Rachel of Hello, Chelly and I have teamed up to bring you a collaboration that involves two of my favorite things: New York City & food. Welcome to Table for Two, where the two of us will be highlighting places to eat in NYC! I'll be talking about Parm today, while Rachel features Angela's Ice Cream.

Where | Parm, 235 Columbus Ave., between 70th and 71st St., New York, NY 10023

Cuisine | Classic Italian-American food

Price | $$ Moderate

What We Ordered | Mozz sticks, chicken parm (on a roll), meatball parm (on a roll) and s'mores ice cream cake

I've wanted to visit Parm for some time now, ever since I came across an Instagram post featuring one of their sandwiches that looked incredibly delicious. I'm glad I chose this spot for dinner to kick off my birthday month, because it turned out to be a really delightful experience! I was surprised by the ambiance of the particular branch we visited (which had plenty of natural lighting to brighten up the interiors, really cute wallpaper and a cozy, casual set of tables and chairs). The food was incredibly tasty (particularly if you're a fan of cheese in general, as Rachel and I are) and reasonably priced (for the portion) in New York City. I would totally come back to fill that particular craving again sometime (and I'm still thinking about that meatball parm)!

Rating | 🥂🥂🥂 Really good

If you’re in the market for a fantasy series that 1) follows a female lead who finds strength in being uniquely herself and doing what she knows is right, 2) weaves political maneuverings and questions of morality with magical mayhem and well-established story lore, 3) includes all sorts of relationships, but particularly focuses on the family you choose and 4) has dragons, well, you should definitely be reading the Fallen Isles trilogy. 

Before She Ignites kicks off the series, and readers will follow Mira as she finds a way to survive and escape from her imprisonment in the most secure prison in all the Fallen Isles while also discovering why she was arrested in the first place. After their escape from prison, As She Ascends follows Mira and her companions as they journey to help the dragons, all while unraveling what’s really happening in the Fallen Isles. And When She Reigns, the final installment of the trilogy, is when all of the plot threads woven into the first two novels find their conclusion - the disappearances of dragons, the threat of the Great Abandonment, the political corruption and manipulation, Mira’s own journey towards finding her strength and her courage.

I loved When She Reigns so very much! While I do think Before She Ignites and As She Ascends are also really great stories in and of themselves and it is obviously absolutely necessary to read both in order to get to this series finale, I will tell you that this is my favorite book in this series and that I felt like it was such a satisfying end to Mira’s story. 

It is pretty incredible to see how much Mira has grown from the start of the series, particularly because she gets stronger in many different senses of that word. I loved the fact that, despite the fact that she’s clearly grown, she’s also still so very Mira and the things that make up the core of who she is really don’t change - she just finds ways to embrace her own circumstances and play to her own strengths. I also loved seeing her relationships with her family, her friends (and budding romance) and her enemies play out, because they were such interesting contrasts against one another and catalysts for Mira becoming who she is by the end of the novel.

I also really love the way the plot unfolds in When She Reigns. Everything is woven together so neatly - the threat of the Great Abandonment and the gods (the islands) one by one rising out of the sea, the political machinations and corruption that engineered mass chaos and destruction, Mira’s journey to save the Fallen Isles and the dragons. It was really cool to see how it all slotted together, to witness the (mostly painful, occasionally wonderful) way things played out and it was so compelling that I couldn’t put this one down until I hit the very end (which, by the way, took a turn I did not expect and I quite liked it).

Since I don’t want to venture into spoiler territory, that’s about as much as I can tell you about When She Reigns (until you read it, that is). But this series finale is a testament to this author’s ability to bring multidimensional characters and a compelling story to life, and I would truly recommend picking these books up and binge reading this series.

When She Reigns will be released on September 10, 2019 from Katherine Tegen Books.

I received an ARC copy from the author for review.

