5/5 stars ★★★★★

https://amzn.to/48WXT8m

The Final Orchard by CJ Rivera is going to be a huge hit! If you are a fan of The Fourth Wing series, The Maze Runner series or the show “The Black Mirror,” then you are going to love this book too. I can’t believe that this is Rivera’s debut novel. It is extremely well written. The cover alone made me want to read it.

About The Book:

Have you ever thought about what bionic enhancements could eventually do to our future? Will it have a positive or a negative affect on our lives? Dr. Rosio Arata, a scientific researcher, takes her life’s work seriously. However, when her daughter dies in an accident, her career changes drastically. The organic enhancements take on a life of their own.

Eighteen-year-old, Ever, has been raised in an underground colony to become a Saviour. Her life goal is to overcome the “Others” on the Surface in order to save her colony. Her goal also takes on a life of its own.

How will these bionic enhancements affect the life of each woman? Read the book and find out!

My Thoughts On The Book:

I loved this book! It is one I will recommend to others for a while. Following the stories of each woman was exciting, and I read through the book quickly. I couldn’t wait to find out what would happen next. It’s the kind of book where you aren’t sure how it’s going to end.

The characters are well-written and believable. I cheered on so many of the characters, and I wasn’t sure who was the antagonist at times.

There are themes of friendship, love, family, evil, and scientific advancements. I would recommend it for 13 years and up.

I hope that this book will be made into a movie. I would definitely buy a ticket!

If you want to buy the book, and of course you will, you can get it here: https://amzn.to/48WXT8m

If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/

Thank you to NetGalley, Angry Robot, and CJ Rivera for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.

4/5 stars ★★★★☆

https://amzn.to/3YYWJG2

Everyone has secrets. If you’re a celebrity, those secrets are hard to keep. If you’re an author, you can TRY to rewrite your narrative, but those skeletons in the closet always come out. A Very Bad Thing by J.T. Ellison is a thriller that keeps you guessing about what lies will actually be unveiled.

About The Book:

Celebrated author, Columbia Jones, has a lot of secrets. She is much beloved by her fans, but they don’t really know the real Columbia Jones. Her daughter, Darian, becomes mixed up in Columbia’s lies. Riley, the reporter hired to write Columbia’s story, also becomes entangled without knowing it. However, when a die-hard cop, a relentless reporter, and a fan become involved, those secrets start to unravel.

My Thoughts On the Book:

The story line of A Very Bad Thing kept me guessing. There were enough subplots to keep me interested, and the book tied up well at the end. My only criticism is it felt a little long to me. I think the book could have been shorter, and still had the same effect. That being said, I still recommend reading it if you enjoy thrillers. I enjoy a book with enough twists. It also should have connections to random characters that make you eager to see the ending. This book had both of those.

I gave this book four out of 5 stars. You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/3YYWJG2

If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/

Than you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and J.T. Ellison for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.

https://amzn.to/48bvMSe

4/5 stars ★★★★☆

If you love the Harry Bosch television series, along with Bosch Legacy, then you will like The Waiting as well. It’s like watching Bosch or the Lincoln Lawyer, but this time, Renee Ballard is the key character. I don’t know how Michael Connelly does it, but all of his books are a slam dunk.

About The Book:

Renee is a detective and the head of the LAPD Open-Unsolved Unit in CA. Her day starts out great as she is surfing in the Pacific Ocean. Then it goes downhill when her badge, gun, and ID are stolen out of her car. This one acts takes us on the journey of three unsolved cases. Surprisingly, one of them is the real-life case of The Black Dahlia, the missing case of Elizabeth Short. I thought it was pretty brave of Connelly to include a real case.

My favorite parts of the book were when Harry Bosch entered the scene. Also, Maddie, his daughter, takes on a leading role, just like in Bosch Legacy. Maddie is just like she is in the television show. She is following in her father’s footsteps and wants to become a detective.

