Tag: Reading

Book Review: The House is On Fire by Rachel Beanland

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Book Review

THE HOUSE IS ON FIRE by RACHEL BEANLAND

Release Date: April 4, 2023

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book. I am giving this honest review freely.

The House is on Fire by Rachel Beanland is a historical fiction set around the 1811 Richmond theater fire. What? You haven’t heard of the fire? Neither had I until I read this book. I probably would have plowed my way through this book without putting it down, except I had to go research more about this fire. This book definitely sent me down a rabbit hole. Which I loved.

The book follows four distinct characters: Sally, a young widow who is attending the theater with her brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Cicely, a slave girl attending the theater with the daughter of her master, Jack, a young stage hand backstage during the play, and Gilbert, a slave who dreams of buying his and his wife’s freedom. The fire changed these four characters’ lives forever.

Fire is a beautifully written and well-researched book. Sally and Gilbert were real people actually involved in the fire. Cicely and Jack were based on real people. The story is definitely a fictionalized version of events, but there is so much historical accuracy, it reads almost like a series of first-hand accounts of the night.

Beanland really delves deep into the issues that women and slaves dealt with in 1811, not very many years after the United States gained their freedom from Britain. You can’t help but feel for Sally, Gilbert and Cicely as they navigate the obstacles they face as they navigate the days following the fire.

I absolutely loved this book. My degree is in US History, however, I had never heard of this event. Beanland not only drew me into the narrative of the story, which was enthralling, she inspired me to do my own research into the event. The characters felt so real, which they were, they were real people, but Beanland still made these names that can often feel two dimensional in a historical document become three-dimensional characters.

If you enjoy historical fiction, I recommend you pick up this book when it comes out. Rumor is this will be an April Book of the Month selection, so this could also be a wonderful opportunity to try that service out, if you’ve been interested.

Review: #TagMe for Murder by Sarah E. Burr

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Book Review

#TAGME FOR MURDER by SARAH E. BURR

Release date: April 25, 2023

Rating: 4 out of 5.

I received this advanced copy from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love cozy mysteries. They’re always fun, and I fall in love with the cast of characters. Sarah E. Burr’s #TagMe For Murder hit all the right notes for me. It was funny; it was light; the stakes were medium, and the characters were like having some friends over to hang out.

#TagMe is the second book in Burr’s Trending Topic Mysteries series, which follows Coco Cline, a social media specialist and influencer as she plays amateur detective when she inadvertently finds herself in the middle of murder cases.

I have not read the first book in the series, #FollowMe For Murder, but I didn’t feel lost. In fact, reading this one has made me want to go back and read the first book in the series!

#TagMe took me a little while to get into, but once we were sleuthing along with Coco, it became hard to put down. I needed to know “whodunit.” Coco and Hudson are a delightful couple and I really enjoyed their interactions, as well as the interactions Coco had with Jasper. I felt there were just enough characters to make it interesting, but not too many to not remember who each character was.

The mystery was typical of a cozy, and I honestly did not know “whodunit” until Coco began putting the puzzle together near the end, which I loved. Usually, in some cozies, you can figure out who the perpetrator is early on. I loved that it kept me guessing.

If you’re looking for a fun beach read, I highly recommend you check out this book. Maybe even start with the first book, I’m sure you won’t regret spending more time with Coco and her crew.

Review: Hollyland by Patricia Leavy

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Book Review

HOLLYLAND by PATRICIA LEAVY

Release Date: April 4, 2023

Rating: 2 out of 5.

I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hollyland by Patricia Leavy is an insta-love romance between Dee Schwartz, a writer and art researcher, and Ryder Field, Hollywood’s leading man. When the two of them meet, sparks instantly fly. From the first paragraph through the rest of the book, the two are inseparable. They just know they’ve met the love of their lives. What follows is a romance full of sweet moments between the two, however, the story often feels as if something is missing.

Because the characters meet in the first couple paragraphs, we never get to see Dee and Rye on their own. They’re almost never apart. Because we don’t see the characters separate, it feels as if the characters are not complete. It’s never really clear who they are as individuals. I think there are only a handful of scenes where the two aren’t together. There is no character growth throughout the whole novel. The characters feel very stagnant.

Because there is little character growth, there is also almost no conflict. The couple gets together, and then have a series of very happy interaction through the whole book. There’s no will they or won’t they, or question about whether or not things are happening too quickly. While this might be a very realistic story, it doesn’t make for a very interesting one.

In the end, the book wasn’t the best thing I’ve read this year, but it certainly wasn’t the worst. If you enjoy sweet insta-love romances, and just want something fluffy to read, this book is for you. If you want something with more meat, then you should probably skip.

