The start of this was good and grabbed my attention, the middle lost my attention and dragged, but then the ending was good again…so very mid overall The start of this was good and grabbed my attention, the middle lost my attention and dragged, but then the ending was good again…so very mid overall for me.
Starts off in Big Sur when a Hollywood legend dies, his family is all gathered in town for his funeral and his 10-year old great granddaughter ends up getting kidnapped. She’s found rather quickly though (thought it would be more of the story in the beginning) and then moves to Ireland before years pass and she returns back to California.
I don’t know, this one just felt like the plot was fed to the reader instead of having more of a mystery like some of my fav Nora reads. She’s overall a hit and miss author for me, with this one being just okay. ...more
I’ve been loving reading LaVyrle Spencer historical romances lately and this was the latest one recommended to me! This delivered on exactly what peopI’ve been loving reading LaVyrle Spencer historical romances lately and this was the latest one recommended to me! This delivered on exactly what people said it was, messy and angsty!
Set in 1830s on Nantucket Island, Laura finds herself smack dab in the center of a love triangle. Her childhood sweetheart-turned husband Rye perished at sea 5 years ago (or so she was told), but now Rye shows back up and finds Laura married to his best friend Dan… Rye, Laura, and Dan all grew up as childhood best friends on the island. Rye and Laura were teen sweethearts before they married, Dan always pined after Laura and now they’ve been married longer than she and Rye were before he disappeared.
This was definitely messy and I lowkey kept thinking just maybe it would end in a MFM or MMF but it definitely does not! lol There is just something about this author’s writing that really works for me. Her stories are definitely slower, slice of life, and very detailed with the character’s lives (like the whaling), but I don’t know her books work and keep me entertained. The audiobook is on hoopla!...more
4.5 stars! This was really good! Galatea is a short story so the audiobook was like 45 minutes and I finished it in a quick sitting. This bite-size st4.5 stars! This was really good! Galatea is a short story so the audiobook was like 45 minutes and I finished it in a quick sitting. This bite-size story is a feminist reimagining of Galatea and Pygmalion, which I’m all for women-centered retellings and seeing these women finally getting a voice.
In Ancient Greece, Pygmalion is a skilled marble sculptor who is one day blessed by a goddess and able to bring one of his statues to life. Galatea is the most beautiful woman in town and Pygmalion is obsessed and possessive over her, he forces her to become his wife and wants her obedient and just to exist to please him anytime he wants. When he sees others coveting what he sees as his or admiring her beauty, he goes as far as to lock her away where doctors and nurses keep her docile and ready for whenever Pygmalion deems to visit. But Galatea has thoughts, hopes, and dreams of her own and this is her story.
This was so good, especially on audio! Very straight-forward, to the point storytelling and while I kinda wish it was a bit longer (because of how much I enjoyed Galatea), on the same hand I think the story worked so well as it was! The author’s note at the end was fantastic so don’t skip it....more
I feel conflicted on this one, the start was fun and I was enjoying it but it did start to fizzle out and I found myself not as interested in picking I feel conflicted on this one, the start was fun and I was enjoying it but it did start to fizzle out and I found myself not as interested in picking it back up the further in I went. So it was fine overall and maybe it had to do with me picking this up when I just wasn’t fully in the mood for contemporary.
This is a second chance romance between two now popular podcasters who formerly hooked up in college (and it didn’t go well). She basically has a podcast job similar to chicken shop date but interviewing celebs while eating hot dogs, and he has a podcast where he’s breaking down toxic masculinity. She gets drunk one night and on her personal page calls out him for their college split, it goes viral, and her management/producers want to capitalize on that and have her interview him on the show and it goes from there.
Now listen I love chicken shop date but this kinda felt weird in being too similar and the pop culture references weren’t my fav (those never work for me in books). This is black cat x golden retriever, where the hero is pretty much perfect already on paper which I just don’t love. I’d rather have seen his character growing and going through things instead of being fully perfect already. Their nicknames also just always took me out and didn’t work for me. Honestly the more I write this review the less I realized I liked this one so I guess I’ll stop there. Anyways, cute cover and the premise sounded fun in theory.
