Recent Reads

 Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid (2025)

In a dystopian future, Inesa's mother has sacrificed her to the Lamb's Gauntlet in order to get rid of her debt.  In this livestreamed assassination, Melinoe, a trained assassin, will hunt down Inesa; however, neither of them expects that they'll have to work together to survive the wasteland and that feelings might develop in the most unexpected of circumstances.  I really liked the premise of this - a bit Hunger Games, a bit Running Man - but the execution really fell short for me.  It felt really dated, like I was reading something from 20 years ago that was trying to depict the future.  The constant references to tablets and Melinoe's physical upgrades (like her robot eye) didn't feel fresh.  And the plot holes and just overall inconsistencies - for instance, the author indicates that Melinoe's upgrades make her body temp colder, yet Inesa says something about her "warm body" later, and Melinoe explains that the rulers in charge can't do Gauntlets all the time, because it would diminish their effect, yet Inesa's Gauntlet is literally just a couple days after another one ends.  Also, we come across at least two parents that willingly sacrifice their CHILDREN to the Gauntlet to alleviate their OWN debt - so gross, sacrifice yourself!  However, I liked Inesa's brother and the tension he brought to the story, and while a lot of readers will have a problem with the ending, I appreciated that it was more open-ended and not your typical happy ever after.  3 stars

The Divorce by Freida McFadden (2026)

Seemingly out of nowhere, Naomi's husband Jeremy asks her for a divorce and kicks her out of their house.  Naomi is predictably upset, but even more so when she finds out that Jeremy has a new girlfriend, Veronica, and she becomes obsessed with saving her son Teddy from the secrets she uncovers.  I'll be honest, I've read so many Freida McFadden books because she has a huge backlist and there always seems to be one available when I need an audiobook.  I have been loving thrillers this year, so her books usually scratch that itch.  That being said - do I love her books?  Not usually.  Are they entertaining?  Yes, but also wildly implausible and totally bonkers, and not generally in a good way.  That brings us to The Divorce, my latest McFadden book.  For the first half or so, I was on board.  I really felt for Naomi and the cruel way Jeremy treated her, basically tricking her into moving out and then filing for divorce out of nowhere.  The way it seemed like he was gaslighting her was truly infuriating.  But then we get to the second half of the book and things started to go off the rails.  As is typical with McFadden books, no one is who they appear to be at first, so when we get a second POV (Veronica), the entire story changed.  Naomi went from having my full sympathy to being unlikable.  I did, however, enjoy the theme of mothers doing whatever it takes for their children.  3 stars

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Recent Reads

 The Storm by Rachel Hawkins (2026)

In 1984, a wealthy man was found dead after a hurricane in a small Alabama town, and everyone assumed his mistress killed him.  Now, a writer and that same mistress have descended upon St. Medard's Bay, staying at the local Rosalie Inn, to research the crime.  Geneva, the owner of the inn, is drawn into the scheme.  But with another powerful hurricane baring down on the town, will they all make it out alive?  I liked the multiple POVs; although Geneva is the main character, we do get to hear Lo's (the mistress) story in her own words, and she is such a firecracker.  I did think the story moved kind of slowly, and the final reveal of the "murderer" was pretty predictable.  There was another reveal about the characters that was kind of eye-rolling, though.  3 stars

Mad Mabel by Sally Hepworth (2026)

Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick thought she had successfully buried her difficult past, but now, decades later, someone has discovered her secret - she used to be known as Mad Mabel and was once convicted of murder.  With a dead neighbor and a precocious little girl now obsessed with her, 81-year-old Elsie is finally ready to tell her story.  I really enjoyed this book!  I don't know that I would necessarily consider this a mystery/thriller - it's really more a character study into who Elsie Mabel Fitzpatrick was and is today.  While today Elsie is a self-sufficient, private, and stoic woman, Mabel was a lonely girl who had a difficult family life.  I guess the mystery would be, is Mabel really "mad" and did she really kill someone?  Through flashbacks, we discover the truth, along with several other shocking reveals, and I think by the end, most readers will have a soft spot in their heart for Elsie.  4 stars

