REVIEW: The God of the Woods by Liz Moore

OUR REVIEW:

My daughter asked for this novel for Christmas and then one of my work friends read and enjoyed this novel, so when I saw it on my library's Libby App, I immediately requested it and can easily understand why it's on allllll of the lists for books. It follows multiple perspectives-which never get confusing or too entrenched, interesting backstories and interconnectedness, commentary on our class system, and a completely satisfying answer or answers to all of the questions. I found myself completely fascinated by what was happening and had big FEELINGS about various characters and plot points. This was the perfect end of the school year read for me. If you haven't read it yet, grab it for your next vacation read. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4mCHuwk

SYNOPSIS:
When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide

Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.

As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.

 

NEW REVIEW: Wish You Were Here by Jess K Hardy

 

OUR REVIEW:

I adore this series. At first I enjoyed it because it featured older characters and that felt so good to read about couples closer to my age. I also enjoyed that Hardy writes about romances that tackle issues of addiction or health that you used to not see. In Wish You Were Here, we finally get to the bottom of what's going on with Davis and Kev. If you've been following the series, you know that these two are younger than the other featured characters in the series and that there was most definitely something going on between them and then ....something happened. And now? Well now they're going through it and trying to figure out if there's a snowball chance in hell that they can repair the damage done and somehow find a way forward. 

I really enjoyed both perspectives in this novel. Seeing and feeling what Kev was grappling with made his side of things so much clearer and heartbreaking, and understanding his struggle made it so easy to root for him. The same goes for Davis. Her hurt and determination and love for had you hoping that there was a way to get them back together.

Every novel in this series is my favorite novel and I'm not really ready for it to end, so I'm hoping there are more characters who need to find love in this series.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/43yweIv

SYNOPSIS:Davis Thompson had never been so happy or so in love as she was with Kevin Lowes. Until his relapse shattered their world. After finding him at his lowest, in a moment that will haunt her forever, she’s convinced he’d not only chosen drugs over her. But he’d chosen another woman too. Now she’s trying to rebuild her life, wanting desperately to move on and figure out who she is and what she wants without him. There’s only one problem: Kev is returning to Bluebird Basin.

After a brutal rebab stay, Kev is determined to recommit to his recovery and win back the only woman he’s ever loved. But when he realizes the depth of the pain he caused and the secrets Davis has kept to protect him from himself, he wonders if it’s too late. More broken than he’s ever been, Kev finds unexpected healing while working with a wild mustang whose invisible scars match his.

But Bluebird Basin is a small ski hill, and as Kev and Davis continually cross paths, old wounds reopen and sparks reignite. Davis doesn’t know if she can trust Kev again. And Kev must confront his darkest fears and deepest regrets if he wants to prove to her that a second chance with him is worth fighting for.

Wish You Were Here is book 3 in the Bluebird Basin Romance series but can be read as a standalone. Although reading the first two books is recommended.

REVIEW: The Catch by Amy Lea

Mini-Review:

I'm new to this series and have only read this book and while it a good read, it didn't hold my attention as much as I'd hoped it would. It was a little too farfetched and sometimes a little too slow for my liking. I did enjoy the commentary the novel had on social media and influencers and felt that that felt authentic. Overall, a solid 3 star read. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4jeq4Tz

SYNOPSIS:A grumpy lobster fisherman tosses a fashion influencer’s impeccably curated life overboard in the next romantic comedy from international bestselling author Amy Lea.

In a last-ditch effort to rescue her brand from the brink of irrelevance, Boston fashion influencer Melanie Karlsen finds herself in a rural fishing village on the east coast of Canada. The only thing scarier than nature itself? The burly and bearded bed-and-breakfast owner and fisherman, Evan Whaler—who single-handedly disproves the theory that Canadians are “nice.”

After a boating accident lands Evan unconscious in the hospital, Mel is mistaken for his fiancée by his welcoming yet quirky family, who are embroiled in a long-standing feud over the B&B. In a bold attempt to mend family fences, Mel agrees to fake their engagement for one week in exchange for Evan’s help with her social media content.

Amid long hikes and campfire chats, reeling in their budding feelings for each other proves more difficult by the day. But is Mel willing to sacrifice her picture-perfect life in the city for a chance at a true, unfiltered love in the wild? 

