Thursday, February 29, 2024

The month of love(ing to read)!

 I’ve been reading a lot of books that have movie/show adaptations. Which has been kind of fun. This was a pretty average month for me. 10 books. 2,823 pages.  An average of 97 pages a day. But y’all aren’t here for that. You are here for the recaps. So let’s go


Raiders of the Lost Heart by Jo Segura (345 pages). This was the Valentine’s Once Upon a Book Club special edition, so gifties on social. Archaeologist Dr Corrie Mejia has dreamt of one dig- to find the remains of her ancestor, the Aztec warrior Chimalli. When she is invited to join a dig in Mexico, it’s literally her dream come true. But the dig becomes a nightmare when Corrie realizes that her nemesis, Dr Ford Matthews, is running it. Corrie and Ford have a long history of rivalry, dating back to their graduate school days. But they also have a long history of attraction, dating back to one night in the library. And the steamy Mexican jungle might be more than either of them can handle. A little bit Lara Croft, a little bit Indiana Jones. It was fun. The gifts were a little racier than usual though. I finished in 3 days.


The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford (148 pages). I’ve seen both versions of this movie- the 1963 one and the 1993 one. Loved them both (yes, I cry every time I watch). If you don’t know the story, it might be one of the sweetest ever. Luath (a young golden retriever), Tao (a Siamese cat) and Bodger (an 11 year old Bull Terrier) journey over 200 milers through the Canadian wilderness to be reunited with their family. Their adventures and their love for each other is beautiful. Y’all- cried reading the book. Then promptly watched the 1963 version and cried again. I finished in 1 day.


Dead Poets Society by N.H. Kleinbaum (166 pages). In a weird twist, this book was based on the movie, not the other way around. I absolutely love this movie. Seize the day. Make your lives extraordinary. O Captain, my Captain. If you don’t know the story, it’s about a stuffy boys prep school and their new English teacher. Mr Keating doesn’t just teach the boys about poetry- he teaches them about life!  I finished in 1 day. 


The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson (237 pages). This is my 6th book this year that I’ve both seen the show or movie AND now read the book. I sense a theme….  Anyway, this is the true story of the Lutz family. In December of 1975, the Lutzes bought their dream home in Amityville, NY.  A house where just one year earlier Ronnie DeFeo had murdered his parents and 4 siblings in their sleep. Only 28 days later, they fled the nightmare house and never returned. If you don’t know what they experienced in the house, you’ve clearly been living under a rock!  The book is a day by day account of what they experienced during those 28 days. I finished in 3 days.


The Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah (391 pages). A six year old girl and her wolf cub wander into the public park of Rain Valley, Washington. Local police chief Ellie Barton has no idea what to do with this child who can’t speak. But luckily her sister Julia Cates is a famous (and recently somewhat disgraced) child psychiatrist. So Julia returns to her hometown to find out who this little girl is. After naming her Alice, Julia (with help from the town) begins to bring her out of her shell and give her words and a voice. But when her father shows up, will all that go away?  Alice is clearly a child who has been abused. Was it at her father’s hand?  I really liked this book. I loved the relationship between Alice and Julia. I finished in 3 days. 


The Rose that Grew from Concrete by Tupac Shakur (151 pages). My 40 book reading challenge included a book of poetry this time. When I went book shopping at Books-A-Million, I had just listened to a podcast episode about Tupac. So when I saw this, I had to grab it. I am not a big fan of poetry. But y’all, this was beautiful. Gave me a whole new view of Tupac. As a true artist, not merely a rapper. The poems were deep and thoughtful and even heartbreaking. I finished in days. (2/14)


The Modern Girl’s Guide to Magic by Linsey Hall (327 pages). Charming Cove is the most magical place in England. But only the witches from there know it. Aria has been away from her hometown and her family’s potion shop for years. Why?  Because she’s a magical disaster. Literally. Callan is a self made millionaire property mogul mage. And Aria hates him with every fiber of her being. When both of them show up to compete to inherit the Garden of Enchantment, it’s game on. But Callan has never felt about Aria the way she feels about him. And he realizes that it’s more important for her to inherit the Garden. But will she accept his help?  And can anyone help her harness her true magic?  This was such a cute rom-com. I finished in 4 days.


Too Hard to Forget by Tessa Bailey (305 pages). It’s been three years since head cheerleader Peggy Clarkson graduated from University of Cincinnati. And it’s been three years since her relationship with head football coach Elliott Brooks ended. Elliott has kept his focus on football. But has never had Peggy far from his thoughts. Peggy has been engaged four times and knows that her lingering feelings for Elliott have affected her relationships. So when alumni weekend rolls around, Peggy decides this is the year to get Elliott out of her heart and mind for good. Honestly, I love a romcom. But this one wasn’t my favorite. The story was all over the place.  I finished in 3 days.