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Recent Reads

Dying to Meet You by Sarina Bowen (2025)

Rowan can't help keeping track of her ex-boyfriend on a phone app, until the night she discovers his dead body in front of the historic mansion she's helping renovate.  Rowan becomes the prime suspect, and with her daughter's father unexpectedly coming back into town at the same time, she's got a lot to worry about.  This was an interesting little mystery.  I think Bowen did a great job mixing the mystery aspect with romance, with Rowan having to deal with her ex-boyfriend's death and growing closer again with her daughter's father, without it feeling too contrived.  The story had multiple POVs, one of which really ended up surprising me, and I enjoyed how the story unfolded.  As a former historian, I especially liked how the historic mansion played such a big role in the story.  4 stars

Tristan 4 America by Bruce Overby (2026)

As a result of the pandemic, Tristan Heller is laid off from his job in tech sales.  He begins to take stock of the current political and social climate and decides to run for President.  Although he never seriously expects to win, Tristan uses the opportunity to say the kind of things that no one else will.  But, his campaign starts getting attention from extremist militia groups, and suddenly, everyone around him is at risk.  This is such an intriguing premise - I think it's absolutely plausible that someone devastated by the pandemic could enter politics, and I think Overby does a good job capturing those feelings of frustration.  However, the execution lacked for me.  I was expecting more of a thriller, but there was a lot of exposition - at times it felt more like Overby wanted to give his opinions on certain political and social topics, rather than keep the plot moving.  The attempts to build suspense never felt like enough for me.  This is also just a personal thing, but there was way too much cursing in this book - now, cursing does not really offend me in everyday life, I am certainly not immune from using bad words, but when the main character is supposed to be giving interviews, meeting with constituents, debating various topics in public forums, and every other word is an f-bomb, it just felt very unprofessional and unnecessary.  I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.  3 stars

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Recent Reads

 The Only Survivors by Megan Miranda (2023)

A decade ago, a group of students survived a horrific crash when many others perished.  Now, the survivors meet yearly, as the only ones who really know what happened that night.  This year, though, feels different.  As their group gets smaller, Cass, one of the survivors who is trying to distance herself from the group, begins to wonder if something else is going on.  I feel like the premise of this book definitely didn't match the execution.  I liked the dual timeline, with one focusing on the survivor group at their yearly get-together in the present day and the other on the night of the accident.  The past timeline is told in a reverse chronological way, which definitely made for a shocking (yet also wholly unbelievable) reveal but also made me feel confused as to what was happening.  I think this book was trying to be more of a thriller than it actually was.  The reveals didn't necessarily make sense and the whole book felt kind of convoluted.  3 stars

The Write Off by Kara McDowell (2026)

Mars and West met in college, became best friends, and briefly dated, which ended badly.  Now, a decade later, they are both back on campus, attending a book festival as published authors, and they are forced to confront their complicated past.  I loved the college setting of this book, both seeing Mars and West in the past as undergrads and now being back as older adults.  I think McDowell captured that unique setting and feeling very well.  I also enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at the life of a successful author who is also trying to make a comeback.  I felt the connection between Mars and West, but at times there was a bit too much drama for me.  I get the dynamics between them, but more than once, it felt like things were finally getting on track, just for one of them to abruptly pull the plug.  They both felt a bit immature (and since McDowell mostly writes YA, I get it) and it seemed like there was too much miscommunication and impulsivity.  4 stars

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Recent Reads

 Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox (2025)

Sophie's dad is throwing her a massive Sweet 16 party at his recently renovated historic home, but with several troubling relationships coming to a head, the party ends in tragedy.  This one was kind of a mixed bag for me.  I think the author did a great job setting up these difficult interpersonal dynamics, with Sophie's divorced parents, a nanny that seems a little off, a stepmom dealing with fears about new motherhood, and Sophie's best friend, who feels like she doesn't quite fit in anymore.  We get different POVs of the party as we follow several characters during the evening, and it definitely piqued my curiosity as to who would be killed and why.  Where it went downhill for me was in two areas - first, the author incorporates almost a haunted house vibe, with a tragic backstory for the property and hints at a ghost, but it never quite fits.  Also, the reader comes to learn quite late in the story about a deeply disturbing relationship that's been hidden, and it kind of just made me feel icky about the whole story.  3.5 stars

