JR Ward – Stephanie Caffrey, Author

June 2024 Reads

July 1, 2024July 1, 2024Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged #books, Book Recommendations, Book Review, book-tag, book-tags, Books, Bruce Campbell, Guncle Abroad, JR Ward, Just For the Summer, Katherine Center, One-Star Romance, Reading, Romance, Vincent PriceLeave a comment

The Guncle was one of my favorite reads from a couple years ago, and so I was really excited to learn there was going to be a sequel. The sequel wasn’t as good as the first, but I still enjoyed reading it. I felt this book was missing some of what made the first book amazing, but it also had the stuff I liked. The relationship between him and the kids – top notch. It is definitely worth a read, but don’t expect it to be as magical as the first.

Welcome to the first of FIVE Katherine Center books I read in June. I had read The Bodyguard probably two years ago, and then I just bought five more of her books, but never got around to reading them. So, I decided to try another of her books. Y’all. Y’all. Katherine Center is amazing. Each of her heroines have an obstacle to overcome, and they fall in love with men who don’t care about her obstacle. In Fire, we have a female firefighter who is trying to prove that she is as good as the men. This book has so much heart. And it made me cry, and swoon and root for the heroine!

I LOVE Bruce Campbell. So I bought this on release day. Finally getting around to it, and I was underwhelmed. The book was ridiculous, which I know is the point, but I guess I was hoping for something that was a little more ridiculous, or a little more serious. This was too much in between. I wanted a better parody.

The final book in the Wolfen Trilogy. I was so worried this one wouldn’t give the couple a happy ending, but I should never doubt The Warden. Not only did they get a happy ending, she set up some characters for future books. Or at least I hope. Because one person didn’t get their happy ending, and I know that he’s being saved for someone in one of the next books.

Y’all. Y’ALL. When I first read the summary for this book, I rolled my eyes. A man is turning into a shark? This is going to be ridiculous! WRONG. Wrong, wrong, wrong. This books was BEAUTIFUL. The love story was compelling, the mutations were believable, the characters were so well written. And I loved everything about this book. I devoured it. I can’t recommend this book enough. This is definitely at the top of my books I’ve read this year.

Perfect Summer Read. This book was so cute. The premise was adorable, and I loved the characters. I enjoyed reading this book, and it put a smile on my face. I found myself rooting for everyone, and it made me cry at times. Of course, this is the third book in a loosely connected series, so now I’ll have to go back and read the other two books. That’s for July!

My bookclub decided to do Cookbook Club this month. We all picked a Cookbook, read it, picked a recipe and then had a big party. I decided to pick a weird book, and made a few recipes from it. Is it dated? Yes. Was it still fun? Also yes.

My younger sister recommended this book to me, and so I found it on the library no holds shelf. This book was so good. It had just the right amount of suspense, and I honestly didn’t see a lot of it coming. Having an unreliable narrator really added to everything. It made me worried about what was true and what wasn’t, and I even finished the book still wondering what was true or not.

Thus begins a streak of Katherine Center books. Hello Stranger is about a woman who gets face blindness. And this was probably one of my favorites of hers that I read this month. I loved her character, and I loved how fun and silly she was. And I loved Joe, the love interest. And it made me cry. So many tears.

This one was my favorite Center book of the month. Following a rom-com writer and someone who doesn’t believe in love, the chemistry between the two was amazing. The characters were well-written and rich. There wasn’t anything about this book I didn’t like. And of course it made me cry. Of course.

I’ve had this book for almost four years. I think this is the first Center book I owned, but never got around to reading it. This one made me want to punch one of the characters. Again, well-written characters with great chemistry that I have come to love in Center’s books. Also, again, lots of tears.

My final Center book for the month. Also one I’ve had for a while. I really enjoyed this one, too! Her heroines are so funny. I love it. And she really has a handle on creating the tension and chemistry between the two love interests. And also, it made me cry.

