 The Guest List
by Lucy Foley Synopsis of the book from Amazon: The bride – The plus one – The best man – The wedding planner – The bridesmaid – The body On an island off the coast of Ireland, guests gather to celebrate two people joining their lives together as one. The groom: handsome and charming, a rising television star. The bride: smart and ambitious, a magazine publisher. It’s a wedding for a magazine, or for a celebrity: the designer dress, the remote location, the luxe party favors, the boutique whiskey. The cell phone service may be spotty and the waves may be rough, but every detail has been expertly planned and will be expertly executed. But perfection is for plans, and people are all too human. As the champagne is popped and the festivities begin, resentments and petty jealousies begin to mingle with the reminiscences and well wishes. The groomsmen begin the drinking game from their school days. The bridesmaid not-so-accidentally ruins her dress. The bride’s oldest (male) friend gives an uncomfortably caring toast. And then someone turns up dead. Who didn’t wish the happy couple well? And perhaps more important, why? . . . What to say about this book... It started out slow. Not in a way that makes you want to put it down, I was intrigued with the subject matter and the constant switching back and forth of the points of view kept me reading. It didn't quite feel like a page turner, but I seem to struggle with that when thing are set in other countries, recently. So there's that. I WILL say though, that I did NOT see the twist coming. I was completely blown away and had an actual "OH SHIT!!!" escape from my mouth that startled my husband when he was trying to light a fire during the SNOWPOCALYPSE of 2021 down here in Texas. Side note... we have heat and water and we survived SNOVID '21 in North Texas with just a little bit of chilly toes but no real damage, thank the Baby Jesus. I enjoyed The Guest List by Lucy Foley more than I expected to. And that's always a nice surprise. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. Now, on to the next book!!! If you want to get your own copy of Tweet Cute by Emma Lord, on Kindle, hardback, paperback, or Audible; hop over and get it HERE on Amazon.
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 Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating
by Christina Lauren Synopsis of the book from Amazon: Hazel Camille Bradford knows she’s a lot to take—and frankly, most men aren’t up to the challenge. If her army of pets and thrill for the absurd don’t send them running, her lack of filter means she’ll say exactly the wrong thing in a delicate moment. Their loss. She’s a good soul in search of honest fun. Josh Im has known Hazel since college, where her zany playfulness proved completely incompatible with his mellow restraint. From the first night they met—when she gracelessly threw up on his shoes—to when she sent him an unintelligible email while in a post-surgical haze, Josh has always thought of Hazel more as a spectacle than a peer. But now, ten years later, after a cheating girlfriend has turned his life upside down, going out with Hazel is a breath of fresh air. Not that Josh and Hazel date. At least, not each other. Because setting each other up on progressively terrible double blind dates means there’s nothing between them...right? . . . Christina Lauren books are always some of my favorites. And Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating was no different. It sucked me in. Immediately. Probably because I identified with Hazel... SO MUCH. Although I guess I'm probably not as brave as Hazel. I don't always let my freak flag fly and I rarely let ALL of my crazy out when I am excited about something. It's a lot. And I show it to few people... ANYWAYYYYYYYY... I couldn't put this one down. Which again, is always my problem with Christina Lauren books. They are UNPUTDOWNABLE. Thank GOD I got it right before SNOWPOCALYPSE 2021 in TX hit, because I needed a good pick me up in the middle of this cold front from hell. I for SURE am giving this 10 out of 10 stars! And am currently adding a couple more Christina Lauren books to my Amazon cart. Shhhh. Don't tell my husband... If you want to get your own copy of Tweet Cute by Emma Lord, on Kindle, paperback, or Audible; hop over and get it HERE on Amazon.  Tweet Cute
