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The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Aby Waxman

 

What's inside my bag in recent days


The only child of a single mother, Nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book.
 
When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They're all—or mostly all—excited to meet her! She'll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It's a disaster! And as if that wasn't enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis, has turned out to be cute, funny, and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn't he realize what a terrible idea that is?
 
Nina considers her options.
1. Completely change her name and appearance. (Too drastic, plus she likes her hair.)
2. Flee to a deserted island. (Hard pass, see: coffee).
3. Hide in a corner of her apartment and rock back and forth. (Already doing it.)
 
It's time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn't convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It's going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor, and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page.

***

Title : The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

Author : Abbi Waxman

Year Published : July 2019

Publisher : Berkley

Genre : Chicklit, Romance, Comedy


I saw the book is read by Reese Witherspoon and decided to buy it during Black Friday last November. Fifteen days later, the book has arrived. A week later, I decided to read it.

 I am looking forward to reading the Bookish Life of Nina Hill because Reese never goes wrong, the cover is catchy and warm, and of course, it is because of a story of a bookish. I voted that every bookish somehow related to Nina.

I am hooked from the beginning. Nina Hill is a witty, funny, and introvert-every one's protagonist. She is working in a bookstore namely the Knight together with witty boss-and owner Liz, and actress turn to bookkeeper, Polly.


The setting is in Los Angeles, a city of artistic people live, and a dreamland for many actresses. 


But Nina Hill, our introverted hero has a calm life. Her activities are chronically written in her journal. She has a 'Have to do' list and very compliant with it. She lives alone in her apartment, only accompanied by her cat. Her mother travels around the world, and she never knows her Father. She was practically raised by her Nanny.


One day, her calm life stumbled when a lawyer comes to her bookshop, and inform her about a family-from her father that live not far from her. Meanwhile, she likes her opponent in the trivia quiz. A boy named Tom who tall and handsome, but maybe not have loved to read like her. A big loss point. 


The thing is Nina has anxiety. When it is too much for her, she will shut herself alone in the apartment. A family and potential love life? Is it too much for her?


I said that the early chapter is promising. We can get a glimpse of Nina's character and I like how the author describes Los Angeles in detail and exact portion. But when we met with Nina's circle, I feel like they have the same characters- quirky with a goofy sense of humor. Then it is expanded to her new family, it feels they have the same characters also.


The story is easy to follow and I enjoy the process, but some parts feel like chopped suddenly.  For example ; she likes Tom. She has anxiety but not shy-type. Then they meet again and decide to fall in love with him. When something goes wrong, she suddenly rejects Tom.  Even when she has an anxiety attack and reject Tom. A couple of days later, she went to work and decide to text Tom. I am missing the process.

The New-founded Family feels similar to the Princess Diary story, yet different. A money and extended-strange family suddenly fall from the sky.  

Then, somehow I feel there are not enough dialogues (Okay maybe this is same problem with the chopped part). The description parts are stellar. But dialogues are minimum only limited to how quirky every one exchanging subtle and dark humor.

The ending is predictable but that's a romcom, they always have an ideal ending. 

Apart from the characterization and the depth of each process, I have no complaints, especially how relatable Nina's character as a bookish. 

It is a pleasant read, I enjoyed it though there are some parts that didn't feels deep for me.

So, this book wrapped my last read in 2020!


See you next year!

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