Book Recommendations – Stephanie Caffrey, Author

April 2024 Reads

May 4, 2024Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged #books, Book Recommendations, Book Review, Books, Borrow My Heart, charles-dickens, David Copperfield, Emily Henry, fiction, Finlay Donovan Rolls the Dice, Funny Story, JR Ward, Matilda, Ncuti Gatwa, Reading, Romance, The Beloved, The Wishing GameLeave a comment

Willy Wonka for adults. This is what this book reminded me of. It was such a touching book, and I devoured it. I loved all the characters, and they were all so real. The experience was amazing, and it made me cry, a lot. I picked this from Book of the Month as my free Book of the Year finalist. I definitely see why so many people voted for it to be Book of the Year!

One of my favorite series, I’m so happy I put myself on hold right away because I was able to get the book on release day! This book didn’t disappoint. It had the same humor and mishaps as the other three books. I loved that we wrapped up some mysteries, and we added new ones. I hope when the series is over, our girl Finlay comes out on top.

Yes, I read David Copperfield last year, but when I discovered there was this brand new dramatized version with Ncuti Gatwa as Copperfield, I couldn’t resist. If you have ever wanted to read Copperfield but you were intimidated by the length, this is for you. Condensed down to eight hours, most of the book is intact, and this production is beautifully acted. I highly recommend!

April is the month of reading new entries of my beloved series. The Beloved was probably one of my most highly anticipated releases this year. The follow up after the major cliffhanger in last year’s Lassiter, The Beloved is set in the future, and follows Zsadist and his daughter, and it was beautiful. It was everything I had hoped it would be and more. And Ward has perfectly set up the next several books in the series. She never lets me down.

I saw this book at my kids’ book fair and fell in love with the cover, so I nabbed it. It was a cute YA Rom Com. I liked the premise and felt the characters were well rounded, plus there were lots of adorable animals. It was a nice quick read.

My book club celebrates Agatha April every year, and this was our first Miss Marple mystery, and I have to say, I was a little let down. Miss Marple was barely in it, and the mystery itself was kind of meh. Definitely not our favorite of the Christie novels we have read since starting Agatha April a few years ago.

For one of my yearly reading challenges I needed to read a book that has been turned into a musical, so I chose Matilda! I loved the book. It was magical and funny, and I will say, the musical adaptation was very faithful to the book. I found myself singing the songs as I was reading the book. I think this is my favorite Dahl book I’ve read so far.

Another highly anticipated release, I ignored my husband so I could spend all night reading this book. I immediately fell in love with Miles. He’s probably my favorite of Henry’s heroes so far. I’m pretty sure this is my favorite Henry book. Don’t be surprised if later this year you see this book pop back up on a monthly recap of my reads.

March 2024 Reads

April 6, 2024Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged #books, Book Recommendations, Book Review, book-reviews, Books, Edgar Allan Poe, Jen DeLuca, Katharine Ryan, Last Days of the Midnight Ramblers, Reading, Ready or Not, Remarkably Bright Creatures, Romance, This Spells LoveLeave a comment

I have been reading a lot of books like this: wishing for something and having it granted only to realize you miss what you have. I really liked this one. It was a little different, which I liked. The romance was really good. And I think this is the first one where the wisher truly didn’t want to go back to her life before. This was a Book of the Month pick, and I’m so glad I picked it!

Another Book of the Month pick, I truly enjoyed this friends to lovers romance. It was a slow burn, and it hit me in all the right places. It made me laugh, it made me cry (a lot), but in the end I loved how the story progressed and how it ended. The characters were rich and three-dimensional, and the plot was realistic. No unnecessary drama, which was the best.

This book was sold as being for someone who loved Daisy Jones and the Six, and the description of the book led me to believe the same. However, this book was not what I expected. And I think my expectations not being met really colored my opinion of this book. If you are looking for a book about a band in the 1970s and all their drama, this is not the book for you. If you’re looking for a book about a ghost writer who tries to solve a quasi mystery about a band in the 1970s, this is for you. Since this book wasn’t what I was expecting, it really affected how I read the book, and I ended it with a meh feeling.

