Tag: Books

December 2021 Reads

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Our book club pick for December, I went into this book hoping for something fun. Charles Dickens pulls a Sherlock Holmes? Yes, please! Instead, what I got was a Charles Dickens of his time, views on gender roles and all, and a mystery that was not as fun as I had expected. I wish the author hadn’t been so rigid in keeping with historical accuracy. I could have used a good, strong female character.

3 Stars

A cute YA holiday romance, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I felt that the characters were beautifully developed, and the pacing was very realistic. This book definitely met my expectations of a cute holiday read.

4 Stars

I felt the first book was pretty good, and decided to read the sequel because, why not? I went into the book thinking it was a duology and this book would complete the series. And I grew to love El and Orion even more than before as the book move through their senior year and the choices they made for their classmates and their relationship. However, with 20 minutes left of the book I realized Naomi Novik changed the book to a TRILOGY and I may have screamed in the parking lot of Kohl’s at the last line of the book. Now I’m anxiously awaiting book 3 in September.

4 Stars

Bayliss’ Twelve Dates of Christmas was one of my favorite holiday reads last year, so I was looking forward to reading this new book from her. And it did not disappoint. I fell in love with the small town of Willow Bay and found myself longing to visit. Annie and John had the perfectly paced slow burn, and I found myself sad when I reached the end of the book, wanting at least a hundred more pages so I could stay with Annie, John and the rest of Willow Bay’s residents.

4 Stars

Hallmark Christmas movie in a book. This was the perfect Christmas romance, and I just ate it up. I loved Annie. The twins were just freakin’ adorable. And the romance was great. Perfect holiday fluff read.

4 Stars

Twins swapping places, food network baking competition, small snowy town, and romance. What more could you ask for in a Christmas read? I could not put this book down, and loved every second of it. It was so cute, and I loved that I got two love stories for the price of one. (BOTM)

4 Stars

Prior to reading this book, I could not name one Foo Fighters song, and could only name one Nirvana song. I chose to listen to this book because I heard it was a great memoir. And it was. I really enjoyed it, and I fell in love with Dave Grohl. I have since listened to some of his music.

5 Stars

Chosen for my book club I do with my sisters, I was really excited to read this book since Project Hail Mary was easily the best book I read all year. Artemis, however, really fell short. I think my expectations were too high after Mary and The Martian. This book was a lot different than the other two. That being said, I still enjoyed the book, and loved the thriller aspect. It did start a bit slow, but it picked up.

4 Stars

Typically I read to escape reality, so I almost didn’t pick up a book so firmly set during the beginning of Covid. The concept of a woman being stuck in the Galapagos intrigued me though. And I have to say, this was a great book. I really loved the stuff on the Galapagos. However, there’s a twist that happens at about 60% that really knocked me for a spin, and knocked a star off my rating. I don’t want to spoil anything, but it was jarring and a bit disappointing. However, I’m going to choose to believe it ends the way I want it to end, and that will keep it at the higher rating.

4 stars

October 2021 Reads

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This book moved slower than I would have liked, I wish the romance had started a little sooner, and the break up seemed a bit contrived, but overall I enjoyed the book. I loved Lucie and Tristan together, and wish more pages had been devoted to them together rather than apart. I love how well researched these books are, and how angry it makes me to read about how little women had in so far as independence and rights in the 19th Century. It truly makes me grateful that I live now instead of then. (BOTM)

4 Stars

This was easily my favorite book of the three. I felt the romance was earned more in this one than in the other two. It may be because Hattie has always been my favorite and I was so happy for her to get her HEA. Taking Lucien and Hattie out of London and up into Scotland was brilliant, and definitely gave the story more depth. I loved all the side characters and hope to see them again of there are more books. (BOTM)

5 Stars

I wasn’t quite sure what to think starting this one, with yet another huge time leap between books and 100% new characters, however, I found myself enjoying this one quite a bit. In true Herbert fashion the book is SO MUCH set up, however, I love the way he world builds I honestly don’t care that nothing really happens for the first three fourths of the book. The ending and the revelations in the last fourth are totally worth it. I had a lot of predictions that turned out wrong, but I find myself really looking forward to the final book in the series.

4 Stars

What a great book. Everything in love in a romance and some of my favorite tropes. We had friends to lovers, game dating and only one bed all in one book. Add in a strong independent Latina protagonist I could identify with and you have a book I could devour in a day. I loved the pace of Gabe and Mich’s relationship and I loved their extended families. The book made me laugh, and it made me cry.

4 Stars

What a beautiful book. Really makes you think about the way you live your own life, what is your legend journey? What is your treasure? Are you listening to the world around you? The prose was beautiful. I was moved to tears at points.

4 Stars

Other than the fact that I couldn’t stop picturing Piper as Season 1 Alexis Rose and Brendan as Ron Swanson through the entirety of the book, which made for some interesting visuals when they started bumping uglies, this book was a lot of fun. I enjoy a good enemies to lovers book, and I love a good fish out of water book, and this provided both. The writing was smooth, the characters well developed, and I rooted for them from the first page. I’ve already put the next book on my TBR.

