If you would like more details about books with the synopsis, author information and my thoughts on other books, check out my “Book Tours” page.
Check out my recent book reviews below:
Catherine Ryan Hyde’s Michael Without Apology
07.15.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
Ever since I read Pay It Forward, I knew Catherine Ryan Hyde would become a favorite author of mine. Michael Without Apology didn’t disappoint! Hyde’s amazing ability to portray characters in a realistic fashion is her strength; she truly knows how to tug on a reader’s heartstrings. Almost everyone can relate to a theme or two in her books.
★★★★★
To read more about the book: https://amzn.to/40NLhgQ
Published on: May 6, 2025
My Thoughts on Michael Without Apology:
This book immediately resonated with my own experiences with self-image. (Honestly, I’d like to meet anyone who hasn’t grappled with it!) Like Michael, who carries a scar from a childhood firework incident that has affected him his entire life, I also have an obvious scar that runs from my nose to my chin. It is the people Michael meets throughout the story who truly help him reflect on how to live his life “without apology.”
Catherine Ryan Hyde’s storytelling is masterful. Aside from his birth parents, I genuinely loved every character in this book. Madeline, in particular, was my favorite. Even through her own pain from a double-mastectomy, she taught Michael the profound importance of loving and accepting yourself as you are.
As a film student, Michael’s journey also brought me back to my own college days. I could relate to the profound impact of finding that one mentor who changes your way of thinking. I especially loved reading about Michael’s first day in Mr. Dunning’s class, and how the professor presented himself to his students. Mr. Dunning taught Michael to confront his image head-on and not let it hinder him from truly enjoying life.
Quotes From Michael Without Apology:
I saved so many quotes throughout this book. This is how I know when a book really speaks to me. Here are a few of my favorites:
** “We always think that about other people. We see them from the outside and think if we had their problems we’d be happy. But if we had their problems we wouldn’t be on the outside of them anymore, and we’d likely feel the way they feel.”
It’s so easy to be envious of someone’s seemingly perfect life, isn’t it? But as this quote reminds us, appearances are deceiving. It’s a powerful call to look inward, appreciate our own journey, and rejoice in our unique blessings.
** When Mr. Dunning was talking about his own scars, he said, “It’s not a secret. It’s not a scandal. It’s not a moral failing on my part. It just is.” He also said, “Your life will be your own when you can do what I did today. Stand in front of whatever small segment of the world you find yourself facing and say ‘Here I am. Get used to it.’ That’s when you’ll truly be free.”
There are many times that I sit and try to figure out how to cover the scar on my face. There are times I want to turn down invitations to do things because of my insecurities. I need to remember the sentence, “It just is.”
** “Live like living means something. Like you’re lucky to have the chance.”
I want to have this sentence put on a t-shirt. “Live like you’re lucky to have the chance.” I mean, aren’t we lucky to be alive? It’s not always rosy, but the alternative is not my first choice. I want to live like I’m lucky!
** “That when two people love each other and one of them dies, the love goes on living.”
Okay, this one broke me. I had to take a moment, put the book down, and reflect. If you have ever had someone die that you have loved, you can understand.
Final Thoughts:
I highly recommend this book. It made me smile, cry, think, reflect, and it also made me want to hug my loved ones. This book will stay with me for a while. I also listened to part of it on audio, and it was just as good. I can’t wait to read Hyde’s next book.
Where To Buy The Book and More:
- Purchase Michael Without Apology here: https://amzn.to/4lwmmH9 (affiliate link)
- Other Catherine Ryan Hyde books I recommend:
- Life, Loss and Puffins: https://amzn.to/4kGT730 (affiliate link)
- Pay It Forward: https://amzn.to/3IwBfuj (affiliate link)
- Catherine’s website: https://www.catherineryanhyde.com/
- Read more of my book reviews: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
- Missed my Top Books of 2024? Find them here: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/
Thank you to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Catherine Ryan Hyde for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
Now, I’d love to hear from you: How can you live your life without apology? How can we encourage others to stop apologizing for the things they cannot change? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Sins of an Interstellar Species: A Unique Sci-Fi Exploration by Jacob Hefner
07.06.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
Pretend you are an alien and just crashed to Earth accidentally. You see the destruction of Earth and how it goes against the pacifist ways among your own species. Would you want to help humanity enter the galaxy, if it meant you could return home? Is it worth the possible destruction that humans could bring with them? Sins of an Interstellar Species by Jacob Hefner made me ponder this question and more.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
To read more about this book: https://amzn.to/45Wu6NC
“A character-driven sci-fi novel about grief, morality, and the fragile line between survival and regret.“
Published on: June 27th, 2025
What I Liked About Sins of an Interstellar Species:
Let me put this out there first. I am not a big fan of science-fiction, so I was hesitant to read this author’s debut novel. I was pleasantly surprised how character-driven it was, and it satisfied my need to read about the relationships between the four main characters.
It was fun to read about a friendship between Adrian, the human, and Melek, the alien. I also liked that Liora, an alien, is a strong, female badass. Co-Pilot, also an alien, added to the strange relationship among all of them. I liked that the aliens weren’t little green men; in fact, I found myself picturing them as different versions of Alf, which was a fun departure from typical sci-fi tropes. (What did you picture?)
Each character has to struggle with their new reality once Melek crashes to Earth. The US government has no idea that a war is going on in the galaxy, and it plans to use this team of four to help them prepare, just in case. I laughed at how the aliens have to deal with the ways of our country and our government. It made me laugh because this book is filled with tiny messages about humankind, but it is up to the reader to interpret them. It is not an “in your face” message, which I appreciated. I don’t like when authors preach to me about the world.
Although the author set this book up for a sequel and is currently working on one, the book does have a satisfying ending.
Quotes:
** “Even on the most foreign of planets, intelligent life would rather dig out their electronics than face boredom.”
Isn’t this the truth?
** “The naivety struck me. How much protection was gained by polishing things, only for the gloss to wear away under scrutiny?”
I thought these were beautifully written sentences that made me think. It applies to so many aspects of life.
What I Would Include in a Sequel for The Sins of an Interstellar Species:
As a frequent reader, I often find that books benefit from either a strong romantic subplot or a clearly defined antagonist to heighten the stakes. Sins of an Interstellar Species had an opportunity to enhance the story with Liora to make her more relatable through one of these avenues, and I’m curious if the sequel will explore that path. Hint, hint to the author!
I hope Hefner delves into a deeper exploration of Adrian’s and Melek’s internal struggles. How did their past experiences specifically drive their motivations to help the government, especially for Adrian? I’m eager for more galactic exploration in the sequel. While Hefner provides an exciting glimpse into the cosmos in this book, I hope he expands on these interstellar sins and adventures further.
All in all, I was impressed with this author’s debut novel. His descriptive writing, and the unique idea of an alien and human working together definitely drew me into the story. I’m excited to read his sequel.
Extras:
You can buy The Sins of an Interstellar Species at: https://amzn.to/3GwDr4e
*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/
So, if you were an alien, would you help out humans become a permanent part of the galaxy? (As an alien myself, my answer is a definitely no!)
Bridget Crocker’s Memoir ‘The River’s Daughter’
06.28.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to guide a whitewater rafting trip on the Zambezi River? Reading Bridget Crocker’s memoir, The River’s Daughter, is like floating down the water on an adventurous ride.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
To read more about her story: https://amzn.to/46iSSaI
Published on: June 3rd, 2025
From The Publisher:
“A vivid and propulsive memoir about finding courage and meaning in a life outdoors, by a world-class whitewater rafting guide.“
What I Liked About The River’s Daughter:
If you know me personally, you know how much I love rafting on rivers. This was the perfect read while sitting next to the Flathead River in Montana. Crocker was able to take me on all of her adventures, and I felt like I was rafting down the whitewaters of The Kern, The Snake, and The Zambezi River.
Crocker does a wonderful job of leading us through her tumultuous childhood. Her past showed how she became such a strong, independent woman and a world-class rafting guide. She grew up along the Snake River, close to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. She wasn’t the one wearing the expensive clothing or driving the expensive cars. She didn’t live in the perfect family home. However, Crocker didn’t let this stop her from achieving her goals.
Although this is her memoir, the details and story line read almost like fiction. I was absorbed in her words. I could picture the interesting people she met along the way: the loves gained, the lives lost, and the family that sometimes stood in her way. I’m sure this wasn’t an easy story to write.
This story makes me want to go whitewater rafting tomorrow! This is definitely worth the read.
Quotes From The River’s Daughter That I Related To:
** “I felt the boat shift from the downstream current into the calm eddy water near the shore and nearly collapsed with relief.”
** “The Snake had touched me, and in some way, I now belonged to the river.”
These quotes hit me personally. Although I have done whitewater river rafting in Colorado a few times (and fell out of the boat trying to help someone that fell in), my first river trip alone in our pontoon rafts was also on the Snake River in Idaho. I was terrified, and the cfs was at 13,000. When we hit the eddy at the pull-out, I actually cried with relief. It wasn’t a great idea to start on this river for my first time, but I’m so glad I did it. Crocker’s sentence brought back that feeling of relief after trying something scary for the first time.
What is something that you have done that made you collapse with relief?
** “…part of living is being willing to embrace adventure, whether it’s a river trip or improving connections with loved ones, even when it’s hard.”
My husband always says, “You aren’t living unless you are close to death.” Okay, I like Crocker’s quote better. I like the idea of embracing adventure much more. Ha.
** “…want them to learn from rivers – as I did – to be relentless in finding their own line, and, when they flip, not just to survive but to recover strong.”
This quote seems to sum up Crocker’s life. She was relentless, and when she encountered difficult situations, she did what she needed to in order to recover even stronger.
Extras:
You can buy The River’s Daughter at: https://amzn.to/3TNmIN3
*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/
If you loved this memoir, and you are looking for more memoirs to read, here are some suggestions:
- This American Woman: A One-in-a-Billion Memoir by Zarna Garg
- My review for the book: https://judiholst.com/discover-zarna-gargs-inspiring-journey-in-this-american-woman/
- You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/3Gc0IIL
- Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show by Bethany Joy Lenz
- My review for the book: https://judiholst.com/captivating-memoir-dinner-for-vampires-by-bethany-joy-lenz-book-review/
- You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/3GlDIXK
- Killer Story – The Truth Behind True Crime Televsion by Claire St. Amant
- My review for the book: https://judiholst.com/killer-story-by-claire-st-amant-the-truth-behind-true-crime-television/
- You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/4kuTLBS
What is your favorite memoir? I’m always looking for a good one.
Thank you to NetGalley, Spiegel & Grau, and Bridget Crocker for sharing this book with me. This is my honest opinion.
From Air by Jewel E. Ann: A Heartfelt Romance
06.23.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
Have you ever experienced finding love in the strangest of places? From Air by Jewel E. Ann is a good blend of romance, heartache, friendship, and traumatic pasts. The story line pulls you in right away with lovable, realistic characters.
Curious about the premise? You can read more about it here: https://amzn.to/3T4veac
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Published: November 26, 2024
From The Publisher:
“Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author Jewel E. Ann parachutes into the burning, hazardous heart of love in a sexy yet dramatic romance set in Big Sky country.“
What I Liked About From Air:
I sat and read From Air while in Montana, about 2 hours from Missoula, where From Air takes place. I have vacationed around Missoula many times. It is the perfect setting to have firefighters and a traveling nurse all living together.
The characters are well-written, and at times, you will feel their love, friendship, and grief throughout the story. My favorite part was their banter. It worked without being over the top. I always enjoy witty bantering between friends. It’s definitely how I relate to my own friends. You cheer on each of the characters. I find this hard to do while reading most books. There is usually a character that I highly dislike or don’t care about, but that wasn’t the case in this book.
The pacing was good; it is definitely a slow-burn story, but enough happens throughout the story to keep you interested.
This is the first book in the Wildfire series, and I’m excited to read the next one. They are companion books, and both are currently on Kindle Unlimited.
What other books by Jewel E. Ann have you read? Let me know what else I should read by her. This is my first one by this author.