by Emma Lord Synopsis of the book from Amazon: Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming ― mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account. Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper’s side. When he isn’t trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin’s shadow, he’s busy working in his family’s deli. His relationship with the business that holds his future might be love/hate, but when Big League Burger steals his grandma’s iconic grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to take them down, one tweet at a time. All’s fair in love and cheese ― that is, until Pepper and Jack’s spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know, while they’re publicly duking it out with snarky memes and retweet battles, they’re also falling for each other in real life ― on an anonymous chat app Jack built. As their relationship deepens and their online shenanigans escalate ― people on the internet are shipping them?? ― their battle gets more and more personal, until even these two rivals can’t ignore they were destined for the most unexpected, awkward, all-the-feels romance that neither of them expected. . . . Take 'You’ve Got Mail', high school drama, meme wars, grilled cheese sandwiches, and a YA love story for the modern-day. THAT is this book. This book is unbelievably cute. It’s a modern retelling of You’ve Got Mail (my favorite movie of the last century, seriously it's on repeat all the time!) involving a small business grilled cheese fueled Twitter war between two high school classmates, Pepper and Jack, on behalf of their families' businesses, and it gets better with every page. This book is ADORABLE. And JOYFUL. And HEARTWARMING. And it will spread a huge grin across your face bigger than a solid 10 cheese pull (cheese pizza lovers will know what I mean by that!). I recommend it to anyone who loves You’ve Got Mail, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, When Harry Met Sally, or any other 90's and early 2000s romcom gems where the protagonists start out as enemies (OR strangers) and find love in the end. It's perfect for any reader who wants a sweet, light YA read to make their hearts melt like an ooey-gooey grilled cheese. WARNING: This book will make you involuntarily run out to grab your favorite grilled cheese (a good old cheddar and tomato for me) from your favorite spot, OR YOU CAN MAKE IT IN YOUR KITCHEN!!! If you want to get your own copy of Tweet Cute by Emma Lord, on Kindle, hardback, paperback, or Audible; hop over and get it HERE on Amazon.  Love and Other Moods
by Crystal Z. Lee Synopsis of the book from Amazon: Love and Other Moods is a coming-of-age story set in contemporary China, about falling in love, learning to adult, finding strength, and discovering one’s place in the world. Naomi Kita-Fan uproots her life from New York to China when her fiancé’s company transfers him to Shanghai. After a disastrous turn of events, Naomi finds herself with no job, no boyfriend, and nowhere to live in a foreign country. Amidst the backdrop of Shanghai welcoming millions of workers and visitors to the 2010 World Expo, we meet a tapestry of characters through Naomi: Joss Kong, a Shanghai socialite who leads an enviable life but must harbor the secrets of her husband, Tay Kai Tang. Logan Hayden, a womanizing restaurateur looking for love in all the wrong places. Pan Jinsung and Ouyang Zhangjie, a silver-aged couple struggling with adapting to the ever-changing faces of their city. Dante Ouyang, who had just returned to China after spending years overseas, must choose between being filial and being in love. All their dreams and aspirations interweave within the sprawling web of Shanghai. . . . Admittedly, I had a hard time settling into this one. I am not sure why, because Crystal Lee is so skilled at setting a scene. The first chapter was impeccable. Maybe it was the kids in the house yelling? That happens a lot around here. LOL. Naomi is the quintessential single girl just trying to find her place in a world full of ex-fiancees, it-girl best friends, and co-workers who are out and about every night. Struggling with having no job, no fiance, and no real idea what she wants to do with her life, Naomi’s best friend, Joss, helps her land a coveted job that leaves her in charge of a huge part of the World Expo that is coming up. I found myself really relating more with Joss than I did with Naomi. I would KILL to attend a World Expo. I mean, really. Six months of people from all over the world coming together to celebrate? Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that??? All in all, Crystal Lee did such a great job of highlighting the amazing things that China has to offer while also not shying away from the darker side of learning how to navigate a world that your ancestors come from but you have no real connection to. Definitely a good read. I would say 4 stars, for sure! If you want to get your own copy of Love and Other Moods by Crystal Z. Lee, on Kindle, or in paperback form hop over and get it HERE on Amazon.  The Part About the Dragon was MOSTLY True