REVIEW: Golden Girl by Elin Hilderbrand

 

OUR REVIEW: 

I saw this recommended recently by a fellow book blogger and thought I'd give it a try. Golden Girl is a quick, interesting read filled with many different characters grappling with the death of Vivian Howe. We get alternating narratives from Vivian in the Beyond, her children, and other outsiders as everyone tries to piece together who killed her and how they're going to live without her. 

Engaging and satisfying to the very end--a great beach read. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3RnqmMC

SYNOPSIS:

On a perfect June day, Vivian Howe, author of thirteen beach novels and mother of three nearly grown children, is killed in a hit-and-run car accident while jogging near her home on Nantucket. She ascends to the Beyond where she's assigned to a Person named Martha, who allows Vivi to watch what happens below for one last summer. Vivi also is granted three “nudges” to change the outcome of events on earth, and with her daughter Willa on her third miscarriage, Carson partying until all hours, and Leo currently “off again” with his high-maintenance girlfriend, she’ll have to think carefully where to use them.

From the Beyond, Vivi watches “The Chief” Ed Kapenash investigate her death, but her greatest worry is her final book, which contains a secret from her own youth that could be disastrous for her reputation. But when hidden truths come to light, Vivi’s family will have to sort out their past and present mistakes—with or without a nudge of help from above—while Vivi finally lets them grow without her.

With all of Elin’s trademark beach scenes, mouth-watering meals, and picture-perfect homes, plus a heartfelt message—the people we lose never really leave us—Golden Girl is a beach book unlike any other.

REVIEW: Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy

 REVIEW: 

I'd seen this novel a several bloggers monthly reading lists and grabbed it when it became available on my Libby App. I found the beginning and promising, though as it continued, there were times when I felt like it was a slog. But then! Then I got to the last part and realized that that slog was what I needed to really feel the punch at the end. And let me tell you that ending...that ending made my heart race and my anger elevated and it took me forever to fall asleep because that ending was just ughhhhhh. 

Came for the mystery. Stayed for the commentary on climate change. Was conquered by that ending. My god. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4kg6QOX

SYNOPSIS:
A family on a remote island. A mysterious woman washed ashore. A rising storm on the horizon.

Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers. But with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants, packing up the seeds before they are transported to safer ground. Despite the wild beauty of life here, isolation has taken its toll on the Salts. Raff, eighteen and suffering his first heartbreak, can only find relief at his punching bag; Fen, seventeen, has started spending her nights on the beach among the seals; nine-year-old Orly, obsessed with botany, fears the loss of his beloved natural world; and Dominic can’t stop turning back toward the past, and the loss that drove the family to Shearwater in the first place.

Then, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, a woman washes up on shore. As the Salts nurse the woman, Rowan, back to life, their suspicion gives way to affection, and they finally begin to feel like a family again. Rowan, long accustomed to protecting her heart, begins to fall for the Salts, too. But Rowan isn’t telling the whole truth about why she set out for Shearwater. And when she discovers the sabotaged radios and a freshly dug grave, she realizes Dominic is keeping his own dark secrets. As the storms on Shearwater gather force, the characters must decide if they can trust each other enough to protect the precious seeds in their care before it’s too late—and if they can finally put the tragedies of the past behind them to create something new, together.

REVIEW: Can't Get Enough by Kennedy Ryan

 

OUR REVIEW:

Listen, y'all. There's no way this review will be worthy of Can't Get Enough, The Skyland Series, or Kennedy Ryan because my talent isn't in wordsmithing, so excuse my clumsiness in trying. 

First of all, let me just say that I know that this series had to end, that, unfortunately, it couldn't last forever, but mannnnnn I really could use a zillion more books in this series. These women are so powerful in their sisterhood, their vulnerability, their loyalty, and their persistence to being fully who they are and striving to become who they want to be. They're so well built, from the mind of their creator, that they seem fully formed and so real to me that I wish that I could turn a corner and find them, know them, and one day be lucky enough to call them friends. We should all be so lucky to have friends like the three women featured in this series. 

In Can't Get Enough, we finally get into the story of Hendrix-the fiercest of fierce. We get to know her and understand her, to see behind the curtain, to see that getting to know her means that she's who we've always known her to be, and then some. She's funny and observant and passionate. She's loving and giving and always out for what's best for those around her. She's good at taking care of everyone and self-aware enough to know when she needs to take care of herself. She's not afraid to ask for what she needs and wants and isn't afraid to walk away from things that won't serve her, her family, her friends, or her clients. I love at how deeply she loves and how she isn't afraid to be loved--when she admits that she wants Mav and allows him in to her world, she doesn't continually put up roadblocks--when she's in, she's in. 