I received an audio ALC from the publisher, all thoughts in this review are my own....more
Room for Two is a contemporary romance audiobook novella narrated by Samantha Summers and Teddy Hamilton. This was a fun easy listen!
Cade and Nora areRoom for Two is a contemporary romance audiobook novella narrated by Samantha Summers and Teddy Hamilton. This was a fun easy listen!
Cade and Nora are cute and slightly quirky. Both have been secretly into one another for a while but don’t realize the other is too. This starts with a little cutesy miscommunication messy mixup by their friends (purposefully). He thinks she’s in the market for a roommate and is interviewing her for that’s, while she thinks they’re finally on a date! ...more
On Midnight Shores is a small town, grumpy x sunshine, opposites attract, good girl x tattooed bad boy, workplace (boss x employee) romance where she’On Midnight Shores is a small town, grumpy x sunshine, opposites attract, good girl x tattooed bad boy, workplace (boss x employee) romance where she’s been pining for years!
This author has been on my radar for a while and I had heard good things about this series. If you’re in the mood for a cute small town, this gives those vibes. Bonnie is a graphic design major who tells her family she has a summer internship when she actually is still trying to find one. She has been struggling with finding her place in her family and feeling like she’s the only failure in her big family (she’s got 6 brothers). She’s also crushed on Rafe, the tattooed bad boy in town for years and the story kicks off with her getting what she dreamed of. She eventually starts working with him at his art shop in town too.
I just wasn’t super invested in this one. The characters read young and just didn’t grab my attention. I didn’t feel like we got a good look into either of them besides the motions they go through in this story. The whole slew of characters and series seems to have Peter Pan vibes? Overall the story/characters just wasn’t for ne
I received an audio ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own....more
I recently read Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer and loved that book so much that I wanted to read more from her backlist. So my library had the audioI recently read Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer and loved that book so much that I wanted to read more from her backlist. So my library had the audio for Years too and I jumped in! This is a historical romance set in 1917 between a new-to-town school teacher and a gruff North Dakota wheat farmer.
Linnea is 18-years old and excited to begin her first teaching position in North Dakota. She gets picked up at the train station by Teddy who is expecting a male teacher. Teddy’s family has always housed the teachers in town and to say they get off on the wrong foot would be an understatement. He is not a fan, thinks she’s too young, doesn’t want a young woman living in his home, and is just all together flabbergasted that she isn’t the male teacher he thought he was picking up. Teddy shares a home with his mother and his teenage son and wheat farming is his life.
Honestly this book was giving Sarah, Plain and Tall vibes and I was not mad about it. He’s a gruff farmer and sees himself as so much older than her (he’s 16 years older and does have a son a year younger than her). But there is some chemistry brewing as well. This book felt very long, the audio was 20 hours and at times you really felt it but then other times it made sense why it was so long. Very slice of life style of storytelling but it was kinda needed with these two, the slow burn is definitely slow, but you get a lot of their life, the town, the side characters happenings, the weather/seasons as well. I liked seeing him come around and open up to her, she teaches him how to read, we have WWI happening, influenza, their romance, etc. I still loved Morning Glory so much more, but this one was solid as well. I wouldn’t say this book is for every reader, but I enjoyed it.
3.5 stars. The Wolf King is a fantasy romance I kept seeing all over the place so I decided to jump in and give it a try. This was fun, while not a ne3.5 stars. The Wolf King is a fantasy romance I kept seeing all over the place so I decided to jump in and give it a try. This was fun, while not a new favorite or anything, I was entertained.
I’d say the beginning of this is very fun and sets up the premise for this book, the middle of the story not a whole lot happens plot-wise, more of the characters going through things and learning. I think the next book in the series could open up a lot more, world and plot wise. Princess Aurora is the daughter of the human king and the story starts off with her getting abducted by an alpha wolf after she helped another wolf during a cage fight. War has already been brewing and raging between humans and the wolves, so this definitely ramps things up a bit.