This is how I pictured “Fisk” on the job:
My Favorite Quote:
** “…because I made you my person, and you don’t fit in my life, but my life no longer fits me without you.”
The last part of that sentence! It holds so much meaning, and I love how it is worded. Yes, I’m a word geek, and I appreciate when a simple phrase captures a whole feeling.
Extras:
You can buy From Air at: https://amzn.to/43UtS8e
*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/
Thank you to NetGalley, Montlake, and Jewel E. Ann for sharing this book with me. This is my honest opinion.
Hazel Says No By Jessica Berger Gross
06.21.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
If you’re looking for a book that draws you in right from the beginning, this is it. As a teacher, this book really pulled at my heart strings.
3/5 stars ★★★☆☆
Read about it: https://amzn.to/40h4CXk
Published on: June 17th, 2025
From The Publisher:
“When a tight-knit family moves from Brooklyn to Maine, their lives are upended by an event that will alter their new community forever in this bighearted, sparkling debut for fans of Now Is Not the Time to Panic, Pineapple Street, and Schitt’s Creek.”
My Thoughts on Hazel Says No:
With so much hope of moving to a new town in order to succeed in life, the characters’ POV showed that it isn’t always roses.
Hazel was my favorite character, along with her little brother, Wolf. This story is written in third person, and I always enjoyed the point of view from those two characters. I felt like the parent’s problems were just an add-on, and to be honest, they detracted from the story line,
The book made me a little sad for the world. It’s hard to be the person that no one believes. It’s also hard to be the teacher, like Gus, who is doing his best to not offend anyone in his lessons. It’s hard to be the daughter of a father that ruins your family.
I really enjoyed the first half of the book. Then it went sideways for me. It was a little too much lecturing about the wrongs in the world. It moved too slowly for me, especially when it wasn’t about Hazel or Wolf. This is the reason I gave it three stars.
That being said, you will probably enjoy this book if you like to read about:
*family dramas
*feminism
*antisemitism
*teaching
*Maine
*Me Too
It is a well-written book. It just moved too slowly for me.
Extras:
You can buy Hazel Says No: https://amzn.to/4kRpU6e
*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Jessica Berger Gross for sharing this book with me. This is my honest opinion.
Fredrik Backman’s ‘My Friends’ Will Be A Must-Read of 2025
06.21.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
Picture your favorite summer in childhood. This will bring it all back for you. My Friends by Fredrik Backman is beautifully written. I have never saved as many quotes as I did while reading this story. My Friends is a book that you will hear about throughout 2025. If you are looking for a sweet drama, then this story is for you.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
You can read what it’s about at: https://amzn.to/4eix15k
Published: May 06, 2025
From The Publisher:
“#1 New York Times bestselling author Fredrik Backman returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger’s life twenty-five years later.“
What I Liked About My Friends:
I read this book a while ago, but I needed to let it settle in my mind before writing the review. Truly, my favorite part of the book was the nostalgia. There is nothing better than hanging out with your friends on a summer day. This book brings it all back and then some.
The main story line of Ted and Louisa and how one painting brought them together was masterful writing. Told from two different time periods and different points of view, the reader is shown what true friendship is about. Backman does a wonderful job of characterization in the book. I loved all of the characters, but especially Louisa. Louisa is in the present tense of the story; she is a woman who just “aged out” of being in foster homes with nowhere to go. It was a certain painting that kept her hopeful.
As she meets the artist and his friend, she learns the backstory of the painting. It was the friendship of 5 childhood friends that kept the story moving. It was through this characterization that Backman shows that family isn’t always created through blood, and that your childhood friends become just as much a part of your story too.
This is my first book by Backman. Can you believe it? I know I will read more now. Which one is your favorite; I need a good recommendation.
Quotes From My Friends: (It was hard to pick my favorite top three):
** “Our teenage years have to be simultaneously the brightest light and the darkest depths, because that’s how we learn to figure out our horizons.”
I loved my teenage years, but those years definitely put you through the ringer. As someone who has taught teenagers for most of my life, I saw them on their brightest and darkest days. I wanted to save each and every one of them, but I knew they needed to navigate life on their own,
** “I’m worried about being alive without you.”
Ugh. This brought on so many tears and feelings. I’m not scared to die, but I am scared to live life without the people that I love the most. I’m sure this line hit home with many people.
** “When you think about summers growing up, it feels like the sun was always shining, there’s never any wind or rain in nostalgia.”
This is so true. Even as an adult, my memories of summer will never have wind or rain in them, even though it’s raining today. Most of my childhood memories consist of swimming in a pool with my best friend, or waterskiing on a lake with my family. It’s funny how memories work.
Something To Think About:
This is not a fast read. It is a long book at over 400 pages, so you have to be ready to settle in. In order to appreciate the story, make sure to take some time to appreciate the beautifully written lines. At times, I wish it moved a little more quickly, but I’m not sure what I would take out either.
Extras:
You can buy My Friends: https://amzn.to/3G7VCx2
*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Fredrik Backman for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
Emotional Journey in The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb
06.15.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb makes you feel all of the feels. One minute it’s gut-wrenching and the next it is hopeful. It is like taking an insider’s tour of an American prison, and you wish you could escape it.
Read what it’s about at: https://amzn.to/44hUOPl
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Published: June 10th, 2025
From The Publisher:
“From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of two Oprah Book Club Picks—She’s Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True—Wally Lamb comes the propulsive story of a young father who, after an unbearable tragedy, reckons with the possibility of atonement for the unforgivable.“
What I Liked About The River is Waiting:
I love reading about prison life! Corby, the main character, is incarcerated, and this story offers an almost day-to-day immersion into the realities of American prison life. Lamb, the author, shows how corrupt our prisons can be, and yet, he also portrays characters that show you there is still good in the world. I believe he balanced characters well. He not only included the inmates but also portrayed the COs and the people that work inside a prison effectively.
This is a thought-provoking book. You can’t help but wonder what you would do in Corby’s situation, but also in the mind of Emily, his wife. How far can a spouse change your life until you aren’t willing to forgive them? I had to put this book down frequently to think about what just happened. Sometimes I cried, sometimes I wanted to shout, and sometimes I wanted to hug the different characters. There is no doubt that Lamb is truly gifted in creating believable characters in his books.
Of course, I also loved that parts of it centered around a river. Even if it was outside of a prison, the river gives an image of hope. It shows that life continues, no matter what.
I also liked that I learned some interesting facts about Native American history, Greek mythology, and he included some quotes that made me think.
Quotes!
One of the quotes that resonated with me was by Corrie Ten Boom:
“Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.”
Since I am a big “worrier,” this is a quote I want to keep in mind. I want to keep my power and stay focused on the present, instead of worrying about the future.
I also liked, “…that having hope was never going to hurt me, but having unreasonable expectations could clobber me.” Horrible things happen to good people. With Corby’s alcohol and drug addiction, hope was all he had. Without it, he wouldn’t have survived. I often expect too much from other people. Then I become extremely disappointed when they let me down. It’s true that we need to keep our expectations in check.
What I Would Change About The River is Waiting:
Wally Lamb is an excellent writer. In fact, he wrote one of my favorite books, “She’s Come Undone.” I thought for sure this was going to be five stars from me. Unfortunately, Lamb made the book political. I read books, especially on vacation, to escape the politics of the world. It doesn’t matter whether I agree with it or not; I don’t want it in my fictional books. I wish he would have left it out because it didn’t add to the story line.
That being said, I still really enjoyed the book and would recommend it.
Do you have a favorite Wally Lamb or a book about prison life that you loved?
Extras:
Here are my two favorite books also by Wally Lamb:
- She’s Come Undone: https://amzn.to/3FQFmjY
- I Know This Much is True: https://amzn.to/4jVYOtA
You can buy The River is Waiting: https://amzn.to/4eadHaw
*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/
Thank you to NetGalley, Simon Element, and Wally Lamb for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
Michael Connelly’s Nightshade: His Thrilling New Mystery
06.10.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
Reading a Michael Connelly book is like tasting your grandma’s cooking. You know it’s going to be good before you even start! His newest novel, Nightshade, didn’t disappoint.
Read what it’s about and buy it at: https://amzn.to/4jHBLCw
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Published May 20, 2025
What I Liked About Nightshade:
I am a huge fan of Michael Connelly, especially of his Bosch series, so I was excited to see that he started a new character to enjoy.
I enjoyed reading about Stillwell, the new character and Los Angeles police detective. His character portrayed what police work would look like on a small island. Even though he was “exiled” to Catalina and told to stay out of the mainland’s jurisdiction, Stillwell must solve who killed the woman found at the bottom of the harbor.
His side interest/romance added a nice subplot, but it didn’t detract from the story line. As Stillwell tries to solve the murder mystery, you can see how police politics happen even in small towns. It was an interesting murder mystery, and I would love to read more books in the series about Stillwell.
The best part is that it mainly takes place on Catalina Island. I loved being able to picture the different places around the island, especially in the town of Avalon. If you have never been to Catalina Island, Connelly talks a little about the story and shows video of Catalina in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvlt4U6Fe1w
What Could Be Better in Nightshade:
Since Stillwell is a new character in the series, I wish Connelly had described him in a little more detail. Since I wasn’t sure what to picture in my head, I just pictured…you guessed it…Bosch. I know Stillwell isn’t like him, but I wanted more detail about who he is.
Otherwise, it is a slow-burn mystery, mixed in with some romance, and a fun, easy read. What book have you read that takes place in one of your favorite vacation spots?
Extras:
Here are my two favorite books also by Michael Connelly:
- The Waiting: https://amzn.to/4kBGR4L
- Resurrection Walk: https://amzn.to/45Wjw94
- It has Lincoln Lawyer AND Bosch in it.
You can buy Nightshade at: https://amzn.to/4jHBLCw
*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/
Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown, and Company, and Michael Connelly for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
Discover Zarna Garg’s Inspiring Journey in ‘This American Woman’
06.09.2025 by Judi Holst // 1 Comment (Edit)
Zarna’s Garg’s, This American Woman, is entertaining, hopeful, and humorous. I don’t read a lot of memoirs, but this one pulled me right in.
Read about it and buy it at: https://amzn.to/4kWvN1D
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Published: April 29th, 2025
From The Publisher:
“NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Award-winning comedian Zarna Garg turns her astonishing life story into a hilarious memoir, spilling all the chai on her wild ride from escaping an arranged marriage and homelessness in India to carving her own path in America and launching a dazzling second act in midlife.“
What I Liked About This American Woman:
I was most interested about Zarna’s life in India. I love reading about other cultures and seeing how people grew up differently than me. Zarna’s teenage years weren’t easy, and it couldn’t have been more different the ones I experienced. She experienced homelessness, a strict father, and the fear of being in an arranged marriage.
Zarna is truly inspirational. Her story shows that true grit, humor, and a lot of hard work will take you places in life. It’s strange how life took into the path of becoming a comedian.
I love watching her YouTube and Tik Tok videos now. I had never heard of her until I read her book, but now I am a big fan. I love seeing her comedy shows, especially the ones she included in her book. I hope this book has a lot of success because Zarna deserves it.
Extras:
If you are interested in seeing some of Zarna’s comedic acts, check out these links:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwrMNu-VQh8
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJrAQ4Ch62E
- https://www.youtube.com/shorts/T0Qthpk_mRM
*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Zarna Garg for sharing a free copy of this book with me. This is my honest opinion.
Fifty Fifty By Steve Cavanagh: Unraveling a Murder Mystery
06.03.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
911 receives two different calls from two sisters in the same house. Their father has been murdered and each one claimed that their sister did it. Who are we to believe?
As a teacher, I always had to remember that there are two sides to every story. Then it was my job to try to figure out who was telling the truth. Sometimes, I had to realize that there were just two different perspectives to the same event. Fifty Fifty by Steve Cavanagh is fast-paced. It is an adventure ride of trying to figure out who is telling the truth.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Published: June 3rd, 2025
What is Fifty Fifty About?
Fifty Fifty is part of the Eddie Flynn series, but this is a stand-alone book. It’s like watching another episode, if Eddie Flynn had his own tv series (which I think he should).