As with all Kennedy Ryan novels, the characters in Can't Get Enough face some realistic and terrible challenges that show that we still have such a long way to go in the world. These are handled carefully and thoughtfully, as usual, giving us opportunities to consider how to pick up the mantle of these fights and support the needs of our neighbors and friends. 

This series has been such an absolute joy. I love the found family, sisterhood-ness of it all. I also love that the men who are lucky enough to be with these women are evolved versions of the species-replete with thoughtfulness, strength, vulnerability, and love. I love that all three of these women were well into their adulthood and were confronting adult problems, with messy options, and not always easy conclusions. I loved that secondary plot points featured such a wide range of issues to consider and think about. I loved it all. And while I'm so very sad to see this series end, I know that as long as Kennedy Ryan is writing, she'll continue to deliver engrossing, entertaining, enlightening, and fun reads that will capture our hearts and minds. Can't wait to see what she releases next. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4hmPxcR

SYNOPSIS:

Hendrix Barry lives a fabulous life. She has phenomenal friends, a loving family, and a thriving business that places her in the entertainment industry's rarefied air. Your vision board? She’s probably living it.

She’s a woman with goals, dreams, ambitions—always striving upward. And in the midst of everything, she's facing her toughest challenge yet: caring for an aging parent.

Who has time for romance? From her experience, there's a low ROI on relationships. She hasn't met the man who can keep up with her anyway. Until...him.

Tech mogul Maverick Bell is a dilemma wrapped in an exquisitely tailored suit and knee-melting charm. From their first charged glance at the summer's hottest party, Hendrix feels like she’s met her match. Only he can’t be. Mav may be the first to make her feel this seen and desired and appreciated, but he’s the last one she can have. Forbidden fruit is the juiciest, and this man is off limits if she plans to stay the course she’s set for herself.

But when Maverick gives chase—pursuing her, spoiling her, understanding her—is it time to let herself have something more?

REVIEW: Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

OUR REVIEW:

I am a sucker for Abby Jimenez's novels and the second it hits my kindle, I'm pushing anything else aside and diving in. Even in the novels of hers that I didn't rate 5 stars, I enjoyed them so much, I'd go back to them at any time to read them. 

In the case of Say You Remember Me we get the love story of Xavier and Samantha and their most perfect first date that then leads them into a very long distance relationship. Over the course of months, they try to not be together but neither of them are able to stop the ache that develops any time they think about a future without the other. The reasons they can't just up and move and make it work are completely reasonable but that won't keep you from feeling angsty and frustrated for them. All you want is for them to figure it out and see them together forever, because you have zero doubt that they must be. 

In the midst of all of this is Samantha's caretaking of her mother, the complicated relationships she has with her family, and trying to balance all of that with work and her love of Xavier. Meanwhile Xavier is trying to figure out how to make enough money to get to her as often as possible, while maintaining his new vet practice and not completely lose it all. So complicated. So frustrating. So worth the read. If I have any complaint, it's that I wasn't quite ready to see their story end...but isn't that always how I feel with Abby Jimenez's novels? Why yes, yes it is. 

BUY IT:https://amzn.to/3RVHMQC

SYNOPSIS:

There might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong…

. . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date—possibly the best in living history—Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.

Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.

 

REVIEW: The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer

OUR REVIEW: 

Late last year I saw this novel pop up on several BEST OF lists and added it to my always growing TBR list. Recently I was between novels and looking for something a little more contemplative so I reserved this on my Libby App and was able to begin it almost instantaneously. I didn't know much about it but found myself quickly absorbed by the life of Clover Brooks, a death doula. Her job was so fascinating to me-so honorable and kind-that I had a hard time understanding why she seemed so hesitant about telling people what she did. As she told the story of her life to this point, it became a little more clear as to why she seemed to isolated and alone, which just increased my sadness for her. This novel wasn't all deep nuggets of wisdom, though; there were nosy neighbors, terrible dates, and funny incidents along the way. 

I enjoyed The Collected Regrets of Clover; it was sweet and different and while it didn't give me some earth-shattering life altering pearls of wisdom, it did give me some things to consider and it was definitely a good read. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3Gwk6Qf

SYNOPSIS:

What’s the point of giving someone a beautiful death if you can’t give yourself a beautiful life?