The Japanese Lover by Isabel Allende (324 pages). This was different than the other Allende books I’ve read- no magical realism to be found. But still such beautiful writing and stories. Alma arrived in America as a young child, escaping the war that was engulfing Poland. Her family in San Francisco embraced her as their own. She immediately fell in love with Ichimei, the gardener’s son. But America’s fear of Japanese kept them apart. Eventually, despite her love for Ichi (which became physical after many years apart), she married her cousin Nathaniel for the stability he offered. In her old age, she moved to Lark House. Where she met Irina, a young Moldovan woman who worked there. Together with Alma’s grandson Seth, Irina begins to uncover Alma’s secrets. And share some of her own. I finished in 4 days.


Icebreaker by Hannah Grace (429 pages). Anastasia is a junior at Unoversity of California, Maple Hills, and a star on the figure skating team. Her life’s goal?  Making the Olympics with her skating partner. Nathan is a senior and the captain of the university’s hockey team. And equally as focused on his sport and making it to the NHL. Until a facility mishap leaves both teams to practice on the same rink.  And Stassie and Nate have a hard time denying their attraction. Imagine a racier The Cutting Edge, set at a college. “Toe pick”.  I finished in 5 days. 


This month’s favorite is…….The Rose that Grew from Concrete. I cannot believe I chose poetry!

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

New year, new books

 I started off the year a little slow (for me). I only read 7 books. A total of 2,468 pages. An average of 80 pages a day. But I read some pretty good books this month. Actually, I really enjoyed all of them. 


Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (417 pages). Alex Claremont-Diaz is the son of the first female US President. Prince Henry is the youngest grandchild of the Queen of England. And they are archenemies. Their animosity comes to a head at Henry’s brother’s royal wedding. And both the President and the royal family act quickly to stop an international debacle. Alex and Henry must pretend to be friends. But what isn’t expected is that they actually do become friends. Until a New Years kiss changes everything. And now two of the most powerful and recognizable young men in the world have to figure out how to navigate falling in love while hiding their relationship. After all, Henry’s gran is the Queen. And Alex’s mom is running for reelection. It was a sweet story about love and family. I finished in 4 days.


The Selection by Kiera Cass (326 pages). In the country of Illea, the caste system reigns supreme. America Singer and her family are Fives, only three away from the bottom of the system. But now that Prince Maxon is of age, it’s time for The Selection. Where 35 girls from every section of the country compete to marry the Prince, regardless of their caste. For America, it’s a chance to give her family a better life. She would automatically become a Three. But it would also tear her away from Aspen, the boy she loves who’s a Six and therefore not an option for her.  As America spends more time with Maxon, their friendship begins to turn into something more. But can she truly give him her heart when it has so firmly belonged to someone else?  Think Hunger Games meets the Bachelor.  Hunger Games in that it is a dystopian North America, completely united and provinces redrawn. And Bachelor because, well, duh.  The first book in a series. And now I might need to look into the rest of the series!  I finished in 4 days.


Holes by Louis Sachar (233 pages). I’ve seen this movie more times than I can count. And I’ve heard that it is one of the more faithful adaptations of a book. So I was excited to read it!  If you don’t know the story, Stanley Yelnats IV is innocent of the crime that sends him to Camp Green Lake. Where the boys dig holes. There’s a lot of backstory about Stanley’s family curse and about the town of Green Lake (which is all very interesting, just like the movie). Honestly, the biggest differences are that Stanley is overweight when he first arrives at Green Lake. And that Stanley’s dad is trying to invent a use for old tennis shoes (not a foot odor eliminator). Everything else is just very, very minor changes. I liked the book, but I loved the movie. I finished in 2 days.


Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (386 pages). It’s 1961. Elizabeth Zott has a successful tv show called Supper at Six. But Elizabeth is a chemist. In fact, that’s what makes her cooking show so successful. She’s actually so much more than a chemist- she’s a single mother, a forward thinker, an inspiration. After a series of events lead her from being a researcher at Hastings Institute and madly in love with fellow scientist Calvin Evans to being a single mother of a brilliant child, Mad, and an equally brilliant dog, Six-Thirty, she finds herself on television. But she refuses to pander to the executives. Women need to know they are more than just housewives and Mrs. insert husband’s name.  They can do anything. And Elizabeth gives them that confidence, all while teaching them that cooking is a science. With help from her neighbor Harriet, her tv producer Walter, local preacher Wakely and her ob/rowing coach Dr Mason, Elizabeth creates a life that is truly wonderful. She learns that family (both biological and created) and science are all she needs.  I found Elizabeth inspiring. And then promptly started watching the Appletv show as soon as I finished the book. Sadly, I was very, VERY disappointed in the show. I do not understand when major changes are made to amazing stories. Never have, never will. I finished in 4 days.


