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, … 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.
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I was tired of the world’s problems, depressed from too many murder mysteries and who-dunnits, saddened by the news in the paper. And then I picked up Abbi Waxman’s latest book. Delightful, whimsical, funny, with wonderful characters that you wish you were related to or at least knew well enough for daily coffees. “Bookish Life” lifted my spirits, reminded me why I have at least 2 and sometimes more books being read at the same time and why my idea of hell is to be stuck in a traffic jam with nothing to read. Find Nina and enjoy a respite from your worries and problems.
Fun characters truly come to life and no one is completely a villain though their flaws come to light. Love how Nina and her boss, Liz, match readers with books along with the bookstore customers and their preferred genres.
I really enjoyed this book, and could relate to Nina Hill and her bookish ways. An interesting, romantic story.
This book was so much fun! I laughed out loud through the whole thing. Nina is a great character and those in her life are as well. Great, fun read I would highly recommend.
Loved this book. Laughed out loud frequently, quoted passages to my husband. Will recommend to all my friends who read rom-com.
I picked this paperback up in my local B&N and was immediately captivated by the witty banter and playful sarcasm of the lead character, Nina Hill. The premise of the story, the mystery involved, and my identification with the protagonist had me walking out of the store excited to dive into this story and travel the roller coaster of emotions alongside each of the characters.
While the story line, plot, and characters were well developed, I felt as though I was traveling across a countryside full of rolling hills instead of peaks and valleys. There are places for these even-tempered books, but I was hoping for a more mountainous journey, something that would take me to the highest highs and deepest lows of someone in Nina’s position. And although I know there is a lighthearted tone to her character and she tends to be more reserved, it doesn’t mean she couldn’t react a bit more to circumstances that warrant it, even if it’s only to herself.
I found myself reaching the final page of the story and expecting more. Things were brought to a close with many members of her extended family, friends, and love interest, but it somehow felt incomplete to me. Like there could have been more personal transformation, more feeling and emotional arc to the journey.
Any book that includes bookshops and interesting trivia facts pique my interest. I only wish I could have *felt* the characters emotions a bit more. It was right there, waiting to explode with energy onto the page, but it came up just short for me.
I’d never read Abbi Waxman before reading The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, but she’s on my insta-buy list from now on. Her voice is unique and so memorable. Nina Hill was funny, emotional and unforgettable. I couldn’t put it down.
From a (nearly) immaculately conceived orphan (shh… don’t tell her absentee mom) to an anxious book nerd and trivia junky with a hoard of insane family members, Nina Hill was a delightful surprise. This was a fun book… one I struggled to put down.
Slice of life? Romance? Comedy? Family drama? Coming-into-one’s-own. I don’t know if it is trying to hard to be something to every reader, or if it is an absurdly balanced, cross-genre book. Whichever it is, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill is an enjoyable read.
As with her last book, Bookish Life is set in an established neighborhood of Los Angeles. The author’s intimate knowledge of her hometown is apparent in her vivid descriptions of the neighborhood and residents.
Nina is unique, or at least she thinks so. She was an anxious, precocious child. Now she is an anxious adult trying to muddle through life with a color-coded planner and scheduled-to-the-minute life. This is not to say that Nina is uninteresting. That obsessive scheduling helps her feel in control. She and her cat, Phil, have the most interesting conversations. Escaping in a book has ALWAYS been Nina’s favorite thing to do. She is an amazing sponge for information, and she puts it to use on her ace trivia team for the East LA trivia competition circuit.
Nina’s quiet life becomes quite colorful when she notices one of the handsome competitors on a rival trivia team. Tom, the once trivia-team rival turned potential love interest is a quintessentially chill guy who is the yin to Nina’s yang.
That little step out of her usual, highly planned life is the start of utter chaos. Nina’s beloved job at Knight’s Bookstore seems to be in jeopardy, and even more overwhelming is the fact that Nina has just learn who her father is…too bad it was from his estate attorney.
New extended family, potential new love, and potential loss of a job through Nina for a loop. The romance aspect of the story was just okay for me. Nina’s discovery of and learning about her new family was interesting; I would have loved more development of this part of the story. Her work situation is fun and funny, but the angst it creates is resolved a bit too conveniently. Author Abbi Waxman respectfully portrays Nina’s anxiety and how she manages it. Overall, The Bookish Life of Nina Hill is a fun read that is wonderfully narrated by Emily Rankin.
It’s impossible for me to do anything but enjoy a book replete with witty bits like this one from Chapter 2: “…her looks were an acquired taste, and her resting expression suggested you weren’t going to be given much chance to acquire it.” And it’s truly a fun read, with excellent use of omniscient POV. Compared to the last one I read (The Garden of New Beginnings) it felt a little flat for me, though. I’m not sure why. Maybe because this is truly a sequel to that charming novel but doesn’t advertise itself as such; I found myself feeling a bit discombobulated by that, to the point of fruitlessly googling for a character I wasn’t sure whether I should have remembered. You don’t have to read the last one first to enjoy this one, but it would probably take away some of your pleasure to read them in reverse order. It also felt a bit made-for-the-movies to me, which is perhaps appropriate for a novel once again set in L.A. I also would have liked to see more development of the hero. The main character is certainly someone any introverted book nerd can identify with, though, and if that sounds like a sympathetic character to you (as it surely is for me), I happily recommend it.
