Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.81 AVERAGE
3.81 AVERAGE
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Maybe 2.5 stars? Because one story was good.
It is told in two time periods, 1913 and 1993.
1913 is an interesting story and a really interesting character going through tough changes in her life and the world around her.
1993 was...weird. It felt like a goofy romantic comedy. If these were written as two completely unrelated books, I would have been much happier. Because the contrast was so jarring to me.
The 93 character, Sadie, was very boring to me. She had no real personality. It felt like she was supposed to be quirky, but it fell so flat. It was the most generic, cookie-cutter quirky ever. "Librarian dresses in vintage clothes and good to punk rock clubs "
It might have worked if there was any depth to her at all. Like ANYTHING to make you feel like this is a real person, but I didn't get any of that.
And all the silliness of the chasing criminals and going undercover was like a cheesy romantic comedy.
Which I would 100% read. I don't think I would have liked it as much as others, but it's totally my jam.
And the connection at the end? Wow. That was...not for me. Again, super cheesy and goofy.
Which is too bad, because the 1913 stuff was engaging and made sense and had a character with real issues.
It almost feels like the author watched dramatic TV shows about that time period and wrote about it in a serious way.
But also watched cheesy 90s movies to learn about what the world was like in the 90s. I loved on the 90s. I grew up in the 90s. We weren't the movies.
The reveal for the 1913 was fine. Not amazing, but it worked.
The reveal for 1993 was, as I said, really cheesy.
I'm not an author, but I kinda wish we had a longer book about the 1913 stuff, and maybe just an epilogue where we find out Harry is alive and he comes back and reveals the truth. Like, 20 pages take place in 1993.
And maybe get someone else to write the goofy library mystery where the detective and the Librarian fall in love. But give this author credit for the cute idea.
It is a good story idea, but she seems better with drama. I don't want her to stop trying romantic comedies. Because I do love them. So keep at it!
It is told in two time periods, 1913 and 1993.
1913 is an interesting story and a really interesting character going through tough changes in her life and the world around her.
1993 was...weird. It felt like a goofy romantic comedy. If these were written as two completely unrelated books, I would have been much happier. Because the contrast was so jarring to me.
The 93 character, Sadie, was very boring to me. She had no real personality. It felt like she was supposed to be quirky, but it fell so flat. It was the most generic, cookie-cutter quirky ever. "Librarian dresses in vintage clothes and good to punk rock clubs "
It might have worked if there was any depth to her at all. Like ANYTHING to make you feel like this is a real person, but I didn't get any of that.
And all the silliness of the chasing criminals and going undercover was like a cheesy romantic comedy.
Which I would 100% read. I don't think I would have liked it as much as others, but it's totally my jam.
And the connection at the end? Wow. That was...not for me. Again, super cheesy and goofy.
Which is too bad, because the 1913 stuff was engaging and made sense and had a character with real issues.
It almost feels like the author watched dramatic TV shows about that time period and wrote about it in a serious way.
But also watched cheesy 90s movies to learn about what the world was like in the 90s. I loved on the 90s. I grew up in the 90s. We weren't the movies.
The reveal for the 1913 was fine. Not amazing, but it worked.
The reveal for 1993 was, as I said, really cheesy.
I'm not an author, but I kinda wish we had a longer book about the 1913 stuff, and maybe just an epilogue where we find out Harry is alive and he comes back and reveals the truth. Like, 20 pages take place in 1993.
And maybe get someone else to write the goofy library mystery where the detective and the Librarian fall in love. But give this author credit for the cute idea.
It is a good story idea, but she seems better with drama. I don't want her to stop trying romantic comedies. Because I do love them. So keep at it!
This was reasonably engaging but so much of it was improbable, particularly in the modern timeline (side note: the dual-timeline format in historical fiction feels so formulaic and done to death). The last quarter of the book seemed to borrow heavily from Scooby Doo, which pulled it down from 3.5 stars)
Part historical fiction, part mystery novel set in the NYC public library. I liked both of the storylines (1913, 1993) and found popping back and forth in time easy to follow. Great ending where the loose ends were all tied up nicely.
