May 2024 Reads

This debut romance novel was really cute. I loved the original premise of the book. They knew of each other in high school, but were never part of the same social circle, but forever connected through a tragic accident involving her sister. Now, they’re forced to work together. I loved how Kuang talked about their shared trauma and how they each dealt with it. And I loved the gradual way they fell in love. It felt very natural and realistic. I’m very excited to see how Kuang adapts Emily Henry’s books for the screen.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I saw this book at the library and thought it would be a more updated version of the story, or a new take on it, or something. Nope. It’s just the text of Frankenstein as a graphic novel. And I have to say, re-reading Frankenstein, even as a graphic novel, was not on my list of books I ever wanted to read again. Turns out, my dislike for the story had nothing to do with being a teenager, and everything to do with the story. Not my favorite classic by any means.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

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I love Megan Goldin. She has a way of telling thrilling stories. Plus, I’m a huge sucker for True Crime based novels. This book kept me hooked from the beginning and I had to keep reading to find out what happened next. I honestly didn’t see some of the twists coming, which was refreshing since the last True Crime based book was such a let down. I can’t wait for Goldin to release another book.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

If I’m going to be reading my four-year-old chapter books at bedtime, I’m going to count them toward my reading goal for the year. Especially Dav Pilkey books. If you know me, you know I love puns, and Dav Pilkey books are FULL of puns. I read all of Captain Underpants to my son when he was this age, and now I’m reading the Cat Kid Comic Club and Dog Man to my daughter. These books are fun, and hilarious, and not just for kids.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Last year, I read the book Pride and Prometheus thinking it would be a love story mashup between Frankenstein and Pride and Prejudice. It was not, and I was so let down. Since I got sort of tricked into re-reading Frankenstein this month, I went in search of books where Frankenstein’s Monster finds love. I know, it sounds weird, but I found it! This is about Frankenstein’s monster in modern times, falling in love. And I was here for the story for about ninety percent of the book, and then it lost me. However, I still really enjoyed it, and it was exactly what I wanted after slogging through Frankenstein a second time.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

What can I say about this book? It was billed as a romance/sci-fi hybrid, which is what appealed to me. However, I would not call this book a romance by any means. Definitely Sci-Fi, but not romance. I spent most of the book trying to figure out what bothered me, and I think I didn’t really enjoy the way it was written. It felt very passive. If I didn’t want to count it toward a reading challenge, I probably would have DNF’d the book. However, about 75% through, things took a turn and suddenly the book became more interesting. And now, if Bradley were to write a sequel to this book, I would probably read it.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I spent Memorial Day weekend bingeing the two Christina Lauren books I haven’t read yet. This one was so cute. I loved the premise, and I LOVED the characters. I’m such a sucker for a good dad. I read this very quickly and loved every second of it.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

The newest release from Christina Lauren, I loved this one too. I read this one in a day. I loved the characters, the premise and the ending. The book made me laugh and cry, and I’m sad that I’m going to have to wait for them to write another book for me to read.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

My book club book for the month,it took me the entire month to finish this book. Written in the height of the YA Dystopian craze, this book read like it was trying to be the next Hunger Games or Divergent. All the tropes were there, and it was incredibly predictable. I hated Lena, and even though the book ended on a cliffhanger, I have no desire to read the rest of the trilogy.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

October 2023 Reads

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.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 2 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

September 2022 Reads

Kamala is an Avenger! But she’s having a hard time balancing everything, which leads to some hilarious antics. The comics are really making me sad about Tony’s MCU fate because he and Kamala have great mentor/mentee chemistry.

4 Stars

Heart. Broken. I can’t believe what’s happened with Bruno. And Captain Marvel. I do love the relationship between Iron Man and Ms. Marvel. But I do feel for her. I can’t wait to see if Kamala is able to find balance in her life.

4 Stars

I love me a fake marriage turned real marriage trope, and this was no different. I devoured Holland and Calvin’s story. I laughed. I cried. I fell in love right alongside them. I just wish it were a little bit longer.

5 Stars

Loved all of the essays. I loved how Van Ness put his humor into the essays to add levity to the subject matter, which was very serious.

4 Stars

I love True Crime. This book was really good. I liked how she revealed details as she discovered them. I loved hearing all of the theories that have percolated over fifty years. I found the “legends” interesting, and I liked hearing about the cases they thought were connected. I felt the shock and disappointment of the results right along with the author.

4 Stars

First one without Bruno, and it felt a little weak. The problem felt very contrived, but I really liked a lot of the character building stuff.

4 Stars

Powerful look into the toll of being a super hero. Kamala is really learning the need to balance her life and take time for herself. That she can’t do everything alone. Also, Hydra really wants to control Jersey City!

4 Stars

At first I was skeptical about this book. Bonus prequels are rarely good. However, I loved this one. Knowing the outcomes of Darius and Ann’s lives did not hinder my emotional connection. Their love story was heartbreaking and beautiful. I also loved being reminded of what the Brotherhood and the Brothers were like before Beth and Wrath and before each Brother found his shellan (or hellren). It made me want to reread the series.