The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by VE Schwab (442 pages). In 1714, Adeline LaRue made a Faustian deal with a stranger- she would never grow old, she would never die, she would never be remembered. Literally, people forget her as soon as she is out of their presence. And no one from her small village has any memory of her. She can’t even tell people her name. For the next 300 years, she travels the world- meeting people, stealing things, never making concrete connections to anything but inspiring wherever she goes. Then, she meets a boy in a bookstore. A boy who remembers her name. This book, y’all. I absolutely loved it. LOVED it!!  It was beautiful. It was intriguing. I finished in 4 days.


The Road Trip by Beth O’Leary (381 pages). Four years ago, Addie and Dylan met in France. She was the caretaker at a chateau for the summer, he was on a family vacation (without most of his family). The next two years were intense. But a misunderstanding and a lie led to a breakup. Now, two years later, they find themselves road tripping to a friend’s wedding in Scotland with her stepsister, his best friend and another wedding guest. Subsequent misadventures occur on the road trip. Honestly, while I knew there were some factors working against Addie and Dylan, I didn’t really like them as a couple. I’ve never found myself rooting for a couple NOT to work out in a rom-com. But I did in this one. This misadventures on the road trip were fantastic, however. I finished in 4 days.


Beaches by Iris Rainer Dart (283 pages). I love this movie. Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey were perfection. And I had no idea that it was based on a book!  They kept remarkably close to the story. A few changes. Cee Cee Bloom is 10 and Roberta “Bertie” White is 7 when they first meet on the boardwalk of Atlantic City in 1951. There is a theatre owner they both love and Cee Cee marries. Bertie gets married while in college rather than becoming a lawyer (and her husband is a perfect douche). She does find out she’s pregnant after he walks out on her. I really liked this one. It was such a sweet story of friendship. And yes, I cried. Just like I did during the movie.  I finished in 3 days.


This month’s favorite is…….The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue. Hands down. It was probably be the favorite of the year. The bar is set HIGH, y’all. Like the cashier at Book-A-Million said, I find myself thinking about this book at random moments, all the time. I wish I could read it again for the first time

Sunday, December 31, 2023

Farewell 2023- it’s been nice reading you!

 This month was just kind of average with how much I read. 9 books. A total of 2721 pages. An average of 88 pages a day. But I got stuck on a series (again). So what can I say!


Hopeless by Colleen Hoover (410 pages). The first of a five book series. Sky Davis likes her life. She’s got a best friend named Six who lives right next door. She’s got an adoptive mom who she loves. But when she finally starts public school (without Six, who went to Italy for a foreign exchange program), she is a little nervous. Until Dean Holder enters her life. There’s something different about Holder. And as Sky becomes closer with Holder, she also begins to remember things about her life pre-adoption. And the things she remembers begin to terrify her. Colleen Hoover writes a book that is easy to get involved in the plot and the characters. I finished in 3 days. 


Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover (330 pages). Book 2 in the series. This is Hopeless, from Holder’s perspective. You see, Holder has his own demons. His twin sister Lesslie committed suicide a year earlier. His parents are divorced and remarried, living in different cities. And he has secrets about Sky’s pre-adoption life. I do love reading the same story from different perspectives. I finished in 3 days.


Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover (129 pages). Book 3 in the series. Holder has a best friend named Daniel. Before Sky and Holder ever met, Daniel had a life changing experience with a girl in the dark in a janitor’s closet at school during fifth period. And he’s been looking for that girl and that feeling ever since. Now, he’s been third wheeling with the happy couple. Until Sky’s best friend Six returns from Italy. Because Six isn’t just Sky’s best friend- she’s closet girl. But while Sky and Holder have some secrets they haven’t told their best friends, Six has some secrets too. I am throughly enjoying this series. It’s fun to read things from different characters perspectives. I finished in 1 day. 