Finally got around to reading Mitch and April’s book, and I can’t believe I waited so long! I loved them so much. Mitch is such a great character and April is the perfect juxtaposition for him. Throw in fake dating and the Ren Faire, and this was an amazing book. I love this series so much.

Figured since I finally read the third book of the series, I might as well finish it out! I loved Lulu. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel moving out of the OG Ren Faire, but I loved it! I really enjoyed seeing the different Faires and meeting new people! I’m so glad DeLuca expanded the universe so to speak. I will say the romance in this one felt a little weak and rushed, but that didn’t stop me from completely loving the book.

My book club was supposed to read The Snow Child, but it had all the trigger warnings for most of us, so we ended up switching to “The Cask of the Amontillado.” I couldn’t remember if I had ever read this one yet, but then halfway through the light bulb went on and I realized I had. My ten-year-old has even read this one! Poe is always a win.

This book was okay. It had some funny bits but nothing really wowed me. I liked how she told her story, but it was just merely okay. It was a good short read.

As of right now, this is my favorite book of the year. This book was amazing. The characters were so good. I loved every single one of them, even Cameron grew on me. There was so much growth within them, and the “mystery” kept me on the edge of my seat. The relationships between the characters were top-notch. Seeing them grow as people, and grow together, was so heartwarming. The true star of the book was Marcellus. Never thought I would read a book and fall in love with an octopus, but here I am. I listened to the audiobook, and Michael Urie reads Marcellus, and I have to say AMAZING choice. Highly Recommend this book.

February 2024 Reads

March 3, 2024March 3, 2024Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged A Girl Called Samson, A House With Good Bones, All Good People Here, Book Recommendations, Book Review, Books, Greatest Love Story Ever Told, Happily Never After, Oath and Honor, Reading, Snowed In, The Last True Poets of the Sea, Warrior Girl UnearthedLeave a comment

My Daughters of the American Revolution chapter has a book club which meets quarterly. This quarter we read the historical fiction book A Girl Called Samson. This book was amazing. It brought me right into the times, which is what good historical fiction should do. The plot and characters were so good, I don’t even care that Harmon embellished and changed history a little (a lot). The love story was beautiful and rich, and is what kept me reading. Deborah is my new hero and I want to learn so much more about the real person. I was sad the book ended.

From one Five Star Read immediately into another. Warrior Girl Unearthed was a very powerful read that opened my mind to a different view of museums. I will never walk into a museum and see Native artifacts and not be angry now. This book had so many powerful themes from museums holding artifacts to missing Indigenous women, and I think this book is an important read for everyone. Warning: you will cry. I have since bought one of the books mentioned in this one, so stay tuned for that review later this year.

Liz Cheney is the complete opposite of my political leanings. I do not support her policies in anyway. However, I had heard a lot of people on my side praise her book, and so I picked it up. And they were right. This is an important read about Trump’s attempted coup and the insurrection on January 6, 2021. It discusses the Republican Party’s fall and corruption and choosing a man over the Constitution. I think it’s an important read for all political leanings. I may not agree with her political standings, but I have so much respect for Cheney now.

Creepy Gothic haunted house? Yes please! Last year my book club read a haunted house book, and it was probably one of my most disappointing reads of the year. This book is everything I had hoped the other one to be. In less than 300 pages, T. Kingfisher built an atmosphere and creepy story that had a really good payoff in the end. If you want to be creeped out and really have no idea what is going to happen, this is the book for you.

Billed as a modern retelling of Twelfth Night, I would argue that that is a generous description. While I really enjoyed parts of the story, I felt some of it was overly long and drug out. I loved the last quarter of the book though. The last quarter bumped the book from three to four stars.

I had high hopes for this book. High hopes. It sounded amazing. And reading the book, I was loving it. A great mystery, good pacing. The main mystery was very Jon Benet Ramsey-esque, but I was willing to overlook it. However. That ending. The ending has made me so angry, it has canceled every good feeling I had for the book leading up to it. I don’t think I will ever recommend this book to anyone, based on that ending. If you want to read it, just know, you’re going to be disappointed by the end. Such a let down.