This gave a mash up of vibes of Outlander (minus the time travel) meets Game of Thrones meets New Moon (if we were just with the wolves). We have a forbidden (she’s the daughter of the enemy king), captor x captive, medieval vibe thing happening. A possessive alpha, politics, collaring, wars, Northern wolfshifters vs Southern royals (giving Scotland vs England vibes complete with wolves in kilts).
I think the story could have leaned more into the wolf shifter aspect, like we get the wolf clans alphas on page but it always felt kinda vague at the same time. Also like I mentioned the start was great but then it kinda stopped being as interesting half way through, nothing was happening, and then the twists and end weren’t very surprising. Sooo at first I really liked it, then I left just liking it, I’d read the second book but I’m not in a rush if that tells you anything. ...more
Love is a War Song is a new cowboy romance release from Danica Nava. I really enjoyed this one!
Avery Fox is a famous Muscogee pop star and Lucas Iron Love is a War Song is a new cowboy romance release from Danica Nava. I really enjoyed this one!
Avery Fox is a famous Muscogee pop star and Lucas Iron Eyes is a cowboy working for her grandmother’s ranch. Avery does a cover for Rolling Stone which ends up being controversial and gets her canceled. To save her career, her label and her mom thinks it’s best if she gets out of public eye for a while. When she starts getting a lot of hate mail and death threats, she is sent off to her estranged grandmother’s ranch in Oklahoma. That is where she runs into Lucas, who has been running the ranch for years.
This was my second read from this author and this book I enjoyed a lot more. I will say Avery is a harder character to like at first, definitely on purpose, but she grows and it’s nice seeing her character development. We get a little glimpse of her pretending to be his girlfriend for a dinner with his parents (that she kinda invites herself to) and it was sweet seeing her be protective and sticking up for him. Avery wants to feel connected with her family, their past, her heritage. There is a lot of commentary about what it is being Native American today, from those in the community and on the outside. I do think the couple in this book read a bit young for the age they are, but all in all a super solid one that I had fun with!
Terror at the Gates is the first book in the Blood of Lilith dark urban fantasy romance series. This was a super entertaining time. Filled with rage, Terror at the Gates is the first book in the Blood of Lilith dark urban fantasy romance series. This was a super entertaining time. Filled with rage, magic, rebellion, power, religion, romance.
She is the beginning and the end. She is peace and chaos. She is terror knocking at the gates
This book gripped me from the start and I was so intrigued to see here it would go. It is feminine rage, religious tones, slow burn romance, all set in an urban fantasy setting. While not everything in this world made complete sense yet, it is the first in a series so maybe more will be filled in as we go. But something about this book had me not even caring that much as I was entranced by the story and the characters. We follow Lilith and in this world, women have magic but are subservient to their husbands (fathers before that) who are able to siphon their power/magic. In this world, religious doctrine rules their society and Lilith knows her father will choose her husband for her one day. She finds herself in a bit of danger when the story starts and needs help from Zahariev, a friend from another powerful family who is also the ruler of a dangerous city.
“I would go to war for you. I would fight endlessly to keep you. If that’s what you wanted.”
This was just fun, great banter, dark witchy vibes, her cute cat Cherub, in the slightest of ways this reading experience/book gave me lowkey Crescent City vibes (and not just because it’s an urban fantasy, but if you read it maybe you know certain parts I mean). We don’t get a whole ton from the hero, we mostly stay with Lilith’s POV, but I was fine with that. We get the barest of glimpses from Zahariev’s POV here and there but it worked for this first book. This felt fresh, dark, seductive, and enthralling! Now I can’t wait to see where it goes from here....more
4.5 stars! Let’s Call Her Barbie. This was such a delightful read, so fresh, and as someone who grew up with Barbie as a young girl, this was just suc4.5 stars! Let’s Call Her Barbie. This was such a delightful read, so fresh, and as someone who grew up with Barbie as a young girl, this was just such a fascinating look into the creators of Barbie. I honestly had the best time with this read and flew through it, it’s such a compelling read!