All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover (310 pages). Book 4 of the series.  Quinn and Graham first met when they discovered that her fiancĂ© and his girlfriend were having an affair. Six months after that awful day, they ran into each other while on dates. And immediately became inseparable. Years later, they are unhappily married and desperately trying for a child. Something that doesn’t seem like is ever going to happen for them. Can a marriage withstand Category 6 troubles when it’s not the marriage you thought you wanted?  This one was much heavier than the first 3, in a good way. As a grown married woman, I connected more with Quinn than I did with the high schoolers of the first 3 books. Not that the first books weren’t good. This one just hit more. And yes, this book IS connected to the rest of the series- Quinn’s sister is an ex-Pat Italian tutor for foreign exchange students. I finished in 2 days.


Finding Perfect by Colleen Hoover (86 pages).  Book 5 and the final one in the series. And the most beautiful conclusion to the story.  We again go back to Daniel. He and Six are still together by Thanksgiving break of their freshman year of college. But their secret from the earlier book lies heavy on both of them. When Daniel finds a way to ease their pain, all of the stories come full circle. Y’all, I started crying about halfway through and didn’t stop until I finished. This one might have been my favorite of the series. I finished in 1 day. 


Through the Snow Globe by Annie Rains (292 pages). This was my Christmas Once Upon a Book Club box (I only do their special edition books now) so gifts on social. Diana is an in-home physical therapist. She’s engaged to Linus, a toy store owner. So everything should be perfect. But Diana was raised to never show her feelings. And it seems like that has spilled over to all her relationships- with her patients, with her best friend, and most importantly with her fiancĂ©. On December 4, after a horrible day, Linus is in an accident. and for the next three weeks, Diana goes to visit him, hoping that he will come out of his coma before Christmas. When she finds his Christmas gift to her, a snow globe of their little town, she makes a wish on it. And wakes up to December 4 all over again. She tries everything to change the outcome of the day (ala Groundhog Day). But it isn’t always about changing the day. It’s about seeing changes that need to be made in yourself. It was super sweet.  I finished in 2 days.


Untying the Knot by Meghan Quinn (461 pages).  A spin-off of the Cane brothers series that I read earlier in the fall. Ryot and Myla Bisley first met 12 years ago and have been together for 7 years. But Ryot isn’t the charming man that Myla married. Since retiring from baseball (they met when he was in the minors), he’s not really sure of who he is anymore.  So Myla does the only thing she can- she files for divorce. But Ryot isnt willing to let her get away. And with JP and Kelsey’s wedding in 3 weeks (see book 2 of the Cane brother series), he decides to buy himself as much time as he can. Because an athlete always has a game plan on how to win. This might have been my favorite of the series. I loved how it went back and showed you how Ryot and Myla’s love story grew. And how it got to where it is in present day. None of Meghan Quinn’s characters are perfect but somehow the stories just work. I finished in 4 days.


Main Character Energy by Jamie Varon (313 pages). This was my Up All Night Once Upon a Book Club box. Which means I’ve got my new reading challenge scratch off for next year!  It was also my 100th book of the year. But on to the book. Poppy Banks feels like a failure. She hates her job. Her older (perfect) brother has the writing career she always dreamt of. And her mother makes her feel like she’s not good enough, not thin enough, not anything enough. But every year, her clandestine meeting with her estranged Aunt Margot makes her feel okay. And when Margot dies and leaves Poppy her elusive writers retreat, The Colony, Poppy is intrigued. Even more so by Margot’s stipulations- she must move there for 6 months and finish a book before she can take ownership. So off Poppy goes to the French Riviera. She meets new friends and begins to wonder if she can actually be like Margot and be the main character in her own life. Turns out, she’s more like Margot than she ever dreamed. This book was really cute- just the right amount of romance and self confidence. I finished in 3 days. 


Home Front by Kristen Hannah (390 pages). Jolene Zarkades is a Black Hawk helicopter pilot in the National Guard, married and living outside Seattle with her criminal defense attorney husband Michael and 2 daughters, 12 year old Betsy and 4 year old Lulu. She loves being both a military woman and a mother. The same can’t be said about her relationship with Michael. But Jo lives by the credo that happiness is a choice. When her unit is deployed to Iraq, everything changes. And when her copter is shot down, her injuries upend their lives. Meanwhile, Michael is assigned a case that makes him question everything he’s thought about the military- a young soldier is accused of murdering his wife. But he has no recollection of actually doing it. When Michael delves into the world of PTSD, he starts to understand his wife, perhaps for the first time ever. And finally, FINALLY, the family is able to heal. I bawled several times throughout reading. Jo’s struggles, the family coming together, it was so difficult and beautiful all at the same time. I finished in 4 days.


