Book review: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill
" 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."
~ From Goodreads ~
This was such a cute and hilarious book. It was especially fun because it was an audiobook. A simple, happy life of an introvert book lover who loves people, but cannot be with them in large doses.
She is organized, is a stationery freak, and is an adorable young woman who just discovers that she has a pretty large family, while she is in her late 20s. She pushes away the people in her life because she gets anxious and likes to be alone. So imagine her situation. I was hyperventilating just at the thought of the number of people she will have to meet and greet!
Weekly quiz nights introduces her to her new boyfriend. The internal turmoil of this young woman, who keeps her heart closely guarded and her mind always on alert, when faced with an overload of new characters in her life, is what this book is all about.
As you must have guessed, I identify with her a lot (Yes, even the adorable and young part). Maybe that is why I have given it 5 stars. I wish I had read something like this a long time ago and I wish I knew that it was okay to love books so much. The major difference is that she has a very good memory. She remembers all the details of the books that she reads. I used to be like that at one time. But now I just remember the feelings in books and not the specific details.
This is one of the reasons I started this blog. I wanted to be able to remember more details about books when I look back at these reviews years down the line.
Popsugar Reading Challenge 2021: A book with a family tree
Reading With Muffy: A Book where the title starts with "the"
This sounds like such a delightful book! I can relate to her as well - one to add to my TBR!
ReplyDeleteYou will enjoy it for sure.
DeleteI have read this one and loved Nina Hill with all my heart. I too identified with her a lot with the exception of an elephant's memory about facts. I am too a Feelings person and remember clearly how each one of my favourite books have made me feel. The most intense has been Forty Rules of Love by Eli Shafak in terms of feeling.
ReplyDeleteI have that book on my TBR this month. Cant wait to experience it.
DeleteI've heard about this one and am now going to make sure I get it, Jyothi. Thanks for the recommendation.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome.
DeleteWhat a beautiful and cute story. I am also organized and fond of stationary, I also wanted to open a book store or a library. This book has to be added on my TBR. Thanks for the review Jyothi.
ReplyDeleteI am happy you liked it.
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