FYI, I have the last five of her books sitting in my library cart right now. So July will also be Center heavy…

I’ve been working my way through my book of the month pile, and this was one of my books for June. And it was cute. Was it perfect? No. Have I read books who have done this premise (following a couple through the years as they fall in love slowly) better? Yes. Did that stop me from enjoying this book? No. Nat could be grating at times, but that didn’t stop me from rooting for her. It also made me cry. This was a big month of books making me cry. Pretty sure Citizen Alex was the only one that didn’t make me cry this month.

My daughter is having a squirrel girl party for her birthday, so I decided to read some comics about it. This was fun.

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.

July 2023 Reads

July 31, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged Book Recommendations, Books, Fourth Wing, Girl Who Drank the Moon, Heartstopper, JR Ward, Killers of a Certain Age, Lone Women, Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys, Nick and Charlie, Reading, The Measure, Watership Down, We are Never meeting in Real LifeLeave a comment

The book was fun, but nothing to write home about. I liked the ladies, but only Billie stood out to me. There were several threads I felt were dropped (Minka and Travener), and I wish they had been a little more detailed and deeper. I liked the action and the spy stuff, and I totally can see this as a movie. I just wish there had been more.

I don’t know what I was expecting when I opened this book, but it wasn’t what I got. And I mean that in a good way. This book exceeded expectations. It is a horror fantasy book, so know that going in. But I don’t want to say too much more about it, because I don’t want to spoil it. I will say, I couldn’t put it down.

As of right now, this is my favorite book I’ve read this year. My life has been missing a great fantasy series (this is book one of five), and I think this is going to fill that whole. I haven’t had something to obsess over in a long time. The book is a lot of world building, but what a world. I loved everything so much. Violet. Xaden. We won’t talk about Dain. The cliffhanger at the end has me counting down the days to November.

After a slow start, the book became impossible to put down. It was a very interesting concept for a book, and it really made me think. The events of the book felt realistic. I loved all of the characters, but Amie and Ben were easily my favorite. We read this for one of my book clubs, and it lead to a lot of very interesting conversation.

This book wasn’t what I expected, and I ended up not liking it at all. I thought this was going to be a romance, and it wasn’t. I really didn’t like the narrator or the plot, and I couldn’t wait to finish reading it.

I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC, and I am reviewing it with my honest opinion.

I read this book too quickly, and now I am sad that I am out of Heartstopper material. As usual, the book was adorable, a quick read, and the events Nick and Charlie deal with are realistic.

Cute romance. I loved Sam and Ben together. I felt her dyslexia was a little overplayed (we get it, you don’t need to mention it every other page), but it didn’t detract from the story. I really enjoyed Sam and Tyler’s sibling bond. I’m hoping for a sequel featuring Em, because she deserves a happy ending.

This was a re-read for me to fill a prompt for a reading challenge, and I loved it as much as I did in high school. I love when the Hardy’s and Nancy team up, and this is one of my favorite mashups. Frank and Nancy have “a moment.” There are very few books where this happens, and I have them all! Knocked a star off for Ned showing up. No one likes Ned.

Jane Eyre is my favorite book of all time, and this is a retelling of it, with magic and set in Ethiopia. In other words, this book was amazing. I loved Blackwood’s take on the story. Her characters were rich, her magic system was amazing, and I loved how you could tell it was an Eyre retelling without it explicitly hitting ever beat of the original.

I’m pretty sure the fact Peter Capaldi read this to me, and he did an amazing job at it totally influenced my view of this book. I really enjoyed it, especially when I learned it was a retelling of The Aeneid. I became really invested in the survival of these bunnies, and couldn’t stop listening.

A beautiful story of magic and family. The imagery was so vivid in this book, I could picture everything. Told as if it were a proverb or fairy tale, I was completely drawn in.

Another book club pick, this book was hilarlious. I loved listening to the author read her autobiographical essays. I laughed out loud several times. Especially her essay about her cat. I will definitely be checking out more of her work.

Another book club pick, this is a series of short stories that are seemingly un connected except for the fact they are all about fishing. And they are all sad. And most of them have questionable age gaps between couples. I enjoyed a few of the stories, hence the star rating, but i wouldn’t recommend it.

June 2023 Reads

July 1, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged Book Recommendations, Book Review, Books, Cemetery Boys, Elliot Page, Emily Henry, Heartstopper, JR Ward, On Earth as it is On Television, Pageboy, Practice Makes Perfect, Reading, TJ Klune, Wife AppLeave a comment

I highly recommend reading David Copperfield first. It adds a whole new layer to this book, which is a beautiful heartwrenching story that hit all the same beats as Copperfield, but just transferred to a modern setting. I loved Demon and Angus, and rooted for Demon to get out of his situation. The characters were great, the prose was beautiful. This was not a bok to rush through, it needed to be savored.

Emily Henry is always a win. I loved the format of this book. I loved that we got to see the relationship in chornological order, simultaneously with the current time. I’m a sucker for the “there’s only one bed” trope, and this one was no different. Like all Emily Henry books, I found myself loving the side characters just as much as the mains. I wouldn’t say no to a book of short stories following up on all of Henry’s side characters post their books. This was a beautiful story and a wonderful romance. Couldn’t put it down.

Second book in the Wolven series, Forever deals with Daniel’s cancer and what Lydia is going to do when he dies. I trust JR Ward inherently to give me a happy ending, so I’m going to continue to trust her. But man, these book was pretty bleak. It made me cry, a lot. And I now ship Lydia with both Daniel and Blade, and I don’t know what to do with that. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

This book was okay, and I was a little let down since I was really looking forward to it. I didn’t really like the way it was written, the prose. And the plot felt pretty rote for the first section. There was a twist in the second part which peaked my interest. But it wasn’t enough to “wow” me. I liked how all the different POV characters stories tied in together, but there really was only one story I really wanted to read, and there really wasn’t enough of it, I think his was represented the least.

Really cute story!! I love Nick and Charlie. Everything about their story was so organic and fluffy and I could not put it down. Made me want to read the whole series.

I don’t know why it took me so long to read this one! It’s so good. the commentary on being trans, deportation, and community were all really good. The love story? Epic! The plot?? Amazing. I couldn’t stop reading. It was intriguing, suspenseful, and honestly caught me off guard. Loved it.

Charlie and Nick are completely adorable. I didn’t think they could get any cuter. But they did. Again, the story just feels so authentic.

Paris! We’re taking the story on the road and getting to the friend group better. I love all of the characters! They are all amazing and I love them all. These characters are great!

Cried so much in this one, but everything covered felt so authentic. I really appreciate the care with which the subject matter is being handled. Can’t wait for more.

Cute premise, and lovely romance. I loved everything about it. The characters were great, the chemistry was on point. I loved that there really wasn’t a third act break-up. All tears shed were happy tears or shed over things not between the couple. Now I want to read the first book in the series.

Leon and Tiffy are both great characters who combined into the sweetest romance. The book was so cute. The romance was sweet, the third act breakup was minimal. Loved everything about the book.

Read this as an ARC, you can find my review here.

Read this as an ARC, you can find my in depth review here.

I had been really looking forward to reading this book, and it didn’t disappoint. Elliot Page really made clear everything he felt pre-transition and post-transition. He talked about the dysphoria he felt, the pain he felt being in all the closets he was forced into. I’m so happy he felt comfortable enough to open up, since he’s one of the most visible transgender actors around. I was happy when he shared stories of all the people who are supportive of him, both biological and found family. It was important to me to know he had people in his life who were there for him.

April 2023

May 1, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged Book Recommendations, Books, Catullus, Clockmaker's Daughter, Five First Chances, Immortality, JR Ward, Lassiter, London Seance Society, Reading, The Lives of Puppets, The Sandman, TJ KluneLeave a comment

I almost didn’t read this book, since I was disappointed with her debut, The Lost Apothecary. I’m so glad I chose to read this book. London Seance Society was everything I had hoped Apothecary would be. It was enthralling, suspenseful and it kept me guessing. I couldn’t put it down. even when I could kind of guess what was happening, it really didn’t disappoint.

Immortality was everything I could hope for in a sequel, and the conclusion of a duology. I loved the plot with Hazel and the Princess, and I honestly did not see the conclusion to that story coming. Loved the love story even more in this one. The secret society of immortals was a nice twist. And I loved, loved, LOVED the ending. I could honestly see a series of novellas chronicling their lives.

This book was pretty good. Took me a while to really get into it and read it. I really liked the multiple point of views and the timelines. There were several elements that I liked, in fact, but sometimes it felt like the book was rambling a little, and it felt disjointed at times. But, in the end, I really enjoyed how the stories were interconnected.

My most anticipated book of the year, and I was not let down. What a way to reboot the series. Obviously, the Lassiter and Rahven storyline was the most important, and I loved how it played out. It felt authentic and how I would expect two really superpowered immortal beings to match up. And it was absolutely beautiful. Love my fallen angel. I’m so happy Eddie and Adrian from the Fallen Angels series are back, especially since Devinia is in the mix. The Wrath stuff, I don’t want to say too much, but ripped my heart out and put it back together in the same book. I’m really interested to see where the series goes from here. The time jump is going to really breathe fresh life into it I think. Although, I don’t know if I’m completely on board with all of the Lash stuff.

I read this as an ARC, and you can find my indepth review here.

I also read this as an ARC, my review can be found here.

Beautifully drawn and wonderfully written, I really enjoyed this book, and flew threw it. It made me love the show even more. It was such a faithful adaptation, and I appreciate the casting, which was perfect btw, so much more.

I am really not a poetry person, but boy did I enjoy this. Catullus’ poetry reads like the OG burn book. He holds nothing back and lays out all of his grievances. It’s hilarious. And so, so, so dirty. I recommend everyone read his poems. But get a better translation than I did.

February 2023 Reads

February 28, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged A man Called ove, All Quiet on the Western Front, Book Recommendations, Books, Canticle for Leibowitz, Carrie Soto Is Back, Dubliners, Emily St. John Martin, Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun, John Grisham, JR Ward, Kindred, Pride and Prometheus, Reading1 Comment

Powerful and graphic look at the conditions of the trenches during WWI. I was supposed to have read this book in high school, but didn’t. I’m glad I read it when I did. Even though the book is a work of fiction, it was definitely a way for Remarque to process what he went through while fighting in the trenches. And from what I could tell, it was a brutal nightmare.

I loved Grisham in high school, but now I don’t think I can stomach the misogyny embedded in his work. Add in the overuse of the n-slur, and the plethora of words used in this book, I think I’m done with him. The only thing I really enjoyed about this book was the actual plot, which took a lot of digging through to actually find.

This series gets better and better… and funnier. We get pieces of our characters but not everything. I know it’s to keep us wanting to read the next book, and it’s working. I love how Finlay and Vero keep accidentally entrenching themselves deeper with Feliks. The ever-increasing danger of each book keeps me completely invested in the series. Now, hurry, 2024, I need the next book.

I’m not a fan of character driven novels with unlikeable characters, and this book is not an exception. They advertised the book as comical, but I saw nothing funny about it. The book was very predictable, and I was glad when it was over.

A book of slice of life short stories following different people in Dublin. There was not a terrible story in the entire book. Each story brought something unique, and each one transported me to Dublin. My favorite had to be The Dead. Highly recommend listening to Chris O’Dowd read it to you.

Carrie Soto was such a splendid book. TJR has such a knack for making fiction read like non-fiction. I wish I could look up tapes of Carrie playing. Malibu Rising was weaker than her previous books, but Carrie Soto had Reid back in full force. The relationship between Javier and Carrie was perfect. And that slow burn romance? Perfection.

