It didn't take long for Wanda M. Morris to become one of my favorite authors, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on What You Leave Behind. I loved thIt didn't take long for Wanda M. Morris to become one of my favorite authors, and I couldn't wait to get my hands on What You Leave Behind. I loved the basis of the story here, and it was all very mysterious. Deena was a very empathetic character and I got wrapped up in her sleuthing after the man she meets disappears. I learned so much through this book and it also made me think about things I knew nothing about going in. I was wrapped up in it from the very start, and there is plenty of suspense as the story goes on. This could easily be read in a day and is so gripping that it made for a bingeable read for sure.
I listened to the audiobook as per usual and thought Joniece Abbott-Pratt & Lynnette R. Freeman did a great job as narrators. Besides Deena's viewpoint, we also have another POV, and it took me a bit to figure out who/what that was supposed to be. The supernatural element to that was a little confusing TBH, and I almost wish that POV hadn't existed. I would have preferred to get full realization through Deena, but when I neared the end, I did appreciate it a bit more. What You Leave Behind left me feeling shook and was a heavier read with a bit of humor. I will also say that the author's note is a must-read, and if you enjoy learning about timely issues with your fiction I would definitely give this one a read!...more
The Familiar is the first novel of Leigh Bardugo's I have read outside of the collection of stories she has published (The Language of Thorns), and I The Familiar is the first novel of Leigh Bardugo's I have read outside of the collection of stories she has published (The Language of Thorns), and I clearly need to get to more. She swept me away in this tale of familiars, romance, and magic against the backdrop of the Spanish Golden Age. I was immediately wrapped up in the story and imagery, and I am in awe of how beautifully Bardugo crafts her characters. I felt fully connected the entire time, and even though it is on the larger side, I finished it in practically one sitting. The main viewpoint is Luzia, but the author also added a few others at different points. This wasn't confusing and one of them made me smile quite a bit.
I listened to and loved the audiobook which is narrated by Lauren Fortgang. She did an impeccable job of bringing the text to life, and she was easy to understand as well. She didn't really differentiate her voice all that much for the different characters, but everything else felt spot on. This is fantasy, history, magic, and romance all wrapped into one spellbinding package, and I loved the ending! I had no idea how Bardugo would choose to close it out, and I was extremely happy with the way she did. The Familiar is a great pick if you love culture and history with your fantasy and I am looking forward to immersing myself in more of her work....more
Sigh. As many other readers have said, I was also a big fan of Kimi Cunningham Grant's last novel These Silent Woods and was really excited to get to Sigh. As many other readers have said, I was also a big fan of Kimi Cunningham Grant's last novel These Silent Woods and was really excited to get to The Nature of Disappearing. For me, it was a really slow burn and while it had my attention initially, it lost my interest as the book went on. Had I been reading the book instead of listening to the audio, I likely would have skimmed to the finish. Cunningham excels at world-building and that was my favorite part of the book in this case. It was very atmospheric, and she did a beautiful job of bringing the wilderness aspect to life.
The audiobook narrator Emily Pike Stewart did an excellent job, and as stated previously was what kept me going. I am very glad I listened to the audio and got to hear her be the voice of these characters. I didn't find anyone particularly likable, and honestly, I found myself not really caring what was going to happen. The climax was wild and left me wondering how we got there, which probably means I zoned out while I was listening at times. Many people loved this book, so please take my review with a grain of salt! Even though The Nature of Disappearing was a bit of a miss for me, I still love this author and will continue to read her.
I received an advanced listening copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
All This & More by Peng Shepherd is one of the most unique books I have ever read, and while I KNOW it won't be for everyone, it blew me away! I lovedAll This & More by Peng Shepherd is one of the most unique books I have ever read, and while I KNOW it won't be for everyone, it blew me away! I loved the Choose Your Own Adventure books when I was younger, and this was a more adult and complex take on that. I did not love Marsh all the time, but I could certainly understand the draw to make your life absolutely perfect. Instead of jumping around the way I would have in a CYOA book, I decided to read straight through since I was listening to the audiobook. This did get repetitive at the end and a little weird, but I still loved it.
The audio is narrated by Helen Laser, and I thought she did an excellent job! She certainly made me connect to Marsh more as a character, and she was also just really easy and fun to listen to. Due to the format, I would definitely have a copy of the physical book as well, and during the card portion, there were actually pictures of the cards in the book which I thought was really cool. I don't know how it would work, but I think All This & More would be awesome to see on TV too, especially as something like a series. This would make an excellent book club choice and I think it would garner lots of discussion. Shepherd made an instant fan in me with such a clever and unique novel!
Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own....more
The Switch is Lily Samson's adult US debut and man oh man do I hope she graces us with more books soon! I wasn't sure what I was going to think s4.5/5
The Switch is Lily Samson's adult US debut and man oh man do I hope she graces us with more books soon! I wasn't sure what I was going to think since not a whole lot was actually happening at first, but her writing sucked me in, and I had to see where this thing was going. I think this would make an excellent movie or mini-series/series (like You), and tensions ran high throughout the book. There was also some superb suspense and more than one twist that made my jaw drop.
The audiobook is narrated by Avita Jay & Polly Edsell and silly me actually thought one narrator was doing an amazing job of changing her voice. ...more
I don't even remember how I found The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson by Ellen Baker, but I am so glad I did! This sweeping tale takes place in both the I don't even remember how I found The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson by Ellen Baker, but I am so glad I did! This sweeping tale takes place in both the past and present with multiple viewpoints and a heaping of family drama. I loved the way the author tied at-home DNA tests into the narrative, and it heavily influenced the present-day storyline. The past sections include things that were happening at the time (1930s), and I knew without a doubt that it was true even before I read the acknowledgments. Some parts broke my heart, but I loved that Cecily was such a strong and tenacious young woman.
The audiobook is narrated by one of my favorites, Cassandra Campbell, and she did a beautiful job bringing this story and its characters to life. I would have enjoyed a full cast since there are SO many viewpoints to the point where I got a little confused at times, but I always love Campbell and enjoyed listening to her immensely. I felt so many things throughout my journey with The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson and I loved all of the different storylines that were intertwined with hers. I wouldn't say they all would have been necessary, but I enjoyed them all the same and it made this a very intricate read. Read this if you enjoy historical fiction mixed with family drama and resilient female leads....more
I was seeing Mistakes We Never Made all over Booksta and finally saw enough rave reviews that I knew I had to read it. Well, little did I know this isI was seeing Mistakes We Never Made all over Booksta and finally saw enough rave reviews that I knew I had to read it. Well, little did I know this is Hannah Brown's fiction debut AND she was on The Bachelorette! Shows how much I watch that show (hint: not at all ...more
I have loved every single Beatriz Williams novel I have ever read, be it with her fellow authors Karen White and Lauren Willig or solo, she never disaI have loved every single Beatriz Williams novel I have ever read, be it with her fellow authors Karen White and Lauren Willig or solo, she never disappoints. Husbands & Lovers was no different though I did have my doubts in the beginning. Despite the dual timelines of Mallory and Hannah, it moved pretty slowly for me until I had about a quarter of the book left which is when all of the secrets started coming out. Both timelines then started getting really intense and I liked that Williams added a couple more POV's at the end as well. I wouldn’t necessarily have needed them, but I loved them. ...more
I adore Kate White and I've been making great progress on getting through her backlist while reading the new releases. I was excited to dive into The I adore Kate White and I've been making great progress on getting through her backlist while reading the new releases. I was excited to dive into The Last Time She Saw Him and I was not disappointed! I was drawn into the story from the very first page, and I had no issues with it holding my attention. There was quite a bit going on, and while Kiki is sleuthing Jamie’s death, there is another facet this brings to the book. And there is a rescue pup that stole the show! He was a highlight for me, and I love that White always throws a cute animal into the mix.
The audiobook is narrated by Kimberly M. Wetherell & Brad Holbrook with Wetherell voicing Kiki and Holbrook voicing a mystery man who is not revealed until the end. I really enjoyed both of them and they provided me with a wonderful listening experience. White’s books are always quick and easy reads and The Last Time She Saw Him was no different. I definitely didn’t have this one completely figured out, and it would make a great beach read since it goes so quickly!...more
I will be honest, The Bachelor is one of the few reality shows that I'm not into, but boy did I love the concepBook Rating: 4.5/5 Audiobook Rating: 3/5
I will be honest, The Bachelor is one of the few reality shows that I'm not into, but boy did I love the concept in My Royal Showmance by Lexi Blake. This is the second book in the Park Avenue Promise series, and I love the group of female friends the series is based on. Even though I read Start Us Up almost a year ago, I had no problem jumping into this one since the series is based on individual characters. I loved our headstrong and confident but maybe too trusting FMC Anika, and I was glad to see Blake taking on the topic of sexual harassment, especially in a world with songs like Woman's World by Katy Perry and the mess that is Harvey Weinstein.
