Quick Reviews

 The Most Likely Club by Elyssa Friedland (2022)

Four high school friends (Melissa, Priya, Tara, and Suki) receive high superlatives upon graduation, but 25 years later, three of the four haven't achieved the success they thought they would.  After meeting up at their 25-year reunion, they form a pact to make their high school dreams come true (albeit maybe in different ways than they imagined).  This one was a mixed bag for me - I like the idea of a friendship group that has stood the test of time, that these four women, despite having families and jobs that have taken them all over, are still close.  I think taking stock of your life and deciding to make big changes or try a new adventure is also really relatable.  However, I felt the pacing was off.  I don't know if it was because I was listening on audio, but it felt like it took forever to get to the meat of the story where the friends decide to change their lives.  I thought that was what the bulk of the book would be about, but it wasn't.  Also, one of the friends, Suki, has built a massively successful company and doesn't attend the reunion (and thus isn't part of the pact, or really, even need to be in it).  She felt like an enigma for most of the book and only becomes a bigger character later in the story.  So overall, an interesting premise that unfortunately fell a bit short.  3.5 stars

The Truth About the Devlins by Lisa Scottoline (2024)

In a family of high-achieving, successful lawyers, TJ Devil is the black sheep, an alcoholic who went to jail for a brief period of time and now works as an investigator at the family law firm.  One night, his older brother John admits to TJ that he murdered a client.  As TJ digs deeper into the case, he finds lies, deception, and danger at every turn.  Can the Devlin family survive?  I've been wanting to read more mysteries/thrillers, and this was an okay return for me.  I liked the character of TJ - he's really trying to learn and grow and become a better man, wanting to overcome his past mistakes.  It pained me when his family didn't believe in him.  The short chapters kept the story moving, and there are a few twists that keep it interesting.  However, the cringey dialogue really took me out of the story a few times.  If you enjoy legal dramas with a dose of mystery and family dynamics, this might be the book for you.  3.5 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Guest Blogger: Getting Guys to Read

 My sister is back today with a post on getting the men in your life to pick up books.  Awhile ago, I did a post on books I'd recommend for my husband (who is most definitely NOT a reader), and this is a really great (and updated) accompaniment to that!

*********************************************************

After hearing me rave about Fourth Wing and Iron Flame (and armed with the knowledge that it is already being adapted for TV), my husband, James, decided to dive into the series.  He is not a big reader, usually gravitating towards technical books when he does (relating to his profession as a software engineer and his lifelong love of computers).  He did enjoy them and we have already preordered Onyx Storm, so we have that to look forward to next year.  Surprisingly, he wanted to continue his reading journey so it got me thinking – what kinds of books would we recommend to get the guys in our life reading?  

The Arc of a Scythe series and Dry by Neal Shusterman

  

      

All YA novels about dystopian futures, they are quick, engaging reads.  James has already read two of the three Scythe books and is loving them!

The Kaiju Preservation Society and Starter Villian by John Scalzi

 

James and I have listened to both of these and the audios are fantastic.  They are quirky and really, really funny.

Anything by Neil deGrasse Tyson or Randall Munroe

  

 

If you have a science nut in your life, you need these books.  You will learn something and definitely chuckle along the way.  I would also recommend these in audio – they are all fantastic and allowed us to have some great conversations about the material.

Do you have readers in your life?  What books would you recommend to reluctant or new readers?

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Michele's Monday Picks #48

Angela is so generous to let me pop in with my little series, Michele’s Monday Picks!  I’m not a blogger or bookstagrammer, but I love getting excited about new releases with the rest of you.  Here I’ll be sharing new books I’m really looking forward to!

****************************************************************************

 

The Best of All

By Karla Sorensen

Expected Publication: July 16, 2024

From Goodreads:

He’s commitment phobic. She believes in happy endings. The twist of fate that binds them is a surprise they never saw coming in a bittersweet romance about instant family—and not-so-instant love.

A decade-old animosity is the only thing Liam Davies and Zoe Valentine have in common. Until their mutual best friends pass away and they’re appointed co-guardians of the trusting couple’s precocious toddler, Mira.

Liam is committed only to professional football. Relationship-wise, he’s even better at defense. Still wrestling with a tough childhood, he’s not cut out to be a father. Why his late best buddy believed in him, Liam has no idea.

An optimistic romantic, Zoe has always dreamed of a fairy-tale life. But even though Liam’s biceps make her dizzy and she can’t stop thinking about his lips on hers, he’s not exactly Prince Charming. With or without that brooding Brit, she is determined to make good on her friends’ last wish.

Forced into a predicament they never expected, Zoe and Liam are discovering things about each other that could scorch through boundaries, warm hearts, and change minds. And best of all, with their shared love for a pint-size surprise like Mira, they might just turn a house into a home.

I loved the first book in this series and Karla Sorensen never disappoints - do you think you’ll be picking this one up?