Not going to say much about this one. It’s a joint memoir by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally. And it is hilarious and also a great insight into their amazing relationship. They certainly are #couplegoals. I honestly had no idea there was such a huge age gap between them. You would never know looking at them. Or listening to them. If you’re a fan of theirs, run, don’t walk, to get this book. And read it on audio. You won’t regret it.

I read an ARC of this book and reviewed it here.

A Christmas romance in February? Why not? I think my opinion of this book was definitely swayed by its setting: Ireland, my new favorite place in the world. But I also really, really enjoy a fake dating trope. Like a lot. I thought the story was really cute, and romance readers it doesn’t have a third act breakup, so if you don’t like those, there you go! The characters also were very good at communicating which was nice.

Book Review: Happily Never After by Lynn Painter

February 25, 2024Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged #books, ARC, Book Recommendations, Book Review, book-reviews, Books, Happily Never After, Lyn Painter, Reading, Romance1 Comment

HAPPILY NEVER AFTER by LYNN PAINTER

RELEASE DATE: March 12, 2024

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Happily Never After by Lynn Painter is a rom-com about two people who have the side gig of breaking up weddings for people who otherwise can’t cancel the wedding themselves. They are The Objectors. And they are freakin’ adorable.

Max and Sophie meet when her best friend hires him to object to her wedding after she finds out her fiance had been cheating on her. Sparks fly, in a platonic way, and they soon become a team of objectors. They both have kind hearts and want to help people, and it’s so very wholesome. Soon, they use their friendship in an almost fake-dating sort of way (I’m such a sucker for this trope) to help themselves in their professional lives. And of course, we romance readers know what happens next….

Sophie and Max’s relationship is probably one of my favorite I’ve read in a long time in a rom-com. Their chemistry feels so natural, and fun. I genuinely had a smile on my face through their interactions. I fell in love with them as they fell in love with each other.

If you enjoy witty banter, fake-dating, and well-rounded characters, this book is definitely for you!

January 2024 Reads

January 31, 2024Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged Book Recommendations, Book Review, Books, Dracula, Heartsong, Heartstopper, Howl's Moving Castle, Jane Eyre, Off the Be the Wizard, Reading, The Good Part, TJ Klune, Twice ShyLeave a comment

Book Cover - The Good Part by Sophie Cousens

The Book felt a lot like “13 Going on 30” and I loved it. The story did a great job at putting us in Lucy’s emotional standing. Lucy and Sam were so cute together. I loved, loved, loved, Felix and Alice. The story was complex, but still lovely.

I absolutely love this series. I love Nick and Charlie. This addition was no different. It was very cute, very fun, and like always, a very realistic view of teens and their complex feelings. I smiled a lot at this volume. I also cried. I always cry.

I read this book as an ARC and gave a detailed review, which you can read here.

This is a classic that definitely held up. Told in letters and diary entries causing some pacing issues, but the audiobook helped with that. It was very suspenseful and I longed to keep reading. This was the perfect classic to kick off 2024.

Book Cover - Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

This was such a lovely story. It was pleasant and the romance between Howl and Sophie was so subtle, it made me swoon in the end. I truly enjoyed reading this book. I’ve already put the next two books on my kindle to read.

What a beautiful story about beautifully flawed people. Maybell and Wesley were an amazing couple. I loved how fun they were together and how supportive they were of each other’s dreams and flaws. I also loved the fact the book subverted the third act break up. It was fresh, and I read the book in one sitting because I didn’t want to leave their world.

Book Cover - Off to be the Wizard by Scott Meyer

Not sure how I felt about this one. It never really grabbed me. It took me too long to read it. However, the ending got me curious to see what happens next. I liked the humor and the concept of the book, but I think ultimately the pace was a little slow, which is what turned me off.

My all time favorite book, this was the third time I’ve read this book, and I loved it as much as I did the first two. Jane Eyre is easily one of my favorite literary characters. Jane and Mr. Rochester’s love, one of the most romantic. St. John one of the most unlikeable characters in literature. I can’t wait until I read this again. And again. And again.