by Sean Gibson Synopsis of the book from Amazon: Sure, you think you know the story of the fearsome red dragon, Dragonia. How it terrorized the village of Skendrick until a brave band of heroes answered the noble villagers’ call for aid. How nothing could stop those courageous souls from facing down the dragon. How they emerged victorious and laden with treasure. But, even in a world filled with epic adventures and tales of derring-do, where dragons, goblins, and unlicensed prestidigitators run amok, legendary heroes don’t always know what they’re doing. Sometimes they’re clueless. Sometimes beleaguered townsfolk are more hapless than helpless. And orcs? They’re not always assholes, and sometimes they don’t actually want to eat your children. Heloise the Bard, Erithea’s most renowned storyteller (at least, to hear her tell it), is here to set the record straight. See, it turns out adventuring isn’t easy, and true heroism is as rare as an articulate villager. Having spent decades propagating this particular myth (which, incidentally, she wrote), she’s finally able to tell the real story—for which she just so happened to have a front-row seat. Welcome to Erithea. I hope you brought a change of undergarments—things are going to get messy. . . . I will say that this was reminiscent of Monty Python (which I was not a fan of), but that didn’t matter. Sean Gibson did a great job of weaving fantasy and comedic styling into “The Part About the Dragon Was Mostly True”. It did take me a bit to get into it because it’s not my typical type of book, but once I connected with the characters and the writing style, I was HOOKED. This is the type of book that reminds you that there are books out there that are just fun and fanciful and entertaining; that there are authors you may have not read before, but you are so glad you found them. The book follows Heloise. She’s a self-proclaimed beauty, a bard, and is out to tell the story of how Dragonia, a dragon who wreaks havoc on the town of Skendrick, was slain by a band of misfits. There’s a half-dwarf-half magician, a slow but sweet rock giant, an elf who shoots arrows (though don’t they all???), and a wizard who belongs to a race that resembles vermin, and they are all full of puns and jokes. This book is basically Heloise trying to tell their story, even though the town folk seem to have the TRUE version of events down much better. If you want to get your own copy of The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary, on Kindle, Audible, or in paper form hop over and get it HERE on Amazon.  The Flat Share
by Beth O'Leary Synopsis of the book from Amazon: Tiffy and Leon share an apartment. Tiffy and Leon have never met. After a bad breakup, Tiffy Moore needs a place to live. Fast. And cheap. But the apartments in her budget have her wondering if astonishingly colored mold on the walls counts as art. Desperation makes her open minded, so she answers an ad for a flat share. Leon, a night shift worker, will take the apartment during the day, and Tiffy can have it nights and weekends. He’ll only ever be there when she’s at the office. In fact, they’ll never even have to meet. Tiffy and Leon start writing each other notes – first about what day is garbage day, and politely establishing what leftovers are up for grabs, and the evergreen question of whether the toilet seat should stay up or down. Even though they are opposites, they soon become friends. And then maybe more. But falling in love with your roommate is probably a terrible idea…especially if you've never met. . . . . .. I absolutely loved the style of writing from Beth O'Leary in this book! I am a huge fan of books written in letter format between main characters. It's one of the Reasons that I loved "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society" so much! Anyway... Tiffy and Leon really had me flipping pages as fast as I could with this one. I was also completely invested in the demise of the relationship between Tiffy and Justin from the get-go. I was mad IMMEDIATELY when Tiffy moved out of the apartment. I felt bad for her and the way she CLEARLY got cheated on, even if she didn't see it. And I was a little baffled by the way that she seemed to NOT see it that way simply because Justin told her so. But as the book went on, it became MUCH clearer that he was gaslighting her in a BIG way. And as much as I hate to admit it, I love when an author can make me DESPISE someone that I have never met. It's the mark of a great storyteller. The way that Tiffy found the flat was super sketch, and I thought that maybe this would also be a great way to start off a serial killer story, but I digress. I was so glad that Leon's girlfriend (admittedly I don't remember her name since I didn't care that much about her) was not around for long once Tiffy was moved in and the story progressed. We don't ship unsupportive girlfriends anyway! I also couldn't love Gerty, Rachel, and Mo any more. They are the epitome of best friends, even in their silent support of their friend who needed them more than she realized she did. Gerty reminds me a lot of my best friend. She's quiet but also will cut you without a second though if you cross her... so thanks, Cass, for being my right wing badass! Mo is the perfect balance for Gerty and Rachel. He's calm and quiet but also the voice of reason. And Rachel, we all love a good girlfriend that encourages you to make decisions