When I saw Good Boy by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen I thought it was a new book, but in fact it is a book that initially came out in 2017 and was repWhen I saw Good Boy by Elle Kennedy and Sarina Bowen I thought it was a new book, but in fact it is a book that initially came out in 2017 and was reprinted with a new cover. I love when spicy books come out with illustrated covers, and I never would have picked this up based on the original. I am a sucker for a cute cover, but don’t let this one fool you because the spice starts immediately, and Blake has a very dirty mind. There is lots of dirty talk (at least on his end) but I loved how the spice was blended with some serious elements.
I loved the audiobook and was a huge fan of Teddy Hamilton and Tanya Eby as the narrators. I love Hamilton as it is, but he was perfection as the voice of Blake, and I though Eby complemented Jess’s character nicely. Good Boy is the start of the WAGs series but it looks like it is a spin-off of another by the same authors. I didn’t feel lost at all, and it worked well as a standalone. Even though there are two authors, Kennedy and Bowen made everything seamless and it never felt like 2 people wrote it. I loved the characters and will definitely be reading more from this duo!
I have no idea why it took me so long to read Don't Look for Me by Wendy Walker, and I can see why this is one of her top-rated novels! I already loveI have no idea why it took me so long to read Don't Look for Me by Wendy Walker, and I can see why this is one of her top-rated novels! I already love how pacy and bingeable her books are, but this was also off the charts suspenseful, and I especially loved the dual viewpoints between Molly and her daughter Nicole. The twists left me reeling and I ended up with my jaw on the floor because I did NOT see the climax coming. Not even a little bit.
I listened to the audiobook which is narrated by Thérèse Plummer and as usual she was a joy to listen to. It would have been nice to have a viewpoint for both the mom and daughter, but I loved Plummer's narration all the same and thought she was the perfect choice to voice the audio. Don't Look for Me is very mysterious, and the tension builds all the way until that earth shaking ending. This is now my favorite book by Walker!
Thank you to the publishers for my advanced listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own....more
John Marrs has such an interesting mind, and I love these wild and crazy books he creates. The Family Experiment is set in the same world as The PasseJohn Marrs has such an interesting mind, and I love these wild and crazy books he creates. The Family Experiment is set in the same world as The Passengers, The Marriage Act, The One, etc., and I'm really glad I started at the beginning of publication with those books to fully appreciate the dystopian world-building that is going on across the board. There are also easter eggs that are not to be missed throughout! The Family Experiment looked at what could happen if we had the ability to create AI children in a metaverse and using a VR headset actually parent these children. It happens in an accelerated timeframe on reality TV, but the concept is there and it's scary to think about with AI being so prominent these days.
The layout of the book screams for a full cast on the audiobook, so I was happy that that is exactly what we got! Clare Corbett, Clifford Samuel, Eilidh Beaton, Joshua Riley, Justin Avoth, Thomas Judd, & Nneka Okoye all did an incredible job and even though there are a lot of characters, I think the audio is the way to go and I was never confused. Along with mixed media that brought fantastic sound effects with the audio, we also have viewpoints from the various couples as well as others. There were some great jaw-dropping moments and twisty twists, and it made me think about that Tamagotchi I had a million years ago as a kid. If you enjoy dystopian worlds, thrillers, sci-fi, and a dash of speculative fiction this is the book for you, and I highly recommend starting with the oldest publication dates and working your way through!
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
Christmas Camp Wedding by Karen Schaler was such an adorable continuation to Christmas Camp and I'm so glad Schaler decided to keep Haley and Jeff's story going. This short novella was the perfect length and was laugh-out-loud funny. I loved the addition of Trisha (Jeff's ex) as the wedding planner, and of course everything that could go wrong does which made the book even better (you'll see what I mean). The end made me excited that there might be more of these books coming, and I would love a continuation of this series! It has the best characters and each book is heartwarming and entertaining. This has some serious Hallmark vibes as well, and it was the perfect, quick read for around Christmas. There was no audio, but the novella was super short and it's such a quick read that I didn't mind not having it. If you loved Christmas Camp, then I have a feeling you love Christmas Camp Wedding as well!