My Thoughts On The Book:

This is definitely an easy read. I liked learning more about Renee Ballard and her personal life. Connelly does a great job of showing what it’s like to live in LA (the good and the bad). Most importantly, though, I found it fascinating what detectives go through to solve cold cases. Detectives need to follow specific steps for a chain-in-command. It was also interesting to read about some of the technology available to them today. Renee’s team of people on the Open-Unsolved Unit made the story interesting and added to the story line.

I read this book quickly. I wanted to find out if the cases were going to be solved or not. It is definitely worth getting. You might also like these other books by Connelly: The Lincoln Lawyer and Resurrection Walk.

I gave this book four out of five stars.

If you would like to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/

Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown and Company, and Michael Connelly for my free copy. This is my honest review.

You can buy this book at: https://amzn.to/3Y6md2u

4/5 stars ★★★★☆

Can you imagine becoming a runaway bride? Then, you have everything stolen by your sister. Finally, you learn you are now in charge of the niece you didn’t know you had…all in one day? Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score is a captivating rom-com story. We follow Naomi as she navigates this challenging part of her life.

About The Book:

Things We Never Got Over is a rom-com that kept me laughing throughout the book. Naomi is a feisty female who ends up in a small town filled with the best characters. Her love-hate relationship with Knox (you have to love that name) develops throughout the story. She takes on her abandoned teenage niece, Waylay, and works on forming a relationship with her. This isn’t always easy to do with a teenager on a good day!

My Thoughts On The Book:

This is such a cute, romance book that kept me interested throughout the whole book. Since Netflix is developing this into series, you know it has to be good. I loved the back and forth between Naomi and the people in this small town. I would totally hang out with Naomi. She went from being in HR to working a bar and raising a young human.

Do I Recommend This Book?

I do! If you are looking for a nice book to just read on vacation or need some romance in your life, then this is the book for you. I would compare this book to The Rom-Commers and Forever Never. Things We Never Got Over is the first of the three books in the Knockemout series by Lucy Score. Right now, the book is over 40% off on Amazon. I gave this book four out of five stars.

You can find more of my book reviews at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/

https://www.amazon.com/dp/194563183X?ref=t_ac_view_request_product_image&campaignId=amzn1.campaign.3DP0MTQGO9L0I&linkCode=tr1&tag=tbdteacher-20&linkId=amzn1.campaign.3DP0MTQGO9L0I_1727983026383

*I do earn a commission if you buy this book from this link. Help a girl out. 🙂

5/5 stars ★★★★★

https://amzn.to/4gMPUhJ

Have you ever met a character in a book that you wish you could sit down with? Have a cup of tea and a cookie? The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston is a book that I didn’t want to end. I’m mourning the fact that Fred isn’t a part of my reading anymore.

About The Book:

Frederick Fife is an 82-year-old man who has known and lost love. He became homeless, and didn’t have any family to help him out. Because of a mistaken identity, he ends up living in the Wattle River Nursing Home. Let the shenanigans begin!

Why I Loved This Book:

This book made me laugh out loud so many times. I don’t know how Anna Johnston did it. She was able to take serious topics like dementia and nursing homes, and turn it into a humorous book. She also showed the difficulties of a sad disease as well.

This is definitely a feel-good book, but it also shows the harsh realities of overworked carers in a nursing home. As a reader, we experienced the lives of some of those carers (or caregivers as they are also called). Fred touches the lives of those carers. His kindness shows that it’s never too late to make a difference in someone’s life.

The characters that Fred lived with were my favorite parts of the book. Patricia always made me laugh, and the love between Val and Albert is something to strive for in life.

This book reminded me a lot of The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride and A Man Called Ove. They are all heartwarming stories where the main character sticks with you. I wish I had a Frederick Fife in my life.

Do I Recommend This Book?

I HIGHLY recommend this book. It’s like a nice, warm hug while reading it. I gave this book five out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow, and Anna Johnston for a free copy of this book. This is my honest review.

If you would like to read more of my reviews, you can find them at: judiholst.com/book-reviews/

https://amzn.to/3XHr3mx

4/5 stars ★★★★☆

https://amzn.to/3Zyy1g9

My favorite type of historical fiction books are ones that teach me about a subject in which I have no knowledge. Little Souls by Sandra Dallas did just that. I mean, did you learn much about the Spanish Flu in the US during WWI? I had no idea how it was so akin to COVID and all that we just experienced.