without thinking about them too much... in the right situation. Now... down to Tiffy and Leon... How cute are they? The post-its. The scarves. They snacks. The beach. I couldn't read fast enough. I found myself rooting for them from Post-It #1. Who doesn't want a documented history of how you fall in love with someone all over the house??? The sentimental pack rat in me would have kept EVERY. SINGLE. POST-IT. until the end of time. The secondary stories in the book also added to the charm. The search for Johnny White, Leon's relationship with Holly, the weird neighbor in Flat #5, Mr. Prior, and the liberation of Richie just tied everything up in just the right way, and by the end of the book I was cheering for EVERYONE. Except Justin. We hate that guy! All in all, I have already recommended this book to three different people since finishing it two days ago and may or may not be purchasing it for some single friends in hopes that they find their very own Leon Twomey. If you want to get your own copy of The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary, on Kindle, Audible, or in paper form hop over and get it HERE on Amazon.  The Midnight Library
by Matt Haig Synopsis of the book from Amazon: Somewhere out beyond the edge of the universe there is a library that contains an infinite number of books, each one the story of another reality. One tells the story of your life as it is, along with another book for the other life you could have lived if you had made a different choice at any point in your life. While we all wonder how our lives might have been, what if you had the chance to go to the library and see for yourself? Would any of these other lives truly be better? Nora Seed finds herself faced with this decision. Faced with the possibility of changing her life for a new one, following a different career, undoing old breakups, realizing her dreams of becoming a glaciologist; she must search within herself as she travels through the Midnight Library to decide what is truly fulfilling in life, and what makes it worth living in the first place. . . . . . I have had this book in my TBR [to-be-read] pile for a few months. I was slow getting around to it, thinking that I would get to it when I had a free week or so. It had been recommended to me by a few people and it looked interesting, but didn't seem like it was calling out to me too much. I wish I had picked it up the day I bought it. I have been on a collect-all-the-books-about-books kick recently, and I was pleasantly surprised by this novel. It is clear that Matt Haig either has experience with mental illness or did his research. He writes masterfully from the point of view of someone filled with regrets, should haves, and missed opportunities. The book opens on Nora Seed, a music store worker who seems to have lived a mundane life filled with missed moments and dreams that never came true, much to her own doing. She also feels invisible and like the world would be better off without her in it. She gave up a shot at swimming in the Olympics. Her brother won't speak to her after a fall-out over their band that never made it big, and her elderly neighbor doesn't even need her to grab his RXs from the pharmacy anymore. Flash forward to the 27 hours before Nora decides to die... Ash, who once asked her out for coffee while she was engaged to a man named Dan, knocks on her door to let her know that the one thing she loves most, her cat Volts, has been hit by a car and has passed away. Her best friend, Izzy, doesn't talk to her much anymore. She's been fired from her job at String Theory, the guitar shop she worked at, and the final straw is when the mother of the young man she teaches guitar lessons to fires her. With nothing and no one left in her life, Nora decides it's the perfect time to die. When Nora "wakes up" from her attempted suicide via wine and sleeping pills, she opens her eyes to a library. Inside, her childhood librarian, Mrs. Elm. Mrs. Elm is the librarian of "The Midnight Library". Where the time never changes, there is a "Book of Regrets", and the shelves never end. Each shelf is filled with books with no title, and lives unlived. Moments that could have changed the course of her life forever if she had just made a different decision. And Nora is here to figure out what life she was meant to live. As Nora delves into the books, she discovers AMAZING lives. She's been a famous Gold medal winning Olympian and motivational speaker. She's been a piano playing rock star, dating a famous actor in a band that tours the world. She's been a professor of geology working in the Arctic on glaciers and global warming. She's been a wife and mother to Ash and their daughter. She's been a wife to an alcoholic Dan, living out HIS dream of owning and living above a pub. She's been a dog walker, dating a perfectly lovely young man who works at an animal shelter. She's lived a thousand other lives that she'll never experience, but she still