From the day she watched her kindergarten teacher drop dead during a dramatic telling of Peter Rabbit , Clover Brooks has felt a stronger connection with the dying than she has with the living. After the beloved grandfather who raised her dies alone while she is traveling, Clover becomes a death doula in New York City, dedicating her life to ushering people peacefully through their end-of-life process.

Clover spends so much time with the dying that she has no life of her own, until the final wishes of a feisty old woman send Clover on a road trip to uncover a forgotten love story—and perhaps, her own happy ending. As she finds herself struggling to navigate the uncharted roads of romance and friendship, Clover is forced to examine what she really wants, and whether she’ll have the courage to go after it.

Probing, clever, and hopeful, The Collected Regrets of Clover is perfect for readers of The Midnight Library and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine as it turns the normally taboo subject of death into a reason to celebrate life.
 

REVIEW: Hot Shot by Staci Hart

 

OUR REVIEW:

We've been fans of Staci Hart since the wayyyy back times--the times of Hardcore and Hearts and Arrows and in every iteration of her work, we've found her to be a consistently good read. Whether we're cracking up at the hilarity of a situation or tearing up at the plight of a character, we can honestly say that we've always enjoyed her work. After a hiatus, she came back strong with a new series, Roseville Ramblers, and Hot Shot continues our fandom of Staci Hart's work and the worlds she builds. In this series we found ourselves in a small town in Tennessee and while there is that small time feel to it, it isn't rife with cliche after cliche; instead it just gives you this feel of comfort and familiarity while navigating the romance of Cass and Wilder. If you read the first book in this series, you'll recognize them both. You'll also recall that Wilder was in an interesting bind--how to tell Cass that they were still married?! Fortunately, you don't have to wait too long to see how he reveals that to her and just as quickly as she knows, a new and challenging conundrum arises. It's how they resolve this and the love that they really can't deny that takes up the vast majority of this novel and we think you're going to find it enormously pleasurable to read. Lots of fun, sexy, heartfelt moments that will have you turning the pages and smiling. And with the promise of our next couple in this series on the horizon, all we can do is hope that Staci Hart's fingers are flying across that keyboard.

Happy Reading!

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3RqX67D

SYNOPSIS:

Never thought I’d agree to a marriage of convenience to my hot, firefighter ex boyfriend.
Especially after he casually informs me we’ve been married for ten years.

Ten years ago, Wilder and I were so in love that we got married in Vegas for one night only before leaving for college on different sides of the world. He was supposed to mail the annulment papers.

Problem is, he didn’t.
Worse? He didn’t tell me.
Not even when I came back to town to marry another man.

But now he needs my help, and I can’t say no. All I have to do is have to pretend in front of the whole town like we’re married. Hold hands. Kiss. Not throw myself at him when he looks at me like I’m the only woman in the world.

My body might remember him, but the rest of me isn’t ready. Because I’m just learning how to find myself, and if I get wrapped up in Wilder’s world, I’ll lose more than my heart—I’ll lose everything.
Again.

REVIEW: What If I Never Get Over You? by Paige Toon

OUR REVIEW:

I've just finished this novel--maybe an hour has passed?--and I already know that I'll be searching for all of the Paige Toon novels I can get my hands on. What if I Never Get Over You was so easy to read, so hard to put down, that rather than get ready for the family gathering of 17 I'm hosting in a few days, I lazed about and read. 

The story of Ellie and Ash starts in Lisbon where these two have been traveling, post college. She's hitting all of the spots her friend Stella listed as places to see and he appears to be taking a break from life as he knows it. They spend three fun, lust filled days with each other, with the promise of meeting up a week later in Madrid. Things happen and that meet up doesn't happen, and because they didn't exchange crucial personal information (or enough of it), they were forced to move on with their lives without the other in it. Ellie hardened herself into a shell of herself. She was convinced that his not showing up was purposeful and it hurt her so much that spent years just going through the motions of living. Meanwhile, Ash was equally heartbroken and frustrated that he couldn't get a hold of her and felt forced to go through the motions of a life that didn't feel like his own. Jump ahead many years and they find each other and fall head over heels in love, again. And again, they are deeply hurt and fall apart. Years go by again and by happenstance, Ellie learns of some things that change everything, and off she goes to try again. Third times a charm, right? 