4 Stars

Powerful book about a horrible event in our history. Colbert does a great job contextualizing the massacre in history and bringing the event to life. Written for a teen audience, the book isn’t too bogged down by complex sentences. The history is told concisely and simply and it’s easy to follow and read.

5 Stars

This book was everything I had hoped for in a sequel. It was just as good and beautiful as the first book, and picked up the second after the first book ended. I fell in love with Ari and and Dante even more than I did before. They are so well written. And Ari’s journey was so great. I know it probably won’t happen, but I would love to see at least a short story following Ari, Dante, the girls, the parents, et all maybe like twenty years later, just to see where their lives are. If I don’t get that, I’ll be happy. The ending of this book was perfect. This book was…perfect.

5 Stars

Now THIS was a thriller. Everything that I thought would be a last minute twist happened in the first 50% of the book, and I honestly had no idea how it would end. The book kept me at the edge of my seat and I didn’t want to stop reading. (BOTM)

5 Stars

I don’t know if it’s because I’ve read a lot of these dystopian female heroes books or what, but this one just didn’t wow me. I enjoyed the book okay, but if it weren’t picked for my book club I may have set it aside. The only thing that compelled me to keep reading was the relationship between Immanuelle and Ezra, and even then there wasn’t enough there. I would have loved to see their relationship flushed out. And more of them together. The book wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t AMAZING. I don’t think I’ll be reading the next book in the series.

3 Stars

This was a fun book to read during October. I really liked the Jones girls and I liked how magic was just a thing in the world. And I really like Rhys. I’m a sucker for a Welsh man. (BOTM)

4 Stars

This book was okay. I wanted to love it more, but I just couldn’t get into the way it was written. Too many pop culture references, not a lot of character development, which I know can be difficult in a novella, but can be done. Maybe I was walking into this expecting something different, but whatever I was expecting, this wasn’t it. It just didn’t draw me in. 

3 Stars

September 2021 Reads

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This was a such a fun read. Anna and Keane slowly falling in love and working through the stages of grief together was so beautifully done. I had to Google several of the places they visited while they island hopped, because I just wanted a clearer pictures. The book made me want to sail around the Caribbean, even though I’m severely afraid of water. I wish there was about a hundred more pages so I could spend more time with Anna and Keane.

4 Stars

A touching book about traumatic brain injuries in pro football players told from the point of view of the twelve year old son of one. Written in verse, you won’t be able to get through this book without crying at least once. 

4 Stars

This was a pretty slow read for me, but mostly because I kept stopping and looking things up since I’m unfamiliar with the history of China. The book is very much a slow burn, but it’s totally worth it. The last 1/3 of the book was definitely my favorite and I read it quicker than the rest, and I will definitely be picking up the next book when it is released.

4 Stars

What a good book. Jane Igharo is officially on my auto buy list. This book made me laugh, it made me cry, and it warmed my heart. My only complaint is that it was too short. I could easily read a whole other book about the Jolades. (BOTM)

4 Stars

What a great rom com. I learned pretty early that this started as Reylo fanfic, and other than Adam very clearly being inspired by Adam Driver, I didn’t find that knowledge distracting (it actually made me love the book more tbh). I loved the pacing and characters. And the romance between Olive and Adam was swoonworthy. Ali Hazelwood has been moved to my auto-buy list. (BOTM)

5 Stars

I don’t know what it was, but this book just didn’t click with me. There was something about the style of writing that just really turned me off. I felt at arm’s length with the characters throughout the whole book. I really loved the concept, but the execution could have been better. 

2 Stars

This book was SO WEIRD, but SO GOOD. I love Frank Herbert’s world building, and I love the way he makes you root for characters who have questionable morals. And aren’t even completely human. The most frustrating part was how he didn’t fully lay out what exactly the Golden Path was. But I got it. Just like I figured out what the ultimate goal would be. Yes, I sort of predicted what would happen, but it didn’t ruin the book for me.

4 Stars

This book was so good. The characters were great and really leapt off the page. I loved Annabelle and her spirit. And Sebastian was striking. The history was amazing, and I had to look up when women could finally own property in England, and was quite disappointed in the result. Overall this was a very enjoyable read. (BOTM)

4 Stars

August 2021 Reads

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A Rom Com set in Belize, The Layover was a perfect summer “beach read.” The banter between Jack and Ava was top notch. This was a fun, light read, and I loved every second of it.

4/5 Stars

A You’ve Got Mail type book, To Sir, With Love was another fun rom com I read in August. This time set in New York in a champagne store. This one was fun, but the romance was way too slow of a burn. I wish they had gotten together quicker.

