The Bookish Life of Nina Hill Book Review
Book Summary:
“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.”
Publication Date:
July 9th, 2019
Book Genre:
Contemporary /Satire Fiction
My Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Review:
Overview:
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill is a quirky and humorous read, perfect for your summer beach bag. Author Abbi Waxman introduces us to a woman named Nina, who has lived a quiet life filled with predictability and routine.
She works at a bookstore, enjoys trivia nights and struggles with many social situations. She is happy with the simplicity and life she has lived for so long when an out of the blue communication disrupts her world. She receives news that she has a whole side of her family she previously had no idea about. Her life gets flipped upside down and a little messy and an entirely new cast of characters enter’s Nina’s previously peaceful bubble.
Smart Humor & Intimacy
Waxman walks us through Nina’s transition with smart humor, witty dialogue and a level of intimacy that many other bookish readers will connect and relate with. Nina says what she thinks, and isn’t afraid to be herself. She struggles with change, and we get to walk along this path with her. The other characters in the book were enjoyable to connect with, and I especially loved meeting Mr. Phil, her feline sidekick.
Love Story…
While there are elements of romance, the most significant part of this story for me was the growth and change Nina experienced in her relationship with herself. She has a love interest, and some may be disappointed that this isn’t the highlight of the book, but as a reader, I enjoyed that this was only a smaller part of the storyline and this book was indeed about Nina’s personal journey and growth.
We get to watch Nina come into her own, experience ups and downs, and adapt to a new life and the people that are now in it. I loved that Waxman was able to address Nina’s insecurities and struggles with anxiety, and not only was this relatable but also inspiring as we watched her come out of her comfort zone. There was a beautiful mix of dry humor and a feel-good storyline.
Blog Tour with Berkley Publishing & A Giveaway!
I loved having the opportunity to read an advanced copy of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, and I am excited to partner with Berkley Publishing to provide a copy to one of you! You can click on over to my Instagram @genthebookworm for a chance to enter this giveaway.
Thank you @Berkley Pub for including me in this Blog Tour and for providing me with a copy to review.
Aww, love this review, Gen! The way you described the intimacy is so true!
Thank you so much! SO happy you loved it too. <3