Too Old For This by Samantha Downing (2025)

A serial killer is brought out of retirement when people start knocking on her door, asking too many questions and bringing up old cases.  Lottie is not your typical serial killer - she's a little old lady who plays bingo with her church friends.  But Lottie has a checkered past, and although she hid things really well, someone has potentially put the pieces together.  This was a fun read!  Lottie is smart, really smart, and always trying to think 5 steps ahead.  When a documentary maker appears on her doorstep, wanting to ask questions about some unsolved murders that Lottie was previously implicated in, her old reflexes kick in.  Although at times this got a little outlandish and unbelievable, I really liked Lottie.  She also has some stuff going on in her personal life involving her son, and I appreciated that more humanizing element to the story.  4 stars

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Recent Reads

 The Weekend Crashers by Jamie Brenner (2025)

Maggie and her daughter Piper travel to charming New Hope, PA for a knitting retreat but their weekend is interrupted by a bachelor party at the same inn.  Relationships are tested as the weekend continues.  Ugh, I wanted to love this one!  It sounded so cute - I love New Hope, PA, and I really felt like the book transported me there, but the characters were a bit of a downer for me.  Maggie is a single mom who had her daughter young - while on the surface their relationship seems good, Maggie desperately wants more for Piper than the life she had, and Piper is always doing things that will make her mother happy instead of herself.  Maggie just felt a bit overbearing.  There were too many extraneous side characters to keep track of, and a whole lot of unnecessary drama.  I did enjoy the character of Belinda, the inn keeper, though.  She and her husband have contrasting ideas on their next steps in life - keep the inn or retire?  The ending was underwhelming, unrealistic, and rushed, unfortunately.  3 stars

59 Minutes by Holly Seddon (2025)

When southern England receives a nuclear bomb alert, giving people just 59 minutes before the attack, three women find themselves willing to do anything to get to their loved ones.  Carrie is a young mother trying to get across London to her daughter and girlfriend.  Frankie, who just found out she's pregnant, is on vacation when she's separated from her boyfriend.  Mrs. Dabb is an older woman who realizes her daughter is missing during the alert.  This premise is absolutely terrifying to me - knowing you only potentially have minutes to live and desperately wanting to be with your family or other loved ones.  What would you do to get to them?  This was a quick, absorbing read - short chapters kept the rapid pace, and I couldn't read fast enough to see how each woman would fare as the minutes counted down.  I was heartbroken for them as they faced insurmountable odds and had to make unimaginable choices.  But, I was shocked further when I realized there was a twist, and the story definitely ends in an unexpected way!  4.5 stars

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Recent Reads

The Guilt Pill by Saumya Dave (2025)

Maya is a new mom, struggling in her new role while also trying to maintain her job as CEO of her company.  When she meets successful entrepreneur Liz Anderson, she finds Liz might have the answer to all her problems - a pill that erases her feelings of guilt, allowing her to move forward without constantly second-guessing herself.  But the pill comes with some major downsides, and Maya finds herself on the brink of losing it all.  I thought portions of this book were really relatable - I think most working moms feel a struggle between their personal and professional lives, feeling like they're never able to fully give 100% to either without the other suffering.  So, I enjoyed those messages, even if it was a little heavy-handed at times.  I had to laugh at some of the double standards between Maya and her husband, too.  The climax of the book went a little off the rails for me, unfortunately, but overall, this was a decent read.  3.5 stars

Julie Tudor is Not a Psychopath by Jennifer Holdich (2025)