4/5 Stars

There are no words I can use to describe how much I loved Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe. This is a book that will stay with me for years. A story about coming of age and coming out, the book read like prose. Narrated by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the book was perfect. He made Aristotle come to life. He made me fall in love with Dante.

Saenz wrote a book about teenage boys who had a beautiful relationship with each other and with their parents. Everything about this book made me so happy.

5/5 Stars

My book club’s pick for August, Transcendent Kingdom is a wonderful look into the life of a woman struggling with her brother’s death, her mother’s depression and father’s abandonment. This is a story of strength and faith in tragedy. I’m not usually fan of lit fic, but I really enjoyed reading this book.

4/5 Stars

The Personal Librarian tells the story of JP Morgan’s personal librarian, a Black woman, Belle de Costa Greene, who passes as white. The book does an amazing job at bringing you into Gilded Age New York City. The fact that I needed to keep Googling key players really slowed down this read, but I really liked it, and it made me wish they deviated a bit from the history just slightly. If you read it, you’ll know what I mean.

4/5 Stars

It’s always sad when a series comes to a close, and it’s even sadder when it feels like the series really could continue after the end of the final book. Any Way the Wind Blows ends Rainbow Rowell’s Simon Snow series, something that started off as a parody Harry Potter story that someone was writing fanfiction about in Fangirl.

I will say, if we have to say goodbye to Simon, Baz, Penny and Agatha, this was the way to do it. If you’re like me and have been waiting TWO BOOKS for just nothing but Simon and Baz being in love, THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU! The book ended with everything being wrapped up nicely, but not too nicely there couldn’t be possible continuations, and I for one am hoping Rowell chooses to write something more with my favorite boys.

5/5 Stars

I love alternate history books, and I love mysteries, and The Yiddish Policemen’s Union combined both of those things. My favorite things about this book were the fact that I honestly had no idea who committed the crime until it was revealed, and the fact that Michael Chabon just sprinkled in the alternate history and didn’t just bombard you with it. This book was a really good read.

4/5 Stars

What a disappointing read The Plot ended up being. I had been looking forward to reading this book ever since NPR did a piece about it at the beginning of the summer, and then Jimmy Fallon picked it for his summer read. Once I finally got my hands on it, I was looking forward to this thriller. However, the book turned out to be very slow, very predictable, and I really didn’t like the ending.

3/5 Stars

Everyone should take some time and read The Reading List. A beautiful book which reflected my love of both reading and libraries, it was at once both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Aleisha and Mukesh were amazingly written characters whose growth you rooted for throughout the book. Even as tragedy struck about three fourths of the way through the book, you couldn’t help but root for them to succeed. Plus, this book caused my TBR to grow just a little.

5/5 Stars

A sweet love story set in a small village in England, you can’t help but fall in love with Roane right along side Evie. Not only do you root for the main couple throughout the book, you fall in love with the village and all of it’s inhabitants. A wonderful feel good read.

5/5 Stars

July 2021 Reads

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Northern Spy is billed as a thriller, but that wasn’t the book I read. I went in expecting a spy thriller set in Northern Ireland. What I got was a story about a woman experiencing motherhood for the first time, and maybe a little about being a spy.

The setting was also suspect. I had to actually Google the IRA and whether it was still active today, it isn’t. All around the book was a bit of a disappointment, even though it was well written.

3 Stars

Project Hail Mary was one of my most anticipated releases of this year, and it really didn’t disappoint, it actually exceeded my expectations. Science Fiction, emphasis on the science, Hail Mary tells the story of Grace, a scientist sent to the edges of our universe to try and solve the problem of our dying sun.

Full of twists and turns and edge of your seat action, this book diverges from Weir’s The Martian by bringing in a surprising ally to Grace, and turning the story into one of not only survival but to one of unlikely friendship and hope.

This book is easily my favorite book I’ve read so far this year. (BOTM)

5 Stars

Well Met was such a fun romance set in a small New England town and their annual Renaissance festival. Simon and Emily’s enemies to lovers story was absolutely fantastic, and I loved every second of their banter.

I enjoyed this book so much that I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series. And I also really want to go to Faire. (BOTM)

4 Stars

The Lost Apothecary is probably the book I was most disappointed with this month. Billed as Historical Fantasy, I just didn’t see any sort of fantasy elements, at least not until the very end, and even that was a stretch. The inside flap also implied time travel, but again, there was none of that.

The dual storylines were okay, but they were so loosely tied together I often wondered what the point was.

Overall, the book left a lot to be desired and was nothing what I expected it to be. (BOTM)

3 stars

This. Book. The timeline through Alex and Poppy’s relationship was an absolutely stunning way to tell their story. Their friendship was beautifully told, and the slow realization of Poppy’s feelings for Alex was so realistic.