Eddie Flynn, a lawyer, is hired by one of the two Avellino sisters who is on trial for murder. He is convinced that his client is innocent. The other sister hires her own lawyer, Kate, who is also convinced her client is innocent. Which one is telling the truth?
“How do you represent someone you know is guilty? How do you stand there and tell a jury that they’re innocent?”
What I Liked About Fifty Fifty:
I like how this story is told through different points of view. You have Eddie’s, Kate’s, and then there is a “She.” She is one of the sisters, but you don’t know which one until the very end. I thought this was a great way to write the story because it added suspense. I kept changing my mind on who “She” really is; of course, I had a fifty-fifty chance on whether I was correct or not.
My favorite parts of the book happened in the courtroom. I like reading how lawyers try to outwit each other, especially while questioning the witnesses. The questions were strategic, and as a reader, you wanted to figure out where the lawyer was headed. You can tell that Cavanagh is a former lawyer, and he uses his expertise to profile legal maneuvering.
I gave this four out of five stars. While I wasn’t totally blindsided by the plot twists, they were cleverly woven into the narrative and kept me engaged. The journey of uncovering the truth, especially in the last half of the book as the pieces started to fall into place, was thoroughly enjoyable, and I absolutely needed to know the identity of ‘She’ by the final page.
Extras:
Here are some books that reminded me of this one because they are mysteries or courtroom dramas. If you liked these, then you will also like this book.
- The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker: https://amzn.to/4mgPP8O
- Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano: https://amzn.to/3GKvfgN
- Blog Post Review: https://judiholst.com/finlay-donovan-is-killing-it-by-elle-cosimano/
- Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni: https://amzn.to/4kyvf23
You can buy Fifty Fifty at: https://amzn.to/4kbPkuB
*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Steve Cavanagh for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
Julie Clark’s The Ghostwriter: A Gripping Tale of Suspense
06.01.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
Julie Clark’s latest, The Ghostwriter, delivers on all fronts: tension, unsolved mysteries, family drama, unexpected twists, and deeply complex characters. I read it in two days because I needed to know the ending. It was THAT good.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
Buy it here: https://amzn.to/43Fl3h1
Publication Date: June 3, 2025
About The Ghostwriter:
Here is the trailer that was sent to me by the publishing company. It does a great job of setting up the storyline, without giving too much away.
The story unfolds through alternating timelines in 1975 and 2025, told from the perspectives of Olivia, Vincent, and Poppy. This multi-POV structure not only immerses the reader in the culture of each era but also skillfully pieces together the complex mystery.
Central to the mystery are two teenage siblings found dead in 1975, with their middle brother, Vincent, appearing guilty. Decades later, his estranged daughter, Olivia, agrees to ghostwrite Vincent’s memoir because she needs the money. She is also hoping to uncover the truth about that tragic day while keeping her family’s dark past a secret. Will she succeed?
What I Liked About The Ghostwriter:
I loved this book, especially the second half. Clark did a great job of creating complex characters and interesting storylines. As a reader, I kept second-guessing myself of who killed the two siblings. The different subplots added to the suspense, and I enjoyed the different points of view.
The author in the book, Vincent, has Lewy Body Dementia, which is similar to Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. It is a form of dementia where a person has hallucinations, and memory and movement loss. It was interesting to do a little research about it on my own, and I loved learning something new. It also made me question Vince’s side of the story.
The storyline is a slow burn as Clark throws little tidbits of information to the reader, and makes you second guess your previous thinking. I love when authors do this in a book. My favorite point of view was that of Poppy, Vince’s sister. You knew you were going to learn important information each time her chapter popped up.
Once you reach the second half of the book, I suggest you carve out some hours to just sit and read. You are going to want to find out what happens at the end.
Would you be able to be a ghostwriter for your estranged father? What if it meant you could help solve the mystery of who killed two of these teenagers – your aunt and uncle?
Extras:
Here is another book by Julie Clark that I recommend:
- The Last Flight – https://amzn.to/3FIO97g – “Two women. Two flights. One last chance to disappear.“
You can buy The Ghostwriter at: https://amzn.to/43Fl3h1
*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/
Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark, and Julie Clark for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
Kristy Woodson Harvey’s Beach House Rules: Your Next Summer Read
05.27.2025 by Judi Holst // 1 Comment (Edit)
I have learned in life that family doesn’t always have to come from blood. Sometimes, best friends and their own kids feel more like family than your own. Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey definitely proves that point. In the perfect beach house, with imperfect people, the “mommune” was created.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Published: May 27th, 2025
What Is Beach House Rules About?
It’s a perfect blend of friendship, family, mystery, humor, romance, and drama. In the truest sense, it shows how a small-town community can come together when times are tough.
Charlotte, and her daughter, Iris, are caught without a home nor money to spend. Charlotte’s husband has been arrested for fraud, and now they have no where to go. That is, until Alice, a random woman, offers them a place to stay at the “mommune.”
The mommune is at a beautiful beach house, and consists of women and children living together as a family. The rest of the community thinks it is strange. However, they are helping each other to survive in a world that is difficult for them at the moment.
It doesn’t help that there is a gossipy Instagram account that throws the town’s dirty laundry out like it’s feeding time for the wolves, and the writer seems to have it out for the mommune.
Will they be able to survive this time in their life or will the small town talk take them down?
My Thoughts on The Beach House Rules:
I love when books blend many different genres and themes together. While showing the drama of four different women in their lives, almost any reader can connect to some part of the story line. My favorite character in the story, though, was Iris, Charlotte’s teen daughter. I love a good coming-of-age romance, and her wit and intelligence just added more depth to her character.
There’s a good mystery of whether Charlotte’s husband committed the fraud or whether he is innocent. As a reader, you also try to figure out who is behind the snarky Instagram account. I cracked up each time the author of the account signed off a different way.
It is fun to read about female relationships. I wanted to wrap myself up with a quilt on the beach, and drink a glass of wine with these four women. They each have their own drama that brought them to the mommune, but they always have each other’s backs.
The book had a satisfying resolution, which I appreciate. It is going to make a great summer book for the beach.
Would you be able to live in a house like the “mommune”? I definitely would! I could help with the children’s homework, if someone else is willing to do the cooking and cleaning. 🙂
Extras:
Here are some other books by Kristy Woodson Harvey that I recommend:
- Slightly South of Simple – https://amzn.to/4dib2Lf (I loved this whole series about a mom and her daughters)
- A Happier Life – https://amzn.to/4mlKs8k (“A touching novel about eternal love and the places we call home”)
- Under the Southern Sky – https://amzn.to/43xcTbO (“Two childhood friends discover that love–and family–can be found in unconventional ways”)
You can buy Beach House Rules at: https://amzn.to/4dCdrkl
*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
*If you missed my post about my Top Books of 2024, you can find it at: https://judiholst.com/top-20-books-that-i-loved-in-2024/
Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Kristy Woodson Harvey for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
Katherine Center’s The Love Haters: A Must-Read Rom-Com
05.19.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
If you are a fan of rom-com books, then you are probably already a fan of Katherine Center. Her newest book, The Love Haters, didn’t disappoint. It is a heartwarming and witty story. As usual, her characters are relatable, and you can’t help cheering them on as they navigate their love life.
You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/448e95P
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Publication: 5/20/25
About The Love Haters:
This is a rom-com about falling in love with someone else. The real story, though, is about Katie Vaughn learning to love herself first. Her negative self-image has affected her life in many ways.
Most recently, on a job to video a promotional commercial for the US Coast Guard, Katie struggles. She worries about not knowing how to swim; she has to pass a swim test in order to ride in the Coast Guard helicopter. She also worries about how she will look in her bathing suit. How can she do her job when it involves wearing a bathing suit? In her eyes, Hutch, a member of the Coast Guard, is an anatomical god. He is not only the main character in her promotional video, but he is the estranged brother of her boss, Cole.
Can Katie prove her worth and keep her job? Can she also learn to love herself enough to fall in love with someone else? Read The Love Haters to find out.
My Thoughts On The Love Haters:
If you have ever struggled with your own body image, you will relate to this book. As others see Katie as beautiful, she hides behind her jeans and black t-shirts. I loved this part of the book. It made her character very relatable for so many women.
I haven’t discussed my two favorite characters yet, though. Of course, George Bailey, the Great Dane, is one of the characters I fell in love with throughout the story. I could relate to owning a pet that is terrified of thunder and lightening. That part isn’t fun. However, George Bailey is also extremely lovable, and is owned by Hutch. The other character is Hutch and Cole’s Aunt Rue. Her colorful clothes and personality truly stand out in the story. I know I would have wanted her in my life also. She and her friends showed that friendship in your older years is an important part of life.
If you’re looking for a charming and relatable rom-com with surprising depth, The Love Haters is a must-read. I learned a lot about the Coast Guard from this book. I tend to remember books more when I learn something from them. It was fun to read a romance book that dealt with an occupation that I don’t know much about.
I gave this book four out of five stars. It was a fun read, and I’m glad I saved it to read on vacation. It just put a smile on my face. I looked forward to getting back to the characters when I read at night.
What is your favorite rom-com book?
You can buy this book at: https://amzn.to/4ciiqpF
EXTRAS:
If you are looking for other rom-com books to read after this one, I recommend:
- The Rom-Commers (my favorite one by Katherine Center)
- Book Lovers by Emily Henry
- Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score
*If you want to read more of my book reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Katherine Center for a free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
The Marriage Rules By Samatha Hayes: Surprising Twists & Complex Characters
05.08.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
If someone said that you would have to follow ten rules in order to marry them, would you do it? The Marriage Rules by Samantha Hayes is a psychological thriller that will have you stunned at the end.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Published: April 4th, 2025
What is The Marriage Rules About?
The Marriage Rules is told in three parts. The first part is told through the perspective of Fiona, who marries Jason, a doctor and father of two girls. Before they married, Jason set up 10 rules that everyone had to abide by in order to keep “the family safe.” For example, everyone has to be in bed by 8:00. No leaving the house unless it’s for a good reason. There will be a family confessional every day at 6 pm. No watching the news or using social media. Could you live with these rules so far?
The second part is told through the perspective of Jason. You begin to learn more about the rules and why they were set. The third part? Well, we won’t even talk about the ending. You have to read it to find out.
My Thoughts on The Marriage Rules:
This is definitely a book about damaged characters! Each time I read about the rules, I cringed. Who would agree to such a thing? Samantha Hayes does a good job of setting up the story, so you are surprised throughout the book. I didn’t love the adult characters, but I liked reading about the girls and their strength throughout the story. I didn’t know whether to trust Jason or Fiona’s part of the story. Both of them were unsettling. When the rules start getting broken, that is when the story really becomes interesting.
I had so many questions about certain details throughout the book. The ending answered my questions. It tied them up nicely. If you enjoy stories about mental institutions, dysfunctional families, or childhood trauma, you will enjoy this story. You will also enjoy it if you like stories about the loss of a spouse.
I gave this book four out of five stars. I wanted to keep reading and there were some surprises along the way. It also made me wonder what I would tolerate to marry someone I loved.
Would you be able to abide by these rules in your marriage?
Extras:
Here are some books that reminded me of this one because they are psychological thrillers. If you liked these, then you will also like this book.
- Lies He Told Me by James Patterson – https://amzn.to/43o16MM
- House of Glass by Sarah Pekannen – https://amzn.to/43k0Iiq
- I Let Her In by Maria Frankland – https://amzn.to/4m8IUOy
You can buy this book at: https://amzn.to/4ddEn9I
The Sister Switch by Charlotte Butterfield: A Heartwarming Tale
04.29.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
Would you ever want to trade places with your sister? What if you made a bet with a sibling – could you last longer than your sibling if you switched places? Who would win? Charlotte Butterfield explores this concept in the funny and heartwarming book called The Sister Switch. It’s like The Parent Trap version for adults!