4 stars

The book started out a little slow, but as soon as the action picked up, I couldn’t put it down. I needed to know what was going on with Liv. While some things were a little predictable, the “who dunnit” was not. I really enjoyed this book.

4 Stars

The book was okay. I really didn’t care for the female main character so that really brought the book down. There were a lot of times I would just cringe. I liked the love interest, and I wish it was more about him. The third act break up felt forced and unnecessary.

3 Stars

I didn’t know I needed a retelling of Romeo and Juliet set in 1920s Shanghai, but I needed it. The book was so good at keeping you guessing about what exactly was happening. I loved Roma and Julliette’s will they/won’t they romance. I liked how different it was from the source material, but also loved the nods. And I especially loved the ending. (BOTM)

5 Stars

The book started a little slow, but as it continued, the exploits and mystery surrounding the Montoya family drew me in. I loved all the characters, but I especially loved Orquidea. I thought the villain, and the deeper meaning behind who it was, was especially brilliant. (BOTM)

4 Stars

May 2021 Reads

I look forward to every Black Dagger Brotherhood release each year, and I’m never disappointed. In Lover Unveiled, I really liked the new couple, Mae and Sahvage, but I felt like their story isn’t complete. I have a feeling their story is going to bleed into the next book, which JR Ward is not spilling the beans on yet.

I also am super intrigued by Balz and the detective. I have a strong feeling they are going to be the new book, and their story is going to intertwine with Mae and Sahvage.

I think the best part of this book is the HUGE reveal for Lassiter at the very end. I love Lass, and I know he’s getting a book, and I’m just so anxious for it.

5 Stars

Second First Impressions was so cute. I loved this book so much. I absolutely fell in love with Teddy. I read a lot of romance, but Teddy stood out amongst all the male love interests. He was hilarious, and cute, and just *sigh*. Not be outdone, I also loved Ruthie. I wanted to be here friend.

Their relationship just felt so organic, moving from acquaintance, to best friends, to lovers. There was not one thing I didn’t love about this book. I wish I could go back and read it a first time again.

5 Stars

There are some books that you read that will stick with you forever. The Death of Vivek Oji is one of those books. This is a powerful story about an important topic that needs to be told and read. I can’t really say much more than this, since I don’t want to spoil anything about the book. This is definitely a book that will be read for generations. (BOTM)

4 Stars

Man Enough was written for men, but it can be read and enjoyed by anyone. Justin Baldoni wrote his truth and a book that gives men to be themselves and not what society expects them to be. The book really gave a lot of insight into adolescent boys, which will be useful for me to reflect on as my son gets older.

4 Stars

A Longer Fall is the second of the Gunnie Rose books, and I actually enjoyed it better than the first. A lot less worldbuilding. A lot more character development. I love the characters of Lizbeth and Eli so much, and I love their relationship building.

This book took us to a new section of the old United States, and it was really cool to see the difference.

4 Stars

The Gunnie Rose series just gets better and better with each book. I loved The Russian Cage the most. It’s probably because I’m a huge fan of romance. But in addition to the growing romance of Eli and Lizbeth, there was a lot more action and mystery. I really enjoyed the new setting of The Holy Russian Empire.

4 Stars

Picked to read with my sisters, I really enjoyed this book. The first half was very slow, but then the haunting started and the second half flew by. I found myself sitting in my car long after arriving home just to read a little bit more. If you’re a fan of Shirley Jackson, you’ll enjoy this book.

4 stars

Ever since I knew they made this a real book, I had been looking forward to reading it. However, I was super disappointed once I read it. I know in the show they made a big deal about it being Jane’s story, but I didn’t expect it to be a complete word for word retelling of the first season of the show. I was a little annoyed with it. Not my favorite book.

3 Stars

My kids and I have started reading together every night again, and our first book was Fortunately the Milk. And it was so funny. We alternate who reads, and we couldn’t stop laughing. It’s a quick read, and I think everyone should read it, young or old.

5 Stars

This book was a very uneven read. The first 3/4 of the book was so good. I loved reading about the victims and their lives, and about queer New York. However, where the book fell flat for me was when you learned that while the killer was caught, he never confessed, they never found the place he was killing these men, and there was never a clear motive found. I know the case is very recent, but the part I love most about True Crime is learning the why and how. And this book was missing this. The book ended so abruptly, it left me me feeling like the book was incomplete.

4 stars

The second book we picked to read as a family, if you like cat puns, this is the book for you. This was a short fun graphic novel, that was the third time my son read, however, he was so excited to read it with me, his excitement rubbed off on me.

4 stars

This was a cute book. And one that was hard for me to put down. The characters were fun, the romance was believable, and I wanted to be friends with Kara. As a fellow romance author, I loved the breakdown of what makes a romance novel. A fun book to read while camping.