Book Cover - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

Book Review: Heartsong by TJ Klune

January 9, 2024Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged #books, ARC, Book Recommendations, Book Review, book-reviews, Books, fantasy, Heartsong, Netgalley, Reading, TJ Klune1 Comment

Heartsong by TJ Klune

Release Date: January 30, 2024

Thank you Tor books and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

The third book in the Green Creek series, and the third time I’ve gotten to read and review and ARC of it, Heartsong is just as good as the first two books in the series.

Following Robbie Fontaine and Kelly Bennett, at first, the book did not win me over. The book starts off a little confusing. I thought I was reading a flashback. However, after a couple of chapters, I caught on with what Klune was doing, and I was hooked. How else could I finish a nearly five hundred page book in a day? Well, a snow day helps, but also the compelling plot, the rooting for the success of the Bennett Pack.

As always, Klune’s language is beautiful, and like the previous books, this is full of angst. However, it is a romance, so you can expect a happily ever after in the end. You’ll simply have to ride the waves and shed some tears along the way.

The last chapter of the book sets up the final book in the series beautifully, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

While you may be tempted to read this book based on this glowing review, it is book three in a series, and you will not really understand what exactly is happening if you jump in right here. I suggest you start with the first book, Wolfsong, and go from there. But do read these books. They’re wonderful.

December 2023 Reads

January 4, 2024Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged #books, Blood Sisters, Book Recommendations, Book Review, Books, Britney Spears, Dash and Lily, fantasy, Ghostbusters, John Stamos, Kiss Her Once For Me, Ms. Marvel, Murderbot, Reading, review, Scorched Grace, Twelfth NightLeave a comment

I love celebrity memoirs, especially when read by the author. This one was a great one. I really enjoyed learning about John Stamos, since I didn’t know much about him outside his acting career. As far as stakes go, his have been pretty low, but it didn’t diminish anything about his life. I definitely recommend this one.

An ARC I received for being part of the Berkley Besties, Blood Sisters isn’t a book I would have normally picked up on my own, however, it was one I couldn’t put down once I started reading it. The book was phenomenal. A thriller written by an Indigenous author, the story focuses on the stories often passed up by the media and law enforcement: missing Indigenous women and girls. The book is horrific, and eye opening, and I couldn’t stop reading. One of the best books I had read all year.

A highly anticipated read, Britney Spears’ memoir did not disappoint. In fact, it went beyond what I thought it would be. Sickening at times, her story made me hate all the men in her life. She has spent most of her life exploited and locked up. A victim. And I’m so glad she can finally be free and is able to tell her story. There are all the trigger warnings for this story, and you will cry, multiple times.

This was an ARC I read and reviewed. You can find my detailed review here.

For a reading challenge I participated in, I needed to read a novelization of a movie. I chose Ghostbusters because it was included in my Audible subscription. I found the book interesting to read because they added in so much back story to the characters that isn’t in the movie. A lot of it felt unnecessary, but it did add some extra flavor to the book otherwise it was just word for word the movie.

A cute short Christmas romance, it was a quick read and made me happy. I liked the letter exchange element. I thought both characters were cute. I kinda wish it wasn’t a short story because I would have read a full novel with this premise.

I had watched the Netflix series and loved it, so when my book club picked this book for our December read, I already knew I was going to enjoy it. I thought it was a very cute book. I liked both Dash and Lily, and I liked a lot of the antics they got into a lot more than the ones they put in the show.

Fake dating is a favorite trope for me. So is marriage of convenience. When Alison Cochrun said in her Author’s Note that this was inspired by While You Were Sleeping, I instantly knew why I loved it. I loved the characters, especially the side characters. Nothing seemed super outrageous, but I loved that Cochrun shoved in all the tropes. It was lovely. It was fun, and lovely, and everything I want from a holiday romance.

Picked for my book club, this book was amazing. I was a little unsure at first, but I wanted to only listen to it and nothing else. The mystery was good. The characters were amazing. And I’m excited to read the next book in the series, which I received as an ARC, so stay tuned for my review of that book coming soon!