I listened to the audiobook which is what I did with the first book, and I don’t know if she was having an off day but I was not a fan of Kitty Bang’s narration as much as I was the first time around. She had such long pauses even when I was on 3x speed, and I have no idea if that was actually her issue or an editing issue, but it was not something I was happy with. Her narration was excellent at other times though, and I still loved the book despite this. If you are a fan of reality TV (especially shows like The Bachelor) and want a laugh-out-loud, empowering, and sweet read My Royal Showmance is definitely all of those things and more. I loved the touch of German thrown in and the romance was ...more
It's time for another edition of #BookstagramMadeMeDoIt courtesy of The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic! I was seeing this debut all over IG and It's time for another edition of #BookstagramMadeMeDoIt courtesy of The Hunter's Daughter by Nicola Solvinic! I was seeing this debut all over IG and I knew I had to read it. It has a paranormal aspect that I found incredibly interesting, and the suspense was the perfect amount! Anna made for a bit of an unreliable narrator, so I was never quite sure what was going on until we got to the very end. The murders she has to investigate are disturbing and having her be a serial killer's daughter on top of that was pretty wild.
Samantha Desz is the narrator for the audiobook, and I thought she did a wonderful job with the audio. Her pacing was spot on the entire time, and she was easy to listen to on a 3x speed. I also felt as though she brought the horrors of the book to life perfectly. The ending was a little out of the ordinary, so if you are looking for something that could happen IRL, this probably isn't it. However, The Hunter's Daughter is a thrilling ride that I was glued to, and I would definitely recommend it to readers who enjoy some paranormal with their serial killer thrillers!...more
I don't even know quite what to say about One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon, other than this was a heck of a lot different than InstAudiobook Rating: 5/5
I don't even know quite what to say about One of Our Kind by Nicola Yoon, other than this was a heck of a lot different than Instructions for Dancing which is the only other book of hers I have read. Set in what I would call a dystopian world, Jasmyn and her husband move the family to a utopia in California to escape the crime and injustice of the world and thrive with other like-minded families. I was hooked immediately, and it gave me creepy Stepford Wives vibes throughout. I loved Jasmyn’s character and feared like crazy for her once she decided something suspicious was going on in Liberty and wanted to figure out what it is. Yoon tackles lots of social issues in this novel and puts race and class front and center.
The audiobook ended up being my favorite part of the book and I thought Nicole Lewis was fantastic. I have heard her narration before, and she never disappoints. I thought she really nailed the emotions Jasmyn undergoes in this story, and she made One of Our Kind an incredible listening experience. The end of the novel is where things really took a turn for me, and I was just not happy with the resolution. That last chapter killed me and didn’t sit the right way after all we went through to get to the end. It was definitely shocking though so the shock value was there for sure. While this won’t be for everyone and didn’t blow me away, I still found it to be a solid and suspenseful read that covered very important topics.
Thank you to the publisher and Libro.fm for my complimentary listening copy of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own....more
I am a sucker for a good cover, and I didn't even have to read the synopsis to be sold on Where Are You, Echo Blue? by Hayley Krischer. Turns out thisI am a sucker for a good cover, and I didn't even have to read the synopsis to be sold on Where Are You, Echo Blue? by Hayley Krischer. Turns out this author has 2 YA books, but this is her adult debut, and it definitely made me want to go back and read her others (plus whatever she writes next of course). I loved the way the viewpoints were structured going back and forth between Goldie and Echo Blue all the way until we find out exactly what happened. I felt bad for Goldie and that girl's obsession since childhood with Echo needed some professional help, but I was relieved that she grew by the end of the story.
The audiobook was killer for me with Helen Laser and Alex McKenna as the narrators. I loved them both so much, and they each narrated their characters perfectly making it a very enjoyable listening experience. Dare I say, I would recommend the audio over the book; that's how much I loved it. ...more
When I saw the cover of The Winner by Teddy Wayne I totally thought it was going to be a thriller. The truth of the matter is that it was more li4.5/5
When I saw the cover of The Winner by Teddy Wayne I totally thought it was going to be a thriller. The truth of the matter is that it was more literary fiction with a hint of mystery of the will he or won't he variety. I can't even remember where or why I saw this book, but I am so glad I did because I ended up completely devouring it. No one in the story is likable, and frankly, what Conor does is super gross, but I just could not look away. The plot was character-driven in my opinion which usually means the pacing is slower, but not this time! It moved at a very steady clip, and I was captured by the suspense that develops and holds fast to the end.