Elisabeth was left on the doorstep of one of the Great Libraries of Austermeer as a baby, and so has spent her life growing up among the powerful, magical grimoires kept within its walls and vaults. Her greatest aspiration is to become a warden, working for the protection of the kingdom and the tomes, up until the night a dangerous grimoire escapes and Elisabeth is implicated in the crime. When she is taken to the capital in order to face justice, Elisabeth finds herself in the center of a much bigger conspiracy that might just end the world. Together with young sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, his demonic servant and a couple of unexpected allies, Elisabeth will have to find a way to keep everything from falling apart.

Magical libraries? Powerful grimoires? Demonic companions? A group of ragtag allies banding together to save the world from impending doom? Honestly, Sorcery of Thorns immediately ticked my boxes with just these three elements of its premise alone… and it delivered a novel that went far beyond any of my actual expectations. I really loved reading this book and can foresee many other folks feeling the same way!

I was immediately taken in by the writing style, which was incredibly easy to sink into. This is my first experience with Margaret Rogerson’s work (confession: I skipped out on An Enchantment of Ravens on the recommendation of my friends), and it certainly won’t be my last. Rogerson made the settings come alive with just the right amount of detail, inviting readers to immerse themselves in this world and make themselves at home among these powerful tomes, mysterious townhouses and impressive facades. She also did brilliantly with her plot, revealing just enough with every chapter to guarantee that the reader will be rewarded with new information and intrigued enough to keep going. I loved her prose, found her storytelling extremely fluid and lyrical, and I devoured every single word with pleasure.

But what truly won me over was, in the end, the aspect of novels that tends to be the deciding factor in whether things are a hit or a miss for me: the characters. I didn’t particularly like the villain, as that individual came across as a bit generic in terms of his character, purpose and methodology. But otherwise, I really enjoyed a lot of the secondary characters, for sure, and they deserved to be mentioned for the fact that they were individuals that I could imagine with lives off the page and weren’t just convenient vehicles for certain events to transpire. The character highlights center around three characters: Silas, who I was immediately keen on and who happens to be an utter delight with his mannerisms and skill set; Nathaniel, the young, dashing, mysterious sorcerer who engages in witty commentary, ill-advised courses of action and efforts at heroics more than he would like; and Elisabeth, a clever, capable heroine with a deep abiding love for the libraries and a deep desire to do the right thing no matter the obstacles. I love these three so, so much, and being privy to their interactions and individual forays was a real treat from start to end.

I loved Sorcery of Thorns, friends. It had the feel of classic young adult fantasy, and it certainly didn’t shy away from employing tropes that many an avid fantasy reader will recognize. But the engaging storytelling, wonderfully crafted world and well-written characters blended together into a story that I absolutely adored. I think any fantasy readers (whether new to the genre or old hands at it) would enjoy this tale as much as I did, and I’m already looking forward to my inevitable reread of this standalone fantasy read.

Sorcery of Thorns was released on June 4, 2019 from Margaret K. McElderry Books.
I received an ARC copy from the publisher for review.

Cassie is a female firefighter who has properly carved out a place for herself at her station and with her crew. On the night she’s meant to receive a commendation, everything changes when she has an aggressive encounter with a horrible ex. The only solution to the unexpected turn her life has taken? To accept the opportunity to relocate to another firehouse… that also happens to be closer to her estranged mother, who has requested that she come and stay for a year to help her out. Overall, Things You Save in a Fire was a decent read. Center did a commendable job depicting the life of a firefighter (and particularly a female firefighter) in a fascinating way. The themes explored – especially love and forgiveness – were equally interesting and inspired some food for thought. But I did struggle with getting into the narration style, which goes hand in hand with my difficulty in clicking with Cassie’s personality. The pacing was also uneven; the first 70% feels even-keeled only to be followed by the 30% that felt like a very dramatic series finale (and this is something that personally does not do it for me). While Things You Save in a Fire is not a new personal favorite, it was a diverting and quick read.

Would you relocate for a job? If yes, where? I love living in New York, so I'm inclined to say no. But, if I were going to make an exception, it would be if I could move to London or Tokyo AND had the ability to work remotely.