I loved this behind the scenes look, it read like one of the documentaries that are popular right now out about a business/brand. Ruth Handler was such a boss and I loved hearing about her story in the 1950s and the idea behind Barbie. She wanted to create a versatile doll for young girls that wasn’t just putting them in line to be “future mothers” like baby dolls at the time were, cause why did boys get G.I. Joe’s and toys that dealt with professions and skills while girls only had babies to take care of? All the behind the scenes info of Mattel at the time, the toy world in the 50s/60s, as well as looks into the lives of all the people involved with Barbie. Ruth was such a force, a strong businesswoman who earned her place at the table and could hold her own.
I seriously loved all the info on the creation of Barbie. Things/people they were up against at the time, something I had never really thought of to that degree. The creating of something that had not been done at the level they wanted, the making of tiny but high-fashion clothes (complete with teeny buttons, zippers, tiny measurements) that was not even a regular thing at the time and involved items at the level/size being created, the invention behind it all, finding manufacturers who would and could mass produce the dolls, using new tech for the hair and facial makeup. The market research, focus groups with your girls and their mothers (finding out who actually was the customer/who needed to be sold to), the years of work that went into Barbie perfecting, how Barbie was first rejected at a toy fair, a last ditch effort to save Barbie with a huge tv commercial ad budget (that actually worked), and the overnight success.
Seriously so good! I’d say only the last bit of the book started to drag a bit, but overall loved this! The audiobook was such a great listen....more
Mountain Daddy is an age gap (24 years), forbidden, dad’s best friend, one night stand (to more)! This one is such a fun premise and grabs your attentMountain Daddy is an age gap (24 years), forbidden, dad’s best friend, one night stand (to more)! This one is such a fun premise and grabs your attention right away.
Kendra finds out her roommate skipped out on her (with all the rent money she gave her too) when the landlord shows up to say she is being evicted for not paying the rent for months and has to be out by the end of the month (aka in 10 days). She happens to be on the phone with her dad when it happens so he says she can come live and work with him for a bit! With one last night of “freedom” before living with her dad, Kendra hooks up with Luther at an inn/restaurant she stops at on the way, not knowing Luther owns the restaurant. They share a hot night and she goes her own way not expecting to see him again…but see him again she does! Cause he’s her dad’s best friend!
This started off so fun! I was loving it. I had read the previous book in this series but this one was going so much better. My only issue was the length of this read, I feel like for what it delivers on I was already satisfied with the couple/their story and was surprised the book still had a lot more chapters to go. Speaking of chapters, there are 159 plus an epilogue in here, supppper bite size tiny chapters. Anyways, I received an audio ALC and the audiobook was so good, a duet narration by Connor Crais and Erin Mallon!...more
I always love this author’s writing and didn’t even know this new release was happening. The Bewitching follows three women in three different eras, tI always love this author’s writing and didn’t even know this new release was happening. The Bewitching follows three women in three different eras, they all encounter danger and witchcraft in this multigenerational horror saga!
“Monsters don’t age, they live forever.”
A graduate student is working on her thesis in the late 1990s, an inspiring writer attends a women’s college during the Great Depression in late 1930s, and a farmer’s daughter growing up in the mountains of Hidalgo in the early 1900s, all encounter witchcraft and danger. This book was so atmospheric and eerie, I loved the layers of paranoia, the darkness, the witchcraft. It was great seeing how the story all came together, a very immersive experience. The audiobook was especially fantastic!
3.5 stars! All the Light We Cannot See is a book that had been on my TBR for years. While the storytelling, the different characters we follow, and th3.5 stars! All the Light We Cannot See is a book that had been on my TBR for years. While the storytelling, the different characters we follow, and the writing felt slow in the beginning, I did like seeing how it all finally came together and the ending as well.
We follow a few characters in this one. Marie-Laure lives in Paris with her father who works at the Museum of Natural History. When she’s 12, the Nazis occupy Paris which makes Marie-Lure and her father flee to Saint-Malo where a reclusive uncle lives. Werner is an orphan in a German mining town with his younger sister, he likes to tinker with an old radio they found and from that they hear about news and stories of places near and far.