February 2023 Reads

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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.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

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.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Join Book of the Month

January 2023 Reads

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Was not really a fan of the style this book was written. Definitely not a fan of Part 2. Baby death is something I wish I knew about going in, I would have skipped the book. I didn’t read the last twenty or so pages. The first part was really interesting with the societal commentary and internet culture though.

3 Stars

While I feel her first memoir is better, I still really enjoyed this one. My favorite essay this time was “Mochi.” It was deeply personal and vulnerable. I think that essay made me love her even more. The rest of the book alternated humor with poignancy.

4 Stars

What a book to start off 2023. So. Good. The book was almost poetic with its prose. The characters were vibrant and three dimensional. The mythology was so rich. There was nothing I didn’t love about this book. I immediately started the second book once this was finished.

5 Stars

What a great romance to kick off the year reading. Loved Natalie and Tom and their slow burn friends to lovers. I think what I loved most was Tom never pushing Natalie, never being openly jealous of Jason. He let Natalie decide in her own time. the relationship was smooth and full of palpable chemistry. I loved this book.

5 Stars

This series has not been disappointing, and the books have been consistently good. The characters are rich, and have shown growth. Vasya is going to be one of my favorite heroines of all time. I love Morozko and can’t wait to see what happens next.

5 Stars

Dark romance with Hook as the lead. I read this book really quickly. The characterizations were good, even if the plot was a bit predictable.

4 stars

I was worried I wouldn’t like the series once it switched to Felicia as the lead, but it turns out I needn’t have. This book was just as good as the others. It set up a lot of interesting threads so I really hope Harris continues the series.

4 stars

A slow burn that never felt slow, there wasn’t anything I didn’t love about this book. The characters were all three dimensional, and Ellerie and Whitaker had so much chemistry it was palpable. The book had just enough suspense to make me feel tense and want to keep reading. Once the action really started taking place, it was impossible to put the book down.

5 Stars

Do yourself a favor and listen to this one on audio. With all the press and leaks and speculation surrounding this book, I expected huge revelations and all the tea being spilt. What I got was a very personal story told by a very hurt man. A man who saw what the British Press did to his mother and when history began repeating itself with his wife, he stood up for himself and got his family out of a dangerous situation. This is not a book written to take down the monarchy. It was written to take down the British Media, which good. The media needs to be taken down. And I hope he’s successful in his crusade. Read this book. It is eye opening.

5 Stars

This year I am reading twelve books recommended to me by twelve friends. This is the first one. This book started off slow, and I wasn’t sure I was going to like it, especially since it was also coupled with no quotation marks. However, the farter in I got, the more invested I became in Hig’s survival. I read it pretty quickly, only so I could make sure everything would work out in the end.

4 Stars

Why, yes, I did read an entire trilogy in one month. And let me tell you, this trilogy was amazing, and it is now one of my favorite series’ of all time. Full of Medieval Russian history and fantasy elements, these books tie together wonderfully and tell a complete story. Vasya was amazing. I loved watching her grow. Morozko was also amazing to watch grow and change throughout the series. It’s rare a series ends and I’m not looking for fan fiction to fill the void of an unsatisfactory ending. This one ended the best way it could, and I felt it was complete. Highly recommend.

5 Stars

December 2022 Reads

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Cute, sweet romance. Highly recommended if you want something that is best described as a Hallmark movie in book form. I loved both romances in the book, and didn’t feel left out having not read the rest of the series.

4 Stars

I’ve read a lot of celebrity memoirs this year, and Mean Baby easily is the best. And I’m sure listening to Blair read her own story was a huge part of it. The book is emotional and deeply honest. Blair puts all her flaws on the table, and air all her laundry. She doesn’t hold back. The book almost feels as if it was written specifically for her son, Arthur, as a way to make sure her story is told and he has a piece of her when she is gone. Blair’s voice often breaks as she reads particularly trying reminiscences, and at one point she is full on crying as she reads. If you’re an empathetic crying, listen with tissues.

5 Stars

Cute for what it was, but I felt the plot was thing (even for a holiday romance). There didn’t seem to be any character development, and the romance just really didn’t rope me in.

3 Stars

Went into this one with low expectations and came out of it loving it! A princess from a made up country falling in love with a nobody from Brooklyn? Yes Please! The characters were rich, the humor was on point,and the story was tight. I loved everything about this book. It was just what I needed.

4 Stars

I had a lot of expectations for this book, and felt a little let down. The plot wasn’t as tight as I would have liked it to be. Started off sloppy, the middle was amazing, and the end was really disappointing. I felt if I was already expected to suspend my disbelief for most of the novel, the ending didn’t need to be rooted in reality. I wanted something more outlandish. Left the book feeling a bit, ‘meh’.

3 Stars

A sequel I loved possibly more than the first?? Rare, but true for this one. I loved the characters even more than in Princess, and the humor was ratcheted up even more. Plus, it was an enemies to lovers, which is easily my favorite romance trope.

