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As the ruler of the Kingdom of Camellia, the 22-year-old emperor has been so spoiled that he's become an insufferable egomaniac.  Watching from the Great Beyond, his meddling ancestors decide it's high time their ungrateful descendant learns a lesson in humility.  Using their otherworldly powers, they plop him in the countryside alone except for an 8-foot tall ostrich.  

(Readalikes:  This tale is supposed to be Berry's nod to Lloyd Alexander, an author whom I've never read.  Presumably, it's similar to his novels?)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of The Emperor's Ostrich from the generous folks at Macmillan.  Thank you!

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If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for subject matter that's most appropriate for readers over the age of 8

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Paper Chains from the generous folks at HarperCollins.  Thank you! 

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Ever since they were randomly assigned to be roommates at a summer camp for teens interested in medicine, Zadie Anson and Emma Colley have been best friends.  Although their backgrounds and personalities differ, they've always gotten each other.  Their bond has only strengthened over the years as they pushed through med school together, got married, had children, and now juggle the demands of medical careers and motherhood.  No matter how busy their lives get, Zadie and Emma always make time for each other.

The women's contented lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, are upended when a former colleague moves to town.  Chief resident while Zadie and Emma were in med school, Dr. Nick Xenokostas was the handsome hotshot who turned everyone's heads.  Zadie fell under his spell, a mistake that led to a heart-rending tragedy that broke more than just her heart.  The last person she ever wants to see again is the infamous Dr. X.  Emma's still furious with him as well.  She couldn't protect Zadie from him 12 years ago—this time she'll stop at nothing to shield her best friend from his egotistical manipulation.  And from the secret she's been hiding since med school.  

When the truth about what really happened during Zadie and Emma's third year of med school comes out, what will happen to a friendship that's been rock-solid from its beginning?  Will the women's lives ever be the same again?

As a former ER fan girl, I still find myself drawn to hospital dramas from time to time.  The Queen of Hearts, a debut novel by Kimmery Martin—an emergency medicine doctor herself—seemed intriguing enough to keep my attention.  Seemed being the operative word here.  Although there's plenty of potential action in the novel, Martin spends so much time describing everything and everyone that the first 3/4 of the story just drags along, veering here, there, and everywhere.  It doesn't help that none of the central characters are very likable.  Zadie, Emma, and Dr. X are all immature, self-centered, and annoying, which makes it difficult to care what happens to any of them.  The novel's Big Reveal is pretty obvious from the get-go, so even the tale's finale seems anticlimactic and silly.  I did read to the end (just to confirm what I already knew, I guess), but honestly, The Queen of Hearts felt like a long, dull slog to me.  The book gets rave reviews on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads, so I'm in the minority once again.  That's okay—different strokes for different folks and all that.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me a little of He Said She Said by Jane Casey)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a dozen or so F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, blood/gore, and sexual content

To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of The Queen of Hearts from the generous folks at Berkley (an imprint of Penguin Random House).  Thank you!

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated: