December 2023 Reads

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

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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

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

Rating: 3 out of 5.

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

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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

Rating: 4 out of 5.

November 2022 Reads

Bruno’s back! And that basically made this book for me. Kamala also decided she’s in love with him. Now they just need to get together in the last book and I’ll be happy. I really liked how her friends covered for her while she had a crisis. There is absolutely nothing I don’t love about this series.

4 Stars

The last of the Wilson run of Ms. Marvel, and it didn’t disappoint. I felt this compilation was a lot of fun. I really loved all the growth the characters made, and I really liked how it was left open at the end.

4 Stars

I went into this book not really knowing what to expect, and I was pleasantly surprise. It was a beautiful story of Maori culture. I liked how Kahu’s story was told by someone else, really leant into the idea of her myth-like figure. I loved that the goal of the book centered around family. I really liked this book.

4 Stars

This book was absolutely nothing like I expected it to be, but in a good way. I think what I liked best about the book was it was scary, but the scariest parts, the parts that made me feel anxious, had nothing to do with the vampire. I don’t want to say much more about it, other than you should read it for yourself, and come back and discuss it with me.

4 Stars

This was a very atmospheric read. Young really transported you to Saiorse. I could almost feel the magic of the island to the point where this book compelled you to keep reading to find out what happened next. I will definitely be reading more from this author. (BOTM)

4 Stars

I really enjoyed listening to this book. I appreciated Perry’s openness to lay everything out about his addictions and fears. To explain his life as he sees it. It really made me respect him a lot more as a human being.

4 stars

Wow. What a beautifully written story. The characters just seemed to bleed off the page. Took me longer to read than I hoped since I kept stopping to read about witch trials. I also just added The Scarlet Letter to my 2023 TBR. (BOTM)

4 Stars

I loved listening to this book. I loved hearing about his family and his start in the business. I loved hearing about what it was like working on Harry Potter and his relationship with the cast and crew. I especially like his open honesty about his post-Potter struggles.

4 stars

I really liked this book. I felt it was wonderfully fun and filled with female empowerment. I loved the friendship between the four women. The concept was fun, and the book was mostly a nice, fun, light read. Exactly what I was looking for. (BOTM)

4 Stars

This book was really good. While I found Benny a little annoying at times. I had to remember I wasn’t the target audience. My 9 year old listened to some of the book with me, and is going to read it now that I’m finished.

I liked the character growth Benny showed through the book, and I loved watching him reconnect with his culture. There were tears in my eyes by the last chapter.

4 Stars

This was okay. I found the facts about Dickens and Prince interesting enough, but really didn’t buy the connection between the two.

3 Stars

This book was amazing. I loved how action backed it was for being tagged as historical fiction. I loved that I was able to learn about 18th Century Korean History, something I know absolutely nothing about. I felt the characters were really well developed and that slow burn romance? *chef’s kiss*

4 Stars

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

August 2022 Reads

I don’t even know where to start. The book started a bit slow, but that doesn’t even matter. The book is absolutely beautiful, and easily the best book I’ve read this year. It is FULL of video game stuff, but the story itself is just so beautiful. The book is about friendship between Sadie, Sam and Marx, and the way their relationship changes over nearly 30 years. Everything about this book is great. And heartbreaking. And just plain poetic. (BOTM)

5 Stars

Unexpected in a god way, History of Wild Places was a fast-paced thriller. While there were several aspects that I did not see, there were some big ones that I did. Though predicting some of the plot did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. (BOTM)

4 Stars

Quick middle grade read, but this is Gaiman and he can’t go wrong. I loved reading about Bod growing up in the Graveyard with the dark beginning I was worried about the end, and while it wasn’t tragic, it was a bit bittersweet.

4 Stars

Loki! Ms Marvel Kicking Butt! I’m loving watching Kamala come into her own as a superhero.

4 Stars

What a great book about being queer in a conservative environment. McQuiston really explored what it is like to be queer at a Christian School in the South. I thought it might be a bit Paper Towns but it wasn’t. I loved the characters and loved watching their journeys to discovering who they are.

4 Stars

Powerful memoir about the trauma and abuse McCurdy faced growing up at the hands of her mom. I’m really glad she had the courage to open up and share with the world everything her mom did her. I’ve already seen friends open up about the abuse they faced thanks to reading this book. Easily the best memoir I’ve read this year.

5 Stars

Beautifully written book about family and “home.” All Olivia wanted was a family, and when she goes to Gallant, despite her mom’s warning, she hopes to find just that. What follows is a story that is creepy, mysterious, touching, and heart wrenching. I closed the book with tears in my eyes.

4 Stars

Carol Danvers. The End of the World. The scene between Kamala and her mom. The Scene between Kamala and Bruno. THE ART. This volume was full of very powerful stuff. Made me cry a little bit.

4 stars

There were certainly aspects I liked – the post-virus. But there was a lot of unnecessary things, most pre-virus stuff, that I felt unnecessary. I wanted more details about life in the new world, less details about how to make a Bible.

3 Stars

This book was amazing. Barry and Helena’s love story is easily my favorite part, but I also loved this take on time travel and timelines. It was a very unique take on a well-used trope. I loved Helena – a strong, brilliant female character is always a win. I also loved Barry. I loved how chaotically it was written in part, to make it feel like you were the one being shifted through time. My first Blake Crouch, but definitely not my last. (BOTM)

5 Stars

July 2022 Reads

Loving the show, I decided to give the comics a shot. Loved this first volume. Feel like I really need to read more since this was just establishing Kamala and the characters.

4 Stars

Emily Henry knows how to write a romance. This book was so good. Even almost a month later, I’m still thinking about this book. When Nora and Charlie bantered, I couldn’t keep a smile off my face. Their attraction was palpable and leapt off the page. The ending defied tropes and made me giddy. Everything about this book was perfection.

5 Stars

Touching memoir about a daughter and her grief over losing her mother to cancer. The story of her and her mother’s relationship was touching. I loved when she began talking about learning traditional Korean food as a way to feel closer to her mother after she died.

5 Stars

Was the tiger real? Were the stories real? These are questions I walked away from this book with. The book was heartbreakingly beautiful. The hope Lily had when trying to fix her grandma, the heartbreaking moment when everyone realizes there is nothing to be done, and the hope at the end with continuing with traditions all made this book remarkable.

4 Stars

Fun story about men who read romances to try and fix their relationships. It was funny and sexy and I rooted for Gavin and Thea the whole book.

4 Stars

Fun fake dating romance. Hilarious dialogue and the characters were great. Loved everyone in this book especially the side characters. Felt everyone got what they wanted in the end without having to compromise their character. Laughed out loud several times. (BOTM)

4 Stars

This book was so good. Daunis was such a great character. I loved her growth throughout the book. Her love for her community was astounding and really drove the plot. Her relationships felt organic. Very much felt the thriller vibe throughout. I was kind of hoping for a better, less realistic ending, but I still liked the one I got. (BOTM)

5 Stars

The book was pretty standard Rear Window trop for about 70% of the book, which made it feel tired and cliche. However, after the “twist” the last 30% of the book was edge of your seat. Overall the book was good, but nothing too memorable.

4 Stars

Okay, after a second volume, this book is really fun. I’m really enjoying the comics, even though they are completely different from the show. I really like Kamala and I like discovering her powers and her limitations. I’m really looking forward to reading the next volume.

4 Stars