins to grow comfortable in her new home, clues arise that make Kate think her great aunt had a secret…and she is determined to uncover it.
1619: Altha has always been unusual; she and her mother were always outcasts, rejected by the rest of their village and marked as “dangerous” women because of the magic they secretly practice. Being marked as an outsider has never—and will never—be beneficial for Altha, especially now, when she lies in prison accused of a murder she didn’t commit.
1942: While WWII rages in Europe, Violet is confined to her family’s grand estate, forbidden from entering the outside world. She longs for more than the crumbling manor, wishing for her brother’s robust education and for her long-dead mother’s comfort. This longing leads her to explore the decrepit house, where she begins to uncover secrets she was never meant to find…
In all honesty, I expected to like this book a lot more than I did. I thought the premise was really fun, and perfect for fall; it has magic, witches, and is set in a hidden countryside cottage—what more could you want? However, I just felt like the execution was poor. The entire time I was reading Weyward, something felt lacking to me. Whether it was the constant plot holes or missing ideas, the entire story felt a little bit rocky. Moreover, in reading the synopsis, I was under the impression that the book was meant to empower its female characters, yet it didn’t feel this way while I was reading it. Instead, it felt as though the book was focused a little too much on the magical realism, which ended up taking away from the plot more than intended. All in all, the magical realism ended up defeating any intended “empowerment”, which made the book feel a little meaningless.
There were a handful of aspects that I did enjoy; the fall vibes were there, and some of the drama and relationships in the book were interesting to read about. Still, I felt like this book just wasn’t for me; I was expecting one thing, and ended up reading something entirely different. 2/5 stars.
LADY MACBETH by Ava Reid
The Lady has heard the rumors: that her eyes induce madness in men. She knows this is why her father, the duke, is having her carted away to be wed to some Scottish brute—a man who, if the stories are true, does not leave his warrior ways behind when in the marriage bed. Yet the Lady is determined not to let this fate be the end of her. She understands that residing in her new, suspicious home will be a game of strategy and secrets if she is to survive.
What she does not know is that her husband has secrets of his own. She does not know that he wears his own magic like a second skin. Yet, more importantly, she does not know that the magic she possesses is greater and more powerful than his, and that her power will threaten the order of the world.
To end on a good note, I really loved this book. To me, it has the perfect blend of fall themes along with fun characters and an interesting plot; it has the perfect fall ambiance, with its setting in a gothic coastal manor on the edge of a cliff and its major themes of magic and witchcraft, and it has cool characters, engaging conflict, as well as a little bit of romance. Lady Macbeth grabbed me from the very beginning, and I couldn’t put the book down from start to finish. I finished it in practically one setting. The most memorable part of the book was the atmosphere it created. Reid’s descriptive writing transported me into the story, and I could visualize every detail presented to me. I also thoroughly enjoyed the main character and liked watching her grow as the story progressed. Her relationships and conflicts with both herself and other characters were very well-written, which added more depth to the tale.
This book was very fun, but I can’t reliably say that it is an accurate retelling of Macbeth. There are a few references to the original tragedy in the book, yet this book has its own merits and its own narrative, which made it deeply engaging to me, but might not satisfy someone who is looking for a perfect retelling of the original tale. To me, this was less of a retelling and more of a story in its own right. In my opinion, however, this book is a fun, ambient, gothic book that is absolutely fitting for fall. 4/5 stars.
And that is all for my book reviews this month! If you enjoyed any of the reviews in this article and are thinking of reading one (or more) of the ones mentioned here, I recommend that you check out the San Marcos Library. Happy fall!