All aspects of this romance worked for me: the student travelers, the landscape that feels like a secondary character, the fact that I know absolutely nothing about where this novel is set, and yet could envision it the entire time, the emotionality of it...all of it. I enjoyed it all. And I suspect that as I read through her backlist, I'll enjoy those too. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4fQQcTJ

SYNOPSIS:

Three days to fall in love. Six years to try to forget.

Ellie didn’t expect to fall in love while interrailing through Europe. But she also didn’t expect to meet a man like Ash. Three blistering days in Lisbon is all it takes to form an unforgettable connection—a bond deep enough for them to scrap their itineraries and plan to meet again in Spain. But Ellie arrives late, and Ash is nowhere to be found.

Six years later, Ellie has landed her dream job working as a gardener for a viscount and viscountess on their sprawling five-hundred-year-old estate in Wales. She finds peace amongst the towering topiary hedges and colorful gardens, but her idyll is shattered when Ash crashes back into her life. And when it becomes clear why he didn’t show in Madrid, her heart breaks anew—for what the truth means for her, and for his fate.

But they have never been able to resist each another, and when the sparks of their attraction fly, Ellie’s life will catch flame. She will have to make a choice.

REVIEW: All the Colors of the Dark by Chris Whitaker

 

OUR REVIEW: 

I'd been seeing this novel on a ton of 'best of' lists at the end of last year, so when I saw it go on major sale, I purchased it. Because it was so lauded, I think my expectations may have been a smidge too high. I don't know what I thought this would be, but what it was, was not what I was expecting. That's not necessarily a bad thing...just a thing.

There are quite a few things I liked about All the Colors of the Dark: I liked that it covered decades of the lives of Patch and Saint. I liked that we got both of their points of view. I liked that there was a feeling of finality and resolution by the end, even if it wasn't quite what I was hoping for. 

The things that weren't my favorites? It seemed a bit slow and draggy in places and I wanted more for these characters than what they endured. I know that last one isn't really a fair critique, especially because it speaks to how well developed the characters were that I cared that much, but it's how I felt, soooooo *shrugs*

I could definitely see this being a limited series on a streaming service; it has all of the depth and breadth that many viewers would like. So ultimately, while it wasn't the thriller, page turner I was anticipating, it was definitely a good read. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4lbFmL1

SYNOPSIS:

1975 is a time of change in America. The Vietnam War is ending. Mohammed Ali is fighting Joe Frazier. And in the small town of Monta Clare, Missouri, girls are disappearing.

When the daughter of a wealthy family is targeted, the most unlikely hero emerges—Patch, a local boy with one eye, who saves the girl, and, in doing so, leaves heartache in his wake.

Patch and those who love him soon discover that the line between triumph and tragedy has never been finer. And that their search for answers will lead them to truths that could mean losing one another.

A missing person mystery, a serial killer thriller, a love story, a unique twist on each, Chris Whitaker has written a novel about what lurks in the shadows of obsession, and the blinding light of hope.

REVIEW: The Kiss Lottery by Ilsa Madden-Mills

 OUR REVIEW:

Ilsa Madden-Mills typically gives me a good read with good laughs and while The Kiss Lottery definitely has its moments, I think it wasn't a higher rated read for me because the novella length made it feel a little underdeveloped. Even with the slightly rushed feel of it all, I still enjoyed the story of how Everly and Beckett find love, all these years later. Cute, short, sweet read.

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/426mzbh

SYNOPSIS:

Roses are red, violets are blue—someone in Rose has feelings for you…

Yeah, bad ones. Everly Davis didn’t leave her tight-knit hometown on the best terms. It’s been ten years, but you don’t forget heartbreak like that. Then again, the anonymous invite to the annual Kiss Lottery in Rose, Tennessee, gives Everly content for her podcast. And she has a bone to pick with that old heartbreak anyway.

Beckett Whitfield has never left Rose—and he’s never forgotten Everly. He even named the villain in his latest bestseller after her. Turns out she’s not happy about that. Nothing about their reunion is particularly happy, and after the way they left things, what did he expect?

When the Kiss Lottery pairs them together, Everly and Beckett will have to confront old feelings that never went away and the secrets they never shared. But finally telling each other everything might be exactly what they’ve needed all along.

