Monday Funday and "Solitude of a Birdcage" by Brielle Skye

Helloooooo, beautiful readers! Are there any readers out there? I don't know, but whoever is reading this, HI. It's a humid Monday here in Connecticut, and I've spent the day in an air-conditioned office. There was lots of downtime to read today, though- and I got a chance to finish my advanced copy of "Solitude of a Birdcage," graciously bestowed upon me by the fantastic publisher to review. And, alas, here are my thoughts on the book. :)

Maxie Shannon is a girl with a dark past and a bright future. The orphaned dancer-turned-chef shares an apartment with her best-friend-turned sister, Savannah (Van). Seems simple enough, right? Wrong. Maxie is secretly carrying on an intense, passionate love affair with Van's boyfriend, Isaac. Isaac is subjected to a terrible violent attack, causing him to lose his memory of the past year and a half, leading to the love, missteps, and new discoveries that take place within the novel. Does Maxie follow her head of her heart? Does she choose the one person she's always had or the man she's fallen deeply, madly in love with?

I was slightly hesitant when picking up this book. Don't get me wrong, I (not-so) secretly love chick lit. But I tend to be wary of cheesy romances incorporating a man's loss of memory in which women need to compete to reclaim his heart. I did, however, find this story completely enthralling. Once I finished the first few chapters, I couldn't stop reading. I went about my day, anxious to return to my book and find out what had happened with Maxie and the gang. The language, plotline, and character development were incredibly well-executed!

I got through about 3/4 of the book, completely ga-ga over Isaac, the main love story. However, I soon realized how strange and manipulating he was. As a feminist, I kind of wound up taking issue with the way that Isaac played with both Maxie and Van. Similarly, consent lines were definitely blurred- in certain scenes I took issue with Maxie saying no to Isaac, but him continuing his advances. Although she was totally into him and wanted to be with him, he still should have respected that "no." Along the same consent lines, dear readers, be aware if you may be triggered by mentions of sexual assault. Definitely not a huge plotline or subject in the novel, but there are a few points that you may want to watch out for!

In total, I'd give the book 3 stars. Definitely a great, quick read- I will definitely buy the other books in the series when they come out. If you're interested in the book, it will be out on September 13, 2014! Find out more at Brielle's website here.



Have a great night! xoxoxox Abby