This is a book that I will definitely be keeping on my shelf in order to re-read. (BOTM)

5 Stars

Sometimes when you go into a book with low expectations, you’re pleasantly surprised. I loved Daniel. He was hilarious and very relatable as a person. The story flowed perfectly from beginning to end. And it even got suspenseful near the end, which was something I really wasn’t expecting! Overall if you want a fun Rear Window type book, this is the book for your. (BOTM)

4 Stars

I highly recommend listening to Born a Crime on audiobook. Listening to Trevor Noah tell his own story is compelling and powerful. And I think it helps inject humor into the story, with his voices and inflections. I learned more about Apartheid from this book than I ever did in school.

5 Stars

I think I went into One Last Stop with high expectations since Red, White, and Royal Blue was one of my favorite books I read last year, so I was let down just a little. I still really enjoyed the book, but I didn’t immediately go to Pinterest and start pinning fan art of it either.

I really enjoyed the concept of the book, and I LOVED August and Jane, their chemistry was undeniable, and they were so cute together. I also loved the theme of found family.

I can’t put my finger on what fell short with me preventing me from giving this book five stars, but I really loved this book, just not as much as I had hoped I would. (BOTM)

4 Stars

I chose this book because I needed a debut to finish off my Book of the Month challenge and earn my free socks. We Are the Brennans was a huge surprise. I LOVED this book. It reminded me of Parenthood, one of my favorite tv shows.

The characters were all flawed, but that just made them more endearing. I loved this book so much I’m really hoping Lange will write more books about this family. (BOTM)

5 Stars

Brave New World was my book club’s pick for July. This was my third time reading it, and I have to say I still loved it the third time around. The commentary about consumerism and society is still spot on nearly ninety years after its publication. While the characters are not super strong and just a means for pushing the plot forward, Mustapha Mond and John still have one of the most iconic pieces of literature I’ve ever read. If you haven’t read this classic, you should.

4 Stars

I think I was expecting a little more thriller in The Maidens so I was a little let down, but the book still pushed me through and I couldn’t put it down. Starting out a bit slow, once Marianna really started investigating the mystery, the action picked up and I really didn’t want to stop reading. The ending really made up for the slow beginning. (BOTM)

4 Stars

A fun summer Rom Com set in a beautiful setting, Shipped was the light reading I needed after a month of heavy books. Graeme and Henley were a match made in Rom Com heaven, and their enemies to lovers relationship was to die for. Not only did this book have a wonderful love story, I really enjoyed the focus it had on ecotourism and the plight of women working in a male dominated industry.

4 stars

April 2021 Reads

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Every Last Fear by Alex Finlay is a thriller that delivers. From the minute it starts, the plot does not slow down. Finlay is really good at keeping the reader in suspense, and while some of the plot was slightly predictable, it didn’t detract from the story at all. I read this book in two sittings, and stayed up way too late at night reading.

4 Stars

After reading Kristin Hannah’s The Four Winds last month and loving it, the next logical step was to read The Grapes of Wrath. A classic that I had been meaning to read since high school, I’m glad I waited to read this as an adult. I think I could appreciate it better.

I loved the alternating chapters, one which told the stories of actual refugees from the dust bowl, and one which told the story of the Joads. The book was a grim window into the realities of the Great Depression and the Dust bowl, and the discrimination “Okies” faced trying to find a better life for themselves in California.

My only complaint is I wish there was more story to tell. I want to know what happened to the Joads. I like to imagine things got better for them, and they were able to reunite with those they had to separate from.

5 Stars

Pretty Things was my book club’s pick for April. At first I didn’t think it would be a book I would enjoy, but in the end I thought the book was pretty good.

A thriller, it took about half of the book to really become what I would define as a “thriller.” Once I passed the halfway mark, I didn’t want to put the book down.

My one complaint would be there just seemed to be too many twists to make sense. I think with so many twists you were really expected to suspend your disbelief a little too much, and it really made Nina and Vanessa seem dense and oblivious most of the time that they weren’t able to see some of these situations before they arose.

4 Stars

I had been really looking forward to reading The Paris Library, and while it was a good book, I felt slightly let down by it.

Odile’s story was really the part of the book I cared the most about. I loved hearing about her life in Paris both before and during the War. However, it took a very long time for it to get to the war, and I guess I was expecting her to play a bigger role in things. But as my husband pointed out, sometimes it’s the stories of people who do mundane things, or the small things that need to be told, and that was Odile’s story.

Lily’s story was one that I really didn’t understand why it was there. I found myself struggling through her portions. It wasn’t until the final chapter that the inclusion of Lily made some sort of sense.

The story took a while to get into, but once it picked up, it was hard to put down.

4 Stars

Accidentally Engaged tells the story of an arranged engagement, but with the twist that the two characters meet before their parents can introduce them and they fall in love on their own terms. In this case, around baked goods.

I loved Reena and Nadim, and their whole story. They were cute, and nothing about the plot felt overly contrived. It seemed to move at a realistic pace. And it made me really hungry, especially for sourdough.