REVIEW: First Time Caller by B.K. Borison

OUR REVIEW:

This is the second thing I've read by B.K. Borison and I have to say I'm a fan. The novels are engaging, the characters and their situations seem recognizable and yet fresh, and I find that I fly through them when I'm reading. In the case of First Time Caller, you have a grump, Aiden, and a sunshine, Lucie, inadvertently being brought together by Lucie's daughter. Her daughter just wants her to find love and a companion and decides to use Aiden's romance hotline/radio show to help her find the right person. What starts out as a search ends with Aiden--though there are some pretty sucky dating incidents to get through first. Despite what they think would or should happen, these two really are a great match and once they get out of their own ways, they figure it out.

Delightful secondary characters, great scenes and banter, make this a definite fun read. 

BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/42q0cis

SYNOPSIS:

A hopeless romantic meets a jaded radio host in this cozy, Sleepless in Seattle-inspired love story from beloved author B.K. Borison.

Aiden Valentine has a secret: he's fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore's romance hotline, that's a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.

Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life-or lack thereof—she begins to question if she's as happy as she thought. Maybe a little more romance wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending... even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.

 

REVIEW: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

 OUR REVIEW:

The way this series has a choke hold on us and we are its willing victims? Yes ma'am. 

Thank you baby Jesus for my library acquiring extra copies in their Libby app and so my wait time was significantly decreased. And while we're thanking people, thank you Rebecca Yarros for making it easy to pick up Onyx Storm and read it a whole year after reading book 2....I didn't do a re-read of the series and I'm happy to report that it was easy to get right back into the Empyrean world and remember plot and characters.

In this third book, there were definitely answers to some questions, definitely more questions raised, and a continued cliffhanger ending. I felt like I began to understand more and more about their world and the hazards of living in it. Secondary characters were given more development, the dragons were hilarious and wonderful and awesome...how do I get to bond with my very own dragon?!...there was a section that reminded me of The Odyssey (which I know felt long to some, but I appreciated the journey aspect of it), and of course Violet and Xaden gave us plenty to work with. 

My one complaint is that I'll have to wait for what will seem like a lifetime for the last two books and if Rebecca Yarros had any mercy at all she'd release them back to back. I know she won't but it's worth an ask. Ultimately, though, I've found each book to be worth the wait and I love that my students are DYING over these books and rushing into my classroom to tell me all the things about where they are and how they feel and that just makes my life, right now. 

Happy Reading. 

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/3QIkRHP

SYNOPSIS:

After nearly eighteen months at Basgiath War College, Violet Sorrengail knows there’s no more time for lessons. No more time for uncertainty. Because the battle has truly begun, and with enemies closing in from outside their walls and within their ranks, it’s impossible to know who to trust.

Now Violet must journey beyond the failing Aretian wards to seek allies from unfamiliar lands to stand with Navarre. The trip will test every bit of her wit, luck, and strength, but she will do anything to save what she loves—her dragons, her family, her home, and him.

Even if it means keeping a secret so big, it could destroy everything. They need an army. They need power. They need magic. And they need the one thing only Violet can find—the truth. But a storm is coming...and not everyone can survive its wrath.

REVIEW: The Favorites by Layne Fargo

 

OUR REVIEW:

The Libby app gods have been smiling on me; I didn't have to wait long to read The Favorites--a novel by a new to me author, following a young woman's quest to be the best ice dancer in the world. What I really enjoyed about this novel was how I didn't have to love Katarina to enjoy her story. As a matter of fact, I don't think you're supposed to like her at points in this novel, which makes her redemption that much better. I found myself fascinated at her evolution and her absolutely narrow minded focus to be the best of the best, no matter the cost. And as much as I shook my head at some of her decisions, as much as I'd like to think I wouldn't do the same, I also felt like I understood why she did what she did. Her justifications and excuses for her behavior weren't always likeable, they were honest. She was deeply flawed and I truly appreciated it.

While The Favorites mainly follows the story of Katarina, you also get to see the evolution of the characters that she interacts. You begin to understand how people like her, in those intensely focused, pressured-filled bubbles, make some of the good (and bad) choices that they make. 

I zoomed through this read and found it a completely satisfying read--the twists and turns held my interest, and the fact that it follows Kat for decades, so you get to see her change and grow made it hard to put down and easy to recommend. 

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SYNOPSIS:

To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.

An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating about a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice

She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and rollercoaster relationship. Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.

As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the "real story" through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary. But she can't stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy either. So, after a decade of silence, she's telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.