Julie is a middle-aged woman who believes her co-worker, 25-year-old Sean, is her soulmate - the problem is, he's with someone else.  But Julie isn't about to let that get in her way; she'll help Sean "escape" his relationship, even if it means resorting to murder.  This book was so fun - I mean, I know that's weird to say about a serial killer story - but it's true!  Julie is so deliciously delusional, finding meaning in the smallest things, and constantly convincing herself that men are in love with her and need her help in getting out of their current relationships.  The way Julie sees herself and the way others see her are so drastically different, it was comical at times.  I felt a bit sorry for her, because she's just looking for connection, but instead of it happening organically, she misinterprets everything, making for some very cringey and awkward moments.  The story moved a tad too slowly, especially when the reader just wants to know if Julie is ever going to have to take responsibility for her actions.  4 stars

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Fiction/Nonfiction Quick Reviews: The Social Media Edition

The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom by Shari Franke (2025)

Ruby Franke turned her children's lives into a YouTube sensation with her channel 8 Passengers, but no one truly understood what her children were going through until she was imprisoned for child abuse and her oldest daughter, Shari, told the story.  In this memoir, Shari recounts the years of pain, embarrassment, and abuse she and her siblings endured and Ruby's disturbing involvement with the life coaching program ConneXions, which only seemed to make everything worse in their house.  I've never seen 8 Passengers, but I watch a lot of commentary videos on the downsides of family vlogging and this channel is often referenced.  It's so sad to hear about what this mother put her children through, portraying herself as the perfect mom while her children's lives and privacy were being monetized.  Shari is so brave for wanting to tell this story and also telling it in her own voice for the audiobook.  It can't have been easy to relive all that.  4 stars

Everyone Is Lying To You by Jo Piazza (2025)

Former college friends Bex and Lizzie reunite years later when Bex, now a super-successful tradwife influencer, invites Lizzie, a journalist, to an influencer conference to write about a huge upcoming deal of hers.  While there, Bex's husband is found murdered on their idyllic ranch, and then Bex (and her children) disappear.  It's up to Lizzie to clear Bex's name and find her before it's too late.  I'm a sucker for social media-related stories, and it was so interesting to get this behind-the-scenes look at the "real" life of an influencer - the work and, of course, all the lies that go into it.  I liked that we got both Lizzie's and Bex's POVs, and the pacing was pretty good.  Some of the twists and reveals were shocking, others more expected, but what was maybe most intriguing (and disturbing) was the amount of manipulation going on, the lengths that people will go to in order to gain some power, fame, and money.  4 stars

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Recent Reads

A Killer Getaway by Sienna Sharpe (2025) 

Every summer, Lily travels to a luxury resort in the Caribbean to work as a lifeguard.  And every summer, someone at the resort dies.  This year, though, a journalist is asking questions about the deaths, and as much as Lily is attracted to him, she also doesn't want to get caught.  This was such an interesting read!  It's part mystery, part thriller, and part romance - a little bit of everything!  I loved getting to know Lily and her reasons for returning to the island each year.  She's been through a lot, and she wants to stop toxic people from continuing to hurt others.  But Daniel is intent on finding out what's going on at the resort.  I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen - would Lily get caught?  Would she and Daniel get a happily ever after?  4.5 stars

Crash Landing by Annie McQuaid (2025)

Exes Piper and Wyatt are on their way to a destination wedding when their private plane crash lands on a deserted island.  When the two have to rely on each other to survive, will all their old feelings come flooding back?  I had such high hopes for this one, but unfortunately it was a letdown.  I love the premise, the fact that they only have each other on this deserted island, but the execution was painful.  The writing was clumsy and clunky; the characters were immature.  It felt like the author couldn't pin down who Wyatt was - was he a stoic hero or a giddy little boy?  Even the flashbacks to their high school relationship were disappointing - their romance was so short-lived, it was cringey to think that Piper was still so hung up on it.  I get that teenagers make a big deal out of everything, but it felt like overkill.  I did enjoy the survival stuff, and Piper did grow a lot over the course of the story, finally admitting to herself and her parents that medical school was not the road she wanted to go down.  But overall, this was not the book for me.  3 stars