This month’s favorite is…….Home Front and Finding Perfect. Yes, the two books that made me cry


Being the last entry of 2023, it’s time to give my yearly report. I read 101 books this year. A total of 34,273 pages. An average of 94 pages a day. And this year’s favorite?  The Personal Librarian. 

Thursday, November 30, 2023

A busy November meant not as much reading time

 This month was the month of a series. I got hooked and just couldn’t stop.  I ended up reading 7 books. A total of 2,338 pages. An average of 75 pages a day (which is not quite up to snuff with my regular monthly averages). But let’s get to the books, shall we?


Hooked by Emily McIntire (300 pages). The first of the Never After Series. James “Hook” Barrie is part of a crime syndicate (The Lost Boys) that sells pixie dust (clearly drugs) and runs Boston. Wendy is the daughter of Peter Michaels, owner of NevAirLand Planes. When Hook sees Wendy at his bar, the Jolly Roger, he decides he must have her. Because Hook has some unfinished business with Peter. But Hook has never let anyone in before. Until Wendy. This was not a reimagining of a fairytale. This was a full on naughty reinvention. And I loved it!  The character names (the twins, Curly, Smee) and location names (the Lagoon, the Jolly Roger) were such a creative way to keep the magic of the original but also completely recreate it. I finished in 3 days. 


Scarred by Emily McIntire (337 pages). Book 2 in the series. Lady Sara Beatreaux has spent her adult life knowing one thing- that she will avenge her father’s death by destroying the Faasa line of royalty in the kingdom of Gloria Terra. Her betrothal to the king will allow her to do just that. But what Sara didn’t anticipate was the king’s brother Tristan, the scarred prince. Tristan, doesn’t want to destroy his family’s line; he just wants to destroy his brother. As they begin to fall wildly (and quite dirtily) in love and lust, they realize that their goals aren’t that dissimilar. A little Hamlet and a lot of 50 Shades. Again, the characters were great. Even though this wasn’t inspired by a fairy tale (at least not one I know), I might have liked it more than Hooked! I finished in 4 days.


Wretched by Emily McIntire (268 pages).  Book 3 in the series. Woo hoo- the jolly old land of Oz!  Evelina is the youngest of three sisters- oldest sister Nessa died when Evie was 17 and middle sister Dorothy is the reason she’s dead. And her father is the head of an Irish crime family. Seven years later, Nicholas is the DEA agent assigned to go undercover and bust the drug ring. A drug ring that Evie is intimately involved in. And when Nick and Evie become intimately involved, everything shifts. For both of them. So many shoutouts to Oz. A bar called Winkies. A drug called Flying Monkey. A hacker named Oz. A strip club called Yellow Brick. A yacht named My Toto. A mother named Glinda. And another naughty naughty reinvention. I finished in 3 days.


Twisted by Emily McIntire (366 pages). Book 4 in the series. A twisted Aladdin. Yasmin is the only child of Ali, owner of the worldwide diamond company Sultans. His right hand man is Julian. And Yasmin’s first love is Aiden, the boy who grew up on her father’s estate as the son of one of the staff. But when Ali learns that he has very little time left, he lets Yasmin know that only her husband will be inheriting Sultans. And Yasmin isn’t married. But Julian is bitter that HE isn’t the one who will inherit. So he tricks Yasmin into marrying him. All while sending Aiden off to find a legendary lamp. I’m not sure how I felt about this one. Part of me liked it, part of me was super bothered by the Stockholm Syndrome that clearly occurred with Yasmin and Julian. I finished in 4 days.


Crossed by Emily McIntire (403 pages). The 5th and final book in the series. I’d say this was a reimagining of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but honestly it was just a modernization of it in a lot of ways. The small town of Festivale, Vermont, is a little bit of Paris in America. Amaya works at the Chapel, a strip club, as Esmeralda in order to provide for herself and her younger brother Quinten  (when their mother left, she left them indebted to Parker, the local criminal in charge). But when Father Cade arrives at Notre Dame to bring renewed religion to the town, his obsession with Amaya becomes overwhelming. Nothing different than Victor Hugo imagined with that one. The biggest difference?  Amaya feels the same draw to Cade. Honestly, I think this one was my favorite of the whole series. I finished in 6 days.


The Girl Beyond the Gate by Becca Day (326 pages). Jodie Madison needs a fresh start. And the exclusive gated community of Kensington Grove seems like just the spot. But you can never escape the ghosts of your past. And try as Jodie might, she can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong with her next-door neighbor, Norah Williams, and Norah’s terminally ill daughter Lacey. As the months go by, Jodie becomes even more suspicious. When the safe little community is rocked by a murder, Jodie becomes even more convinced that she needs to save Lacey. But are her suspicions merited?  Or is it her own guilt, coming back to mess with her head?  I finished in 2 days.


