Tips for Tuesday - Books: Dream on Ramona Riley, What If It's You, & The Language of Birds; Movie: Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey

We may have been given complimentary copies and/or access for review purposes to any books, products, and/or any other visual or audio media mentioned below. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

Books: Dream on Ramona Riley, What If It's You, & The Language of Birds

Me - I was really excited to read this book, as I enjoyed the Bright Falls trilogy by Ashley Herring Blake. This book had its moments, but I'm sad to say I was let down.

I liked Ramona as a character, but I was not a fan of Dylan. She underwent some growth and development throughout the story but not until very close to the end of the book, so by then it was too little too late.

The romance was another reason why I didn't connect with this book. Both Ramona and Dylan went into their fling under false pretences, and even after the relationship became more serious, neither confessed. I find it difficult to root for a relationship built on a foundation of lies. However, they did share some cute moments, and I didn't hate them together. However, I wasn't too invested in them either.

This book was quick and easy to read, and if you're not bothered by lying in romance books like I am, then I can see how you might love this. Sadly, I didn't, but I look forward to reading whatever Ashley Herring Blake writes next.

Mom - Today I'm talking about What If It's You? by Jilly Gagnon. Not quite as thrilled as she could be when she finds out her boyfriend is on the brink of proposing, Laurel starts wondering how her life would have been if she had ended up with her work crush, Drew, who asked her out around the same time she started dating Ollie. After becoming a part of the alternate reality project her office is working on, she wakes up in an alternate reality five years into a life with Drew. When she starts pinging back and forth between her life with Ollie and her life with Drew, she finally realizes what she wants and worries that she will ultimately end up in the wrong life.

Although this book has an interesting premise, all the science can get confusing and make your eyes glaze over if you're not into that. Ollie seems like a great guy, and any issues with him seem to have more to do with Laurel than him. It is not clear why she doesn't want to be with him other than her fear of commitment, and if that is the issue, it seems like it would be the same with Drew or anyone else. 

The choice between Ollie and Drew seems artificial. The Drew in actual reality may be a nice guy, but alternate reality Drew is kind of jerk so at no time does the reader actually root for him and Laurel to be together, Accordingly, the novel loses its romantic tension and becomes more of science fiction story of a girl trying to escape from an alternate reality.  If you are a science nerd and a romance fan, this book may be right up your alley. However, if you are not interested in science but just straight romance, you might not enjoy it as much. 

Mom again: Today I am talking about The Language of Birds by K.A. Merson. When her father dies and her mother is kidnapped, 17-year-old Arizona is forced to engage in solving a series of cryptic puzzles to get her back. While this book is interesting, the overload of information about the numerous puzzles Arizona has to solve and how she goes about it can be overwhelming if your brain is not good at comprehending such things. Arizona is an admirable character in her tenacity and bravery, especially in the face of her difficulty in dealing with other people, as she clearly seems to have some form of autism. This makes the friendship she forms with Lily, a girl she meets in her travels, all the more touching. She also has a sweet relationship with her dog, her constant companion and emotional support provider. If you love word puzzles, like cryptograms, and are good at solving them, you may like this book. However, if you are not as much into that sort of thing, you may not enjoy it as much.

Movie: Liza, Liza, Skies are Grey

Today we are recommending Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey. This sweet coming-of-age story about a young girl embarking on a road trip with her first love stars Anoura's Mikey Madison. It's not exactly family-friendly, however. The numerous creeps and perverts they meet along the way make the story inappropriate for a younger audience as well as difficult to watch at times although nothing too untoward happens. However, the pair is a sweet couple, plus their chemistry is good. If you want to see the recent Oscar winner in her first role, you will definitely want to see this movie. A director's cut of the film is now available.

And that's our view.  Dream on, Ramona Riley, What If It's You, and The Language of Birds all publish next Tuesday, May 13, 2025. Liza, Liza, Skies Are Grey is available on some streaming services or can be purchased on DVD from Amazon.

Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go-Wednesday.

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