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
About The Sister Switch:
Alice and Edie are identical twins who definitely don’t get along. It’s hard to imagine that they even share some of the same genes! As one argument after another escalates, even on their morning talk show, their lives start to unravel. When they were young, their mom would tell them to try putting yourself in the other’s shoes. This is how the bet started.
Whoever lasts the longest, living the life of the other twin, would be able to stay on the talk show. The loser would have to leave. Is the winner Alice, the detailed-oriented woman, with the perfectly-groomed family and controlling husband? Or is it Edie, who doesn’t let the small things bother her but lives in chaos, lets her children be more care-free, and has a boyfriend who dotes on her?
My Thoughts on The Sister Switch:
This book made me think a lot about my two older sisters. We all live very different lives. One’s life experiences is not better than the other, they are just different. Fortunately, we get along great. I’m glad we lead different lives. It gives us a chance to cheer each other on, and it’s fun to hear their stories and experiences. Would I want to switch lives with them like Edie and Alice? Well, maybe just for one day.
I enjoyed this book because it made me think. I could see parts of Edie in my sisters, and parts of Alice too. Charlotte Butterfield does a nice job of truly showing the characteristics of both characters. The book comes with a life lesson, but if you have ever seen The Parent Trap movie, then you can probably figure it out.
Another reason I enjoyed this book was because it was a light read. Sometimes, it’s nice to get away from the psychological thrillers, true crimes, the drama, and just read a fun book. This one would be great to read on vacation.
If I had to choose the life of one of those characters, I would definitely choose Edie’s. I’d take the doting boyfriend and wacko-jacko family life over the “picture-perfect on the outside” family any day of the week. But it was their sister relationship that truly stood out. No matter how hard things get in life, you should still be able to count on your sister in the end.
So, would you want to trade places with one of your siblings? Let me know.
Extra Info:
Here are some books that reminded me of this one because of the family life and characterization:
- The Guncle by Steven Rowling
- Catch The Sun by Jennifer Hartmann
- Feral Maril & Her Little Brother Carol by Leslie Tall Manning
You can buy this book at: https://amzn.to/4jSoWpt
The Beautiful Dark: A Review of Melissa Payne’s Novel
04.22.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Ever since my parents have died, I’m fascinated with the thought that they are looking down on me and helping me through life. It is what attracted me to this book. In The Beautiful Dark by Melissa Payne is a mysterious and moving story at the same time. Sometimes my heart was racing. Other times, I wanted to reach out and hug the seniors that live at Sunny Pines Retirement Community.
About The Book:
Birdie fell in love with another woman, Allison, who was murdered at an early time in their relationship. Birdie ended up raising Alison’s son. This happens early in the book. The majority of the story takes place at the retirement community where a host of lovable characters live. Birdie is struggling with being retired and spends most of her time trying to solve the murder of Allison.
One of my favorite quotes from the book is, “…retirement is hard. You go from being important and needed to…” She swallowed. “Adrift.” I think many people that are retired can relate to this. Birdie struggles to find new friends and would rather spend her time trying to track down a serial killer. However, the people in the community finally break down Birdie’s walls. She learns to become an important part of their group. They set out on helping Birdie to solve the case of the serial killer.
Another point of view is the story of Allison, who watches Birdie “from above.” I found this part interesting as well. It was a great way to add in a third person point of view. She could give some background on the other characters in the story. A quote from Allison that I loved was, “Funny thing about promises and the dead: we don’t have the same attachment to them as the living.” Have you ever made a promise to someone that has passed away?
My Thoughts On The Book:
I loved so many parts of this book. I wish I had a Birdie in my life that I could visit weekly. I loved how spunky she was, and she had a heart of gold. I spent a lot of time thinking about how that later stage in life affects people. But this book was also a mystery. I thought I had the serial killer figured out early on, but I needed to keep reading to see if I was right. I was never totally sure.
Melissa Payne does a wonderful job of characterization. I felt like I knew the characters well. I had wondered, while reading, if she had a lot of experience at a retirement community. So many events and dialogue made me laugh out loud. Her author’s notes does answer my question. Make sure you don’t skip this section at the end of the book.
In The Beautiful Dark deals with a lot of real-life issues. Payne deals with these issues well. I like how she crossed realistic fiction with mystery throughout the story. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends. I loved the book. However, I gave it a four star because I felt the story was a little repetitive in the middle. Don’t let this stop you, though. It is worth reading!
Extra Info:
Here are some books that reminded me of this one:
- The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife by Anna Johnston
- The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride by Joe Siple
You can buy this book at: https://amzn.to/3E4LVhk
Promise Me Sunshine By Cara Bastone: A Story About Healing Through Love
04.20.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
I don’t handle grief well. Let’s just put that out there. I’m terrified of losing anyone that I love. When I saw that Promise Me Sunshine by Cara Bastone was about a woman getting over the death of her best friend, I knew I had to read it. This was such a beautiful story. It isn’t just a romance book. It’s also about learning to live again. I am so glad that I read it!
5/5 stars ★★★★★
You can buy it at: https://amzn.to/4iuGpDs
What Promise Me Sunshine Is About:
Lenny’s best friend/soul-mate/confidante/roommate just died from cancer. She isn’t sure how to go on living. She can’t return to her apartment because of the memories, and she doesn’t know where to turn. She agrees to a temporary babysitting job, and her whole world changes when she meets Miles, Ainsley, and Reese.
My Thoughts on Promise Me Sunshine:
The romance genre generally isn’t my favorite to read, but I loved this book. I instantly liked all of the characters. Do you know someone who says whatever she thinks, goes to the extreme in what she does, and loves with her whole heart? That’s Lenny. Do you know someone who comes across as gruff, but is a big teddy bear? That’s Miles. Ainsley is a crack-up and a lovable kid. Reese, her mom, is working through the grief of losing her own dad. All of the characters are well-developed in the story, and you can’t help but cheer each of them on.
I love that Lenny made up stories about the people she meets, especially if she feels they could be a love interest. How her future looks with that person always made me laugh. I like doing that about people also.
The Story Line:
It is the story line that truly grabbed me, though. I, too, have a best friend that I met when I was five, just like Lenny and Lou. I can’t imagine life without her. I cried so many times as Lenny learns to deal with her grief. Bastone, the author, does a wonderful job of showing how someone works through the grieving process. It was a list that was created when Lou was sick that takes Lenny on a wonderful adventure, and it’s Miles that shows her how to love life again.
I did have a question about one part of the story. At one point, Lenny and Miles don’t have any electricity, and they have to search for things in the dark. Why didn’t they just use the flashlight on their phone? A minor point, I know, but it made me curious.
I gave this book five out of five stars. I couldn’t wait to get back to the story each time, and that tells me how much I like a book. I like when a book makes me laugh, cry, think, and wish I knew the characters. I definitely recommend it.
This was just published in March, 2025, so it would make a great Mother’s Day gift. You wouldn’t have to worry if she has read it or not. https://amzn.to/44AgM0t
My Favorite Quotes:
By Miles, “Something good for you, something bad for you, and a change in scenery. That’s the winning formula.” It was how he dealt with his own grief.
From Lenny, “I’ve just cracked the code. How to live a perfect existence: just embrace it all, every lovely excruciating color.”
Thank You:
Thank you to NetGalley, Cara Barstone, and Random House Publishers for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
Extras:
If you enjoyed this book, I would also recommend because of they are drama/romance books too:
- The Favorites by Layne Fargo
- Catch The Sun by Jennifer Hartmann
- The Days I Loved You Most by Amy Neff
The Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy
04.16.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
It’s no surprise that a murder case is never the way it seems in a book. The Sideways Life of Denny Voss by Holly Kennedy is no different. Denny, a neurodivergent man with an IQ of 72, is charged with the murder of a mayoral candidate when he is found after crashing a sled full of guns into a tree. Can he prove to the police why this happened?
3/5 stars ★★★☆☆
My Thoughts On The Sideways Life of Denny Voss:
This story was a sweet but slow-moving burn for me. I enjoyed the characters that are in Denny’s life. Of course, the dog, George, a deaf and blind Saint Bernard, won my heart over. But it was Denny’s cousin, Argus, that was my favorite. He was always so loving toward Denny, even when he had to be tough with him. I also love a funny t-shirt, so I enjoyed that each time Argus showed up in the story, he was wearing a different funny shirt.
Neurodivergent people hold a special place in my heart, so maybe this is why this story was a little difficult for me to read. Denny was leading a good life, and yet, he was misunderstood, and that was frustrating to me. I saw so many of my past students in Denny. It just made me want to hug him.
This book has high ratings from so many readers, so I hope that you will still give it a try. I am definitely the oddball with my rating. It repeated a little too much for me, and I wanted to hurry the story along. I do love the cover, though. It was a perfect choice for this story.
Thank you to NetGalley, Holly Kennedy, and Lake Union Publishing for my free copy. This is my honest review.
The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker: A Thriller You Won’t Want To Miss!
04.10.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
Best ending ever! The cover says, “You’ll never forget the ending…” Whoa, they weren’t kidding. The Writer by James Patterson and J.D. Barker was extremely suspenseful, especially during the second half. In true Patterson fashion, The Writer keeps you on your toes as you try to figure out the mystery.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
What Is The Writer About?
This thriller is about a true-crime writer, Denise Morrow, who is found next to her dead husband. She is covered in blood and holding a knife. NYPD Detective, Declan Shaw, finds her behavior odd and starts to delve deeper into the mystery. As he dives into her past, he begins to see that things are more sinister than he thought.
My Thoughts on The Writer:
I loved this book. I’m a big fan of James Patterson and his thriller books, but combine that with the talents of J.D. Barker, and this book is a hit! Just like in other Patterson books, he takes some time to set up the mystery. BUT, you know something great and suspenseful is coming. This book didn’t disappoint.
Declan Shaw is a likable and relatable character. I like how the character’s flaws are shown throughout the story. He doesn’t dress nicely, like his partner, Jarod Cordova. In fact, he reminds me a lot of Harry Bosch in the Michael Connelly series. He takes his job seriously, but he can definitely get in trouble while doing his best work.
I couldn’t stand Denise Morrow, but I was intrigued by her talents as a true-crime writer. It makes me wonder if true-crime writers have more of a criminal mind than criminals themselves. Ha. They research crimes extensively. Detectives should talk to them in real life to hear their thoughts on a case.
My favorite part of the book is all of the twists. They were brilliant and added to the story. I had to process the ending when I finished. I sat there and thought, “What did I just read???”
This is now one of my favorite Patterson books. Which one is your favorite?
I gave this book five out of five stars. It should definitely be made into a movie. I didn’t want to stop reading, and I will remember the ending for a while.
You can buy this book at: https://amzn.to/3G3K6Cw. This is a great gift for someone who is a Patterson fan. Since it was just published, you won’t need to worry if they have already read it.
EXTRAS:
If you love James Patterson books, here are some of my favorites and recommend:
Killer Story by Claire St. Amant – The Truth Behind True Crime Television
03.06.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
“The devil you can’t see is always more menacing than someone right in front of you.” Can you imagine sitting across the table from a serial killer to get a story? Are you a true crime television or podcast junkie? Killer Story by Claire St. Amant is a memoir about pulling back the curtain and showing her readers what it takes to put on a one-hour episode of true-crime television.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Did you notice that cover? Wow, I absolutely love how the remote is part of the knife. Very creative!
About Killer Story:
Killer Story is a memoir about Claire St. Amant’s successes and failures. It highlights her experiences while breaking into the fast-paced world of true crime television as a journalist and producer. Claire helped to produce famous episodes about murderers and serial killers on both 48 Hours and 60 Minutes.
This book is definitely an insider’s view of what it takes to bring these episodes to television. She discusses the different cases and what it was like to interview some of the most well-known killers in the United States. She also showed how difficult it is to be a journalist. Traveling at a moment’s notice is hard while being married and a new parent. Interviewing the victim’s families, pressures of a deadline, and living in the world of murders daily can be taxing. It takes an emotional toll on one’s feelings and relationships.
Later, Claire decides to have her own podcast show called, “Final Days on Earth.” Have you listened to it?
