Cover Image: The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill

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Member Reviews

This book was such a pleasant surprise. A quick, fun read that most book lovers will enjoy!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

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I received an advanced reader's copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Nina Hill is happiest when she is completely alone (except for her very opinionated cat, Phil) and surrounded by books, and has absolutely no desire to change her current situation. She grew up making fictional friends from her stories and was raised on the belief that her mother was the only family she had. Then, with no warning, she is told that not only does she have a father who has just passed away, but she has inherited a family that's so large and complicated, charts and diagrams are a necessity.

"The Bookish Life of Nina Hill" is escapism at it's very best. Rather than suffering through the dreary cold around me, I was able to escape with Nina to an LA neighborhood full of delightful characters, a charming bookstore, and the cutthroat world of competitive trivia. The author, Abbi Waxman, excellently created a unique internal voice for Nina that had me cracking up and commiserating with her choice comparisons (many of which are book themed!). There were a few conflicts that Nina had to face including her new family, new love interest, and the future of the bookstore. Waxman's portrayal of Nina and all of the emotions she had to face was completely relatable for me as a reader, and it was wonderful to socially anxious book lovers so lovingly portrayed! This book is perfect for book lovers and fans of "Well Met" and "The Hating Game." Good to know: This is a "closed door" romance, which means that the steaminess happens behind the scenes.

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I loved this bookish book about a bookish bookworm! As someone who identifies with some of the anxiety and inwardness of Nina Hill, I was impressed that this book hit on some deeper themes. I always like a romance thrown in when it's not the sole action going on in the book, so I appreciated the family story line as well. I would love to see this go to screen.

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I have recently read a hand full of "bookish" themed books. What I love the most about these types of books is that the main character shares my love for books. So, I can usually relate to the character. Plus, I love a good story that takes place in a book store. Thus I was looking forward to reading this book.

This time it did not work the best. Not to say that this book was bad as it wasn't. It was just not a rock star. Nina was kind and a true introvert. As I do think a lot of bibliophile bookworms like me are. Therefore, I could understand Nina's feelings about being excited to learn she had many relatives but at the same time overwhelmed that they want to include her in parties and such.

While, I did not "love" this book, I would read another book from this author. We do need more Nina's in the world.

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Nina Hill, self-proclaimed introvert & trivia nerd, wouldn't be at all surprised if she learned that her sole purpose here on Earth was to read as many books as possible. And while Nina does spend a significant percentage of her time reading, she also has the rest of her life timed down to the minute, thanks to her trusty planner.

Her life is filled with all of the things she loves. There's her trivia team, and her work at the bookstore. There's movie nights out with friends, and nights spent in with her cat, reading in her PJs. And then there's that cute guy on the rival trivia team - Tom. Just how does he fit into Nina's life?

But Nina has an even greater surprise coming because the father she never knew she had has just passed away, leaving Nina - an only child - with a slew of brothers and sisters. What's an introverted girl to do with all of these new people?!

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman is one of those novels that readers will love, and it's not hard to guess why - when you love books, you love characters who love books! And Nina Hill surely loves (and knows) books. Albeit quirky and not for everyone, Nina's introverted, bookish life is both fascinating and satisfying. Nina, who finds great comfort in her books, friends, hobbies, and cat seems to live a charmed life, which sets this novel up with major rom-com vibes, a la You've Got Mail and other similar movies.

Nina's unexpected (and large) family is another facet of this story, although not exactly a necessary one. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill stands well on its own, solely being about an introverted woman navigating young adulthood. Nina's newfound relatives serve more to teach readers more about Nina than they do to further the plot, in my opinion.

Readers who love feel-good stories about independent young women living vibrant lives in dynamic communities will enjoy The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, which has all of the aforementioned characteristics along with a meet-cute romance and some family secrets thrown into the mix.

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This turned out to be the perfect choice as my August TBR List winner (thanks to everyone who voted!). It was funny and touching without being overly sweet. I knew from the first paragraph I would enjoy The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, and I was right. Nina is pretty settled into her routine and life. She works in a bookstore, including leading a couple of book clubs, has a cat, loves to read, and is on a trivia team. She likes to keep as busy as possible, afraid of her own thoughts, and plans just about every second of the day. Her life is turned upside down when she discovers her father she never knew has died and included her in his will. Not only that, but she evidently has a rather big family that are just surprised to learn about her as she is about them. While some are happier to meet her than others, she isn’t sure how she feels. Add to that the cute guy from a rival trivia team who has taken an interest in her and who she reluctantly likes back. Nina’s orderly life is suddenly disrupted, and she isn’t sure if she can handle it.

Nina is smart and sarcastic, and I just loved her character. As someone who suffers from anxiety, I could relate to Nina on many levels. She likes organization and having things planned out. She is not one for surprises or spontaneity. At least not the big kind. I enjoyed the pop culture and literary references that were woven into the novel. Waxman was able to make Larchmont in Los Angeles feel like a small town, and in many ways it is similar to one. I enjoyed getting to know all of Nina’s new relatives right alongside Nina, and I really liked Tom. I especially liked how he accepted Nina for who she is—quirks and all. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill may be a bit predictable at times, but it is a comforting sort of predictable. This was such an enjoyable and fun book to read.

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The Bookish Life of Nina Hill was an O.K. book. It was about a rather plain girl, Nina, that worked in a bookstore and ran multiple book clubs. She is bright but a little socially awkward. Girl meets boy. Girl and boy like each other but girl must work through her awkwardness.... Again, the book was O.K. but did not grab me or make me want to keep reading to find out how it ended.

