Steph L
Written on Aug 22, 2020
Instant USA Today bestseller!
“Abbi Waxman is both irreverent and thoughtful.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin
“Meet our bookish millennial heroine—a modern-day Elizabeth Bennet, if you will… Waxman’s wit and wry humor stand out. She is funny and imaginative, and “Bookish” lands a step above run-of-the-mill romantic comedy fare.”—The Washington Post
“Abbi Waxman offers up a quirky, eccentric romance that will charm any bookworm…. For anyone who’s ever wondered if their greatest romance might come between the pages of books they read, Waxman offers a heartwarming tribute to that possibility.”--Entertainment Weekly
The author of Other People’s Houses and The Garden of Small Beginnings delivers a quirky and charming novel chronicling the life of confirmed introvert Nina Hill as she does her best to fly under everyone's radar.
Meet Nina Hill: A young woman supremely confident in her own...shell.
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.
- ISBN10 0451491874
- ISBN13 9780451491879
- Publish Date 9 July 2019
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Publisher Penguin Putnam Inc
- Imprint Berkley Publishing Corporation,U.S.
- Format Paperback (US Trade)
- Pages 352
- Language English
- URL https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780451491879
Reviews
Jyc
Written on Jan 31, 2020
★★★☆ // this character feels both archetypal and relatable. i find that this is the life that i’ll probably choose if i didn’t have... responsibilities. and i don’t mean that in a condescending way. it would be so peaceful and fulfilling to live your life surrounded with the absolute best thing you love, and to use this as a way to connect with more people. i didn’t find Tom necessary to the story, to be honest. i feel like this book would still work without him, and that it would be even better if it was focused solely on Nina’s reconnection with a family she didn’t know and getting to know her father, even if it’s just through anecdotes and stories. she was a lonely character looking for a home—a place to belong—and this extended family feels like the right place to be. still, it was an enjoyable read all throughout. gained a couple of (unsolicited) advice that i will forever treasure.
”I’m not saying you shouldn’t be alone; there’s a lot to be said for it. But if you’re choosing to be alone because you’re scared of other people, resist that fear. Trust people with your truth, and bravely tell them you’re not brave at all.”
maggiefan
Written on Oct 2, 2019
"She looked up at him.
“Do you read books?”
He frowned. “Sure. Occasionally.”
“Good books?”
“Well, books I think are good.”
“Have you read Jane Austen?”
“No.”
“Kurt Vonnegut?”
“No.”
“Truman Capote?”
“No.”
His face was blank, but she could see he was getting vaguely irritated by this line of questioning."
Come on... I would ignore a person if they told me something like that. I guess we should crown Tom for being so patient with her. And for carrying the entire book on his shoulders, it must be hard.
Also, the synopsis made me think that we will see Nina communicating with her family A LOT. Guess I was fooled, it's fine.
I received the digital arc from Edelweiss+ in exchange for an honest review.
bookperson
Written on Sep 18, 2019
jesstheaudiobookworm
Written on Aug 2, 2019
I knew I was going to love The Bookish Life of Nina Hill before I even started it. I mean, it has the word "bookish" in it. That's a guaranteed win. What I wasn't expecting was how much I would relate to Nina. No joke- Reading this felt like reading my own diary (I don't keep one, but still...). Why yes, I have canceled plans in order to stay home with a good book. And yes, I do pretend that my cat speaks with a British accent. And...Wait a minute, has Abbi Waxman and spying on me?!
Seriously, though. I don't think I've ever related to a character in a book this hard. It upped my enjoyment of the book tenfold, but it also increased my anxiety (something else Nina and I share) because I was worried someone or something would hurt Nina and I would feel it even more deeply. I don't know how to logically explain that, but such is the nature of anxiety.
Don't pick this up expecting a lot of fast-paced action, though. Nina doesn't roll that way. It takes a little while to even see where the story is going, but I was happily along for the ride, like a Sunday drive. Self-proclaimed "Book Nerds" will adore The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, no doubt. The only thing I felt was missing what is Nina's opinion on audiobooks. I have to wonder what she thinks of them. There was a little throwaway comment about turning the bookstore she works at into an all audiobook store, but that was [unfortunately] in jest.
The romance was minimal and adorable. I liked Tom, but not necessarily his response to Nina's panic attack. He seems more of the "smothering with love" type and that's not what Nina needed in that moment. His butthurt response to her telling him that was childish and I don't think she should've had to apologize for it, but whatever. I do think that Tom will ultimately be a good thing for Nina.
I really do hope Waxman writes a sequel, perhaps one involving Nina's mother. I feel like there's a lot left to be explored there and they have an interesting dynamic. I also really loved how under dramatized Nina's family drama was. It made it feel so much more realistic and not overly-sensationalized. Lydia, in particular, grew on me.