Several people in my Sci-Fi/Fantasy book club have recommended this series, and now that it will be an Apple+ series, I decided to read the first book. I loved it. It’s short and sweet, and I love the robot. I really enjoyed the diary aspect, the voice of the robot was unique and fun. I read this book pretty quickly, and immediately added book 2 to my library. The humor was probably my favorite part of the book.

Probably my favorite Shakespeare play. My book club went and saw it for Shakespeare on the lawn this summer. This play has everything: humor, disguises, practical jokes, misunderstandings. If you’ve not read Shakespeare, it’s a good introductory play. It’s easy to follow.

New iteration of Ms. Marvel, this volume was a little clunky. I liked it well enough, but not as much as I loved the original run. The characters are all there, but the story felt a little weak in this volume.

One of the frames of this volume is the new background on my Kindle. I loved this volume. It felt more like the original run. The characters felt right. The relationships were better. The story was stronger. I loved it.

Holy abrupt ending, Batman. There was definitely some volumes left out of this collection, but they give a summary of what wasn’t in here. I liked this one as well, but I don’t like some of the developments. The will they/won’t they, purposely breaking up couples is not my cup of tea. I hope there will be more in this run, because I want to see what happens next with the characters.

Book Review: Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

December 5, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged ARC, Book Recommendations, Book Review, Books, Jo Segura, Netgalley, Raiders of the Lost Heart, Reading, Romance1 Comment

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

Release Date: December 5, 2023

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the advance copy. The following review is my honest opinion.

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura is a fun rom com adventure. It really reminded me of the recent Sandra Bullock movie, The Lost City. Both had the same vibes.

Raiders follows two rival archaeologists, Corrie and Ford, as they go in search of the long lost remains of Corrie’s ancestor. What follows is a textbook enemies-to-lovers bickering/flirting relationship. However, it’s not all by the numbers with this trope. You get a jungle backdrop, an intense backstory, and an adventure worthy of Indiana Jones and Lara Croft.

The book will leave you wanting more. It’s impossible to put down as you want to see more of their adventure, and more of the steamy relationship. And let it be known: there is steam.

If you’re a fan of enemies-to-lovers, archaeological adventures, and ancient mysteries, this book is definitely for you!

November 2023 Reads

December 1, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged #books, Book Recommendations, Book Review, Books, Guy's Girl, Henry Winkler, Iron Flame, monthly-wrap-up, Murder and Mamon, Reading, Tristram Shandy, Wings Once Cursed and BoundLeave a comment

This was a good slow-burn romance. I found myself rooting for the characters and wanting them to get their act together and fall in love. I loved the portrayal of an eating disorder, it was nice to see the reality of the disease on the page, and not some romanticized version of it. The book can be tough to read at times, but totally worth it.

Sometimes when I read a celebrity memoir, I worry it’ll make me like the celebrity less (I’m looking at you Will Smith), but Henry Winkler’s made me love him even more. He seems like such a genuine guy, and he was so honest about admitting his faults. I especially enjoyed that he had his wife write/read parts of the book. It made me smile, laugh and cry. Highly recommend.

Worth. The. Wait. This behemoth, and NaNoWriMo, are what slowed my reading down this month, but this was 100% worth it. Still the characters I love, there was more world building, and so many revelations, I didn’t want to put it down. That ending though…It’s going to be a long wait until book 3!

The fourth book in the series, I wasn’t very wowed by this one. The millennial speak has grown a little tired, and the whole case felt a bit weak and far-fetched. I still love all the characters and the world, and I will continue the series, I just hope the next one is a bit stronger.

The selection for my DAR book club, I ended up listening to a BBC Radio production of it, and came away from it not feeling very wowed. I felt it was dry and confusing…it was written in the 1750s after all! However, I then went to the book club meeting, and after the gal who chose it led a discussion about it, I’m now interested in giving it a second chance. So, three stars for now, but stay tuned, I may have it on here again with a different opinion.