The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose (338 pages). OMG!  This book!  Sarah and Adam Morgan seem to be the perfect couple. She is a super successful defense attorney in DC. He is a struggling author who spends most of his time at their lake house in Virginia. But there are always secrets. And Adam’s is that he’s been carrying on an affair with Kelly Summers, a local woman near their lake house. One night, after an encounter with Kelly, Adam heads home to Sarah. But when the housekeeper arrives at the lake house, she finds Kelly’s lifeless body, stabbed 37 times. Adam is immediately charged with her murder. And Sarah puts away her heartbreak at the affair by agreeing to represent him. And that’s all I’m going to say. The investigation. The trial and outcome. So, so good. I finished in 3 days. 


This month’s favorite is…….The Perfect Marriage. 

Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Last month was a little Booktober

 This month was pretty good. I got 9 books read. A total of 2,873 pages. An average of 93 pages a day.  Not the best month ever, but respectable. And a nice range of genres


Where the Sky Begins by Rhys Bowen (389 pages).  Josie Banks is happy when her husband is sent to war and she begins working at a tea shop in London. But when the shop owner dies and her own apartment is bombed, Josie is evacuated to the country to recuperate. She is placed in the mansion of a rather crotchety spinster and her housekeeper. To keep herself busy, she starts a garden. And a tea room.  And finds an RAF officer who makes her happy.  But Josie is still a married woman. And if her husband survives the war, the new life she has created for herself will be destroyed. Y’all know I love a good WWII historical fiction!  This one was great- references to other parts of WWII that I already knew about (Bletchley Park) and a very sweet story to boot.  I finished in 4 days. 


A Long Time Coming by Megan Quinn (446 pages). Another book in the sexy billionaire Cane brothers series. This one focuses on youngest brother Breaker. With Huxley and JP happily married off to sisters Lottie and Kelsey, it’s time for Breaker’s story. 10 years ago, Breaker met his best friend Lia in college. They are both total nerds. And remain nothing but friends. But when Lia’s boyfriend surprises her with a proposal and his mother surprises her with a 5 week timeline for the wedding, Breaker begins to realize that Lia is more than just his best friend. And when Lia begins to realize that her fiancĂ© isn’t the man she needs (who wants a man who can’t even stand up to his mother for you?), she ends things. Huxley and JP encourage Breaker to tell Lia how he truly feels. Luckily, a decade of friendship is the best foundation for the rest of their lives!  I loved Breaker. I’m not sure about Lia. I loved her nerdiness. I didn’t love that she thought it was appropriate to sleep in the bed with Breaker “just as friends” when she was engaged to another man because they’d done it before. I really enjoy this author though. Her pop culture references are <chef’s kiss> perfection!  I finished in 1 day. 


Evidence of the Affair by Taylor Jenkins Reid (88 pages). I love this author. Literally I love everything she’s written. I love how she intertwines characters throughout (in this one, one character listens to Joni Mitchell and Daisy Jones when she is sad). This was (obviously) a short story. It was a series of letters between Carrie and David, two people who have never met but discovered that their spouses are having an affair. Over a series of months, they exchange letters and support (and copies of the letters their spouses exchanged). They even meet up to commiserate. But eventually, when the affair ends, one of them remains with their spouse. And the other doesn’t. I finished in 1 day (30 minutes actually). 


The Girl in Cabin 13 by A.J. Rivers (223 pages). Emma Griffin is an undercover agent with the FBI. She’s had a rough go of it- her mother was killed, her father and boyfriend have both disappeared, she bungled a big case. But she is assigned to a case (or rather cases) that has everyone baffled. People are going missing in a small town and no one has answers. The night she arrives at her rented cabin, there’s a knock on her door. She opens it to a man who promptly drops dead. A man who has a piece of paper with her name on it clasped in his hand. Emma immediately gets to work, investigating the case.  Her case work is (in my opinion) shoddy at best. When she finally figures out whodunit, it’s only because she stumbles into it. And we still don’t have an answer as to how the dead guy showed up on her door with her name written down (the killer says he didn’t figure out who she was until later). It was a little all over the place. Good pace, interesting premise, but disappointing. I finished in 4 days.