4 Stars

After being burned by Charlaine Harris with the end of the Sookie Stackhouse series, I’ve been very hesitant to support her or read anything else by her. However, for the PopSugar Reading Challenge, I needed a genre hybrid, and An Easy Death came highly recommended, so I gave it a try. And I’m glad I did.

I really like the characters of Lizbeth and Eli. I like their chemistry, and how they work together. I enjoyed the mystery, and the pace in which it was told. I was super bothered by the time line. No matter how much I mathed, there’s no way Eli could be the age he is if the events really unfolded the way Harris laid them out.

Overall the book was entertaining enough that I have the second book sitting in my TBR.

4 Stars

Recommended by a friend, A Deadly Education took a minute to get into, the narration was really hard to breath through, but once you’re in, you need to figure out what happens next.

Set in a magical school that is out to kill you, El is just trying to survive, but she’s a magnet to all the Mals in the school. Orion likes to rescue people, and the two clash often throughout the book, until they don’t. The book is a little heavy with world building and exposition, but the plot really does shine through.

I enjoyed the book enough that I will probably read the next one. Who am I kidding? With the last paragraph of this one, I’m intrigued enough that I will definitely be picking up the next book in this series.

4 Stars

I really wanted to love The Bookish Life of Nina Hill, and on paper it seems like the perfect book for me. However, the pacing of the book, and just the way the story was told really just fell flat for me.

I felt like the book was trying to do too much at one time. I wish it had chosen one thing to focus on, either Nina’s discovery of this whole family she had no idea she had, or the romance with the rival Trivia Team Captain. By trying to fit in both, the story just felt super rushed, and none of the characters felt very developed.

3 Stars

Another book that I really wanted to love, but fell flat, We Could Be Heroes just didn’t resonate with me the way I had hoped it would.

I don’t know if I wasn’t in the right mood, but this book felt like a struggle to get through. It didn’t hold my interest at all. Which is unfortunate because I really liked Zoe and Jamie. And I was really interested in their story. I just walked away from the book feeling very “meh.” (BOTM)

3 Stars

Slowly making my way through the Dune series, and Children of Dune found me saying out loud, several times, “What is going on? This is so weird. They are NINE.”

I have really enjoyed this book, and this series, but I have a feeling as I continue to the next book, things are just going to get weirder, and things were also really weird in this book. I’ll never fully understand the pre-born, and some of the situations the Atreides twins were in made me understand why the mini-series aged them up significantly. My favorite character is still Duncan Idaho.

4 Stars

January 2021 Reads

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Hamnet

My first read of the new year was actually supposed to be my last read of the previous year, but I didn’t get it finished in time. Hamnet is the story about Shakespeare’s family. The story is very historical fiction, as we don’t really know much about Shakespeare and his life. And to tell the truth, the story more revolves around the women in his life, and Shakespeare isn’t really ever really named.

The novel deals very heavily in the loss of a child. Historically, Shakespeare’s son, Hamnet, died at the age of 11, cause unknown, but heavily believed to be from the bubonic plague. The story is beautifully told, and I really enjoyed the dual storylines of Agnes’ past and present in the front half of the book. If you can’t handle reading about a child dying or reading about a mother’s grief, you may want to hold off from reading this book for now.

Rating: 4/5

The Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany

This book was so beautifully written, it just transported you to Italy. Everyone knows that the second born Fontana daughter is cursed to never find love. Which is why when Great-Aunt Poppy calls Em and Luce and tells them she can break the curse on her 80th birthday if only they all go to Italy, what is there to lose?

Nothing. There is nothing to lose, and what follows is a fun story about finding yourself at any age, and not letting a family legend define you. The characters leapt off the page and sprung to life, and this book should be a study in character development. And interwoven with the Italian adventure of Poppy, Em and Luce is a beautiful love story between Poppy and Rico that will equally break your heart, and make it swell in joy. (BOTM)

Rating: 5/5

Play it as it Lays

Realistic Fiction is not my favorite genre, so I dreaded this book a little when it came up as the randomized choice in the book club I’m doing with my sisters. And while it was not something I would normally pick up, it was okay. The problem with realistic fiction is it doesn’t really feel like anything really happens in the book. The plot moves slowly. Also, in this book the characters were not very likeable, and there was absolutely no character growth. The book didn’t really hold my interest, but I didn’t hate the book, and I’m glad I read it and went outside of my comfort zone.

Rating: 3/5

Pretty Little Wife

When everyone started raving about Pretty Little Wife in the Book of the Month Club Facebook group, I knew I needed to read it. Thankfully my friend had it and let me borrow. I went into the book thinking it would be very much like Gone Girl or Girl on a Train, and a lot of it read that way. Spouse mysteriously disappears, surviving spouse is the prime suspect. However, there are multi-layers to this book.