I did listen to the audiobook which is narrated by Charlie Thurston, and I thought he did an excellent job. He made me feel very connected to Conor's character and even though I should have hated him, I didn't. I am going to chalk that up to Thurston's expertise and performance. I was really worried about what kind of ending I would get from The Winner, and while I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about it, I'm not mad at it either. I felt a lot of emotions during this book, and it was completely wild at the same time. I've never read Wayne before and now I'm really curious about his other work which seems totally different!...more
I guess I've been living under a rock because I had never heard of Ann Hood prior to seeing The Stolen Child in my library's catalog. I am going to beI guess I've been living under a rock because I had never heard of Ann Hood prior to seeing The Stolen Child in my library's catalog. I am going to be checking out her backlist now as this is one of the most moving works of fiction I have ever read. There are multiple timelines and multiple viewpoints that left me wondering how everything would tie together, but of course it did, and in the best possible way. I loved the mysteriousness of the plot as well as the found family element, and Nick was giving me serious Ove vibes which I also loved. The romance at the end felt a teensy bit rushed but I was glad to see a happy ending after crying my eyes out.
The audiobook is narrated by Jefferson Mays and even though there are female viewpoints in the book, I loved him all the same. He nailed every single emotional moment so much so that now I can’t even imagine what I would have done with a full cast. I also learned about interesting aspects of World War I like art found in the trenches which is a piece of history I didn’t know. The climax quite literally blew my mind and broke my heart at the same time. If you enjoy historical fiction, romance, and mystery all bundled together this is the book for you!...more
I saw a lot of hype on #Bookstagram over How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley, and I can tell you without a doubt it is worth every bit of hype itI saw a lot of hype on #Bookstagram over How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley, and I can tell you without a doubt it is worth every bit of hype it has gotten. I loved our merry band of senior citizens with Lydia at the helm, and even though it isn't really a mystery, it gave me strong Thursday Murder Club vibes right down to the multiple viewpoints. And speaking of that, there is only 1 narrator for the audiobook as well! So many similarities but also a lot of differences, and I loved this heartwarming romp of a book.
The narrator for the audio is Clare Corbett whom I have listened to and loved before, and she was the perfect fit for How to Age Disgracefully. Always easy to understand, her narration was also expertly executed, and I could feel every emotion the characters were feeling. Daphne was my favorite character of them all, and I adored her feisty and intelligent personality. The hint of mysteriousness, amazing cast of characters, heartfelt and funny moments, and general badassery made this a huge winner for me and I can't wait to read more from Pooley! ...more
When I think about young adult as a genre, I always consider these books to have people still in their teens in them. However, based on the actual worWhen I think about young adult as a genre, I always consider these books to have people still in their teens in them. However, based on the actual words being in the book, I would categorize Attached at the Hip by Christine Riccio as YA... maybe new adult? This was a rom-com that takes Survivor and mixes it with romance. Orie is not my favorite character, she is pretty dramatic and at times rather annoying (screechy is the word that comes to mind), but her naivete felt very authentic to her age of early 20s and I still had a whole lot of fun watching this story play out.
I almost forgot the narrator for the audiobook is Brittany Pressley, maybe because I have never heard her have to narrate a character whose voice went up so many octaves, but she brought it! She completely epitomized Orie's character and I loved her for it. The drama of the TV show aspect as well as the focus on family made this such an interesting read, and I loved those elements the most. There is a little twist in here that I wasn't expecting but really enjoyed, and I was really happy with Orie's growth as well. Attached at the Hip is a great read for someone looking to escape from reality for a minute and a bonus if you enjoy pop culture references!
I received an advanced listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
Kimberly Belle has been one of my favorite authors ever since I read and loved Dear Wife, and I love how varied and interesting her plot lines are. ThKimberly Belle has been one of my favorite authors ever since I read and loved Dear Wife, and I love how varied and interesting her plot lines are. The Paris Widow is set in Paris as the title suggests, with Stella and Adam as our main characters/viewpoints. I can't say I actually loved either of these people, and my favorite character in the entire book was definitely Kat though she doesn't get too much page time. Stella irritated me for much of the book (which could also have been because of the narrator for the audio), but the storyline ended up getting completely wild and the pace is fast and never quits.
The audiobook features Patrick Zeller voicing Adam while Marni Penning voices Stella. I had no issues with Zeller, but Penning is very screechy which is a complaint I had with her narration for Johanna Porter Is Not Sorry. I think that influenced how I felt about Stella's character as a whole, and I just wish she would have calmed it down a bit since I love her voice besides that. I am going to start paying more attention to audiobooks with her as the narrator, and I am seriously considering going back and reading The Paris Widow with my eyes at some point. I loved the Paris setting as well as the nonstop action, and the end completely blew my mind. This is another winner from the amazing Kimberly Belle, and I can’t wait to see what she cooks up next.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
Ok so hear me out. Seven Summers is my first time reading Paige Toon although for some reason I thought I had read (and loved) her before. Ok so hear me out. Seven Summers is my first time reading Paige Toon although for some reason I thought I had read (and loved) her before. ...more
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