Reading – Page 3 – Stephanie Caffrey, Author

January 2024 Reads

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

Book Cover - The Good Part by Sophie Cousens

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Cover - Off to be the Wizard by Scott Meyer

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

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

Book Cover - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

Book Review: Heartsong by TJ Klune

January 9, 2024May 15, 2024Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged #books, ARC, Book Recommendations, Book Review, book-reviews, Books, fantasy, Heartsong, Netgalley, Reading, TJ Klune1 Comment

Heartsong by TJ Klune

Release Date: January 30, 2024

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

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

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

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

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

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

December 2023 Reads

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Review: Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

December 5, 2023May 15, 2024Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged ARC, Book Recommendations, Book Review, Books, Jo Segura, Netgalley, Raiders of the Lost Heart, Reading, Romance1 Comment

Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura

Release Date: December 5, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

November 2023 Reads

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

October 2023 Reads

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

September 2023 Reads

October 1, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged As Long As You Love Me, Between Us, Book Recommendations, Book Review, Books, Counting the Cost, Erin Hahn, Floyd Collins, Jill Duggar, Josie Silver, Kiss the Girl, Love Holly, Reading, The Keeper of Lost Causes, The Takedown, Thornhedge, Vampires of El NorteLeave a comment

Fun retelling of The Little Mermaid. I loved the family aspect, for both Ariel and Eric, and the music aspect. The downside to books about music is the music isn’t real. Ariel and Eric were great together.

I really enjoyed this book. The romance between Matt and Roisin felt natural. The Friends to Lovers was so warm and cute. I didn’t like Joe at all. He felt slimy from the beginning.

I reviewed this book here.

Very interesting story, but also very tragic. Listening to Floyd’s life, I at first thought, “man, of course this dude was trapped.” Also, the use of the word “cave” to describe where he was trapped felt very generous. I would have described it as “tunnel.” But the real tragedy is how everyone bungled his rescue. I think if the media didn’t become involved, and outside people, Floyd would have been rescued.

I reviewed this book here.

This book reminded me of the show Cold Cases, which I loved. The duel timelines was a great storytelling aspect. I enjoyed the detective and his partner. The pace was good, and the whole thing had me at the edge of my seat. Minus one star because I figured out the whodunit and the motive pretty early on. It was pretty heavy handed foreshadowing.

Spooky, romantic, and set in Mexico during the Mexican-American war, a time period I would love to know more about, this book was nearly impossible to put down. I would describe it more of a historical fiction with a friends to lovers trope that happens to be spooky rather than horror, but that didn’t bother me one bit.

I really enjoyed this short retelling. I liked the new perspective. It was really unexpected in many ways, and I loved the freshness of this novella.

I liked Jill Duggar’s honesty, in the ways she felt comfortable in opening up. While I’m sure there is a lot more she could have said, but while I look forward to her being ready to do so, what she wrote was still upsetting. I wanted to punch Jim Bob in the face by the end.

I reviewed this book here.

Book Review: A Winter in New York by Josie Silver

September 30, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged A Winter in New York, ARC, Book Recommendations, Book Review, Books, Josie Silver, Netgalley, Reading1 Comment

A WINTER IN NEW YORK by JOSIE SILVER

RELEASE DATE: October 3, 2023

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After reading A Winter in New York by Josie Silver, all I want to do is eat gelato. And after you read it, you will too.

The book follows Iris in her first year living in New York after previously living in London. She has left an abusive relationship behind, and is still grieving the loss of her mother. The one constant in her life is the secret gelato recipe her mom had made her her entire life. As she attends an Italian festival, she finds a door that looks familiar. Turns out, it’s the gelato restaurant from her mom’s past, the source of the secret gelato recipe.

Enter Gio, the handsome widower, and son of the gelato owner. There’s been a family tragedy, and they don’t have the recipe…but Iris does. What follows is the gradual falling in love between these two lost souls as they work to find the lost recipe.

While I really liked this book, the characters were amazing, I felt the secrets Iris kept from Gio were kept for much too long, and I felt the ending was very rushed. I feel like Silver could have drawn it out a little bit more. However, that minor gripe aside, the book was an emotional rollercoaster. It had me smiling, crying, and sighing at the romance of it all.

Josie Silver is one of my favorite romance authors and look forward to reading her books every year. I was not let down with this book. It had every element I love in a Silver book: realistic characters, realistic problems, a tad of a tragic background, overcoming grief, romance, and hope.

A Winter in New York is the perfect addition to your holiday TBR list.

Book Review: The Takedown by Carlie Walker

September 25, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged ARC, Book Recommendations, Book Review, Books, Carlie Walker, Netgalley, Reading, The Takedown1 Comment

THE TAKEDOWN by CARLIE WALKER

RELEASE DATE: October 3, 2023

Thank you NetGalley and Berkely for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Takedown by Carlie Walker is a wonderful romantic suspense meets romantic comedy. The characters are rich, and the chemistry between Sydney and Nick is palpable, and one of the best buildups I’ve read in a romance this year.

Sydney is a CIA operative, and the FBI has pulled her from duty because her sister is marrying a Boston crime lord. It’s her job to get close enough to his bodyguard, Nick, to find out where the next big hit is going to be. Oh, and under no circumstances should she fall for the target. Simple, right? Maybe not.

The plot has so many twists and turns it keeps the typical tropes (enemies to lovers, there’s only one bed, etc.) feeling fresh. The comedy is also real, and I found myself chuckling aloud. More importantly, the relationship between Sydney and her sister, Calla, was touching, and probably my second favorite part only to the romance.

I devoured this book in a day, and I highly recommend giving it a read. Since it takes place during Christmas, you could even add this to your December TBR.

Book Review: Friends Don’t Fall in Love by Erin Hahn

September 19, 2023Posted in Book RecommendationsTagged ARC, Book Recommendations, Books, Erin Hahn, Friends Don't Fall in Love, Netgalley, Reading1 Comment

TITLE: FRIENDS DON’T FALL IN LOVE by ERIN HAHN

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 17, 2023

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Friends Don’t Fall in Love by Erin Hahn is a friends to lovers romance for the ages. The story is about Craig and Lorelai, who are best friends and fall in love. Craig is a country music writer and producer, while Lorelai is a former country music star who is now unpopular.

While the first person present narration is not my favorite, I could get over it and really enjoy the story. Craig and Lorelai’s relationship felt so natural and I could root for them through the book.

The third act break up is always painful, but this one wasn’t, and I think it is because of the friendship they have.

If you like friends to lovers tropes in romance, you should really give this one a try. Bonus points for celiac representation. I always like to see authors adding in personal touches and using their platform to raise awareness of things like this.