The story starts off pretty slow and predictable, but soon the story picked up and the suspense kept me reading. And then the end. Let me tell you. If you like good endings to your suspense/thrillers, this is a book for you. (BOTM)

Rating: 4/5

The Giver

My book club book for January was The Giver. I hadn’t read it since I first read it in middle school over twenty years ago. And let me tell you, reading it as an adult is a completely different experience than reading it as a pre-teen. When you’re twelve, you’re reading it as if you’re Jonah. As an adult, you can see more of the nuances of the community. Also, since having read this previously, I had also read two of the sequel books. Knowing what comes next really takes away from the ambiguousness of this books endings. All of this being said, I still loved the book very much, and it is one that absolutely holds up through time.

Rating: 5/5

The Book of Longings

What. A. Beautiful. Book. Told from the point of view of Ana, Jesus’s wife, The Book of Longings brings to life Israel at the time of Jesus. Relegated to a mere side character, Jesus is treated as a historical figure rather than a religious one, and I think that is what makes the book so beautifully done. Yes, Ana is Jesus’s wife, but she is also so much more than that. Feminist in a time when it was unheard of, Ana longs for her freedom, and to write.

Ana is such a well drawn character, it’s hard to imagine that she wasn’t real. She starts off as a wealthy girl, who doesn’t want to be forced to marry someone she doesn’t love, transitions into her role as Jesus’s wife where she learns how to farm and do domestic chores, and finally as a devout religious figure who writes for the rest of her days.

We all know how Jesus’s story turns out, and even though I know the story of the crucifixion in my sleep, it’s even more devastating told through the eyes of the woman who called him beloved.

The prose is beautiful, and I can’t believe this is the first time I’ve read a book by Sue Monk Kidd. (BOTM)

Rating: 5/5

Tower of Swallows

Book 6 in the Witcher series, and the penultimate book at that. This was my audiobook for the month, because at about twenty hours, I can only listen to one audiobook a month right now.

This book was mostly about Ciri, and her journey to The Tower of Swallows. The book was mostly filler, and not a whole lot happened to advance the plot very much. Geralt and Yennefer are barely in it. My favorite part of these books is the analyzing of Ciri’s genetics, which sounds weird. I probably wouldn’t enjoy it so much if I was physically reading all of it, but I love listening to it.

There’s a big reveal at the end about Ciri that made me yell in the car, and I waited very impatiently for the final book to arrive in my library app.

Rating 4/5

Boyfriend Material

Boyfriend Material is such a fun book featuring one of my favorite romance tropes: fake dating. Luc is the son of two former rock stars, so basically famous by association. When he gets a series of bad press, his job tells him he needs to clean up his image or get fired. So, he gets set up with Oliver, a straight laced attorney who needs a date to his parents’ anniversary party. What follows is exactly what you would hope from a fake dating romance.

Luc and Oliver’s relationship was very swoonworthy, even before the fake dating turned into real dating. The book also had amazing side characters and made me laugh out loud several times before utterly breaking my heart and making me cry. This book is all around perfect. I had been looking for something to stand up against Red, White and Royal Blue, and this one hit the mark perfectly.

Rating: 5/5

Winter Counts

Winter Counts was a very interesting book. It was advertised as a thriller, I would categorize it more of a suspense than a thriller. It definitely kept me reading. It was a slow burn, but totally worth it. Virgil is a vigilante on the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, taking care of cases law enforcement won’t, bringing justice to the people. When hard drugs start finding their way to the rez, and his teenage nephew he’s caring for OD’s, it becomes Virgil’s mission to find who is bringing in the drugs, and bring them down.

What follows is an intricate story of finding the balance between biding your time and following the laws, and bringing about justice for those you love. All of which is interwoven with what every day life is like on an Indian Reservation. The story is both simple and complex, and it builds to an amazing finale that has me hoping Weiden will make this book the first in a series of Virgil the Vigilante books. (BOTM)

Rating: 4/5

The City Baker’s Guide to Country Living

This was a very cute book. It was a nice formulaic romance about a baker who moves to a small town to bake for a tiny little inn. She finds love and family and plays in a bluegrass band. All while baking delicious pies and cookies and all manner of desserts. I absolutely adored Livvy and thought she was a very well developed character. I do wish there was more Martin, and that the author showed more of their relationship developing rather than Livvy baking practice pies for the pie contest. Other than that, I felt this was a great book, and it made me super hungry for apple pie.

Rating: 4/5

Conversations with Friends

Another pick for my book club with my sisters. The randomizer seems intent on bringing me out of my comfort zone with realistic fiction. This one, though, was a chore for me to read. I was already a bit against it when I flipped through and noticed there were no quotation marks. And then as I was reading, the prose felt more like Rooney was making lists of things that happened.

The book was definitely not one for me. This book was just another strike against realistic fiction, and a very big one. The characters were all terrible people with nothing redeeming about them, especially Frances, the narrator. The only character I felt anything remotely close to sympathy for was Nick, and that’s because I felt sorry that everyone was treating him terribly. This was advertised as a romance, but I found absolutely nothing romantic about it, and I was rooting for Nick to just leave both Melissa and Frances and go live with his sister and beloved niece. The ending just made me rage. The story felt like it dragged, and nothing seemed to actually happen in the book. I don’t plan on reading anything else by this author.