hasn't found the life she wants. As Nora realizes that each of these lives is not REALLY where she wants to be, no matter how good it may seem, And with this realization, the library begins to collapse and time begins to move again. And if Nora can't make a decision about which life she wants to live, she'll be gone forever. In the end, Mrs. Elm helps Nora discover that what she really wants is just to be happy with the life she had and to have a chance at making the life she left, worth living. I really was surprised with how great this book was. The subject matter felt a little dark to begin with, but I pushed through because I had heard such great things. I found myself reflecting on the question that I think we've all asked ourselves multiple times. If I had just done something different, made a different decision, turned a different way, taken a different job, gone to a different school, married a different person... where would I be now? And honestly, I found myself thinking that I am happy. With my life, my family, MOST of my life choices, and that if I had done ANYTHING different, I wouldn't be where I am today. And ultimately, that's where I am supposed to be, right? If you're wanting to purchase a copy of The Midnight Library, get the Kindle or paperback version on Amazon HERE.  The Promethean Child
by Jose Adame Synopsis of the book from Amazon: Our ancestors fled Earth, humanity's survivors absconding on the eve of a nuclear apocalypse. Their only hope of survival hinging on finding more of the ultra-rare element that makes faster than light travel possible. A quest that pulls them half a galaxy away. Three hundred years and nine generations later, humans have established themselves in their New Eden. In the asteroid belt, the Federation of Free Colonies holds sway, a loose affiliation of Privateers who have maintained their independence through superior technology and control of key resources. On the central worlds, the United Corporate Sphere are the descendants of the original conglomerates who funded humanity's exodus. The pragmatic Corporatists have established a multi-world utopia through questionable means, subjugating society's destitute, sending them to work for the rest of their lives on welfare colonies. Jarek Ansley lives in hiding amongst the people of one such colony, Anesidora-3, scratching out a brutal living as a resource miner. Now, after eight years of undisturbed peace, a single ship descends in the dead of night, threatening to expose his deepest secret; the long-dormant power trapped within him. . . . . . So, I got an ARC copy of this book via BookSprout. I am skeptical about space opera type books and things of that nature. I just don't gravitate towards that type of novel, usually. But oh baby, was I surprise at how much I LOVED this book. It's a political science fiction thriller based in the distant future. Or maybe not. Who are we to know? Weren't we supposed to have flying cars by now??? First in a series, from what I can tell based on the Amazon listing. The Promethean Child by Jose Adame, starts off with a BANG! Quite literally. James Erik Ansley (aka Jarek Ansley for the rest of the novel) wakes up having passed out in the street from an unknown occurrence in town to missed texts from his Dad and an uneasy feeling. People have died. There are bodies in the street and he JUST. NEEDS. TO. GET. HOME. I was immediately drawn in to the action packed first chapter. Mines collapsing. Main characters barely making it out alive. And the hits just keep coming after that throughout the remainder of the book. There are federations, evil dictators, merciless bounty hunters (who get what's coming to them), doctors who try to do the right thing and just can't quite get to the finish line... and then there's Jarek. He's got powers. Unbeknownst to him, they've started to awaken from the long-dormant state they've been in. He's able to manipulate people, places, elements... and the powers that be KNOW. And they've sent for him. They're obliterating colonies, murdering his friends, and tracking his every move. Once Jarek escapes the planet he's on and the people he's with, he's thrown into a dangerous mission that claims more lives and forces him to make a hard decision about people he loves. Spoilers are the worst, and I won't do that here. Suffice it to say, this book ends on a cliffhanger and I will not-so-patiently be awaiting Book 2 from Mr. Adame's series. I've already followed him on Amazon and am subscribed to his new ARC opportunities via BookSprout. Hop on over to Amazon and get your copy for FREE on Kindle Unlimited or purchase the paperback HERE. Trust me, you won't want to miss this one.  Verity