The Bookish Life of Nina Hill is the perfect book for book lovers. It's filled with bookish references and fantasies (wall-to-wall bookshelves, anyone?). Plus, as a trivia buff, Nina throws around fantastic pieces of trivia like confetti and I learned so many neat factoids from her I have already begun tossing around myself. This really was the most bookish story imaginable and I fell head over heels for it from the beginning because it was so stinking cute.
Narration review: I have heard Emily Rankin narrate before, but not for a while. Her performance in The Bookish Life of Nina Hill was excellent. Her pacing and comedic timing were both en pointe and she hit all the right notes to make Nina come alive, not only in my head, but in my heart as well. The tone of her voice was warm and soothing, perfect for characterizing Bookish Nina. I could just picture her curled up in a nook with a book or planning her day out while sipping a cup of tea. Rankin's performance was so moving that I overwhelmingly recommend this audiobook to all book lovers and audiobook listeners alike. ♣︎
Sam@WLABB
Written on Jun 17, 2019
As soon as Nina avowed her love for books and for being alone, I knew I found a kindred spirit. I feel like a lot of people will relate to Nina in some way. She's just that type of character.
There was just something about Nina, that made me want to get to know her better. She was witty and sarcastic, and her inner monologues provided an incredible amount of amusement for me. I found myself so charmed by this unapologetic introvert, that I just had to inhale the book whole.
But, it wasn't just Nina, who won my heart. The book was packed with a slew of quirky and fantastic characters. Her co-workers, her quiz teammates, and her new found family all contributed to the my overall enjoyment. Their rapport and interactions kept a smile on my face, and I just couldn't get enough of their antics.
Things I loved!
• The book shop was such a wonderful and fun place.
• The quiz nights made me eager to test my own knowledge
• Phil was a fantastic pet sidekick for Nina
• I had nothing but love for Peter. He pushed Nina a bit, but was always there to support her.
• Tom was a doll, and I easily shipped him and Nina
• Waxman overtly and secretly worked so many amazing references into this book. There were quite a few sly ones that made me smile.
This book kept me smiling and happy from the beginning to the very end, and that's an experience that is priceless to me. To sum it up in three adjectives: fun, heartwarming, and endearing.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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kimbacaffeinate
Written on May 27, 2019
Waxman paints realistic, quirky characters I love. Nina Hill is no exception. She plans her days with a journal. Thursday evenings are her favorite. In the planner she writes Nothing from 6pm to 10pm. She eats dinner, changes into her pajamas, grabs her warmed-up socks and reads in her comfy chair. We could be besties. Nina suffers from anxiety, loves trivia, movies and scheduling her life. She also has conversations with her cat Phil.
In the Bookish Life of Nina Hill, this only child suddenly discovers she has siblings, nieces and nephews. All of this comes about when she discovers she has a father, or rather had a father. Nina isn’t entirely sure how to handle all this and then there is her trivia nemesis Tom. Who smells like wood and doesn’t like to read? Whose smile curls her toes. Life is confusing and the tale that unfolds made me laugh aloud, swoon, swipe a tear and connect with Nina on so many levels.
If you’ve ever experienced an anxiety attacks, keep lists, love books, quote movies and embrace your inner introvert you will adore Nina Hill.
Family, love, taking chances and most of all being you are key themes throughout this charming story. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
layawaydragon
Written on May 4, 2019
I connected with Nina and her small comfortable life like mine. But the family issues does a Hallmark about face full of kumbaya and fulfillment that just rubs me the wrong way.
I felt so seen when Nina had her attack and had to tell him to leave. But then he ghosted and she had to confront him, make the romantic declaration and win him back?? Fuck that.
The middle sagged. The big reveal about LI's job felt stupid and contrived.
So...
Leigha
Written on Jan 13, 2019
Nina has the perfectly planned life until an unexpected death leaves her with more than she ever imagined.
With a fun cover and interesting synopsis, this book should have blown me out of the water. It didn’t. I wanted to love it so much so perhaps my expectations were a little too high going into this novel. That’s not to say it’s a bad story. With delightful interactions between characters and a focus on relationships (romance, friendships, family), it reminded me a lot of Pride and Prejudice. It’s very much a slice of life story set in a charming suburb of Los Angeles.
My biggest issue with The Bookish Life of Nina Hill is the point-of-view. Written in third person omniscience, it did a poor job connecting genuine emotion and personal drive to the characters. I knew most of the character’s inner thoughts, but their personal journeys never came close to engaging me. Not connecting to any of the characters, including the titular Nina, meant I never really connected to the story.
tl;dr A shallow slice-of-life story with not enough emotional impact to keep me truly entertained.