I read the novel about eight years ago, but reading the graphic novel was a great refresher. The adaptation was amazing. The illustrations really added something to the story, making it that much more horrific and emotional. Loved the story a second time around.

This book. I went into it without really knowing anything about it. And I’m glad I did. I positively loved it. The grumpy old man, Ove, was so much more. As we dug into his backstory and watched him interact with his neighbors, I absolutely fell in love. This is easily going to be an all time favorite book.

I had such high hopes for this book, only for it to let me down. This book is going to probably be one of the most disappointing books I’ve ever read. It held so much promise, and there was a lot I really liked about it. However, the backtracking in each of the three POVs really dragged the story. Add in what has to be the most disappointing ending ever, and this book really fell flat. I wish the author had gone all in on a romance between Adam and Mary rather than just following canon.

Recommended by my husband, I went into this book knowing absolutely nothing about it. And I’m glad. I’m glad I had no clue. I was pleasantly surprised . Once I got around the extreme wordiness of the book, I rather enjoyed it. It was funny, poignant, and very timely. A lot of what was commented on still feels relevant over sixty years later.

I will read every book in the BDB universe, and I will never regret it. There’s never a book I would rate less than four stars. This was not an exception. I really enjoyed the love story, three books in the making, and even ancillary plots. I hope we see more of these characters despite the prison no longer being a thing.

A very unique time travel novel. I loved how the stories intertwined. The characters were plentiful, but it was never hard to follow who was who. The plot was easy to follow and compelling. the overall mystery of the “anomaly” kept me reading. The ending was unexpected, which is always a good thing.

I picked this book up from the “blind date with a book” display at my library. It was fascinating and also scary. I wasn’t aware of the extent we were being surveilled by the government, and how much it infringes on our basic rights. That said, there were two sections that were really stretching it, and I felt were completely unnecessary, which brought the whole book down.

Join Book of the Month

September 2022 Reads

October 1, 2022February 22, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged As Seen On TV, Book Recommendations, Books, Choloe Gong, Christina Lauren, JR Ward, JVN, Megan Goldin, Ms. Marvel, Reading, We Keep the Dead CloseLeave a comment

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

April 2022 Reads

May 1, 2022February 22, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged Book Recommendations, Books, Hell of a Book, Henna Artist, I Must Betray You, John Green, Josie Silver, JR Ward, Meet Me in the Margins, One Italian Summer, Reading, Summer Book, Tessa Bailey, The Night Shift, The Suite Spot, Wheel of TimeLeave a comment

Powerful book. I honestly don’t even know how to describe what I read. The book is a great discussion on Race and what it means to be a Black man in America. That’s about all I can say without giving too much away.

5 Stars

A cute romance. Loved the setting and the premise. Rachel and Mason had a lot of chemistry right out of the gate. Really loved the slowburn aspect. Maisie was also a delight.

4 Stars

I wasn’t sure about this series after the first book, but I’m now hooked. It was a little slow and dragged a bit, but the last quarter was exciting and pushed the plot along. Loial is my favorite character.

4 Stars

Finishing this book (book 19 in the main series) only made me want next year’s book so much more. While this was Balz and Erika’s book, Lassiter was clearly the star. I loved this book so much, I couldn’t put it down. I love the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

5 Stars

Great book with a cute premise. I don’t read a lot of clean, sweet romance so it felt like a lot was missing, mostly swoonworthy passion. But, Will and Savannah were cute together and the premise was clever.

4 Stars

Heartbreakingly romantic. What else could I expect from Josie Silver? Cleo’s growth into a strong, fierce woman, Mack’s growth into the man and father he wants to be — *chef’s kiss* Salvation was even a character all on its own. A slow, soft book that made me cry. Loved every second of it.