The history and where majority of this story takes place was the parts I was really intrigued by. Saint-Malo is a historic walled-city on the coast of Brittany, France. In August 1944, two months after D-Day, German forces holed up within the walled city of Saint-Malo and Allied forces began air and naval bombardment of the historic city for 2 weeks. The Germans finally fled but in the end over 80% of the city was destroyed. The writing and the format of the long chapters but broken up into different vignette moments with different characters just didn’t flow or work for me in the overall storytelling of it all. There were almost moments I just wanted to dig into more. I can for sure see why this book has worked for so many, the writing what almost simplistic/very easy at times which I could see appealing to a broad range of readers. I’m glad I finally got to this historical fiction and can jump into the Netflix adaptation of it now, I think seeing it on screen will work really well for the characters and story....more
3.5 stars. A Pair of Wings is a historical fiction inspired by the true life of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman, a Black woman who learned to fly at t3.5 stars. A Pair of Wings is a historical fiction inspired by the true life of pioneer aviatrix Bessie Coleman, a Black woman who learned to fly at the dawn of aviation. In 1920, no one in the U.S. would train a Black woman to fly, so Bessie learns French and sails to Europe where she can train, and then 2 years ahead of Amelia Earhart, Bessie earns her pilot’s license.
Bessie was such a force. She is just a child when the Wright Brothers first take flight and she’s so in awe and inspired. I loved seeing her determination to fly and follow her dream in a world that told her “no” at many turns. She teaches herself about engines, planes, and understanding everything she can about taking flight (and staying in the air). Once she returns to the U.S. with her pilot’s license, she’s an instant media sensation. Because commercial flights were still over a decade away, Bessie quickly realized she’d have to do something to make a career in aviation and began doing stunt flying air shows, performing dangerous tricks in the air for pay. Which she sailed back to Europe to learn these dangerous stunts by French and German dogfighting combat pilots.
The history of this was so good, I love learning about Bessie’s life and career. She lead a purpose-driven life, was a visionary, and an absolute force! The writing and way the story is constructed was where I had issues with this book, it felt tedious and slow at times and I think it could have been edited down....more
2.5 stars! A Promise to Arlette is a new historical fiction release. Starts off following Sidney and Ida Whipple, a couple living the idyllic suburban2.5 stars! A Promise to Arlette is a new historical fiction release. Starts off following Sidney and Ida Whipple, a couple living the idyllic suburban American life, complete with two young kids and a picket-fenced yard, in the early 1950s. A photograph pops up and quickly disrupts their “perfect” life. From there the story flashes back to their pasts, WWII, and Ida’s past (and relationship) with Arlette.
I didn’t really know what to expect with this one going in, but I was kind of bored. I don’t know…parts I liked, others were meh. We do get some complex characters (mainly Arlette) and the art scene. I’ve read a lot of amazing historical fiction books recently and this one was just fine overall for me. I didn’t feel like there was much to take away from this one, the characters never pulled me in, I need more from them or the plot or something, I don’t know. ...more
4.5 stars! American Sky is a historical fiction that follows 3 generations of women and covers so much! WWI, WWII, the WASP Program, Vietnam War. I lo4.5 stars! American Sky is a historical fiction that follows 3 generations of women and covers so much! WWI, WWII, the WASP Program, Vietnam War. I loved these characters, how strong each woman is in her own way, and how aviation plays a role in all of their lives.
This was a slightly longer book (around 450 pages) but the page count was definitely needed. It covered a ton of years (60+) and felt like a family saga, which is something I love to read. We follow strong women and their different journeys with aviation, flying, and the sky. I was just invested in the entire story and the characters. This book is on KU with read and listen and I definitely recommend, the audiobook was very easy to get pulled into. ...more
The Flight Girls had been on my TBR for years to get to, I think this was the author’s debut historical fiction. I have read her more recent releases The Flight Girls had been on my TBR for years to get to, I think this was the author’s debut historical fiction. I have read her more recent releases and have always heard so much about this one, so getting to this book I had high hopes. This one actually just ended up being okay for me, I definitely wanted more with this one.