Such a great read.
There are certain books you read that leave you with a feeling of contentment. This is one of those.
When I read the excerpt, I expected it to be a typical romantic comedy — a light enough read to keep me entertained. What I was not prepared for was how much depth I found in it.
This book is not just about a girl who loves books and being alone. This book is about comfort in solitude, the gift of family, and how sometimes, the best company comes in the most unexpected people.
Nina is not your typical heroine. She likes being alone, she reads and collects a lot of books, and she likes to plan ahead rather than be spontaneous. Honestly, she’s a lot like me.
What I really liked about this book is the writing style. I’m not sure how to describe it but it feels natural, kinda like being in someone’s head. And it’s clearly a feat because the book is written in the third person and sometimes, the thoughts of each character get thrown side by side.
What I was also not prepared for is how Nina’s anxiety is an integral part of the story. I do not have anxiety but I have friends who do and I like to think this book portrayed it well. I also liked the fact that people around Nina didn’t force her to change who she is and accepted her for who she truly was.
I could probably go on and on about the things I liked in this book but it would be too long. If you like character-driven books, then this one is for you. Overall, it was a really heartwarming read and at some point, it almost made me cry (I recently discovered crying was difficult with a face mask on). It was hilarious but also cute and sweet. If you see this, do me a favor and please give this book a chance.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**
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We meet Nina, an employee of Knight’s bookshop. She loves trivia, books & cats. Tom, a fellow quiz bowl competitor has started to fall in love with Nina.. I loved this book. This book has been so funny and sad at times. As a bookworm/nerd, I freaking highly recommend this book. I loved all the characters especially Nina, Tom & her new extended family
I admit, I was drawn to this book because of the cover, which appeals to the bookworm I am at heart. However, what is in between the covers explores how the character Nina copes with the question of how reality could ever be as satisfying as spending her waking hours in stories. Long-lost family, a persistent suitor, an eccentric romance, and a necessary awakening combine to make a wonderful read.
“Libraries were her favorite places, and when she traveled, she would start out at the local library, thus immediately identifying herself as a total nerd.” This will not come as a surprise, but what a great, fun AND funny book!! I loved this story from start to finish and fell in love w/the main character, Nina Hill! Her humor and trivia comebacks were on-point, we would totally be friends in the “real world”! You don’t need to be a book snob to enjoy this sweet story, but if you are, you will definitely appreciate Nina’s love of the written word! I will totally recommend this to anyone!
4.5 Stars!
‘”Do you read books in order?”
“Yes, if there is an order. If there isn’t an order, I read them in order of publication.” She paused. Sometimes, of course, the first one I read isn’t the first one they wrote, and then I feel bad.”‘
I always wondered if I was the only one with this type of reading neurosis. This quote gives me hope that I am not the only one.
I read this author’s Garden of Small Beginnings a couple of years ago and loved it. The blend of poignancy and humor was wonderful. Waxman did it again with this well-written heroine and her growing cast of friends and family. Nina is a mix of anxiety, self-deprecation, and intelligent arrogance. I wouldn’t normally think those traits would work together, but it was the perfect blend for a lovingly imperfect heroine. Although I found this story to be a bit lighter in tone than the previous book I read by the author, it still had its moments of poignancy and lots of witty banter and commentary. The romance was entertaining, but I felt it was secondary to Nina’s character growth. There was a moment after the half-way mark where I thought the story was slowing its momentum. Yet, by the end, I felt the story was the perfect pacing for Nina’s life and learning who she was, is, or who she ultimately wanted to be. Another fabulous story by this entertaining author.
Thanks to Edelweiss.plus and abovethetreeline.com for the ARC of this book. I am leaving an honest review.
I read this book because it was on a bunch of lists of books to read. I read that if you loved Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine, you would love this book. Not the case, not even comparable.
What I did like about the book – I liked that Nina was a book nerd and a trivia buff. I can relate to those 2 things, although I can’t remember trivia the way she could. What I didn’t like – the way she fell for Tom so completely, then pushed him off so quickly. I also thought her claims to be an introvert didn’t ring true.
I never felt invested with Nina. The concept of the new family and how easily she integrated with them seems quite odd. Her bullet journals were often funny and quirky, but not spectacular.
It was an OK book in my opinion, I was a bit disappointed as I expected much more from the reviews I had read prior to reading this.
#TheBookishLifeofNinaHill #AbbiWaxman #Edelweiss #Abovethetreeline
I haven’t loved a protagonist as much since Eleanor Oliphant. Introverted, anxious, trivia wiz Nina Hill is a loner that prefers the imaginary world of books to the real world of people. She lives alone in her small cottage with her cat Phil, surrounded by books, happy with her quiet, organized life. So when she inherits a previously unknown to her quirky, complicated, multigenerational family, her world is turned upside down and inside out. Both thoughtful and fun, I didn’t want this book to end. I hope we see more of Nina!
I absolutely adored this book! Nina is so unique and likable, she could be any of us. The story follows Nina as she discovers she has a family she knew nothing about. Along with navigating the new and sometimes frustrating familial connections, there’s a guy. And the possible sale of the beloved bookshop where she works.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves books about books.
This was the warmest, coziest, snuggliest ball of fluff I’ve ever read in my life! From page one, it put a grin on my face that lasted throughout. Instant fave!