Merged review:
Song/s the book brought to mind: Here Tonight by Brett Young
Christmas Camp Wedding by Karen Schaler was such an adorable continuation to Christmas Camp and I'm so glad Schaler decided to keep Haley and Jeff's story going. This short novella was the perfect length and was laugh-out-loud funny. I loved the addition of Trisha (Jeff's ex) as the wedding planner, and of course everything that could go wrong does which made the book even better (you'll see what I mean). The end made me excited that there might be more of these books coming, and I would love a continuation of this series! It has the best characters and each book is heartwarming and entertaining. This has some serious Hallmark vibes as well, and it was the perfect, quick read for around Christmas. There was no audio, but the novella was super short and it's such a quick read that I didn't mind not having it. If you loved Christmas Camp, then I have a feeling you love Christmas Camp Wedding as well!...more
I was a huge fan of The Last Story of Mina Lee, so I was excited to see what Nancy Jooyoun Kim's sophomore novel What We Kept to Ourselves would bringI was a huge fan of The Last Story of Mina Lee, so I was excited to see what Nancy Jooyoun Kim's sophomore novel What We Kept to Ourselves would bring. This was a slow-burn character-driven work of literary fiction with a mystery element, and while I loved the end and the twists, I don't think it needed to be almost 400 pages. It also moved too slowly for my liking and felt repetitive, but only as far as the same topics being brought up repeatedly. I did appreciate the subject of Agent Orange, and knowing someone who was in the Vietnam War and hearing stories about it previously, made that part really stand out for me even though that piece was relatively small.
I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed Jennifer Kim as the narrator, but I would have appreciated a full cast for the various viewpoints. That wasn't a huge deal for me, but something I want to point out all the same. Honestly, I was close to a DNF multiple times, but the audiobook kept me going and I HAD to find out what happened with Sunny. I will admit that my attention wandered quite a bit almost the entire time I was listening to What We Kept to Ourselves, but in no way should this stop you from reading. I am definitely in the minority here and did enjoy multiple things including the exploration of secrets. If you enjoy slow burns and character studies with a focus on other cultures, I would still recommend giving this a go.
Thank you to the publishers and Libro.fm for my complimentary listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own....more
I became instantly obsessed with Grace Reilly after reading First Down and I knew I had to read the rest of the series. Breakaway is book 2 of the BeyI became instantly obsessed with Grace Reilly after reading First Down and I knew I had to read the rest of the series. Breakaway is book 2 of the Beyond the Play series, and while this can be read completely as a standalone, I prefer reading in order and I liked the nod to characters from the previous book. This was a particularly spicy read, but the scenes were perfection, and I thought they were done very well. I was expecting it to be a bit funnier than it actually was, making this more of a contemporary romance than romcom.
The audiobook was everything I could have hoped for, and Brian Meslar & Faith Clark were fantastic narrators. I especially loved the dual narration during the texting between Cooper and Penny, and it's that something extra that can truly make a good audiobook great. Highly recommend! The best part of all was no third act breakup and this couple actually communicated like they should. It was steamy and heartwarming, and the reason behind that sex bucket list was ...more
I loved Holly James' 2023 release The Deja Glitch, so I was super excited to get Name Your Price! I am a Reality TV fan, and I thought it was such a gI loved Holly James' 2023 release The Deja Glitch, so I was super excited to get Name Your Price! I am a Reality TV fan, and I thought it was such a great idea for James to take this storyline into a TV show about people doing things they REALLY don't want to do for prize money. I loved Olivia and Chuck even when they were fighting, and their chemistry was off the charts. There is a dab of spice in the book but mostly it was a rom-com with forced proximity and lots of sexual tension. ...more
The Drowning House was a weird one for me, which was especially sad because I LOVE Cherie Priest's series The Booking Agents. This was definitely a veThe Drowning House was a weird one for me, which was especially sad because I LOVE Cherie Priest's series The Booking Agents. This was definitely a very far departure from that kind of cozy crime mystery, and it had all the witchy, eerie, and gothic vibes that make for a perfect fall read. However, I thought the pacing got bogged down by the inclusion of the 1985 timeline as well as the other viewpoints minus one at the very end. I would have been perfectly fine staying in the present time exclusively from Melissa's viewpoint.