This book should have been five stars for me. It had the recipe to be a favorite book of mine. And the first couple chapters really set it up for me to love it! New mythology, yes! Cursed shoes, yes! Sexy vampire, yes, yes, yes! However, it all started to fall apart from there. The timeline felt rushed. They really yadda yadda’d over a lot of details I felt should have not been glossed over. And there was a point I’m pretty sure the cursed shoes were forgotten. So, safe to say, I probably won’t be reading the rest of this series.

October 2023 Reads

November 3, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged Big Girl Panties, Book Recommendations, Book Review, Books, Christina Lauren, CS Lewis, Gunnie Rose, Killers of the Flower Moon, Reading, Sarah Plain and Tall, Twice in a Lifetime, Unmaking of June Farrow2 Comments

I have read Elizabeth Acevedo before, but it was a book in verse. This was my first novel of hers, and I’m so glad it was recommended to me in a Facebook group I’m in. The story was very beautifully written. I enjoyed the characters so much, they were so rich and developed. I especially liked that the author read her own audiobook. I was pleasantly surprised by the hopeful ending of the book, which I was honestly not expecting. Highly recommend.

It’s crunch time for yearly reading challenges, and I needed a quick read for the prompt, “book published the year you were born,” so I chose Sarah, Plain and Tall. I had read it a few years ago, but couldn’t quite remember it. I’m so glad I read it again. The story is so sweet, and I love the bonding between the kids, their dad and Sarah. It does sort of romanticize the idea of mail order brides, but I could let that go. After reading the book, I learned there are four more books in the series, and now I have plans to read them.

My book club pick for October, Horrorstor was exactly what I expected. I enjoyed this book a little more than his other book I’ve read, but I think it’s because it was shorter and didn’t allow for very much time to ramble. The parody was great and balanced well with the horror. I loved the format, and the illustrations really added to the story. My only complaint is I wish he had either kept the characters together or told the story through multiple POVs since the characters didn’t feel well developed.

The fifth book in the Gunnie Rose series, this one felt like it was more of a filler book than anything. I really liked the sisters together, though, and I loved that they were able to bond and get closer, however, it would have been better to have a little more plot in the book. I also didn’t like keeping Lizbeth and Eli apart. And I’m taking away a star for the [spoiler] Harris added in the end.

Another book I read in order to fill in a prompt, and if it weren’t for it counting toward the prompt, “author with a same name as me,” I would have quit the book. But it’s too late in the year to DNF books for reading challenges, so I carried on. And, oof. This was bad, y’all. Fatphobia, questionable consent, terrible characters, I am almost sad I have another one of her books on my Kindle, because I don’t know if I want to read this author again after this book. I don’t recommend this book, unless you’re wanting to read and cringe.

This book was an unexpected highlight for me this month. This YA romance was amazing. Every single character was so well developed I wanted to them to be real. I didn’t want the story to end. The music aspect was so original. I have read a lot of star-crossed lover tales, but the whole reincarnation idea felt new and original, and it made my heart melt. I loved it.

Another prompt filling book, and this time I sort of stretched the prompt a little to make this fit. I had never heard of this book until I was scrolling Audible for books that were included in my subscription by CS Lewis, and I’m glad I chose it. This was a great satire. It was interesting and compelling and I flew through it.

I really love Christina Lauren, and I fly through their romances, but this book was definitely not my favorite of theirs. I liked the beginning part, but when the characters reunited after fourteen years, I felt the FMC was a bit too forgiving of the MMC for his actions earlier in the story. I don’t know if it’s because I don’t think I would have been able to forgive and forget, but the whole thing felt off, and I didn’t buy into it.

While the time-travel aspect of this book was a bit confusing, the pay off was totally worth it. This is one of those books where I’m going to need to read it again in order to catch things I didn’t catch before. Once the story got going, it was impossible to put down, and I was right there with June trying to figure WTF was going on. Adrienne Young is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me.

Wow. I’ve been meaning to read this book for years, and finally got around to it so I can watch the movie adaptation. As a history major, I know our history is white-washed, and I’ve been trying to read books to educate me on what high school history books tend to leave out, but this book really upset me. The systematic murder of a people because of who they are and what they have is horrific. This book was told very well, and it read more like a novel at times. This is an important read for everyone.