by Collen Hoover Synopsis of the book from Amazon: Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin. When Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, asks Lowen to complete the remaining books in a contract his permanently injured wife is unable to fulfill, Lowen has no choice but to accept. Lowen arrives at the Crawford home with the intention of only staying one or two nights—long enough to sort through Verity’s chaotic home office to collect all the notes and outlines she’ll need to start writing the first novel. But the more time Lowen spends with Jeremy Crawford, the less of a hurry she is in to leave. While there, Lowen uncovers a hidden manuscript. An autobiography containing chilling admissions Verity planned to take to her grave, including the truth behind the events that turned their lives upside down. A truth that, if revealed to Jeremy, would further devastate the already grieving father. Lowen decides to keep the manuscript a secret, allowing Jeremy to continue to believe Verity is merely an innocent, unfortunate victim of circumstance. But as Lowen’s feelings for the devoted father and husband deepen, she wonders if keeping Jeremy in the dark is in her own best interest. After all, if Jeremy were to read his wife’s autobiography, the disturbing truth would make it impossible for him to continue to love her. . . . . . I am a HUGE fan of CoHo. She is masterful at writing a good love story and sucking you in IMMEDIATELY. I mean, really. Have you devoured Regretting You or November 9 yet? If not, I am telling you, get on it RIGHT NOW. You won't regret it, I promise. But... Back to Verity. I started reading this in the tub. B made me this FABULOUS bath caddy tray thing for Christmas that holds my kindle and my snacks and OH BABY, am I a fan of that thing! It's perfect. When I read CoHo books, I typically prepare to read them all in one sitting based on my reading history with her work. I simply cannot put her novels down. And Verity was no different. While it is a bit of a detour from her usual stories, it still had the love story and the twists that you come to expect from Ms. Hoover. I was captivated immediately by her use of telling the story from two different points of view. I loved the way that the story starts out being something that you think will turn into a love story, and then the SHARP right turn three chapters in is the first loop you're thrown for. . . . . . Read further if you don't mind spoilers!!! I can't talk about this book and keep these secrets to myself!!! . . . . . Lowen Ashleigh is an introverted writer who meets Jeremy Crawford after an AWFUL start to her day, shortly after her mother passes away. She is on the brink of financial ruin and eviction from her home when her former boyfriend and current agent sets up a meeting for a life altering opportunity. Little does she know, the quick encounter between Lowen and Jeremy in a cafe bathroom is only the beginning. Jeremy is the husband of a famous writer, Verity Crawford, who writes novels from a villain's POV. And she is six books into a nine book series when she has a debilitating car accident after her second child passes away, unexpectedly. You're not quite sure how people can be so unlucky, or as Verity calls them, Chronics, but the Crawfords sure seem to have one awful thing after another happen to them. Once Lowen accepts the offer to ghost write the rest of the series for Verity, she arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity’s notes and outlines of her novels, hoping to find enough material to get her started on the last three books. What Lowen doesn’t expect to uncover in the mess and chaos of Verity 's office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read: So Be It. Verity has written an extremely detailed book about how she met Jeremy, how they fell in love, and ultimately how she hates her children. Lowen reads page after page of bone-chilling admissions and detailed descriptions of sexcapades with Jeremy, including Verity’s recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died. Lowen can't peel here eyes away from this book and falls in love with Jeremy while reading about their relationship, and grows to hate the woman laying upstairs, comatose and alone. Things come to a head 3/4 of the way through the book and from that point forward you never know what admission is going to come next or if another tragedy is going to befall the Crawford family. When Crew, the third and only surviving Crawford child is injured, Jeremy tells Lowen to stay home with Verity and takes Crew to the ER. BUT... What happens when you think that the woman upstairs isn't actually injured and is likely willing to kill you to keep you from telling her dearly devoted husband? I won't spoil anymore, because really, you HAVE to read the ending for yourself. I have been up all night thinking about it, and I can't even wrap my head around the final chapter. It is SO unbelievable. Suffice it say... I am hoping the CoHo writes many more psychological thrillers because I COULD NOT get enough of this one and I am DYING to find another book that I flew through as quickly as Verity. Read Verity for FREE on Kindle Unlimited or buy your copy on Amazon HERE |