4 Stars

A beautiful story about Katy as she learns to find herself without her mother. Until she finds her mother 30 years in the past. A subtle time travel novel centered on a love between a mother and daughter. Could have done without the cheating storyline, it knocked a star off for me. (BOTM)

4 Stars

Powerful story about a time period I honestly didn’t know very much about. I loved the choice to tell the story of Romania’s Revolution through the eyes of teenage revolutionaries, it made the story so much more powerful and heartbreaking. (BOTM)

5 Stars

Loved. It. Fox and Hannah had the best chemistry. Their love story moved at the exact right speed. I devoured this book in one sitting.

5 Stars

This book was a little “meh” for me, which I’ve found with a lot of Reese Witherspoon books. Everything just felt “blah.” I didn’t care for the characters, they were okay, but I felt no emotional attachment to them and the plot just felt empty.

3 Stars

Everything about this book was amazing: The plot, the characters, the pacing. Finlay knows how to write a thriller and do it well. I could not put this book down. Kept me guessing the whole time. Loved it. Cried at the end.

5 Stars

Re-read this book almost one year later for book club. Still love this book, but my favorite essays have changed. It makes me wonder if my favorite essays have to do with where I am in my life at the moment when I read the book. Since this is not only my favorite John Green book, it is easily in my top 5 of all time, I can see myself re-reading this again in the coming years. I wonder which essays will be my favorite then? (BOTM)

5 Stars

A wonderful collection of vignettes. I loved Sophia and Grandmother and their relationship to each other and the island. The descriptions of the island were breathtaking.

I am firmly entrenched in this series. Honestly, this was my favorite of the books so far. I really loved the focus on the characters other than Rand in this book. I felt it was more of a character building book rather than a world building, and I’m glad we can finally focus on plot rather than explaining what everything is.

4 Stars

February 2022 Reads

February 28, 2022February 22, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged Book Recommendations, Books, Bradbury, Charm Offensive, Clap When You Land, Don't Cry For Me, Eye of the World, Gods of Jade and Shadow, JR Ward, Lauren Graham, LOTR, Oscar Wilde, Reading, Rules for Visiting, Tita RosieLeave a comment

The Wolf is the second book in the Prison Camp series by JR Ward. I really enjoyed the book and flew through it. However, it felt like Rio and Lucan were not the main focus of their own story. They were side characters to Vishious and Butch and their character development. This being said, I was not disappointed, I love V and Butch and their complicated relationship, and would be fine with even more of it in the future.

4 Stars

Told in verse, Clap When You Land was beautifully written and powerful. I couldn’t put it down. Such a beautiful story about loss and family. It made me cry several times, and I’m pretty sure it will be a book that sticks with me for a very long time.

5 Stars

Chosen for the book club I’m in at one of my local libraries, I really didn’t know what to think about Rules for Visiting before I read this book. And I am happy to say I was pleasantly surprised. I loved following May on her year of visiting and her reconnecting with her old friends and gaining so many more. I love books when you can see the characters growing before your very eyes.

4 Stars

A nice, short, pulpy story. I’m a big Bradbury fan, and this didn’t let me down. Great commentary about how you choose to spend the time you have on this (or any) planet.

4 Stars

Clocking in at THIRTY hours on audiobook, I was really worried The Eye of the World would be a book that would be slow and drag, but the opposite was true. For being so long it really engaged me and kept me interested the whole time. I liked all of the characters, but Rand was my favorite. I enjoyed the show, but I honestly like the book even more. I wasn’t sure starting this if I would continue the series, but I have book two on hold at the library and I am looking forward to seeing how their journey will continue.

4 Stars

Chosen for my regular book club, I have to say, I am really pleased with the selection this month. I really liked this book. Casiopea was so relatable and Ioved how unsure she was about being a “hero.” I loved Hun-Kame and his slow descent into humanity. The roamance. That ending. I honestly am hoping for some small novellas to give us some more adventures following the characters at the end of the book. (BOTM)

4 Stars

Chosen for my book club with my sisters, this was actually my second time reading the book, this time I listened to hit, and I think that made rereading it less of a chore. I loved the book just as much the second time as I did the first time. I especially loved her discussion about Gilmore Girls, and still cried during the Year in a Life part. This just reiterated how much I want to read her fiction book.