Rating: 2/5

November Reads

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Sword of Destiny

I’m slowly making my way through all of the The Witcher books. This one is a collection of short stories that are a prequel to the main series, and it’s also what the Netflix series based part of its storyline on.

Some of the stories were okay. It was the last couple that really got me. I loved the story of Ciri and Geralt finally meeting. It makes me really excited for the second season of the show to see where they choose to take the story. Whether they’ll follow canon closely or not.

The Midnight Library

The Midnight Library is one of the most popular books this year, and I was seeing online that a lot of bookstores are sold out of copies. I went into it a bit skeptical, but I’m a sucker for a good story a la It’s a Wonderful Life.

At first, the story seemed a bit predictable as the main character moved through different versions of her life, and decided why maybe that version of her life wasn’t the best.

Then, the Librarian and the main character began talking about why life is worth living. And what life means, and what it takes to be happy in the life you have, and then did I see why this book is so popular.

The prose and ideas were so moving, so beautiful. The book is a quick read, and I highly recommend it to everyone.

City of Girls

This is another very popular book that I was excited about reading. I listened to it on audiobook.

I have to say, the book was okay. I enjoyed it, and I really liked the characters. I will say though, it is one that I probably won’t recommend to people off hand, but if someone were to ask me if they should read it, I will say they should.

The book has a weird format in that it’s written as a letter to someone who asks the main character how she knew her dad. And then the book is nearly 500 pages. I think I would have enjoyed the book a lot more if the author had left out the letter format.

I will say, don’t read this book if you don’t like books with a lot of sexual content.

The House in the Cerulean Sea

What can I say about this book? This book is magic. This book is brilliance. This book is my second favorite book I’ve read this year.

Linus and Arthur are easily some of my favorite characters I’ve read on the page. Watching Linus come to terms with maybe the status quo way of running the Department for the Control of Magical Youth, was breathtaking. Talk about watching a successful character arc.

The kids were also amazing. They brought the story to life, and I found myself falling in love with them along with Linus.

What a beautiful story about fitting in and prejudice. And a beautifully romantic story.

If you read one book from my list, have it be this.

Little Fires Everywhere

I chose to read this book because I’ve heard a lot of good things, and it was made into a Hulu series.

I will say, this type of book is not one I would typically pick up for myself to read, and while it was nice to read it, I don’t think I’ll be reading it again.

I like my books to be full of likeable characters and preferably with a happy ending, and this book didn’t contain either of those.

I also didn’t really like the prose, and I didn’t like the way the story was told. It felt clunky and confusing.

If you’re into tragic family stories where no one ends up happy, this book is for you. If, like me, you prefer books where there is hope and happiness at the end, then this is not for you. (BOTM)

You Had Me At Hola

One of the year’s most popular romance novels, You had me at Hola is a fun read about a soap opera actress and a telenovela star falling in love as they star together in a new show with a popular streaming service that will be their big break.

The book follows the romance formula, which is comforting, especially after reading Little Fires Everywhere. I love when the story is all about love, and a happy ending where every gets exactly what they want and they live happily ever after.

The characters are all likeable, and I loved them and their development. The prose was well written, and funny, and even when the characters aren’t communicating, you never truly get upset, you know they’ll work it out in the end. If you want a fun romance, this book is for you.

Hiddensee

This was our book club pick for December, but I decided to read it a little early. This book is supposed to be a retelling of the Nutcracker story a la Wicked, but it was a bit of a letdown.

The story felt very disjointed, and very slow. It was really hard to pinpoint what exactly was important and what was filler. Eventually you learn that it was all important, kind of, but again, it’s not the best at indicating it.

I liked that Dirk was really good with kids, and I liked the last part with Klara. Otherwise, the book was a little meh for me.

October Reads

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Lovecraft Country

I was watching the show, and really enjoying it, but very confused, so I decided to pick up the book, hoping it would make the show make some more sense. Spoiler Alert: it did not.

The book is vastly different than the show, and just as good. I couldn’t put the book down. If you want a good sci fi fantasy that also deals with race relations in the US, this is definitely a book for you. Especially if you enjoyed the show.

Night Swim

As a lover of the True Crime genre, and a listener of True Crime podcasts, the premise of this book appealed to me greatly. And I was not disappointed. This is easily my favorite book of the month. I couldn’t put it down. The best part was, by the end of the book, I hadn’t solved the “who did it” mystery of the past crime told throughout the book. I was honestly completely shocked. And that says a lot, because usually I can figure it out.