Fiona Davis's stories always center around a building in NYC, and this intriguing mystery takes place between the NYPL lions on Fifth Avenue. Named Patience and Fortitude in the 1990s setting, the lions are still called Leo Astor and Leo Lenox in the 1930s. Learning the history of this building, and the fact that people actually lived in the library itself, was fascinating.
Usually when books have multiple characters telling the story, I find myself drawn to one character over the other. I end up rushing through the parts narrated by my least favorite in order to get to the good parts. That didn't happen with this book, as both Sadie and Laura are compelling characters. That's the great thing about this book; I didn't find myself as the reader wanting to get back to the other storyline. Both women have their own hopes, passions, and flaws.
Parts of the mystery were predictable, but there were elements that were surprising as well. I always like it when I don't have the whole thing figured out before the conclusion is revealed. I would recommend this title to fans of historical fiction and mysteries and women's fiction. Also recommended for die-hard fans of NYC and libraries.
I received an electronic ARC through Netgalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Full review here: https://guenevol.wixsite.com/novelmaven/post/lions-of-fifth-avenue
Usually when books have multiple characters telling the story, I find myself drawn to one character over the other. I end up rushing through the parts narrated by my least favorite in order to get to the good parts. That didn't happen with this book, as both Sadie and Laura are compelling characters. That's the great thing about this book; I didn't find myself as the reader wanting to get back to the other storyline. Both women have their own hopes, passions, and flaws.
Parts of the mystery were predictable, but there were elements that were surprising as well. I always like it when I don't have the whole thing figured out before the conclusion is revealed. I would recommend this title to fans of historical fiction and mysteries and women's fiction. Also recommended for die-hard fans of NYC and libraries.
I received an electronic ARC through Netgalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Full review here: https://guenevol.wixsite.com/novelmaven/post/lions-of-fifth-avenue
Enjoyed this book more than The Magnolia Palace. I liked the historical fiction about the New York Public Library, rare books, and the parallel timelines. Read most of this in one sitting as I was enraptured by the plot and theft of the books.
Thank you NetGalley for the eARC of The Lions of Fifth Avenue.
I think because I am not able to travel right now, I have become obsessed about reading books about places I long to visit. Upon the recommendation of author Kristin Tubb, I started reading this because it is about the New York Public Library. Tubb has also had a series of books about the New York Public Library recently, which I also thoroughly enjoyed.
I am generally a reader on a mission. I am trying to get through books to get to the end. This was not the case with the Lions of Fifth Avenue. I savored each page and did not want the book to end. The characters were so vivid in my imagination and I thoroughly loved spending time with them. I especially liked Sadie as she reminded me so much of myself. I reveled in watching her grow as the story progressed.
Overall, this book was so enjoyable because the author did a fabulous job with the plot. The story moved along so smoothly, even jumping from one time period to another. The mystery surrounding the family was enthralling. Of course, having the story set at one of the most famous libraries in the world and getting a glimpse into the inner workings made it that much better. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good mystery and loves the library.
I think because I am not able to travel right now, I have become obsessed about reading books about places I long to visit. Upon the recommendation of author Kristin Tubb, I started reading this because it is about the New York Public Library. Tubb has also had a series of books about the New York Public Library recently, which I also thoroughly enjoyed.
I am generally a reader on a mission. I am trying to get through books to get to the end. This was not the case with the Lions of Fifth Avenue. I savored each page and did not want the book to end. The characters were so vivid in my imagination and I thoroughly loved spending time with them. I especially liked Sadie as she reminded me so much of myself. I reveled in watching her grow as the story progressed.
Overall, this book was so enjoyable because the author did a fabulous job with the plot. The story moved along so smoothly, even jumping from one time period to another. The mystery surrounding the family was enthralling. Of course, having the story set at one of the most famous libraries in the world and getting a glimpse into the inner workings made it that much better. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a good mystery and loves the library.