5 Stars

My February choice from Book of the Month, Don’t Cry For Me was moving and tragic. It was a poignant look at the relationship between Black fathers and their sons and the fluidity of what it means to be a man throughout several decades. (BOTM)

5 Stars

Arsenic and Adobo was a really cute book, and a fun, light read. I loved all of the characters, especially Lila. I totally ship her with Detective Park, no matter what the author is trying to push on us. The dialogue was witty, the food descriptions made me hungry, and I already have book two in the series on hold. (BOTM)

4 Stars

These BBC Radio dramatizations are amazing. The productions are very high quality. The cast is superb. Loved this final installment of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy. It was interesting to spot the differences between the book and the movie I’ve seen a dozen times.

5 Stars

My third Oscar Wilde book, and it’s safe to say, I love his writing. This was a hilarious short story. The caricatures of the American family had me rolling with laughter. There was so. much. snark. I loved every second reading this book. I have now made it my goal to read all of Wilde’s catalog.

4 stars

I binge read The Charm Offensive and have absolutely no regrets, other than it being over so soon. The book was so good. I especially loved the discussion about mental health and how it’s okay to always be discovering your sexuality. Charlie was a sweet cinnamon roll who need to be protected at all costs, and Dev was just hilarious and vulnerable and I just wanted to hug him. The romance between Charlie and Dev was sweet, and hot and everything.

5 Stars

January 2022 Reads

January 31, 2022February 22, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged Amor Towles, Ashley C. Ford, Book Recommendations, Books, Donut Fall In Love, Dune, Emily Dickinson, JR Ward, Lincoln Highway, Lucky Escape, Matthew Henson, Outlander, Reading, Schitt's Creek, Stritzel, Will SmithLeave a comment

With some of the writing a little cringeworthy, it really lowered my opinion of the book. I liked Lindsay and Ryan, but their story didn’t feel complete. Their break up felt forced and inorganic.

3 Stars

Everything I could hope for in a book by The Levy’s. The letters by each actor about their character was definitely the best part of the book. I also loved the behind the scenes stories. I laughed and I cried.

5 Stars

A raw and honest memoir about growing up in challenging circumstances, hitting the lowest lows, but coming out okay in the end. It was difficult to read at times, but at the same time it was inspiring. (BOTM)

4 Stars

Poor Wooley. This book was so good. A great book about adventure, friendship and fresh starts. Found myself rooting both for the boys and against them several times. The book had rich characters and an engaging plot. Towles has done it again. (BOTM)

5 Stars

Very good, especially on audiobook. Learned a lot about Will Smith as a person and professionally that I never knew before. Although, I’m not quite sure he is a great person, he is definitely very egotistical.

4 Stars

A cute romance. I loved Annie, but Patrick was the standout. It was a lot of fun. Glad there was no real break up between the characters. And obviously the Australia bits were the best.

4 Stars

A delightful memoir about a happy childhood. Was fun to read. Loved reading about Ames in the 1960s and 1970s. The whole book was very wholesome and I enjoyed reading it.

4 Stars

Poetry is not the genre for me. Found myself glossing over many poems to just get this over with.

3 Stars

Very interesting book about exploration. It was neat to read about the time and what it took to explore. But, it was also a little dry and boring.

3 Stars

Not the book for me. Too long, there could have been about 500 less pages. Too much rape. Too many contrived reasons for Jamie Claire to be in trouble. Writing not the best. Best part was the Jamie and Claire romance.

Not my favorite of the series, but I still really enjoyed it. You can tell Frank planned to write more books because the ending was a complete cliffhanger and left me wanting more. But I don’t know if it was enough for me to read the Brian Herbert books.

4 Stars

Amazing set up for the new spinoff series. Love the ties to BDB. Love that it seems the series is going to focus on Lydia and Daniel. I’m so excited for the new book that I went to preorder it and discovered I had already preordered it back in October.