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Recent Reads: The Amsterdam Edition

 What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon (2025)

Dani heads to Amsterdam to hopefully get a fresh start in life but doesn't expect to run into Wouter, the foreign exchange student hosted by her family years earlier and who also ended up being her first love.  Their relationship didn't end well, but now Wouter has a proposition for Dani - if they get married, she'll get to stay in Amsterdam and he'll inherit his family's historic house along the canal.  Although they mean to stay professional about it, old feelings start bubbling up.  While I normally don't get on board with second chance romances, I liked this one.  Dani and Wouter were so young when they first dated, and now they're all grown up and very different people.  Yet, they still seem to understand each other.  However, my favorite part of the book was the "trip" to Amsterdam we got to take.  You can definitely tell that Solomon loves living there in real life and was eager for Dani to learn all about it.  4 stars

The Expat Affair by Kimberly Belle (2025)

Two women are drawn into the Amsterdam diamond industry when an employee of a prestigious diamond house is found murdered.  One woman is the one-night stand who was there during the murder; the other is the wife of the dead man's boss.  Who killed Xander, and where are the missing diamonds?  This was an interesting mystery - the inside look at the diamond industry was fascinating.  I liked that we got to see two different sides of the story with chapters from both Rayna (the one-night stand) and Willow (the wife).  I did find the pacing a bit slow and the reveals were too drawn out, but there were definitely lots of twists and turns and the ending did surprise me.  4 stars

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Recent Reads

Cross My Heart by Megan Collins (2025)

Rosie, in need of a heart transplant, has received a donor organ and now believes she's meant to be with the husband of her donor.  This book was a wild ride - Rosie is a bit delusional, a bit obsessive, so desperate for her happily ever after that she tends to see things that aren't there.  The new object of her obsession is Morgan, a local author whose wife recently passed away (and whose heart Rosie now has).  But there are pesky rumors that Morgan had something to do with his wife's death - what will Rosie do now?  There are so many misdirections in this story - it seems like no one is ever telling the truth, which led me to suspect the wrong person until the very end.  I definitely didn't see it coming!  But, the story does ramble a bit, and Rosie was not the most likeable main character.  3.5 stars

Book Boyfriend by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka (2025)

Jennifer is so excited to attend an immersive fan event for her favorite fantasy book series, until she finds out that her co-worker Scott is also there - and he has been so disdainful of Jennifer and her love for fantasy books.  However, Scott wants to learn about the characters in order to help his own love life, and the more time he and Jennifer spend together, the more they realize that they could be the perfect couple in real life.  I have to admit, I have not had luck with this author duo before, but I really liked this book!  Funny that it's also one of their lower-rated ones!  But, I thought this was such a love letter to readers, especially fantasy readers, and there were some good discussions about comparing book characters to real people and never living up to the fantasy.  It did feel a bit overly long, but I enjoyed the journey for Scott and Jennifer and all the side characters, who definitely added some flavor to the story.  4 stars

 

 

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Recent Reads

 Ladykiller by Katherine Wood (2024)

When her best friend Gia doesn't show up to a planned trip, Abby travels to Greece to look for the heiress and newlywed.  She finds a manuscript written by Gia detailing her new marriage and some guests that had been staying at the house, but it also contains some disturbing secrets - could this explain Gia's disappearance?  I have mixed feelings about this one - I loved the setting, I felt like I could feel the hot sun, sandy beaches, and cool water.  I liked that Abby was still looking out for Gia even though they'd had some problems in their friendship.  I didn't understand why Gia's manuscript was given so much priority - it would have more sense if it had been called a diary?  The story was a bit predictable, although it was more open-ended than I was expecting.  It did feel a bit unsettling realizing that we may never really know what happened or what to believe!  3.5 stars

Under Loch and Key by Lana Ferguson (2024)