Quick Reviews

Once Persuaded, Twice Shy by Melodie Edwards (2024) 

A modern retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion, Once Persuaded, Twice Shy is the story of Anne, living a life she believes is just fine, until her ex-boyfriend comes to town, and she starts wondering if her life could have been (or still could be) different.  I have to admit, I've never read the original story, so I have nothing to compare it to, but I enjoyed the author's first novel and I wanted to give this one a try.  Unfortunately, this one didn't have the same spark as the first for me.  The "romance" fell really flat here.  Although we get some idea of what Anne and Ben were like the first time around, in the present day there is just not enough of them spending page time together to make me feel like they belonged together.  There is too much telling (mostly through Anne's thoughts) and not enough actual action to make it believable; a very quick resolution to the romance doesn't help the case.  A good portion of the story is spent on Anne trying to reconcile her life's choices, and she actually makes a lot of growth over the course of the book.  I enjoyed this part, especially when Anne stops enabling her selfish family members and forces them all to become more independent.  Overall, a bland romance that would be better marketed as a personal growth story.  3 stars

On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn (2006)

Gregory Bridgerton thinks he has found "the one," but he needs the help of her best friend Lucy to win her over.  In the process, Lucy, despite being practically engaged, finds herself falling for Gregory, and he realizes that Lucy is truly the one for him.  But, Lucy's uncle has promised her to another, and Lucy can't get out of it - unless Gregory can help.  I have thoroughly enjoyed the Bridgerton series, and this installment was a fantastic finale.  Watching Gregory and Lucy work together, getting to know each other and realizing that they are truly in love was such a treat.  I loved how many other Bridgertons made an appearance in this one, particularly matriarch Violet, who has some heartfelt moments with Gregory.  The story takes a suspenseful turn near the end, as Lucy's uncle is desperate for her to marry a particular man (who really turns out to be quite a gem, but clearly not right for Lucy), and the characters all have to band together to help Gregory and Lucy find the happy ending they deserve.  4 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.

Can't-Wait Wednesday: The Game Changer

Can't-Wait Wednesday is hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings and helps us spotlight upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating!

The Game Changer

Lana Ferguson    

Expected publication date: July 9, 2024

A hockey player and a baker shoot their shot in this steamy new romance by Lana Ferguson, USA Today bestselling author of The Nanny.

When a very public breakup becomes a PR nightmare for Ian Chase's team, he hopes to focus on his game, but that suddenly seem less likely than a hat trick. With his career and the team’s image in jeopardy, Ian is surprised to find a solution through none other than Delilah Baker, his best friend and teammate's little sister…who isn’t so little anymore.

Delilah Baker is known as “the darling of baking” on her local cable show, and being in the public eye is her bread and butter. But with her numbers dwindling and her producers turning up the heat, Delilah offers up the half-baked idea to collaborate with her brother’s team to entice the hockey fans of Boston to tune in to her show. Delilah thinks it will be a piece of cake—until the team sends Ian Chase, her brother’s best friend and the object of a decade-long crush that she’s never quite gotten over.

Delilah's and Ian’s teams think it’s a true win-win situation—gaining higher numbers for Delilah’s show and casting Ian in a more positive light. And viewers are eating them up like a cupcake, sparking the idea to play up their relationship for the goal of good press. With more than just their careers on thin ice, the line between what’s real and what’s for show begins to blur, but one thing’s for certain: This PR stunt will either be a total game changer—or leave them both totally pucked. - from Goodreads

Top Ten Tuesday: My Summer TBR

 

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.  This week's topic is our summer TBR.  I'm really going to lean into the seasonal vibes for this one!

What will you be reading this summer?

Fiction/Nonfiction Quick Reviews

 Maiden Voyages: Magnificent Ocean Liners and the Women Who Traveled and Worked Aboard Them by Sian Evans (2021)

During the first half of the 20th century, transatlantic travel aboard large ocean liners was one of the main ways to reach far-off countries.  Although historically a place for men, gradually ships and ocean liners became havens for women, from those looking for employment, to those seeking opportunities in a new country, to those simply enjoying the luxury of a cruise ship.  Maiden Voyages sets out to tell the stories of those women, although it does so with mixed effectiveness.  I very much enjoyed learning about female crew members.  It's amazing how much information Evans was able to find about these women, from their reasons for joining to different experiences they had onboard.  She also includes anecdotes about various wealthy and famous women who traveled on ocean liners - here, the results were a little less successful, as Evans often spent more time describing their lives and work rather than their time on the ships.  Sometimes it felt like there was only one or two sentences about the ships and their time on them in several pages of background, and it seemed a stretch to include such stories in a book that is purportedly about transatlantic travel and the important roles women played in it.  I think Evans' writing flowed nicely and was easy to read, although there were several typos that I was surprised at.  Overall, an interesting premise with some truly fascinating stories, that unfortunately missed the mark a bit.  3.5 stars

The Head That Wears the Crown by Mariah Stewart (2023)

A 40-something divorced mom from Philadelphia finds out she's next in line to the throne of a tiny European nation in this story that feels like a grown-up version of The Princess Diaries.  I am a sucker for royal stories, so of course I had to read this one, although with some mixed results.  Annie is our mom-turned-duchess and I appreciated the first-person POV that allowed me to feel like Annie was a close friend just telling me a story.  The writing is easy to read and familiar - it keeps the story flowing even as the plot seems to slow down sometimes.  Although reluctant at first to believe it, Annie (along with her kids and sisters) eventually move to their family's homeland to restore the monarchy and start making changes to the country.  I think it was a little unbelievable that the entire family was so on-board with just picking up and moving their entire lives to a country that they had never even heard of before, but it kept things positive.  Annie's transformation from insurance company employee to duchess was also a little unbelievable - overnight she seemed to gain a completely new persona, one that talked more elegantly and seemed completely comfortable with giving orders.  There's some tension near the end that the story really needed, and while I appreciated the epilogue, I kind of wish it was even further into the future so we could see how Annie and the country are faring!  3.5 stars

* This post contains affiliate links; I earn a small commission on qualifying purchases, at no cost to you.