My Thoughts on Killer Story:
After reading Killer Story, I definitely have a new appreciation for true crime shows. I’ll never watch a true crime show the same way again. I felt like I was alongside Claire as she navigated the complex and often sensitive interactions with victims’ families and incarcerated individuals. I loved reading about her experiences with Thomas Michael Dixon, a surgeon-turned-murderer suspect, and Stuart Little, a serial killer.
My favorite part of the book was the behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to get a one-hour episode onto our television screens. I also loved reading about her rookie mistakes. Wardrobe mistakes, traveling mistakes, these are all things in which we can relate.
I appreciated how real St. Amant was in her telling of how far she’d go to get the story. Some reviewers put her down for her tenacity and confidence. St. Amant doesn’t shy away from depicting the less glamorous aspects of investigative journalism. She includes the difficult choices and ethical gray areas that often arise. These even included going against the wishes of her bosses. Although sometimes what she did wasn’t exactly right or lawful, at least she was honest about it. I found this refreshing. I don’t condone it, but in a world of journalism, the nice guy finishes last. St. Amant made this very clear as she worked her way to producer.
I also like how she provided footnotes at the end of each chapter, along with photographs along the way. The book took me longer to read because I wanted to watch the episode that she was discussing or read about it on the internet. (Kindle hint: If you can’t access video on your Kindle, go to your Kindle app on your phone and click on the link that way.). I kept hoping that no one was following my Google search, since I was researching the different murderers. Tonight I will be watching the 60 Minutes episode titled, “The Ranger and the Serial Killer.”
I gave this book four out of five stars. It was a unique memoir that I will think about each time I watch a true crime show.
You can buy this book at: https://amzn.to/4kuTLBS
What is YOUR favorite true crime television show?
Extras:
If you enjoy this memoir, here are some other memoirs that I recommend. The first two have to do with crime. The third one is my favorite memoir of all time.
- The Mango Tree: A Memoir of Fruit, Florida and Felony by Annabelle Tometich – https://amzn.to/4h7CYBL
- The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing by Lara Love Hardin – https://amzn.to/4ktC6KI
- Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden – https://amzn.to/4bzWPIH
Dead Money By Jakob Kerr: A Gripping Mystery Adventure
03.04.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
I love to read a book that I hope turns into a movie. With its twists throughout the story, Dead Money by Jakob Kerr keeps you guessing throughout the book.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
About Dead Money:
The Silicon Valley in California is filled tech billionaires and start-up companies. When one of the top CEOs is murdered, there are a lot of suspects. A lot of money is on the line. Shares could be distributed throughout the investors and executives. However, everything is frozen or becomes “dead money” until the murder is solved.
As the FBI and police try to solve the case, the biggest investor company brings in Mackenzie, a trained lawyer and company investigator as a liaison . How will the FBI handle having someone on the outside tag along to help solve the case? Will the murder be solved when everyone seems to have an alibi? Who will end up as the guilty party?
My Thoughts on Dead Money:
I enjoyed this mystery adventure that took me on a ride through the tech industry. I have toured the Google building in Denver, and I pictured the story taking place in a building just like it. I had to keep guessing who killed Trevor Canon, the CEO, and I love that in a story. I was right, but I kept second-guessing myself as Kerr slipped in clues along the way.
I loved the character of Mackenzie. Kerr did a great job of creating her character, showing the strengths and weaknesses of Mackenzie’s personality. She wanted to succeed so badly, and she was willing to do what it takes to try to find the murderer.
I was surprised to read that this is Jacob Kerr’s debut novel. As an English teacher, I know strong writing when I read it, and I know this is just the beginning of Kerr’s writing career. As I said, I hope that this book is turned into a movie. I would definitely pay to see it.
I gave this book four out of five stars. I read it quickly and enjoyed the story line.
You can buy this book at: https://amzn.to/4i1Jr2F
Extras:
If you enjoyed this book by Jakob Kerr and you are looking for another mystery/thriller, I recommend:
- The Waiting by Michael Connelly – https://amzn.to/4imJzcI
- Target Acquired by Lynette Eason – https://amzn.to/3D3FM5e
- Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni – https://amzn.to/4h8DDCU
Guilty Until Innocent: A Review of Robert Whitlow’s Novel
02.18.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
Can good ever come out from a man that is accused of murder? In Guilty Until Innocent, by Christian author Robert Whitlow, a cold-case is reopened and you might be surprised by what they find.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
About Guilty Until Innocent:
Joe Moore has been convicted of murdering a couple with a knife. He has spent most of his life is prison, but his family is convinced that he is innocent. Ryan Clark, an attorney, has been hired to find out what happened on that night long ago.
Joe is a Christian man who is admired by the other inmates for his prayer groups. He is a model prisoner. Ryan is a new attorney struggling to find his way. His wife is pregnant, he just moved to a new town, and he has started a new job. As these two lives interconnect in North Carolina, a wonderful drama/mystery unfolds. Will Ryan be able to uncover the truth?
My Thoughts On Guilty Until Innocent:
Robert Whitlow is known for his Christian novels. If you aren’t into reading about God and/or the Bible, then this book isn’t for you. I actually loved that part of the book. It was filled with Bible verses that made me reflect on my own life, and the character of Joe taught a lot about redemption. To me, it was more of a Christian novel than a thriller, but that was okay. It is a slow burn and the thriller/suspense comes in the later 1/4 of the book. This is important to know if you are reading it just for the thriller part of the book.
I love to read about prison life, so Joe’s daily activities were interesting to me. At times, his story seemed a little unrealistic, but I haven’t been to prison, so who am I to judge? The story of Ryan and his wife was sweet and very realistic. I especially liked seeing how he treated her while she was pregnant. Both characters were relatable.
I gave this book four out of five stars. I enjoyed the story line, and cheered on Ryan and Joe throughout the book. I wish it had been more of a thriller, which is why I gave it four stars.
You can buy this book at https://amzn.to/3EMhYTW
Extras:
If you loved this book, I would also recommend these other prison books that I enjoyed:
- The Many Lives of Mama Love – https://amzn.to/3QmrIXk
- The Girl in Cell 49B – https://amzn.to/3X5qVhc
- The Sun Does Shine – https://amzn.to/4gNRgr2
My Three Dogs By W. Bruce Cameron Will Touch Your Heart
02.15.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
4/5 stars ★★★★☆ for My Three Dogs
Have you ever felt like your pet is looking into your soul or can read your mind? After reading My Three Dogs by W. Bruce Cameron, I will forever wonder what a dog is thinking when I walk by or cuddle one. I am a huge dog lover. I can’t stop thinking about the three dogs in this story. There is Archie, the lovable labradoodle puppy. Then there’s Luna, the sweet Jack Russell. Finally, there’s Riggs, the Australian shepherd and protector of the whole family.
About My Three Dogs:
I don’t want to give away too much about this story. However, I want you to know that spoiler alert: no dogs die in the story. I tell you this because it is always the first question I have when reading a book about dogs. And well, let’s admit it, W. Bruce Cameron has killed my soul a time or two in the past.
My Thoughts On My Three Dogs:
In the book, there are are two human perspectives and three dog perspectives. I have read other “animal perspective” books in the past, and they always seemed a little corny to me. Not this one. The perspective of each dog seemed so real, at least in my mind. Liam, their owner, and his girlfriend, Sabrina, are relatable characters, and I would totally hang out with them.
Of course, I want to punch some of the humans in this story. That’s also true for me in real life. It happens when it comes to humans that don’t love their pets or when animals are mistreated. Warning, though: it will make you want to go out and adopt a pet from a shelter.
Also, can we talk about this cover? Normally, I include photos of how I picture the characters in a book, but this cover can’t be beat. I was going to read this book, no matter what, and yes, it was just based on the cover.
I gave this book four stars, but I would round it up to 4.5 because the Acknowledgments section made me laugh out loud. W. Bruce Cameron definitely has a wonderful sense of humor. His self-deprecation would work well as a comedian on a stage.
Extras:
If you loved this book, I would also recommend these other books by W. Bruce Cameron:
You can buy My Three Dogs at: https://amzn.to/3EyJ4xt
Penitence By Kristin Koval: A Story of Tragedy and Forgiveness
02.04.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
Have you ever experienced a tragedy and you’re not sure how you can forgive the person who caused it? Tragedy affects every family. Some families much worse than others. In every tribulation, there is a hope of penitence (forgiveness). In Kristin Koval’s novel Penitence, she explores the idea of love and forgiveness in more ways than one.
About The Book:
Penitence is a drama about a family that experiences the feeling of death in more ways than one. 13-year-old Nora is arrested for killing her 14-year-old brother. Their family is shattered, and it feels like they have lost two children at once. The story unfolds in two timelines. One explores the mother’s past. The other reveals the current times of the daughter. Koval digs deep into the thoughts and feelings of all that are involved. How does one defend their daughter in a courtroom? She was the one caught holding the gun in their own house.
My Thoughts On The Book:
I loved the premise of this book. It made me wonder how a family goes on after the death of a child. Then, it adds the story line of the death being caused by their own family member. The story captured my attention when it featured Nora in jail. I was also captivated during her time in a juvenile detention center. It tugged on the heart strings of this middle school teacher.
I enjoyed the courtroom drama and the police investigation as well. I especially loved that it took place in Colorado. I could picture the perfect small town. It is like so many around this beautiful state.
The backstory of Angie and her past was interesting and added to the story. Her mistakes, past loves, and family problems were a big part of the story. However, I felt that it was just too long and had too many details. I kept wanting to get back to Nora and the present. I was also a little disappointed by the ending. I kept hoping that there was an epilogue.
This book definitely shows one side of a political spectrum. You are either going to love that or hate it. It just depends on your views.
I gave this book 3.5 stars. I enjoyed reading it. However, it was a little depressing for me. It also has a little too much of the back story. That being said, there are a lot of other reviewers who loved this book. If you like a strong family drama, you might really enjoy the story.
Extras:
If you like books that take place in jail/prison, you might like:
- The Girl in Cell 49B by Dorian Box
- The Many Lives of Mama Love by Lara Love Hardin
- The Green Mile by Stephen King
You can buy this book at: https://amzn.to/4gr4JVJ
Hold Strong: A WWII Historical Fiction Masterpiece By Robert Dugoni, Jeff Langholz, and Chris Crabtree
01.29.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
5/5 stars ★★★★★
This book! Just when I thought Robert Dugoni, author of The Incredible Life of Sam Hell, couldn’t impress me more, he surprised me. He wrote this amazing book, Hold Strong, with co-authors Jeff Langholz and Chris Crabtree. If I could, I would give it 10 out of 5 stars. This historical fiction book took ten years to write, and it shows. I wanted to cancel all of my plans until I could finish the book. It was that good!
About The Book:
The story is based on two fictional characters during WWII. Sam becomes a POW and experiences death-dying events at the hands of the Japanese. Sarah, his high school sweetheart, becomes part of the highly classified code-breaking team for the US.
This story is based on true events and real heroes. The main characters, however, are fictional.
My Thoughts On The Book:
If you haven’t figured it out yet, I loved this book. At first, I didn’t want to read ANOTHER book about WWII. When you teach about it, you think that you couldn’t learn much more. I was wrong. I haven’t read much about the American POWs in Japan. I definitely didn’t know much about the women that became code-breakers. The code-breakers were told to keep what they did confidential, so I’m so glad that these authors did their research.
I loved the characters, Sam and Sarah, in Hold Strong. Not only was their love story realistic, but I learned so much from each of their perspectives about the war. When it was Sam’s point of view, it felt intense. As he experienced the atrocities of a POW, it was almost overwhelming. I had to put the book down a couple of time just because it hurt my heart. I was glad when the next chapter would switch to Sarah to hear her story. I love a strong woman character. Sarah transitioned from a small-town girl to making a big difference in the outcome of the war.
I read this on my Kindle, and I didn’t know there were notes at the back of the book. I wish I had known this ahead of time. The authors took the time to write out what historically happened by page number. It would have been fun to read the true events or what they used for research chapter by chapter.