4 Stars

Read for my Sci-Fi/Fantasy book club, I had a lot of high expectations for this book, as on paper it should be something I absolutely loved. However, it was more “cozy” than I would have liked. The first part of the book just felt like an instruction manual on how to start your own coffee shop, and it really didn’t feel like much happened in the rest of the book. I think if there were more plot, I would have liked it a lot more.

3 Stars

Fake Dating Holiday Romance PLUS a reality TV Show. This is the second holiday romance I’ve read by Maggie Knox, and I wasn’t disappointed. It was an easy read, and I couldn’t put it down, staying up much later than I intended while sick reading it. The characters and their problems felt real, and everything just seemed to flow.

4 Stars

Third Eldovia book of the year, and honestly the weakest of the three. I always pictured Mr. Benz as much older when I read the first two books, so to learn he was only thirty really threw me off a little. However, I liked seeing a new, softer side to him. I liked Cara, but felt she wasn’t quite as developed as the other New York based love interests in the other books, which is really what brought this one down a little lower than the rest. That being said, I really liked this book, and it made me smile, and laugh, and cry, like any good book should do.

4 Stars

Not my favorite Christmas book I’ve read this year. There was something about the way it was written I didn’t really like. I think a large part of it was the characters just weren’t great. Carmen, the main character, just felt whiney. And on top of that, the romance just felt shoehorned and not really developed at all. I think the book wouldn’t have been better if there wasn’t the romance, honestly.

3 Stars

Third year reading a Jenny Bayliss Christmas romance, third year loving it. Her books are so subtle, and calming, and her characters just so wonderfully written. I loved Nory and Isaac. Their romance just felt so smooth and natural. I also loved the overall arching theme of friendships and how they can grow and change over the decades.

4 Stars

Groundhog Day. Christmas. Romance. Yes, please, and can I have more of this? All the characters were great. There were a lot, but it didn’t feel like there were a lot. Each character was unique and had their moment to shine. Gwen and Nev’s romance felt fresh and sweet, and their chemistry was legit. There was nothing about this book I didn’t love.

4 Stars

November 2022 Reads

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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

October 2022 Reads

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Couldn’t put this book down! I loved Gwyn and Wells so much. Their banter was everything I love in an enemies to lovers book. The plot was smooth and moved at the right pace. And those Baby Witches – they stole the show!

4 Stars

Even several days past finishing the book I still didn’t know how to feel about it. While I was honestly did not see the “twist” coming, I felt the book was a little disjointed and unsure what it wanted to be. Also, Ver was such a passive character it was really hard to root for her. (BOTM)

3 Stars

I really love family saga books. This one, about a family in Chicago dealing with events in 2016 and 2017 is no different. I loved all the POV characters but really identified with Jane. I found myself rooting for her happy ending. (BOTM)

4 Stars

Even though Liu is only thirty(ish) years old, his memoir is rich. I think it’s because he used 1/4 of the book to write about his parents. Reading about Liu’s difficult upbringing was challenging, but hearing about him taking ownership of his actions and reconciling with his parents was great. He is funny and it is an easy listen. My to be watch list has also grown.

5 Stars

I thought this book had a lot of potential, but i don’t feel it was executed as well as it could have been. The way it was written made what could have been a very interesting story feel very choppy and almost boring. I felt the book dragged a little bit. I did like a lot of the plot.

3 Stars

This is how you end a trilogy! After book 2 I worried about what they were going to do outside the Scholomance, but my worries were for naught. El trekking around the world, finding her purposed in life was just amazing. The stuff with Orion? Perfect! The ending? Perfect.

5 Stars

Literary fiction and poetry are not my genres, so consequently Toni Morrison is not an author for me, and this was not a book for me. The plot of the book was powerful and heartwrenching. The non linear storytelling and the poetry is really what lost me.

3 Stars

What. A. Story.

Thistlefoot isn’t merely a retelling of Baba Yaga. It’s the story of generational trauma and the power of memories. Bellatine and Isaac Yaga were powerful symbols of dealing with trauma that has been passed down for generations. Thistlefoot—I don’t want to give anything away about the house with chicken legs, but it is also powerful and heartbreaking.

This is easily one of the best books I’ve read this year, and I’m positive this book will be sticking with me for a long, long time. (BOTM)

5 Stars

Romeo and Juliet is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, so it stand I would enjoy a retelling. And this conclusion was so good. It kept the Romeo and Juliet elements, but it gave Roma and Juliette their own love story that I would argue was a million times better. The blood feud, the politics, and everything culminating to an epic conclusion made this easily one of my favorite duologies ever.

5 Stars

I really love these Tita Rosie’s Kitchen cozies. I love all the characters and I love getting to spend time with them. I love seeing the growth in the characters between books. I can’t wait to read the next one.

4 stars

September 2022 Reads

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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

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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