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It's hard to go from the only child of a mostly absent mother to one of a large and diverse family. When the father she never knew dies, he pulls Nina into a family she isn't ready for. She likes to be in control. She wants to call the shots, not some father who never was there. She wants nothing from his estate, but ends up in the middle of a sibling tussle over inheritance. On top of that, the friends and enemies she thought she had are blurring their roles in her life.

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Fun read! Loved the mix of Nina's family drama, love life, and trivia team shenanigans. Can't wait to read more by Abbi Waxman.

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This is a very quiet contemporary, not a lot happens. It was a good, easy read. I would recommend if you don't mind those books where not a lot happens. This is more focused on the day to day life of the main character rather than a plot-based story.

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Smart, funny, poignant. Reminded me what I like in contemporary WF. I then went and read her earlier books and was not disappointed.

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An absolutely adorable book. Nina Hill leads a quiet, very organized life - she works in a bookstore, has a cat, and is a trivia genius. But one day, a lawyer shows up and tells her that her very rich father, whom she did not know about, has died and has left her something in his will. Nina is plunged into a huge family who all have big personalities, and she's having a little trouble adjusting. This does not fit into her plans. Enter the cute guy at the trivia competition, and her anxiety is at an all time level. Nina is a great character. A little quirky, pretty funny, and although she says she's a loner, she actually has a pretty full life and is willing to roll with the punches. You obviously cheer for her new relationships, not only with the boyfriend, but with the family, because you want that for her.

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Have you ever felt like no one else has had the same quirky, introverted, bookish thoughts as you? Well, I’m here to tell you that Nina Hill has. This book was a book nerd’s dream— with an introverted heroine who works at a bookstore, and prefers to spend time alone in her cozy apartment with her cat but is suddenly faced with an unexpected, large surprise family, this book check all the spots in a hilariously quirky way! There was real life giggling. In public. It happened. Don’t believe me? Pick this book up and see if you can resist.

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RATING: 4/5 STARS

If you're a bookworm, there's a high chance you'll relate to this book. I wholeheartedly identified with Nina's love for reading and introverted personality. There were some fabulous, hilarious moments - Abbi Waxman really knows how to write quirky, awkward dialogue and I loved it. The romance was the true highlight for me, though. The scenes between Nina and Tom were most adorable I've read in a while. I also appreciated that Nina's anxiety was portrayed in such a realistic and natural way, and Tom was entirely accepting of her. The supporting characters (especially Nina's newfound family) were really well developed and I liked how the author highlighted how they shared certain traits with Nina. Overall, a cute read (although I will admit I didn't get all of the book/pop culture references).

A sincere thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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A light fun read. Quick and good for your commute or the beach. Nicely drawn characters and a life you can sympathize with & root for.

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This book was so random but so perfect. If you love books, which I bet you do since you are on Goodreads, then you will love this book. It made me laugh throughout the book. All the book references, family, friends, relationships, this book has it all.

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This book is a bookish dream. With all the best references for bookworms in popculture, what more could you want. Such a sweet tale that I will be thinking about for awhile.

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I absolutely loved this cute and heartwarming book! I related so much to the main character, a must read for all booklovers!

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A delightful, bookish romp! I loved that this took place in So Cal and enjoyed Nina's quirky personality. So many laugh aloud moments and delightful for anyone that loves roaming bookstores and appreciates bookish, unique kinds of people. I can definitely relate to Nina's need for alone time, though am not as extreme as she is in her planning! This is a fun read that I definitely recommend.

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Review will be posted on 10/15/19

Nina Hill is an introvert. Obviously. She likes her quiet life with her trivia loving friends, and her job at the local bookstore. Nina's world is thrown upside down when her father, whom she has never even met, leaves her something from his will. She knows absolutely nothing about her father as her eccentric mother has always said she doesn't know who he is. Well, as luck would have it, he was very wealthy and she perhaps she is looking to inherit some of his fortune. But what is even more concerning to Nina is the fact that her father had a whole family, which means she has aunts, nephews, nieces, and even siblings that she didn't even know about. To top it off, her new "family" lives nearby! Some of the family members have been reaching out to her, but she is not interested in gaining an instant family, especially one that is boisterous and filled with drama. On the other hand, Nina has always wondered what it would be like to have a sibling or even a family who is around for all the ups and downs in life. Nina opens herself up to some new experiences in The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

Oh, Nina. I adored her in The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, but would you really expect anything less from a fellow bookworm? I mean I could obviously relate to her and I bet, dear reader, you could as well. Nina's childhood wasn't conventional to say the least, she was mostly raised by a nanny, but despite her rocky upbringing she has made a life for herself. However, this life is strategically mapped out. Nina isn't exactly the most flexible of people, so this new development in her life really throws her for a loop. It's exactly what she needs though.

Waxman's writing is superb in The Bookish Life of Nina Hill. I was laughing out loud. Some of Nina's observations, the witty banter, her sarcasm, and the comments Nina made had me grinning ear to ear. Her depiction of Nina, right down to her daily schedule, had me laughing (I may or may not have a similar daily calendar) and it was reminiscent of one of my other favorite literary character, Bridget Jones.

If you are looking for a quick and fun book that will make you laugh, tug on your heartstrings, and if you are bookish, you may, like me, relate to Nina in some way, then definitely check out The Bookish Life of Nina Hill. It's one of my favorite books of the year.

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