This story is a beautiful tribute to those that gave up their lives in World War II. Some of the supporting characters in the book were based on real people. I have to say that Chavez was my favorite. You always need that one person around who brings light to any dark situation. Do you know a person in your own life like that?
Other Books By Robert Dugoni That I Recommend:
Megan Collins’ ‘Cross My Heart’: A Psychological Thriller Review
01.24.2025 by Judi Holst // 1 Comment (Edit)
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
What if you received a heart transplant? What if you fell for the husband of the donor whose heart is now beating in your body? Cross My Heart, by Megan Collins, is a psychological thriller about love, obsession, and murder.
About The Book:
Rosie Lachlan receives a heart transplant and soon becomes obsessed with Morgan Thorne, the husband and famous author of the donor. Is he obsessed with her too? Or are stranger things happening that can’t be easily explained? Are her past relationships creating a pattern of her obsessive behaviors?
My Thoughts On The Book:
The thought of someone falling in love with the husband of their donor is intriguing. When you or a loved one have a transplanted organ, there’s always a mystery. You wonder about the original owner of the organ. I liked how the story line was centered around this idea.
My favorite genre is a psychological thriller, and I love when authors keep you guessing. I thought I had the mystery of the story figured out early on the in the book. But then it was like Collins said, “Now don’t be silly, I’m a better writer than that!” Each time she threw in a new detail, I kept second-guessing myself. It made me want to keep reading in the end. I was correct from the beginning, but there were twists that kept me guessing.
I enjoyed the character of Rosie; she was a mixture of pathetic and lovable at the same time. She yearned for love so much that it always became an obsession with her. On the other hand, I wanted to slap her silly at times. That’s what made her a fun character.
Other Psychological Books Like It and That I Recommend:
- A Very Bad Thing by J.T. Ellison
- Lies He Told Me by James Patterson and David Ellis
- I Let Her In by Maria Frankland
The Favorites by Layne Fargo: A Compelling Ice-Dance Love Story
01.20.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
5/5 stars ★★★★★
Love. Scandal. Competition. Obsession. What more could you ask for in a book? I’m sure that The Favorites by Layne Fargo will be in my Top 10 books of 2025. I absolutely loved this book.
About The Book:
Take two childhood friends who later become fierce partners in the ice-dancing world. Their goal is the the gold in the Olympics. But at what cost will it take to get there? Is it worth giving up their love, their friendships, and anything that gets in their way?
The narrative alternates between a documentary-type script set ten years later and the point of view of Katarina Shaw. Katarina Shaw, the ice dancer, is the woman who wanted it all. Heath is her ice-dance partner, childhood friend, and lover. They are a fierce couple that I kept cheering on throughout the book.
My Thoughts On The Book:
This is a must read! I was entrenched in the story of Katarina and Heath. It’s not a normal love story, if that is what you are looking for in a book. At times, you will love and hate both of these characters, but I couldn’t stop thinking about them. Payne does a magnificent job with characterization and detail. I found myself wondering how she knew so much about the skating world and the players involved.
This would be a great book for a book club. There is so much to discuss. I truly hope that it is made into a movie. There are complex friendships, family problems, views about women in a competitive world of the Olympics, and a scandalous behind-the-scenes look of a torrent love affair.
Kudos, Layne Fargo. I am now a fan of your writing.
Other Books Like It:
Extras:
You can buy this book at: https://amzn.to/3Wt62MN
Dorian Box’s The Girl Goes Home (Emily Calby #4)
01.10.2025 by Judi Holst // Leave a Comment (Edit)
5/5 stars ★★★★★
I think I squealed a little when I saw there that was another book in the Emily Calby series by Dorian Box. It was just published at the beginning of January, 2025. If you haven’t read this series yet, I encourage you to do so. The whole series is heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.
I was captivated by the story line of a twelve-year-old girl whose family was murdered, but she managed to escape. In each book, the reader learns more about Emily’s life. I’m not going to share about her life, in case you haven’t read the previous books yet. You should definitely start with Book 1, The Hiding Girl.
About The Book:
The Girl Goes Home picks up Emily’s life when she is twenty-four and a lawyer. She wants answers to the questions about her past. However, there are too many people that want to keep those answers a secret. Emily’s need to be the heroine in other people’s stories also puts her life in danger. She meets up with her childhood best friend, becomes enchanted with another lawyer in town, and encounters those that only care about money and power. Emily just wants justice. Luckily, Lucas, her protector and father-figure, is there right beside her.
My Thoughts On The Book:
Once again, Dorian Box has written an exciting, adventurous, heartbreaking, and uplifting book. To be honest, I don’t think I would have loved it as much if I had not read the whole series first. I think you should definitely do that. It answers so many questions from the previous books.
I love the characters of Emily and Lucas. His fierce love as her father-figure is endearing. Plus, Emily is a badass, and you have to love a strong, female character.
Box does a wonderful job of showing how Emily deals with her past trauma. He examines her internal struggles as an adult. He also explores how a childhood trauma can affect every single part of your life.
I definitely recommend this whole series. I would say that Book 2 and 4 were my favorites, but I liked each one.
I gave this book five out of five stars because of the adventure, mystery, and romance part of the book. I hope there will still be more books in this series.
Other Books Like It:
Here are some other books that remind me of this series.
- Target Acquired by Lynette Eason
- Beyond Reasonable Doubt by Robert Dugoni
- House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
3/5 stars ★★★☆☆
Picture that you are on Temptation Island with your spouse, mix in the therapists of Married at First Sight, and you have the book The Marriage Test. As a fan of reality tv, I thought the premise of this book would be really fun. Five couples on an island, who get help from therapists, while they are live on reality television.
I loved the beginning of the book and learning about the different characters. By the middle of the book, I became restless since I didn’t truly care about any of them. In the end, there were some twists, but it fell sort of flat for me.
I gave this book three out of five stars. It was entertaining for the most part, and I liked reading the story from different point of views from the characters. If you like books that are based on reality tv, murder mysteries, and books about relationships, then you will enjoy this book.
Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture, and Ellie Monago for sharing this book with me. This is my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
Reading Lies He Told Me reminded me of being on a ride at Disneyland. The amusement park ride spins and twists around corners. Things pop out at you unexpectedly. You didn’t even know they were coming. This is how I felt through the whole book. I couldn’t put it down! I kept saying, “What the…?” There were so many unexpected twists and turns.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
The perfect family. David and Marcie Bowers. Two cute kids. He owns the pub in town and becomes a local hero. She is a family practice lawyer. One of them isn’t really who they appear to be. Okay, that’s all I’m going to say. Don’t even read more about the book summary on Amazon. It gives away too much and takes away the fun.
MY THOUGHTS ON THE BOOK:
Patterson and Ellis made a great team while writing this book. I always wonder how Patterson teams up with another author to produce these amazing books. I read this book in two days because there were so many surprises throughout the story. The characters were relatable, and I would switch back and forth between cheering them on.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers/mysteries, then you will like this book. It reminded me of The Housemaid and The Wife Between Us.
Thank you to NetGalley, Little Brown & Co, James Patterson and David Ellis for my copy of this book. This is my honest book review.
This book is definitely worth buying. https://amzn.to/3TXc5HV
5/5 stars ★★★★★
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/
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
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.
I’m always on the hunt for a children’s book to share with others that has a powerful message. I Got This! by Julia Cook and Michele Borba is one that I will definitely buy for others to read.
Let’s start with the cute illustrations. They are done well and are definitely appealing to children, especially with the wintry backdrop. I enjoyed the steps to overcome your problems, and teaching kids to breathe when they are feeling anxiety. It was told in a way that children will understand. I do think it would be a better story for 5 year olds and up. I’m not sure anyone younger would understand, although they would still enjoy the basics and the illustrations.
It’s important for kids to learn about resilience, and the steps they can take to achieve something that might be difficult to them. This book is a great starting point for those conversations.
I gave this book five out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, National Center For Youth Issues, and Cook and Borba for my free copy. This is my honest review.
3/5 stars ★★★☆☆
If you could know your future of what age you will die and how it is going to happen, would you want to know? This is common question that I have asked friends about, so I was excited to read a fictional book about what that look could like in life.
Here One Moment by Liane Moriarty is based on this premise. Many people on an airplane are headed to their different destinations when an unknown older woman starts walking down the aisle telling each passenger how and when they will die. They didn’t get the choice of whether they wanted to find out this information or not. Is the character of Cherry a true psychic? Will her predictions come true?
I am a big fan of Liane Moriarty, but this was not one of my favorite books by her. There were times I was engrossed in the book, but there were just too many characters to become attached to them. It was like watching a reality television show with all of the backstories that went in many different directions. About halfway through the book, I found myself just wanting to know what happens at the end. Since it is a book of over 500 pages, which I usually love, I just wanted to skim through parts and characters that didn’t have much meaning to me.
I liked the story of Allegra, the flight attendant, and Leo, the father who was just trying his best.
Although this wasn’t my favorite book of hers, many other readers loved this book. I think I was expecting more of a thriller from Moriarty.
I gave this book three out of five stars. The premise was interesting, but the storylines of the characters were a little too disconnected.
Thank you to NetGalley, Crown Publishing and Liane Moriarty for my free copy. This is my honest review.
3/5 stars ★★★☆☆
As a teacher, I thought I was going to love The Head Teacher by H.M. Lynn. It was definitely a slow build for me, and I loved the last 30% of the book. That last part? Whoa. Definitely a good ending.
I wish I had connected more with the characters, although I could see the strain that is put on administrators while running a school. I liked that Liz was protecting her daughter, but the rest of the story fell a little flat to me.
I gave this book 3 out of 5 stars. There are other readers that loved it, and I’m still glad I read it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and H.M. Lynn for my free copy of the book. This is my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
Catch the Sun by Jennifer Hartmann is my favorite book of the year so far. My husband even read it in one day, and it’s not a short book!
Maybe it’s the coming-of-age love story that made me enjoy this book so much. It could be the well-developed characters or the intense storyline at times. All I know is that I didn’t want this book to end. There were many times that I laughed out loud, and I could tell exactly where my husband was in the story when he did the same. Max and Ella, the main characters, were friends as kids, torn apart by distance, and brought back into each other’s lives as teenagers. This is when most of the story takes place. Ella is the brooding teenager, and Max is trying to hold his family together.
I loved the quotes throughout the story, and I found myself looking up and listening to songs that were mentioned throughout the book. The ending was perfect and definitely not disappointing. I would love to see a sequel or movie made about this book. I haven’t read other books by Jennifer Hartmann, but I can’t wait to read them now.
Although this book is touted as a young adult book, I think it’s more of an adult book because of some mature parts.
I gave this book five out of five stars.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #Bloombooks, and Jennifer Hartmann for my free copy. This is based on my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Why is the nanny always the evil aspect of that “perfect home” in books? This time, in House of Glass, it was the nanny that fell to her death out of a three-story window. Was it the mother, father, grandmother, the nanny’s boyfriend, or the child that caused the death?
I’m a big fan of Sarah Pekkanen, especially those books that she co-authored with Greer Hendricks , and House of Glass didn’t disappoint. It was fun to read something by Pekkanen alone.
Pekkanen does a great job of keeping the reader guessing throughout the whole story. The book is fast-paced and drops little hints along the way. It is more of a “whodunnit” story rather than one with many twists and turns.
I liked the character of Stella, who was the court-appointed attorney and hired to decide where Rose, the mute child, should live after the divorce. The story is told through her perspective.
Just when you think you figured out the murderer, the story changes on you. I love that kind of book. If you like books by Alice Feeney, B.A. Paris, or Ruth Ware, you will enjoy this book also.
I gave this book four out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Sarah Pekkanen for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
Thank you for the puffy eyes and blotchy face now. This book absolutely ruined me, but I truly loved the story. The Days I Loved You Most by Amy Neff is beautifully written. It is a book that I will never forget. It’s a heartwarming love story between Evelyn and Joseph that spans over the decades. I felt like I was there at every happy and heartbreaking moment.