The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen (401 pages). Juliet Browning is just 18 years old the first time she visits Venice in 1928. She meets Leonardo da Rossi, a young man from a wealthy family, and falls hard in one day. But her life is in London. Until she is given the opportunity to return, first on a tour with her students and then as a student herself in 1938. By this time, Leo is married. But he is still in love with Juliet. So she stays, even as a war rages across Europe. In 2001, Caroline Grant’s life is falling apart. Her husband has left her and is keeping their son with him in America after 9/11. And her beloved Great Aunt Lettie is dying. When she kneels at Lettie’s deathbed, she is given a sketchbook, 3 keys and the whispered word “Venice.”  So Caroline heads off to Venice to discover what secrets Lettie had and to scatter her ashes in what seems to be her favorite city. A little bit of WWII history (I don’t hill I ever knew much about Italy’s contribution to the War, other than the fact that Mussolini idolized Hitler. I finished in 4 days.


The Guilty Husband by Stephanie DeCarolis (308 pages). Vince Taylor is the CEO and founder of KitzTech, a very successful tech company. He literally has it all- money, fame, and the love of his life, his wife Nicole. All that is missing is a family. When intern Layla Bosch comes to work for him, she manages to seduce him. And when she is found dead in Central Park, all clues point to Vince as the murderer. But as Detective Allison Barnes and her partner begin to investigate, she begins to wonder if they have the right man. I love a good whodunit murder mystery. I finished in 4 days.


Night Road by Kristen Hannah (387 pages). 14 year old Lexi Baill has been in and out of foster homes her whole life. But she’s finally found a home with her great aunt in a small town in Washington State. 14 year old twins Mia and Zach Farraday couldn’t be more opposite- Mia is painfully shy and Zach is Mr Popular. But their helicopter mom Jude has always been there for them. The first day of high school, Mia and Lexi meet and immediately become best friends. Three years later, it’s senior year. The girls are inseparable. And Zach and Lexi have finally admitted that they love each other. As the school year ends, one decision leads to an accident that changes everyone’s lives. And years later, the pieces of this family, and Lexi’s place in it, needs to be put back together. In a way that only love and forgiveness can do. I bawled like a baby about 10 times. I finished in 4 days.


Hemlock Island by Kelley Armstrong (294 pages). This was a special edition Spooky Halloween from Once Upon a Book Club. So gifties on social (per usual). Laney Kilpatrick loves her vacation home on a private island in Lake Superior. But she doesn’t like the fact that she has to rent it out to vacationers in order to keep it after the pandemic fuels her divorce. When renters start reporting strange occurrences (bones, hex circles, blood), Laney and her niece Madison show up to investigate. On their way, they run into her ex husband Kit and his sister Jayla (who used to be Laney’s best friend). And before they know it, another former friend Sadie and her brother, policeman Garrett, show up. By the time they find a hand poking up out of the ground, their only means of escape is gone. And they are left on an island with a murderer. As the day progresses, they begin to realize that maybe it’s not a murderer they need to be scared of. This book was not what I expected. But I didn’t hate that!  I finished in 3 days.


My Roommate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine (337 pages). This was my Sweet Halloween special edition Once Upon a Book Club box. So stinking cute!  When struggling artist Cassie Greenberg answers an ad for a roommate, with rent of only $200 a month in a ritzy Chicago neighborhood, she isn’t sure what to expect. But she certainly didn’t expect Frederick J Fitzwilliam. He sleeps all day and looks like he walked out of an 1800’s novel. She also didn’t expect to find herself charmed by him. And she definitely didn’t expect to learn that he is a centuries old vampire, in need of a modern day “tutor,” to help him learn about the 21st century. But the more time she spends with him, the more she realizes how much she cares about him. It was kind of cute. I finished in 3 days.


This month’s favorite is…….The Venice Sketchbook. With Night Road coming in a close second 

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Falling into a lot of books this month

 Let’s just say it- I killed it this month. I read 9 books. A total of 3,538 pages. An average of 118 pages per day. Yep, that’s some good reading. Admittedly, I got stuck in some types (Colleen Hoover, romcoms, sequels). So I’m going to try to spice it up next month with some diversity. But I really liked almost every book I read this month. 


It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover (373 pages). Lily Bloom loves her life in Boston- she has opened her dream business (a flower shop) and found a wonderful man who loves her (neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid). Everything seems perfect. But looks can be deceiving. And when Atlas Corrigan, her first love, reappears in her life, she realizes that she doesn’t have to repeat patterns in her life. Even though I’d heard of this book, I didn’t know what it was about. I found myself very affected. More so than I would’ve thought. As I was poolside, I finished in 1 day. 


It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover (320 pages). This is Atlas and Lily’s continuation story. Lily and Ryle are officially divorced and attempting to coparent their daughter Emerson. The last person Ryle would want in their life is Atlas, the man HE blames for the divorce. But Lily and Atlas know better. And a love story that began in high school finally has a chance to grow into forever. This was very sweet. I didn’t like it as much as the first book.  I finished in 3 days. 