4 Stars

Christina Lauren are quickly becoming my favorite RomCom authors. I have read three of their books in the last six months, and I have read each of them in one day.

My favorite thing about The Souldmate Equation was how swoony the romance was. Jess and River’s chemistry was palpable. The addition of Juno took the story to the next level.

What I appreciate about Christina Lauren is that their characters fall in love doing the mundane, and they know how to write a love story.

4 Stars

December Reads

The Twelve Dates of Christmas

This was a cute book to kick off my Christmas month of reading. An easy romance, that had everything I love about a book. It was quirky, light-hearted, and the romance didn’t seem forced. I loved the conceit of the main character trying to find love at Christmas time through twelve blind dates, and I loved the backstory between her and her best friend.

In a Holidaze

I absolutely loved this one. After a disastrous day after Christmas, Maelyn Jones makes a wish, and suddenly it’s Groundhogs Day meets Christmas! Mae needs to try and get her life together, or else she’ll be stuck reliving the same holiday for all eternity.

This book was SO GOOD. I loved Mae and Andrew and the romance that bloomed between the two. And I’m a sucker for time-loop stories. Another feel good romance for the holiday season. (BOTM)

A Warm Heart In Winter

I NEVER skip a J.R. Ward book. And this year’s December release was billed as Blay and Qhuinn’s mating ceremony. FINALLY. But the book was so much more than that. In fact, the mating ceremony is such a small part of this heartbreaking book. If you’re caught up on the series, this is definitely worth the read. It adds to Z’s story, and we get some resolution to the Lesser attack on the Glymera from early in the series. But at the heart of the book, you get to feel and see Blay and Qhuinn’s love for one another, and that is just amazing.

This Time Next Year

New Year’s Eve, 1990, two moms labor together, when they have their babies at the same time, Quinn is the New Year’s baby! Minnie, who was supposed to be named Quinn, misses out by just minutes and also loses her name in the process. What proceeds is a life believing she is cursed at New Year’s. On the Eve of her 30th Birthday, she runs into Quinn, stealer of her name and her luck, and the two form a friendship that grows over the year. A beautifully written book about love, friendship and making your own luck, this is a book that I will probably try and read annually. (BOTM)

Dune

For YEARS, my husband has been trying to get me to read Dune. It’s one of his favorite book series. Over the summer, we learned how to play the board game, and everyone who had read the book understood what was happening, those of us who didn’t, had no idea. So, I finally read the book. I got the audiobook from the library, and I was HOOKED. This book is AMAZING! It’s like Game of Thrones, in SPACE! I was drawn in by the politics between the houses. The book was 21 hours long, and I DEVOURED it. My goal in 2021 is to finish the series.

Anxious People

I had heard a lot of good things about Anxious People, and it has made a lot of the best of 2020 lists, that I was really excited to finally have it come in at the library. And I have to say, this book lives up to the hype. It starts off slow, but keep reading. The payoff at the end is just amazing. The book is beautifully written and deals with so many different topics, and it does it with humor. Seriously, I laughed out loud multiple times. This book is a great study in character and relationships. (BOTM)

I’ll Be Gone in the Dark

If you know me, you know I love True Crime. This book is amazingly written. When she wrote it, The Golden State Killer, a name she coined, was still unsolved. Responsible for 12 murders and 50 rapes up and down the California coast between 1978 and 1986, The Golden State Killer, or also known as the East Area Rapist and the Original Night Stalker, was one of the most prolific serial killers, that no one was talking about. It wasn’t until the 1990s with the invent of more sophisticated DNA technology that all of the cases began attributing themselves to him, since he crossed jurisdictions. A collection of her research, this book puts humanity into the GSK’s victims, and turns them into people, and not just numbers. Make sure you lock your doors at night, and sleep with a light on, this book is going to make you paranoid of every sound you hear in your backyard at night.

No Time Like the Future

Michael J. Fox’s newest memoir discusses his life from about 2016 on. He talks about the back surgery he needed to remove a tumor from his spine, his recovery, his later career when he felt like he would never act again, and finally his decision to officially retire from acting. I listened to this on audiobook, narrated by the author, and you could hear the love he has for his family in his voice as he talked about all of the support they’ve given him over the years. If you are a fan of Fox, I highly recommend this book.

Ready Player Two

Definitely the most disappointing read of 2020. If I could unread a book, this would be the one. I loved the first book SO MUCH. But this one just made me hate Wade. I don’t want to spoil anything, but if you want to know specifically why I hated this book, you can find a spoiler filled review on my Goodreads page, or you can comment or send me a message and I will tell you in excruciating detail why this book is at the bottom of my list.

Love Lettering

This book was really cute. Meg is a professional at handlettering. Reid is an uptight quant on Wall Street. When Reid discovers Meg left a message in his doomed wedding programs, he comes to confront her about it. What follows is a story about finding inspiration in the most unlikely of places, and falling in love with the most unlikely of people. This book was fun, romantic, and you couldn’t help but root for Meg and Reid.