This story follows Audrey, a female pilot who is training military pilots in Oahu when Pearl Harbor is attacked. Audrey had always wanted to be a pilot and wanted to own her own airfield one day. Her father was big into oil and her mother was from old money and had other plans for Audrey’s future, mainly her settling down with a family of her own. But instead, Audrey had her father teach her to fly on a little airfield in Texas and took off to Oahu to train military pilots.
I went in expecting to get more of the Pearl Harbor aspect of the story but it happens rather quickly into the read and wasn’t really the focus of her story. We do see before the attack that Audrey meets a local army pilot, Lieutenant James Hart, and they become fast friends. James is pulled away to war and stationed overseas while Audrey is sent back home and they vow to keep in friendly contact through letters. We jump a couple years later where she joins the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) Program. While doing that she continues writing to James and meets some new friends as well.
While the book has a strong romance and female friendships, I honestly wanted more of the historical aspect of the story. More of her time training the pilots, more with the WASP program, something. A lot of those parts of the story felt glossed over and I was just left wanting/expecting more. It’s still a decent book, I’ve just read better historical fiction books and enjoyed other books from this author more....more
The Things We Cannot Say is a WWII historical fiction with dual timeline. This is an author (and book) I’ve wanted to get to for a while and I’m so glThe Things We Cannot Say is a WWII historical fiction with dual timeline. This is an author (and book) I’ve wanted to get to for a while and I’m so glad I finally did! This was so good, instantly grabbed my attention with the storytelling and writing and never let go. I definitely teared-up a couple times in this one.
This is told in dual timeline, in present day chapters we follow Alice. She’s a busy mom to two kids, her son has autism (he’s somewhat non speaking, but uses echolalia and communication assistance apps/programs to communicate) and her daughter is young but has a very high I.Q. Alice is visiting her ailing grandmother in the hospital who is having communication barriers after having a brain injury but she seems desperate to try and communicate with Alice. She starts using some of the communication apps that Alice’s son Eddie uses and is soon able to piece together to Alice to please get to Poland.
In the past timeline we are set in the late 30s/early 1940s in Poland, where we follow Alina and her family in Nazi-occupied Poland. Alina is a teenager at the time and very much in love with Tomasz, her childhood sweetheart. And the story kinda goes from there! It was such a journey, lots of emotions, I loved the characters in this one and was just instantly wrapped up in to their stories. I liked seeing how the story all played out and came together. I for sure want to read more from this author in the future and see why her writing is so popular!...more
The Women on Platform Two is a new favorite historical fiction book for me. This book was recommended to me and I’m so glad I did pick it up, because The Women on Platform Two is a new favorite historical fiction book for me. This book was recommended to me and I’m so glad I did pick it up, because wow what a powerful story. This book is based on a real-life event which occurred in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in the early 1970s, about women who brought safe and legal contraception to the women of Ireland. What a story, I cried through half of the book and it was just such a strong story about trailblazing women who reshaped Irish history.
Told in dual timeline in a way where I loved both timelines happening, the present day timeline follows Saoirse who happens to take a train and meet Moira who starts telling her story while on their journey. And then in the past timeline, we follow Moira in 1969 and into the early 70s. We see her go from a department shop girl to being in a whirlwind romance to a doctor and then life changes quickly when she gets married and immediately realizes she has an abusive husband. He immediately changes once they’re married, becoming very possessive, abusive (physically and verbally), and controlling with how she looks, acts, and what she wears and says. We follow her life, her friends, the time in Dublin for women, and eventually get into women wanting control over their own bodies and choices and eventually leads them to bringing contraceptives into Dublin (which was I’ll eat at the time).
I was so invested in these characters and their lives and the storytelling. It definitely has hard and heavy content and the story is just so powerful and riveting. The women’s rights and social justice of this story was everything. I definitely looked up the times/movement of the “contraceptive train” as it became known, the trailblazing women, and a country reluctant to change. “Control over your own body is not a sin.”
CW: domestic abuse, violence, sexism, physical abuse, sexual assault, miscarriages (mentioned and on page), loss, birth complications, suicide, abortion, toxic relationship, infertility ...more
Christi (christireadsalot)
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