Key travels to Scotland to meet her estranged family after her father's death.  There, she meets Lachlan, who has some major secrets of his own.  Even though he thinks he should stay away from Key, Lachlan can't help trusting in her and hoping she can help lift his curse.  I loved that this was a paranormal romance that strayed from the typical vampires or werewolves.  Here, we delve into the mystery of the Loch Ness monster, and Ferguson crafts a backstory that feels plausible for this world.  I enjoyed the intense feelings between Key and Lachlan, even if they were a bit childish in the beginning.  My issues are that, yes, this is a paranormal book, but why did Key have to have magic powers, especially ones that only seemed to manifest for the first time when she was in Scotland?  I understand the history, but it just felt so... convenient? But not necessary?  Like, we had a real-life Loch Ness monster, isn't that enough?  Also, Lachlan was predisposed to dislike Key, but no one thought to use a little creative thinking when it came to the curse?  I don't know, the solution seemed pretty obvious to me.  Maybe I missed something.  As always with Ferguson, you can expect lots of spicy scenes, which I'm not complaining about, but also, I was a little weirded out when Lachlan is worried about hurting Key and her response is basically, I don't care!!!  Like, maybe we can care a little bit.  3 stars

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Recent Reads

 The Tenant by Freida McFadden (2025)

After getting fired from his job, Blake and his fiancée Krista are forced to take in a tenant to make ends meet.  Whitney seems nice at first, but then weird things start happening, and Blake beings to wonder if something more sinister is going on.  This was a quick and captivating audiobook - the first part is from Blake's POV, and it's interesting to see him become more unhinged as the story goes on.  He's convinced Whitney is out to get him, but Krista doesn't believe him.  I will admit, McFadden definitely surprised me with the twist, but the reader has to majorly suspend disbelief, because, to me, the odds of this working out the way it did were basically zero.  Points for creativity, but even in the world of thrillers, this was out there.  3.5 stars

Love Story by Lindsey Kelk (2024)

Sophie has a big secret - she's a bestselling romance novelist.  She published her book under a different name to prevent backlash from her school community and family.  But when Joe finds out her secret, and the two are forced to spend the weekend together at her dad's birthday party, could this be the end of her anonymous publishing days?  This book was a mixed bag for me - it started off interesting, floundered a bit in the middle, but then came back strong at the end.  Sophie and Joe find themselves both attracted to and repulsed by each other when they first meet, and they fight these feelings over the course of a weekend in the country.  I thought Joe was a well-rounded character - at times smarmy and cocky, he could also be extremely vulnerable and I loved watching him try to prove himself to Sophie.  Sophie's family adds some fun (but also at times obnoxious) flair to the story, but overall, this is about Joe and Sophie, and Sophie finding the courage to be herself.  4 stars

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Recent Reads

 Have You Seen Him by Kimberly Lee (2025)

After being abandoned by his family at the airport when he was 11, David was adopted by a loving couple and grew up to be an attorney.  His entire life is turned upside down, however, when one day he sees a photo of himself in a missing child ad - making him question everything.  He is drawn into a web of secrets, medical mysteries, and danger, all while trying to figure out who he truly is.  Lee starts the story off with a bang and doesn't let up from there.  The story is quick-paced as we meet David, his girlfriend Gayle, his adoptive father, and others, and they all find themselves on a hunt for David and the reason why other (seemingly dangerous) people are searching for him.  I was intrigued to find out David's past and was not disappointed by Lee's twists and turns, although I do wish at times that the story would slow down a bit and incorporate more backstory or some more explanation.  Everything was wrapped up pretty quickly but also a bit open-ended, which left me wanting more.  I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  4 stars

Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver (2025)

A famous author writes a book completely outside their normal genre but doesn't want the world to know - enter Kate Elliott, hired by the publishing company to pretend to be the author and promote the book.  She has to work with Charlie, from her former talent agency, but will the whole thing be a total disaster?  I don't know, guys, I feel like Josie Silver is fading for me as an author.  I loved her first book, but they've unfortunately gone downhill from there for me.  This book, while having a fun premise, just didn't excite me while I was reading it.  It was a slow read, and the real drama of the story came too early, forcing some eye-rolling and ridiculous situations.  3 stars