The book does deal with sexual assault, so please be aware of that if you prefer not to read books with that. There is a case where it’s just mentioned, and then there is one where the situation is not super graphic, but it’s not implied either. (BOTM)

Rebecca

This was our book club pick for the month. And I did not enjoy it. At all. It wasn’t the writing or the plot, per say, it was specifically the character of Mrs. de Winter. I couldn’t get past the fact that she didn’t stand up for herself, and she let herself be treated like garbage. I prefer books where the female protagonist is a lot stronger and can hold her own. And before you state it was written this way because of “the time,” remember that Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice are things, and their female leads wouldn’t take any crap from anybody.

The Boys Volume 2: Get Some

This book mostly was a lesson on the different factions of Supes around the world, and more lessons for Wee Huey. I really enjoy these comics because they’re fun, and a quick read.

Baptism of Fire

I prefer to listen to these books, so I took a break while there was no school for six months. But now that school is back in, I can listen to books in the car again, the toddler doesn’t have an opinion…yet.

This book furthered the action of the previous two. We are well and truly entrenched in the war with Nilfgaard. But Geralt is finally prominently featured in a book as he goes in search of Ciri. In fact, most of the action takes place around Geralt. Ciri and Yennefer making brief appearances. There is a huge section where they explain the genetics around Ciri and her powers, which is probably one of the most fascinating things I’ve read. The book ends with a cliffhanger, for the first time giving me a sense of urgency to read the next one.

No Judgments

I have loved Meg Cabot since The Princess Diaries series, so the fact that she has branched into adult romances thrills me to no end. Was this the best book I’ve ever read? No. Was it fun, romantic and an easy read? Yes. That’s why I gave it five stars. I love a book where I can devour it in one sitting, and walk away feeling a warmth in my chest. If you like Hallmark movies, you will love this one. Also, there’s a whole plot point about rescuing animals. If you’re an animal lover, you will feel your heart warm.

No Offense

Another quick, fluffy read from Meg Cabot. This is the second book in her Little Bridge Island series. I devoured the book in a day, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as the first one. But, still, it was a fun romance between a librarian and the sheriff. The plot was just a little messy with a few loose ends that don’t really get tied up at the end.

September Reads

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The Guest List

I’d seen a lot of buzz surrounding The Guest List, especially after Reese Witherspoon chose it for her book club, so I put myself on the list at the library. It finally came in, and I read it over the course of two days. I could not put it down.

The book is told through four different points of view, and is really good at spreading out the murder mystery throughout the book. By the end I was shouting at the book because I honestly had no idea 1) who was dead and 2) who had done it. I had thought for sure I knew both, but Lucy Foley did an amazing job at throwing you off the scent.

I highly recommend this book, and I am probably going to read more Lucy Foley books now. (BOTM)

Head Over Heels

This was one of my Book of the Month Club picks, and I found it a nice fluffy romance to help cleanse my pallet from a lot of heavier books I’ve been reading lately.

Head Over Heels tells a love story between two former Olympic level gymnasts who fall in love while coaching a young gymnast for the 2020 Olympics, which go on as planned because in this world, there is no pandemic.

The book is fun, and follows the romance formula, and I read the whole thing in 24 hours. If you’re looking for a fun, easy read, I highly recommend this book. I’ll even lend you my copy! (BOTM)

Home Before Dark

Home Before Dark is a haunted house story in the vain of Amityville Horror. The book tells of a family who fled their house to save their lives and then profited from the story. Years later, the daughter moves back into the house, and finds out whether the story her father wrote about was true or not.

The book was pretty good. It alternated chapters between current time and chapters from her dad’s book. I felt there were parts of the book definitely lacking, but it kept me interested enough to keep reading. I was honestly surprised with the way the author chose to end the book.

While this is the book I would rate lowest this month, I still recommend it, and will gladly loan you my copy. (BOTM)

The Picture of Dorian Gray

After several months of choosing new releases to read, our book club decided to choose a classic for September. We chose The Picture of Dorian Gray. At first I had a really hard time getting into the book, and then I found it at my library on audio, and I could not stop listening to it.

Earlier this year I listened to Oscar Wilde’s Importance of Being Earnest and fell in love. This book was no different. There’s just something about the way Wilde tells a story. Yes, there was a whole section that dragged, but it really didn’t deter the story too badly.

I went into the book knowing this was what got Wilde arrested and imprisoned for homosexuality, and boy, could you really see it. He was not trying to hide it. The book was a good commentary on sin, and society, and had a good amount of suspense. I really wanted to know what was going to happen to Dorian. I highly recommend, and if you don’t think you can get through the text, get the audio!

The Boys, Volume 1: The Name of the Game

My husband and I started watching the show on Amazon Prime, and I immediately put myself on the list for the first set of comics. And after reading this I came away with a few takes.

  1. Casting Simon Pegg as Hughie’s Dad makes A LOT of sense
  2. They changed quite a bit between book and screen.
  3. Homelander is still a giant ass.

If you’re like me, and you’re enjoying the show, definitely check out the comics. Don’t be surprised if you see more on my list before the year is out.