Sixty years of being together, raising their kids, loving on the grandchildren brings the reader to the moment that Evelyn finds out she has a devastating disease. (You find this out early; I’m not giving anything away.) As the daughter of a mom who experienced this same disease, I understand Evelyn’s decision to want to end her life on her own terms. I understand Joseph’s pain in not wanting to live life without her. I understand the fear that the adult children felt as their mother declined.
As a reader, I loved the shared moments at the beach, the laughter and love of the family, along with when the reader is taken back in time to World War II in the United States. I also definitely had “ugly-face cry” multiple times throughout the book, so I don’t recommend reading it in public. If you love books that make you cry, this one will not let you down.
This is definitely 5 stars from me. It hit a little close to home, and I wasn’t sure I could finish it, but I’m really glad I did.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Amy Neff for a free copy of this book. This is my honest opinion.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
This is my favorite book of the year so far! Maria by Michelle Moran is a must read.
I have seen The Sound of Music movie 36 times so far, and I don’t like to rewatch movies. When I was given the chance to read this book, I couldn’t wait. The Sound of Music movie was actually one of the three reasons that I decided to become a teacher.
Are you curious to know which part of the movie is actually true about Maria Von Trapp’s life, and which parts are different? This book takes place when Rogers and Hammerstein were creating the Broadway musical; they based it on the German movie version of the script. Maria is now an older woman and isn’t happy with the way her life and the Von Trapp’s story is being presented, and she wants the script to be changed.
The book goes back and forth between Maria telling the actual story of her life, and the time of when the musical was being written in the 1950’s.
I was incredibly sad when I finished this book because I didn’t want it to end. It was like saying goodbye to my all-time favorite character once again. I now want to read other books written by Moran because it’s obvious she does a lot of research for her books.
If you enjoyed the movie, I believe that you will enjoy this book as well. If you haven’t seen the movie, you will learn a lot about that time period.
I gave this book five out of five stars. I keep thinking about this book, and that means it earns five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and Michelle Moran for my free copy. This is my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
5 stars from me! Today is publication day!
I was a teacher for 32 years, and The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu is spot on. I found myself laughing throughout the book. It starts with an older man who is found dead on the couch, in the teacher’s lounge, while he is subbing. From everything from parent emails, to professional development, to school romances, The Faculty Lounge brings to light what staff members at a school go through each day. The best part, though, is it is told in a humorous way showing how different staff members reacted to different situations. It isn’t a whiny book about these situations, which made me like it even more.
If you are an administrator, office staff, nurse, counselor, custodian, or teacher, you are going to relate to this book. You are going to want to tell your colleagues about this book. On top of that, you are going to think of this book when something happens at school that makes you laugh. I kept picturing different people that I have worked with as the different characters are introduced.
Please, please….if you know me, please don’t throw my ashes in the front yard of my school when I die.
Thank you to Dutton and Jennifer Mathieu for sharing this book with me. This is my honest opinion. Now I can’t wait for my friends to read it, so we can talk about which of our colleagues they pictured when they read the book.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
It has to be true that those who have raised us as children definitely have an impact on the rest of our lives.
Under Your Spell by Laura Wood is a cute rom-com book. If you were raised by a “crazy” rock star dad, would you want to date another rock star? Clementine was raised, with her two older sisters, in a family with a rock star dad who wasn’t exactly there for her as a child. When she is hired to help keep an eye on rock star, Theo, for six weeks, life gets even crazier.
My favorite part was when the three sisters were together. They made me laugh, and I could easily picture each character. As someone with two older sisters, I could easily relate to their antics and banter when they are together.
I gave this book four out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Laura Wood for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
If you are looking for a book with some sizzling romance to make you blush and want to mix it with a psychological thriller, then The Unraveling by Vi Keeland is for you.
Is it wrong to take on a client, as a therapist, who is connected to the death of your husband? What if that client is someone you are attracted to and can’t turn away? What if you are both widows because of the same car accident and will be forever connected in some way?
The second half of the book was hard to put down. It was a slower start for me. I think I don’t enjoy therapist books as much, for some reason, but the set up was important to the story. Actually, my favorite character in the book was the therapist’s assistant. She seemed like a good person and friend. I can’t say the same for the two main characters. And yet, I still cheered them on.
I gave this book four out of five stars. If you would like to see the book trailer, you can see it here: https://youtu.be/3AzByhLCFKo?si=lH6avLVUrZXSnS7f.
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Vi Kleeland for my free copy. This is my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
Whoa! What did I just read? This book! I’m sitting here stunned, and I can’t stop thinking about the story. I’m officially a John Marrs fan now, and The Family Experiment is a book that I won’t forget.
The short premise of this book is that there are families everywhere that can’t have kids for one reason or another in the future. With AI, a company decides to create MetaBabies in which families can pay to choose how they want their child created and then “visit” them in the Metaverse with the help of a VR headset. On top of that, the company creates a reality TV show that has ten couples competing, over the nine months, as they raise their child, who grows into an adult during those nine months. The TV audience decides which couple will win. The winner will have the choice to keep their AI child or take the money to try to raise a human child in the real world.
This mixes two of my favorite topics right now: AI and reality tv. I’m intrigued by both topics lately. The book was a little confusing at first as you try to learn the different characters that are competing. Once you have that down, and you will, the book is a never-ending thrill ride.
It is a book filled with drama, comedy, suspense, and science fiction. I found the different characters incredibly interesting, and Marrs did a great job of including all different types of couples and problems that are faced in the real world.
Just like any reality tv show, you find yourself cheering on your favorite couple. Your favorite might even change as you learn more about their stories.
So, who wins the reality game show called, “The Substitute”? You ‘ll have to read the book to find out.
I gave this book five out of five stars. I couldn’t put it down. John Marrs also wrote The One, and I can’t wait read that one next.
Thank you to NetGalley, John Marrs, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
If you like a good mystery, then you will enjoy this book.
Can we first talk about this cover? It is one of the cutest covers that I have seen in a long time. Who doesn’t love a golden retriever puppy? I wasn’t sure how it tied in to the book until partway through, but I like how the picture wraps up the story.
Dog Day Afternoon by David Rosenfelt is part of a series, but it is definitely a stand-alone book. You will just miss some of the background of the main characters, but you can understand the story just fine.
This is a good mystery book that keeps you guessing. I wasn’t totally connected with any of the characters, but it reminded me of an Agatha Christie book where it’s more about the “whodunnit,” rather than the main character development. It is an easy read, once you have all of the characters figured out. I like how it all tied together in the end. I especially like that it is from the POV of a lawyer because courtroom dramas are a fun read for me.
I gave this book four out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and David Rosenfelt for sharing this free copy with me. This is based on my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
There is so much wrapped up in The Wilderness Girls by Madeline Claire Franklin that I don’t even know where to start.
First of the all, the main character, Rhi, is a teenager that I wanted to wrap my arms around each day of her story. Then she comes across four feral teenage girls in the middle of the woods. I mean, who DOESN’T want to read that story? Admittedly, I think about it each time I am walking through a forested area now. What would I do if I came across these girls? When they bring the four girls into society, it reminded me of Crocodile Dundee. The girls believe they are part of some magical world, but society thinks they were part of a sinister kidnapping. I kept hoping for the magic part to be true.
I also loved the character of Rhi’s uncle, who takes her in under his wing. For some reason, I pictured him like John Stamos in Full House. He was so loving toward Rhi, and I like how their relationship developed.
The four teenage girls are also well-developed characters in their own right. Franklin does a wonderful job of building up each of their personalities and challenges, while showing what’s it’s like to live in foster homes.
Although this is listed as a YA book, I think it’s more of an adult book because of the issues involved in the story. I wouldn’t share this with my middle school students. There are strong content warnings for this book listed on Goodreads. Don’t let the YA genre stop you from reading it, though.
I first gave this book four stars. But I can’t get it off my mind, so I switched it to five stars. It’s a great clash of fantasy meets real world, and it’s beautifully written.
Thank you to NetGalley, Zando Young Readers, and Madeline Claire Franklin for my free copy of this book. This is based on my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
If you are looking for that one summer read for your vacation, then choose this book!
I admit that I am not a big fan of rom-com type of books, but this book may have changed my mind. I think this is because although it did make me laugh, there were also some heavy topics in the book. It was the perfect mixture of comedy and drama = dramedy. I enjoyed both of the main characters; Emma, the screenwriter who hasn’t had a lot of success, and Charlie, the famous writer, who wrote a screenplay that needs saving. There is also Emma’s family that you can’t help but love, and Emma’s ex-boyfriend, who is also her agent.
It was interesting to see some background into how two writers might work together to write a screenplay. Their little quirks and banter cracked me up. Katherine Center did a good job with the characterization in The Rom-Commers. It was easy to picture the characters and her writing had a lot of “voice.” I would like to read more of her books now.
I gave this book four out of five stars.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Katherine Center for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
Another hit by one of the best!
I am a huge Elin Hilderbrand fan, and I am so glad that I loved her latest book, Swan Song, since it was the last one she wrote before retiring. I have a feeling it won’t be her last book, though.
Swan Song is the perfect title for this book. I always saved a Hilderbrand book to read on my summer vacations. It became sort of a tradition. Her books are light and fun, and since this series always took place on Nantucket, I felt like I was vacationing with the characters in the book. Although Swan Song can be a standalone book, I loved all of the little “nods” to her previous books throughout the story. It was like reminiscing about your childhood.
This book has more mystery than usual, friendship, family drama, romance, but my favorite part is always the characterization in Hilderbrand’s novels. You feel as if you are living the story with them. My favorite character was Coco, who didn’t actually grow up on the island. She was fierce and vulnerable at the same time. I just wanted to take her under my wing. I also loved the Chief, but I usually do in her books. He is someone I would want to hang out with in real life.
I gave this book five out of five stars. It’s a great summer read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Little, Brown, and Ms. Hilderbrand for my free copy of this book. This review is my honest opinion.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
This would make the perfect gift for any father, especially if they have a daughter in their life.
When I was a teenager, my dad took me on a trip; it was just the two of us. I never really thought about why he did this, but after reading Dad Camp by Evan Porter, it all became clear to me. I was changing from being his “little girl” who wanted her dad at every sporting event and turning into a teen who only wanted to be with her friends. That must be incredibly hard on a parent. How does a dad continue that connection that he had with his daughter for so many years?
In Dad Camp, there are all types of dads that want to connect more with their kids for different reasons. You might even catch a glimpse of your own dad. The book is written from the perspective of John, one of the dads, who is struggling to watch his preteen daughter drift away from him. Dad Camp made me laugh many times, but it was also truly touching. The dads had to reach deep down at times to understand their own family dynamics. There were camp antics, girl drama, and dads becoming “bros.”
I gave this book four out of five stars. It made me wish I could still call my dad.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
It’s been a long time since I cheered on the main character in a book in such a strong way. I couldn’t put this book down. I first wanted to read it because of the title FERAL MARIL & HER LITTLE BROTHER CAROL. That is such a catchy title and different than the books I had chosen in the past.
Then the author, Leslie Tall Manning, gave the me the 16-year-old character named Marilyn, and the story is told through her point of view. I wanted to wrap my arms around Marilyn and tell her that life is going to be okay. She reminded me of so many of my past students that didn’t have an easy upbringing. Marilyn is fierce and loves with her whole heart. She especially loves her little brother, Carol, who has autism. I have a special place in my heart for kids with autism, and I loved his character. Manning does a great job of portraying him throughout the story. She also shows how sibling love can be intense and take up your whole heart.
This book will have you feeling all of the feels. It made me laugh, cry, get mad, and be happy, sometimes all in one chapter. It sheds light on the foster care system in our country, which sometimes works well and sometimes it doesn’t.
I gave this book five stars because I didn’t want the book to end. I hope that there will be a sequel one day.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for my free copy. This is my honest review.
3/5 stars ★★★☆☆
I am a lover of true crime shows and books, especially if the crimes happened during my lifetime. The Last Stone by Mark Bowden takes place 30 years after the crime was committed, and I’m intrigued by cold cases that are reopened.