Things You Save in a Fire will be released on August 13, 2019 from St. Martin's Press.

I received an e-galley from the publisher via NetGalley.

Willa, Taylor and Finley had always planned to spend the summer after senior year sailing from Ohio to Key West. But when Finley dies before graduation, Willa and Taylor are left with a sailboat and a list of clues from Finley to lead them to different destinations along the way. As they sail together, the girls will have two months to learn how life works without Finley in it – and perhaps, find out more about themselves and their friendship along the way. Start Here immediately made it on to my radar, not only because it’s a Trish Doller novel, but also because it’s the story of a summer spent traveling on a sailboat. In true Doller storytelling fashion, it was an enjoyable, easy read. I loved reading about their summer adventure, from their attempts to follow Finley’s list, the peaks and pitfalls of their trip and the complicated nuances of their friendship. The novel could have benefited from being a touch longer, as this would have allowed for further character development. This, in turn, would potentially encourage a stronger emotional investment in the characters, which is something that I unfortunately lacked as I read. Despite this, I’d still recommend checking out Start Here. It’s definitely a good choice if you’re in the market for a quick summer read! 

What is the next place I want to travel to with Rachel? We do have a few ideas as to where we'd like to go on vacation together in the future! One of those places is Prince Edward Island, which has been on our list (and our friend Hannah's!) for a couple of years. It would be pretty epic for us as big fans of Anne of Green Gables...

Start Here will be released on August 13, 2019 from Simon Pulse.

I received an e-galley from the publisher via NetGalley.

Nina Hill is perfectly pleased with her comfortable life: employment at her local bookstore (including running their many book clubs), trivia competitions and movies, morning with her planner and nights blocked off for reading. It only takes one event to turn her life upside down: learning that her father has named her in his will alongside all the members of the rather large and unusual family that she’s never met. As Nina navigates all the new twists life is throwing her way, she might just learn to accept that life isn’t always going to happen according to plan. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill is a book I did enjoy, particularly because of Nina, who felt incredibly relatable to me on a personal level. Waxman does well in incorporating details that bring Nina and her world to life – the trivia nights, Nina’s penchant for organization and vision boards, her deep love of books and reading, the personalities of Nina’s extended family members and friends. The only thing that I didn’t love was the writing style. It felt very detached and impersonal, though that did improve a little bit in the second half of the story. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill is a charming, feel good contemporary story, and I’m ultimately glad I read it.

What kind of trivia night would you be good at? If we were competing regarding Disney movie songs or characters, I think I'd be a good team member to have!

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill was released on July 9, 2019 from Berkley Books.
I received an ARC from the publisher for review.

Amelia Linehan finds her entire life derailed when the liver condition she's had since birth has a flare-up severe enough to land her in the hospital. As she waits for her chance at an organ transplant, Amelia grapples with the physical and emotional ramifications of her condition and its bearing on her life and future. Don't let the seriousness of the bones of this tale fool you - The Arrival of Someday is an emotionally intense read that reduced me to tears more than once, but it managed to delight and surprise me along the way.  Malone impressed me with her compelling take on what it is like for a teen to have to come to terms with a disease that affects their whole life. Her portrayal of how difficult it is to toe the line between optimistic and realistic, to not want your disease to define you, to dealing with the fear of the unknown - these things definitely added to the novel's raw emotional edge. Malone also took the time to flesh out secondary characters and Amelia's core relationships, allowing readers to see how each person who loved Amelia was affected by and reacted to this new development in her condition. Heartfelt, emotional and compelling, The Arrival of Someday was well worth the read (though you need to be prepared to experience heavy-hitting emotional ups and downs, especially if you've personally experienced a loved one having a life-threatening medical condition). 

Were you part of any competitive team events, athletic or otherwise, in high school? There was a very, very brief time when I was part of the swim team during our sports festival. But aside from that, I can't say that I was into competitive team activities!

The Arrival of Someday was released on July 23, 2019 from Harper Teen.
I received an e-galley from the publisher via Edelweiss.