The Rebel King by Gina L. Maxwell (316 pages). The second in the Deviant King series. This one focuses on second brother Tiernan Verran. Tiernan has just been named King of the Dark Fae after his brother’s abdication (hey, you’ve got to do whatever it takes to save your life and your mate’s life). As king, there are certain expectations. One of them is not being involved with Fiona Jewel, one of the fae housekeepers of Midnight Manor. But when Dark Fae begin to be murdered (something hard to do), Tiernan realizes he’s got to save his people. All before he officially takes the throne. Fiona learns some truths about herself as well when she and her mother are attacked. But along the way, Tiernan realizes that no king is complete without his queen. Another round of faerie 50 shades!  I finished in 4 days. 


Things We Left Behind by Lucy Score (642 pages). The third and final book in the Knockemout series. Now that we’ve got the Morgan brothers settled down, it’s time to focus on their bad boy best friend, Lucian Rollins, and his long time love/hate relationship with town librarian Sloane Walton. This book was the perfect ending to the series. It might have been my favorite one actually!  Lucian and Sloane started out as best friends in high school. But one mistake led to a seemingly deep seated hatred for decades. Until Lucian decides that the easiest way to get Sloane out of his mind is to get her into his bed. After all, he gets bored with women once he beds them. But Sloane isn’t just any woman. And they aren’t just any couple. As crime lords continue to pester the town and inhabitants of Knockemout, Sloane and Lucian need to decide how they truly feel about each other. I finished in 4 days.


Too Late by Colleen Hoover (388 pages). Sloan thought she’d met the perfect guy when she met Asa Jackson in college. But her fairytale quickly turned into a nightmare when she learns that Asa is a drug trafficker at the college. Unfortunately, he’s managed to make her so dependent on him that she can’t leave, even though she’s miserable. When Carter, an undercover agent, infiltrates Asa’s inner circle, he decides that after he takes down Asa, he’s going to rescue Sloan. But Asa doesn’t ever hear no from anyone. Especially the woman he obsessively loves. Can Sloan and Carter make it out alive?  And can they find a happy ending?  I finished in 3 days.


The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (329 pages). Millie feels like she’s hit the jackpot. Despite her criminal past, she manages to land a job as a live-in maid/part-time nanny for the very wealthy Winchester family. Husband Andrew is a dreamboat. Daughter Cecelia is a bit of a brat. Wife Nina, on the other hand, is a nut job. She’s demanding, slovenly and a nightmare. But Millie accepts her attic bedroom and difficult job, fanaticizing about Andrew all the while. Turns out, Nina needs more than just a maid.  Because life in the Winchester house isn’t what it appears. And Millie is just the girl for the job. Y’all- this book!  It really reminded me of The Wife Between Us that I read about 2 years ago.  But possibly even better?  I finished in 3 days.


The Housemaid’s Secret by Freida McFadden (310 pages). A sequel?  Heck yes!  Millie is back in New York City, going to school and working where she can. She’d managed to make a bit of a name for herself as a “maid.”  So when she gets a call from the Garricks to be their new housekeeper, she quickly learns that Douglas is abusive. So when Wendy begs for help, Millie knows what she must do. But Wendy isn’t Millie’s typical client. Another fun twist and just as good as the first book!  I finished in 4 days.


A Not So Meet Cute by Meghan Quinn (401 pages). Lottie needs a job (her toxic bff/boss just fired her), a new place to live (as much as she loves her mom and stepdad, 28 is too old to be living at home) and a date to her high school reunion (thanks to the aforementioned bff/boss being involved). Huxley needs a pregnant fiancĂ©e to seal a real estate deal (he let himself lie just a teensy bit). So when they accidentally meet on the sidewalk of Huxley’s neighborhood, a deal is struck and a contract signed. Yall know I love a rom com!  And one that acknowledges CT as the greatest MTV Challenger of all time?  Yes yes and yes!  It was super cute (if slightly predictable). I finished in 4 days.


So Not Meant to Be by Meghan Quinn (459 pages). A sequel featuring Lottie’s sister, Kelsey and one of Huxley’s brothers, JP. From the moment they met, Kelsey found JP to be annoying. But when they are forced to go to San Francisco for 2 weeks for work, she begins to realize that there is more to him than she ever imagined. Another cute romcom, complete with misunderstandings and makeups. I finished in 5 days.


This month’s favorite is…….The Housemaid.