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Recent Reads

Once Upon a Royal Summer by Teri Wilson (2021)

Lacey plays a princess at a Disney World-like park in Florida, where one day she meets Henry, a single dad who also happens to be a prince.  Despite their differences, could Lacey bring happiness back to Henry and Rose?  I love a royal romance, and this book was a sweet, clean, easy read.  I enjoyed meeting Lacey and finding out her reasons for wanting to be a theme park princess, and I admired Henry's desire to balance the royal and "normal" parts of his life.  Yes, it's instalove; yes, the drama and conflicts are either nonexistent or easily overcome.  But, it was what I expected and I didn't mind being swept away for a little while.  4 stars

It Had to Be You by Eliza Jane Brazier (2024)

Eva and Jonathan meet on a European train and, after one steamy night, think they'll never see each other again.  Six months later, though, Eva, a contract killer, is hired to kill Jonathan, who turns out to be another assassin.  Now the two are playing cat-and-mouse across Europe, trying to figure out who they're really working for and wondering if, just maybe, there's a way out together.  This was a really fun and quick read - I just had to know how Eva and Jonathan would find a way out of their wild situation.  I did like Eva better than Jonathan (he was way too intense for me), but it was interesting to see how both became assassins and how they eventually had to work together.  Fans of Mr. and Mrs. Smith will definitely enjoy this one!  4 stars

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Recent Reads

Give Me Butterflies by Jillian Meadows (2023)

Millie is vying for a director position in her department at the museum when she starts taking notice of Finn, a coworker in a different department.  The two start spending more time together, leading Millie to wonder if she can have it all.  Although I loved the museum setting of this one, it was unfortunately a bit of a forgettable read for me.  Each time I picked it up, I really had to think hard about where I left off.  Millie and Finn each had some hard things going on in their lives (Millie coming out of an emotionally abusive relationship, Finn taking in his nieces after his sister passed away) and it was nice to see them support each other, but... I don't know.  The story felt overly long and yet not a lot happened.  The spicy scenes were very repetitive.  Ultimately, while there were some cute moments and good elements, this wasn't a winner for me.  3 stars

The Hollywood Assistant by May Cobb (2024)

Cassidy lands a job as a personal assistant to an actress and her director husband but finds herself in a precarious position as the lines between their professional and personal boundaries blur.  Loved the idea of this one, the look at how the "other half" lives combined with a murder mystery, but the execution was seriously lacking.  The main character is so immature and the dialogue is absolutely cringe.  She's supposed to be a writer, but she sounds and acts like a teenager.  And this is yet another mystery/thriller where I found the reveal to be completely lackluster. I guess in theory it was a good twist, in that I didn't figure it out, but it came from so far out in left field that it was quite unbelievable.  Cassidy might be somewhat of an unreliable narrator, but the gaslighting and secrets involved were unfair to her.  3 stars

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Recent Reads

Middle of the Night by Riley Sager (2024)

Thirty years after his best friend disappeared from their backyard tent, never to be seen again, Ethan is back in his childhood home, and when strange things start happening, he hopes that the police can find out what happened to Billy once and for all.  This was a mixed bag for me.  I enjoyed what appeared to be the supernatural elements - was Billy really leaving messages for Ethan?  And the mysterious nearby Hawthorne Institute - what was going on there, and did it have something to do with Billy's disappearance?  The story felt a bit repetitive, though, and the final reveal felt really lacking to me, considering all the side tangents that Sager took with the plot.  3.5 stars

So This Is Love by Elizabeth Lim (2020)

This installment of the Twisted Tales series focuses on Cinderella and imagines what might have happened to her had she never had the opportunity to try on the glass slipper after the ball where she meets the prince.  She eventually gains a position in the castle, serving as a maid to the prince's aunt, and she and the prince do find their way back to each other, while trying to stop a plot to overthrow the king.  I thought this was an interesting addition to the Cinderella story - there's political intrigue, romance, and, of course, magic.  It's always fun to see where the authors in this series take the stories, away from the known and beloved plots.  4 stars