Inspired by the powerful love and hate that fuel Emily Bronte’s classic, Wuthering Heights, The Favorites is an exhilarating dance between passion, ambition, and what it truly means to win.

REVIEW: The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

REVIEW:

After reading The Stolen Queen, you better believe I will be reading Fiona Davis's backlist. I found the story to be well researched and engaging as it flips between the stories of Annie and Charlotte, two women who find themselves with a common end goal. 

The Stolen Queen starts with the story of Charlotte as she reflects on her life as a young woman in Egypt, trying to make a career as an anthropologist. We learn about her experiences there, interspersed with her current day life, working at the Met. As we get to know her and understand how and why she's where she is, we also get to know Annie. Annie is a young woman, struggling to make ends meet and to find her place in the world. Just when it seems like she's found something that might be a good fit, her entire world gets flipped upside down because of a heist at the Met. Through a series of related events, she and Charlotte work together to try to find the stolen work and get answers to  how it all went down. 

The stories of Charlotte and Annie were interesting and hard to put down. This isn't my normal read, and I'm so glad I picked it up. If you like historical fiction, pick this one up. 

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SYNOPSIS:

From New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis, an utterly addictive new novel that will transport you from New York City’s most glamorous party to the labyrinth streets of Cairo and back.

Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity. But after an unbearable tragedy strikes, Charlotte knows her future will never be the same.

New York City, 1978: Eighteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for iconic former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum and known across the city as the “party of the year.” Though Annie soon realizes she’ll have her work cut out for her, scrambling to meet Diana’s capricious demands and exacting standards.

Meanwhile, Charlotte, now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art, wants little to do with the upcoming gala. She’s consumed with her research on Hathorkare—a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.

That is, until the night of the gala. When one of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing . . . and there are signs Hathorkare’s legendary curse might be reawakening.

As Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore she’d never return: Egypt. But if they’re to have any hope of finding the artifact, Charlotte will need to confront the demons of her past—which may mean leading them both directly into danger.

 

REVIEW: The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

REVIEW

If you are following along, it's evident that I went on a Kristin Hannah kick; I was so curious about the novels that the interwebs kept raving about, so I got on the Libby waiting list for The Nightingale. Here's what I'm starting to understand about Kristin Hannah books: 

• prepare for the emotional rollercoaster
• are set in historically accurate and important time periods
• the novel will be well researched
• there's a twist (because, duh, what novel doesn't have that?), but it's usually not hard to predict

I can definitely see why readers fell in love with this novel: it features a time period that is important, and currently relevant: WWII, has two wildly different sisters who experience the war very differently, has lots of interesting and horrifying details, and spans decades--so it feels like a rich and satisfying read. I, too, enjoyed (if you can say that you enjoy reading about truly horrifying events?) reading this novel, and I'm pretty selective these days about which WWII novels I read. I'll be honest, I was prepared not to like it because I thought it might be overhyped, but it was actually really interesting and I cared about Vianne and Isabelle. They each had such varied and different experiences and handled the hard upbringing and hardships and obstacles of WWII very differently, and yet, the love that they had for each other and the people they surrounded themselves with was deep and abiding, though not always obvious to each other. 

The Nightingale probably won't beat out The Women, but it's probably on par with it. They're both memorable and engaging and will leave any reader with experiences that are hard to forget.

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SYNOPSIS:

In love we find out who we want to be.
In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says good-bye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France…but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When a German captain requisitions Vianne’s home, she and her daughter must live with the enemy or lose everything. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates all around them, she is forced to make one impossible choice after another to keep her family alive.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets Gaëtan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can…completely. But when he betrays her, Isabelle joins the Resistance and never looks back, risking her life time and again to save others.

 

REVIEW: The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah

 

OUR REVIEW:

After reading The Women by Kristin Hannah, I found myself very curious about her other works, so when this The Great Alone went on sale, I grabbed it. After reading it, I can definitely see that her curiosity about the impacts of Vietnam had to have been piqued, as it feels like the little sister novel of The Women. She explores PTSD via a male secondary character and his family. We see the damage that it wreaks on a family as they learn to survive in the beautiful, but unforgiving, land of Alaska. Leni and her mother try to weather the storms of her father, but as the days get darker and shorter, living with him gets harder and harder. 

The novel is filled with the beautiful and wild landscape of Alaska, as well as the people who migrate there. It's harsh and yet filled with community and love...and paranoia. We follow Leni from her early teen years to her adulthood as she struggles to find herself and what makes her heart sing. It's not the easiest novel to read, and not my favorite of Kristin Hannah's, but it was definitely a compelling read. 

