Painted Hands

Title: Painted Hands
Author: Jennifer Zobair
Source: from publisher for TLC book tour
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review Summary: A timely and well written story, this book not only gave interesting glimpses into a different culture but also shared some very relatable stories from modern women who care about their careers.

Zainab Mir is already pushing against cultural expectations by working for a Republican senator and things only get more complicated as she befriends a gay reporter; is featured in a suggestive magazine article; and falls for a Muslim-bashing member of the opposition. Amra Abbas also has a high powered career, dreaming of becoming a partner in a law firm. When she reconnects with a childhood crush she conceals her career ambitions until the point at which reconciliation might not be possible.

The Dashwood Sisters’ Secrets of Love

Title: The Dashwood Sisters’ Secrets of Love
Author: Rosie Rushton
Source: library
Rating: ★★★☆☆
Review Summary: Although nothing to write home about, this modernization of Sense and Sensibility was a cute, fun read.

Like the book, this review is going to be a quick, easy read. The plot is almost exactly that of Sense and Sensibility, just a modernized version. My first reaction was disappointment that the author didn’t even try to copy Austen’s beautiful prose or understated humor. Once I got past that, I was better able to enjoy the book for what it was. Elinor and Marianne were both updated very nicely. Like the actions of Austen’s characters, the update wasn’t predictable but just felt right. Of course Elinor would be good at academics! Of course Marianne would act! I was also impressed by the way the update translated events with no modern equivalent. For instance, some of the social constraints on the original characters’ actions have no longer exist, but the author managed to come up with suitable substitutes.

The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back

Title: The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back
Author: Sariah Wilson
Source: from publisher for review
Rating: ★★★★☆
Review Summary: Fun, cute, with an awesome heroine and characters with unique personalities, although definitely on the younger end of YA books.

Life’s not always fun and games when you’re the ugly stepsister. Mattie Lowe is sick of her perfect, beautiful, and (worst of all) genuinely nice stepsister. Not only is she more popular than Mattie; she’s also dating the boy Mattie’s had a crush on since she was nine years old. Fortunately, Mattie’s not the sort of girl to take things lying down and when she finally talks to her stepsister, it might turn out they have more in common than she thinks.