About The Book:

“Little Souls” refers to “…the poor, the homeless, the common people nobody ever notices.  In truth, it applies to all of us.  We’re all lost little souls.” (p 36)

Sisters Helen and Lutie move to Denver, Colorado, in 1918, after both of their parents have died. Both get a job, boyfriends, and life is going well, until it isn’t. They fight to keep an orphaned young girl, Dorothy, as part of their family.

My Thoughts:

I LOVED that this book took place in Denver, Colorado. It was fun to picture the places that they talked about. I even learned that some places existed back then that I thought were more current, such as Elitch Gardens (which I now know opened in 1890). Sandra Dallas does a great job of creating characters that are believable. She not only focuses on the two main characters and their story line, but the sub-plots are just as interesting.

It was crazy to read about the Spanish Flu or “the influenza” as they referred to it in the book. It was like she used the same events as COVID. There were face masks, stores shutting down, people stopped hugging and doing handshakes. It was one of the deadliest times in American history. I probably found this book more interesting since I have lived through something similar now.

If you like books that take place in US history, you will enjoy this book. You can tell that Dallas did her research about a topic that isn’t talked a lot about in history classrooms.

I gave this book four out of five stars. I enjoyed the sister’s relationship, the romance, and the historical parts of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Griffin, and Sandra Dallas for a free copy of this book. This is my honest review.

If you would like to read more of my reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/

You can buy this book at: https://amzn.to/3Zyy1g9

4/5 stars ★★★★☆

https://amzn.to/3B50xvH

If you are looking for a badass female character, then Target Acquired by Lynette Eason should be your next read. The book is filled with suspense and action. It also has some romance and light Christianity thrown in.

Kenzie is medic on the SWAT team filled with men, and not everyone is happy about it. In fact, someone is trying to get her to quit or kill her. Cole, her SWAT team leader, is NOT one of those people. He wants her closer, not far away.

My Thoughts:

This was an easy read. It is told from the viewpoints of both Kenzie and Cole, and they are both very likable characters. It has some action, romance, friendship, and I appreciated the parts that showed Cole’s strong faith.

It is the second book in the series, but it is a stand-alone book. There are parts that flash back to a woman in a mental hospital in the 1940s. I thought that part of history was interesting to read, but it also wasn’t a necessary part of the book.

It definitely isn’t a thriller, but it was an enjoyable story line. If you like books by Dani Pettrey or Kristen Heitzmann, you would enjoy this one also. Both authors write Christian romance books.

I gave this book four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Revell, and Lynette Eason for my free copy of the book. This is my honest review.

If you would like to read more book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/

4/5 stars ★★★★☆

https://amzn.to/3MOJK2w

“Joy is fleeting. Nothing lasts. That’s exactly what courage is. Knowing all that going in – and going in anyway.”

This line really stuck with me as I read the book What You Wish For by Katherine Center. I have a tendency to want to play life safely because I know that joy won’t always last. That scares me.

This book started as a slow burn, true to most romance novels. Soon enough, I was happy that it also started to deal with real-life issues.

I loved the character of Sam, the librarian at an elementary school. Center made her character realistic with a tough childhood, a long-lost romance, along with having epilepsy. I also liked Duncan. I easily pictured him as both a teacher and later an administrator. Both were very likable characters.

I found myself highlighting so many of Center’s phrases more towards the end of the book. Another one of my favorite lines is “…joy was cumulative. That it wasn’t about finding one big thing – but about collecting as many tiny pieces as you could.” It made me think. My sisters and I always say that joy is about the small things in life. Sam learned that she needed to focus on the small things that bring her joy. These included drinking tea, taking walks on the beach and wearing bright colors.

What You Wish For is a romance novel. However, there are some triggers that I wasn’t expecting. These include school shootings and grief of a loved one. Center did a great job of dealing with both of these issues in her book.

I gave this book four out of five stars. I’m becoming a fan of Center’s books, and I look forward to reading more.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Katherine Center for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.

If you would like to read more of my reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/