The audiobook is narrated by Mara Wilson, and I thought she did an excellent job of heightening the seclusion and creepiness of the storyline. I love an isolated location and the setting at an exceptionally spooky house on a rural beach was perfection. Wilson is probably what kept this from being a DNF for me and in between the disjointedness I felt and some aspects that were just plain bizarre (I kept thinking wth as I was listening), it was mostly a miss for me. That being said I know some readers will truly love it, so I wouldn't let my review stop you and there were many elements I did love.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
It has been entirely too long since I read a book by Jackie Lau, so when I saw Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie was coming out, I knew I had to read i4.25/5
It has been entirely too long since I read a book by Jackie Lau, so when I saw Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie was coming out, I knew I had to read it. The story is told from the viewpoints of both Emily and Mark, though the majority is through Emily’s POV. I really enjoyed this aspect as well as how each chapter started with a quote of some sort that would apply to the chapter. This romance features my favorite trope of fake dating and made me laugh several times while also getting me in my feels. As it should.
The audiobook is narrated by Catherine Ho & Feodor Chin and Ho is one of my favorites while Chin was a new narrator for me. I loved them together for Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie, and they made so much sense to be the voices of Emily and Mark. Family is a large part of the storyline, and I could see why Emily’s mom was driving her up the wall, but it was super sweet too. I totally teared up at the end and I couldn’t get enough of the phenomenal banter and Mark’s cat. ...more
I've probably said it before but I will say it again: I have not met a Robyn Harding book I haven't liked, and I was dying to read The Haters. This liI've probably said it before but I will say it again: I have not met a Robyn Harding book I haven't liked, and I was dying to read The Haters. This lived up to every expectation I could have had for it, and it completely blew my mind! ...more
I will read everything Emily Giffin writes, hands down, no question, no reading the synopsis. So, I had no idea what The Summer Pact was going to be aI will read everything Emily Giffin writes, hands down, no question, no reading the synopsis. So, I had no idea what The Summer Pact was going to be about or just how moving it was going to be. Essentially (and I think this is important to know) it is about three friends who make a pact to always come to each other when they are feeling down/depressed after their other friend commits suicide. This later leads them to come together after Hannah makes a very startling discovery about her fiancé. I loved the friendship theme of this book and there are many heartbreaking moments layered on top of humor and camaraderie that you just don't find anywhere except your true friends.
I loved the audiobook, and I thought Karissa Vacker, Alex McKenna & JD Jackson were the perfect narrators for Hannah, Lainey, and Tyson. I normally listen at a 3x speed, but because I was on the PRHA app I could only be at a 2x, and man was I glad these narrators were so on point. Some voice actors are brutal to listen to at a 2x, but not Vacker, McKenna, and Jackson! They were perfection in every way and definitely enhanced my experience. Also though, McKenna's narration of Hannah as Lainey made her sound extremely whiny, and it made me LOL. This was a very dark read which I wasn't expecting, so don't let that cute sunshiny cover fool you!
I received an advance listening copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
I love Ellery Lloyd but I have to say I was a little hesitant going into The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby. I heard there were a lot of characters I love Ellery Lloyd but I have to say I was a little hesitant going into The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby. I heard there were a lot of characters on top of time jumps, and I was very worried I would get confused especially since I was listening to the audio. It turns out I had absolutely nothing to worry about and I loved this captivating tale full of dirty laundry and revenge. I love when art takes center stage in a novel even though I know nothing about it, and that is certainly what happened here. I wish it had been an even larger part of the storyline, but as it was, I still loved it.
Nneka Okoye, Joshua Akehurst & Eleanor Jackson narrate the audiobook and I have to say I enjoyed each one immensely. I loved that Juliette, Caroline, and Patrick all got a voice in this book, and I would say I actually enjoyed Juliette's POV the most. I also loved how they each tied together, and this is a complex plot with lots of moving parts. This author duo never disappoints, and I felt like The Final Act of Juliette Willoughby was different from their other work but just as well executed. I heard this was a follow-up to The Club but honestly, I have zero idea how. I would say you definitely don't need to read that first to get this one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own....more
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
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
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
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