✨ Adults Who Read YA ✨ discussion

a book set in a hotel

Goldie Vance Volume 1 is a fun comic book series with an air of Nancy Drew and a touch of history from 1940s Americana. While entertaining and even a little educational, the story often speeds through in favor of action over sense.

Goldie is a valet at a hotel, but she craves mystery and adventure, teaming up with the hotel detective whenever she isn't parking cars. One case is much bigger than missing pearls or puppies and may be more than she bargained for...

The art was beautiful!

My only real issue lies in the conclusion, which required some research on my part because they simply choose NOT to explain the historical significance of the time or characters.

(view spoiler)[The kidnapped man Goldie is searching for turns out to be a German astrophysicist brought over to the States to work for NASA. This is in reference to Operation Paperclip, which recruited primarily from registered Nazi Party members; in all likelihood, our hero rescued a Nazi or at least someone who suffered at the hands of the Nazis, but this is never explored further! With such a significant piece of history incorporated into the story, I was hoping for something a little deeper than a hug and a wave goodbye. (hide spoiler)]

I would put by Lana Popović anywhere and everywhere (and that's not just because she liked my Goodreads review! lol)

The story is related in a very tiny way to hotels, as the main characters are investigating what happened to Iris' and Malina's mother's sort-of-death the days before it happened.

The story follows Iris. From a very young age, Iris and her twin sister have been embracing their gleam with their mother- a magical part of theirselves that is very witch-like. Some years later, their mother cuts Iris off from this tradition and begins to grow cold. Things continue like this until, one day, Iris finds her mother sort-of-dead in her bakery. Iris then begins working with her sister and their 2 closest friends to determine what is happening to their mother.

It's a great blend of magical realism, foreign folktales, and mystery. For my full review, click the link: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...