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Recent Reads

 The Crash by Freida McFadden (2025)

Tegan, pregnant and stranded after crashing her car during a blizzard, is taken in by Hank and Polly.  At first she is grateful to them, but after more time goes on and they refuse to let her leave, Tegan becomes increasingly worried.  Will she ever escape their basement?  And what do they want with her?  This was a short audiobook and an intriguing premise, although unfortunately the writing became very bogged down with repetition.  I liked how McFadden told the story from both Tegan and Polly's points of view; it was interesting to see how they completely misjudged each other.  There were some twists at the end that were pretty surprising, but not necessarily in a good way, and I was kind of disappointed.  3 stars

Spring Fling by Annie England Noblin (2025)

Mylie loves her life in her small town, and now Ben, her childhood best friend and crush, is coming back to sell his family's home.  Even though he's planning on leaving soon, could there be something between them?  This book such an odd little duck - the cover is adorable and the blurb was catchy enough to make me grab this at the library.  But the more I got into the story, the more "meh" I felt about it.  The pacing is terrible - Mylie and Ben go from former friends to lovers in what feels like a matter of minutes, and the overall timeline seems so condensed and therefore a bit unbelievable.  We at least get some flashbacks to establish some sort of connection between the two.  There's a side character whose main job it is to add some tension, but it felt very out of place and too dark for the rest of the book.  3 stars

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Recent Reads

 Business Casual by B.K. Borison (2024)

Nova and Charlie are total opposites but find themselves attracted to each other.  A one-night stand isn't enough for the two, but could they really find a way to make it work?  And is that what they really want?  I read the first book in this series a couple years but not the ones in between, so I kind of feel like I was missing something when it came to Charlie and Nova within the friend group.  Charlie is a flirt, but is he really serious about anything?  I enjoyed the parts about Nova opening her new tattoo shop and her reasons for it, but I don't know that I totally bought this relationship.  And don't get me started on that cheesy ending - yikes!  3 stars

The Family Experiment by John Marrs (2024)

In the near future, most people cannot afford to start a family, but virtual children, using AI, are becoming all the rage.  A new reality show follows several families as they raise a virtual child from birth to 18 years in just nine months, with the eventual winner choosing to keep their virtual child or take money to potentially start a family in the real world.  This is another offering from John Marrs that offers an eerily plausible look at the future, and I do appreciate how he ties some of his books into the same universe, with callbacks to other books.  The family aspect of this one is so emotionally charged, and I think many aspects of this story will resonate with readers.  Of course, it wouldn't be a John Marrs book without some shady characters and lots of twists and turns.  I guess my only complaint would be that his books are feeling a little formulaic.  4 stars

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Recent Reads

 The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager (2023)

Casey spends her time at her family's lake house by spying on the people living in the house across the water - but when the wife disappears, Casey becomes obsessed with trying to figure out what happened to her.  The first half of this book felt very cliche - the drunk, unreliable narrator using binoculars to watch her neighbors, convinced something nefarious is going on.  It didn't feel fresh or new, but it wasn't necessarily bad.  Then, the second half took a strange, supernatural twist, and that's where Sager lost me.  It was a bit surprising but unfortunately didn't work for me at all.  3 stars

The Paris Novel by Ruth Reichl (2024)

After her mother's death, Stella travels to Paris.  At first, Stella is careful and cautious, but after impulsively purchasing a beautiful dress, Stella discovers a whole new side to Paris - and herself.  Reichl's memoir Save Me the Plums was a favorite of mine a couple years, so I was excited to read a fiction book from her.  I love a Paris setting and no one writes about food like Reichl does - and Stella eats a lot of fabulous meals.  Stella meets a lot of new people during her time in France, solves an artistic mystery, and opens herself up more than she ever dreamed she could.  The story felt a little twee to me, as things just keep working out for Stella in kind of unbelievable ways, and I just never felt as invested in the story as I wanted to be.  3 stars

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