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SYNOPSIS:

Alaska, 1974.
Unpredictable. Unforgiving. Untamed.
For a family in crisis, the ultimate test of survival.

Ernt Allbright, a former POW, comes home from the Vietnam war a changed and volatile man. When he loses yet another job, he makes an impulsive decision: he will move his family north, to Alaska, where they will live off the grid in America’s last true frontier.

Thirteen-year-old Leni, a girl coming of age in a tumultuous time, caught in the riptide of her parents’ passionate, stormy relationship, dares to hope that a new land will lead to a better future for her family. She is desperate for a place to belong. Her mother, Cora, will do anything and go anywhere for the man she loves, even if it means following him into the unknown.

At first, Alaska seems to be the answer to their prayers. In a wild, remote corner of the state, they find a fiercely independent community of strong men and even stronger women. The long, sunlit days and the generosity of the locals make up for the Allbrights’ lack of preparation and dwindling resources.

But as winter approaches and darkness descends on Alaska, Ernt’s fragile mental state deteriorates and the family begins to fracture. Soon the perils outside pale in comparison to threats from within. In their small cabin, covered in snow, blanketed in eighteen hours of night, Leni and her mother learn the terrible truth: they are on their own. In the wild, there is no one to save them but themselves.

In this unforgettable portrait of human frailty and resilience, Kristin Hannah reveals the indomitable character of the modern American pioneer and the spirit of a vanishing Alaska―a place of incomparable beauty and danger. The Great Alone is a daring, beautiful, stay-up-all-night story about love and loss, the fight for survival, and the wildness that lives in both man and nature.

REVIEW: The Wedding People by Alison Espach

 

OUR REVIEW:

I have no idea how I came across The Wedding People but I found it or it found me and so with the thanks of the Libby app, I got to see what all of the hype was about. 

The novel doesn't have traditional chapters and is instead divided by days of the week, leading up to the wedding. And truth be told, after reading day one, I wasn't sure if I was going to finish it. It felt a little weighed down in details and in a headspace I wasn't sure I wanted to be in. It felt a little slow. But, I try to abide by my 20% rule (to give a novel up to 20% to hook me before I decide whether or not I want to keep reading it or not) and so I stuck with it and ended up really enjoying it. 

It starts with Phoebe drowning in a pit of despair and loathing. She's arrived at a most magnificent resort-like inn to off herself. Little does she know that she has checked herself into a place that was reserved for a wedding. She finds herself swept up in the wedding festivities--the wedding of Lila--and it's just the thing to dissuade her from her original plans. She gets to know Lila--a mix of spoiled and observant and honest and dishonest--and her groom, as she also gets to know herself. In the span of a week, Phoebe has an opportunity to reinvent herself, to become the woman that she wants to be, not the woman she felt like she should be or had to be, and through that finds a chance to live a life that feels more like her. 

After the first wedding day, the rest of the novel felt lighter and more entertaining and engaging. I found that I liked Phoebe and understood her so much better than I thought I could. The wedding party was filled with characters ...and I do mean characters. 

As the days of the week passed, I enjoyed the novel more and more and found that it had some pretty insightful moments. I'm glad I stuck with it. 

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SYNOPSIS:

A propulsive and uncommonly wise novel about one unexpected wedding guest and the surprising people who help her start anew.

It’s a beautiful day in Newport, Rhode Island, when Phoebe Stone arrives at the grand Cornwall Inn wearing a green dress and gold heels, not a bag in sight, alone. She's immediately mistaken by everyone in the lobby for one of the wedding people, but she’s actually the only guest at the Cornwall who isn’t here for the big event. Phoebe is here because she’s dreamed of coming for years—she hoped to shuck oysters and take sunset sails with her husband, only now she’s here without him, at rock bottom, and determined to have one last decadent splurge on herself. Meanwhile, the bride has accounted for every detail and every possible disaster the weekend might yield except for, well, Phoebe and Phoebe's plan—which makes it that much more surprising when the two women can’t stop confiding in each other.

In turns absurdly funny and devastatingly tender, Alison Espach’s The Wedding People is ultimately an incredibly nuanced and resonant look at the winding paths we can take to places we never imagined—and the chance encounters it sometimes takes to reroute us.