Two little girls are missing, but the crime was never solved of what happened to the little girls and where they were buried. Most of this book was based on the interrogation interviews that were recorded at the time. I found it interesting to see what detectives do and say to try to get a witness to talk about what they know. You have to be such a patient person to be a detective.
I really liked the beginning of this book, but then it dragged on for me. I wish it was about half of the length. It’s such a sad story, but you kind of guess where the story is going after the first quarter of the book.
Mark Bowden is a great author, but this wasn’t one of my favorite books. That being said, I think if you really like digging in to how witnesses/convicts are interrogated, you will enjoy this book. I gave this book three out of 5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and Atlantic Monthly Press for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
If you are a fan of the television show “The Bachelor” and/or “The Bachelorette,” and you are intrigued by our new AI world, then you are going to love this book.
Made For You by Jenna Satterthwaite was such a fun book to read. She mixes pop culture with the future of AI, and then included the components of a good mystery. What first caught my eye was the cover of the book. Wow. The colors and images made me want to read the book right away.
Let’s just admit that the future of AI is fun, scary, overwhelming, shocking, and exciting all at the same time. Now what if people were created as AI humans, known as Synths, and could be produced specifically for another human being? Josh, a mortal human being, was the bachelor on the show “The Proposal.” Julia was a synth created specifically for Josh. Will he choose her? She looks human, can have a baby, and thinks and feels just like a human, but she was created right before the show. She doesn’t have a family or memories to back on, nor can she cause harm to other humans.
Can a Synth be accused of murder if she is programmed to not hurt other humans?
This book was funny, mysterious, but what I liked most of all was that it made me think. What will AI be like in the future? Would you befriend a Synth? Should they be treated like everyone else?
I gave this book five stars because it is a book that I will remember for a while. This is my true test of a five star book. It wasn’t deep, but it was fun to think about when I finished reading it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and MIRA Books for my free copy. This is my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Do you love watching true crime television shows like I do? If so, you will enjoy this book!
This was my first book that I read in the Under Suspicion series (nothing like waiting until the 8th book), and I’m so glad I read it. I love a good mystery that doesn’t keep you up at night, but you are trying to find out the “real” killer. It Had to Be You by Higgins Clark and Burke is what a lot of people would call a cozy mystery. You want to just curl up on the couch and read through the whole story.
Take a family that looks well put together to the outside world, until one night both of the parents are murdered. The twin boys are under suspicion, and their little sister is determined to find out what really happened years later. Laurie Moran, the producer of the true crimes show, Under Suspicion, is contacted by the little sister to help her find out the details. The twin boys are now men with their own families and are estranged. Did they do it?
I really liked the character of Laurie Moran, and now I am going to start at the first book in the series to see how Laurie ends up solving other mysteries. You can definitely read It Had to Be You as a stand-alone book.
I gave this book four out of five stars. Thank you Simon & Schuster, NetGalley and the authors for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Since my grandfather was born in Estonia, I was drawn to reading this book, and I am so glad that I did. I don’t know much about Estonia, except for the report I wrote in middle school, so I was able to learn a lot about what life was like there in the 1970s.
I had no idea that smuggling goods from Finland to Estonia was a huge black market back then. Estonia, under the rule of the Soviet empire, created a hard life for the people there, and the people wanted to live more like the “Westerners.”
Kaisa, a woman who cleaned for a living in Finland, stumbles upon the world of smuggling while wearing a fur coat on a trip to Estonia. It was her smuggling adventures that made me hold me breath each time. I really liked Kaisa as a character, but I struggled with her as a mom. I know she was doing her best, but I’m not sure it was worth it all as a single mother.
I love a historical fiction book when I learn new things about the past, especially events that you never read about in other books. I’m glad I picked this one to read.
I gave this book four out of five stars. It was a little short for me because I really like to get into a story, but it was a fast read.
Thank you to BookSirens for my free copy, and this is my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
People say that you have to be crazy to teach middle school. According to The Good Teacher by Brian O’Rourke, you might just be right. As a former middle school teacher myself, I enjoyed this book, and it brought back a lot of memories. The meetings, making besties at work, the kids, the parents, and there is always that one colleague that you wonder about. Ha.
The main character, Nellie, recently divorced, took a job across the country at Overland Middle School to get away from her husband and her old life. On the first day, she comes across Emmett, a respected teacher at her school. The problem is that he looks exactly like the monster from her past. However, the monster wasn’t named Emmett. Strange things start happening, but Nellie is new in town, and no one really believes her.
The Good Teacher moves along quickly, and I couldn’t wait to get to the end to find out what happens with Nellie and Emmett. I gave this book four out of five stars. The book wrapped up a little too nicely for me, which is why it wasn’t five stars. That being said, I still recommend this book. It’s a fun read.
Thank you to Inkubator Books, NetGalley, and Brian O’Rourke for a free copy in order for my honest review.
3/5 stars ★★★☆☆
If you are a fan of YA books , especially if you read the TikTok sensation, We Were Liars, then you might enjoy this prequel that came out later by E. Lockhart.
This book is about the Sinclair sisters and when the “boys” entered the island. Although this is listed as a YA book, it has a lot of issues in it that might be better just for high school and above (especially with the topic of rape). The characters were interesting, and who doesn’t like a book that takes place on an island where there is all kinds of fun, love interests, murder, and trauma to be had.
I gave this book three out of five stars because it just didn’t hold up to We Were Liars, like I was hoping. I was especially disappointed with the ending. It just didn’t make a lot of sense and seemed sudden to me. I wish it had tied more to the other book at the very end.
I was given this book for my honest opinion.
3/5 stars ★★★☆☆
Do you love a book of “whodunnit?” Who is the true murderer? One by One by Freida McFadden may be a book that satisfies your love of a mystery.
I love Freida McFadden books, but this one didn’t cut it for me. Six friends, six days in the forest, and someone is out to get them. I didn’t have any connection with the characters, and I felt absolutely nothing when there was a murder. About halfway through, I just wanted the book to end to find out who the name of the murderer. There are random chapters about “anonymous,” so you want to figure out who this person is and why they are important to the story. Most of the story is told from the viewpoint of Claire, who is a mother of two, and in an unhappy marriage.
That being said, there are so many people that loved this book, so don’t let it stop you from reading it. I’m still excited to read other books by McFadden because they read quickly and usually have a lot of suspense.
I gave this book three out of five stars. I was given this book for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
I know I am late to the game, and it seems like everyone has already read this book. I kept hearing and reading about it, but I wanted to save it for a time when I needed a peaceful read that would take me away to Nantucket when I needed it the most.
I am a big fan of Elin Hilderband. Her books are a perfect summer read, and the details of Nantucket always make me want to visit. It is obvious that she lives there, by her descriptions.
This is a story about Hollis, a recently widowed-woman, who decided to invite four friends to her house on Nantucket, in order to cheer her up. Each person came from a different time during her life. Her childhood friend, her college friend, her motherhood friend, and someone she had only talked to on the internet. This is a story about the lives of those five women, not just about what happened during that “Five-Star Weekend.”
I enjoyed this book because when I had a “big” birthday, I had a weekend just like Hollis did. I had my best friend since I was five, my best friend from college, my best friend from my adult life, and my two sisters who have always been my best friends. It was one of the most amazing weekends of my life. This book brought back those memories, and it made me wish I could do it all over again.
This is a very easy read, if you just need a book to cozy up to right now. I gave this book four out of five stars for my honest review.
Thank you Little, Brown and Company for sharing it with me.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
You have to love a memoir that begins with the author’s mother who is on trial for shooting a BB gun at a man driving away from her house.
This is the memoir of Annabelle Tometich, who was born to a Filipino mother and a caucasian American father. She deals with issues of being biracial while growing up, and does what she can to get ahead in life. She is embarrassed of her mother at times and doesn’t speak the Tagalog language of her mother’s language. That changes when her mom takes her to Manila, and she begins to see her mother in a new light.
I loved the characters in this memoir. Tometich does a great job of showing all sides of the people in her family. One moment you love her mom, and other moments, you will get angry with her. The same with her dad, her grandfather, her aunt, and her siblings.
There were times I was fully absorbed in her story, and there were other times that it was a little slow for me. That being said, I keep thinking about this book. The emotional drama that surrounded this family intrigued me, and it made me want to keep reading.
So why did the mother shoot the BB gun at the man? You will have to read the book to find out. All I know is that I will never look at mangoes in the same way.
Thank you Little, Brown and Company for sharing this book with me. This review is my honest opinion, and I give the book four out of five stars.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
My college days were some of the best years of my life, and sometimes I love to read books that remind me of those times. You have the friendships, the partying, the studying, and just trying to figure out how to be an adult, especially when you move out of the dorms.
Only If You’re Lucky takes place during Margot’s second year of college. She moves in with three other women and lives next door to a fraternity house. One of the new pledges is from Margot’s past, and she believes that he is the one the killed her best friend in high school. That’s not a spoiler alert. You learn that in the beginning of the book. :).
There were a few different twists as you try to figure out what happened on the night that Margot’s best friend died.
The first half of the book was a little slow for me, and I felt the author repeated the story a little too much. However, I really enjoyed the second half of the book as everything comes to light.
Stacy Willingham, the author, also wrote A Flicker in the Dark and All The Dangerous Things. She definitely knows how to write thrillers.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for sharing this book with me. I would give this book 4 stars. I was given this book for my honest review.
5 stars, for sure! 5/5 stars ★★★★★
I have read a lot of good books, but there are very few that make me stop and think along the way of how beautifully a line or description is written. If I was in a book club, I would have been highlighting so many lines, so that I could talk about them with others. It’s hard to believe that this is Shelley Read’s debut novel.
The story takes place in Colorado and starts out with a 17-year-old girl, Victoria, who falls in love and makes a decision that will change the rest of her life. The characterization in this book is very well done, and there are characters you are going to love and hate.
If you liked the book Where the Crawdads Sing, you might enjoy this book also. This is now one of my husband’s top books too. I can see why it was a finalist for the Goodreads Choice Award.
My hope is that they make a movie based on this book. I would love to see it.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Happy Publication Day to Maria Frankland on March 19th!
Have you ever met someone where it seems the two of you hit it off right away? Would you let them become your dog-walker or watch your child after meeting them just one time?
Cassie meets Amy in the park after moving in to a her new neighborhood. She is in dire need of a dog-walker when she starts her new job, but she didn’t realize what she was getting herself into at the time.
I Let Her In is a psychological thriller that is a fast read. It is told through two POVS: Cassie and Amy’s. I love books that show both sides of a story as you try to figure out the mystery of what actually happened in the prologue.
I didn’t really like the characters, except for Suki, the dog, and Teddy, Cassie’s four-year-old son. However, even though I didn’t really like Cassie nor Amy, I still cheered them on throughout the book. It’s like when you cheer on the antagonist in a good movie.
There were some good twists at the end, which I always appreciate. At times, I felt like the hints were a little too strong, but I still wanted to read to find out if I was right or not.
I gave this book four out of five stars. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for sharing this book with me for my honest review.
4.5 stars ★★★★☆
Happy Publication Day to Patterson and Allen on March 18th!
When you take a courtroom drama and mix in the twists and turns of a good mystery, you have found my favorite kind of book. James Patterson is one of my favorite authors, but this is not his usual type of book. That is the part I found fascinating.
The story takes place in Biloxi, Mississippi, and I thought it would just be like another Grisham book, but I was wrong. Then you bring in a lawyer like the Lincoln Lawyer series, and I thought it would be like a Connelly book. Now take those two and add in Patterson’s special way of writing. You have the short chapters that somehow make you want to keep reading forever to find out what is next, and characters that you cheer on throughout the book. You think you have the story all figured out, but then you remember that Patterson wrote it, and you know you are going to be wrong.
I also appreciated that he co-authored with Nancy Allen, who brought in her legal expertise to the book. It was a great match.
I would be interested in reading more books about Stafford Lee, the main character, and Jennie, his private investigator. I think I would hang out with the both of them in real life.
I gave this book 4.5 stars. It would be five stars, but it started out just a little slow for me. After the first few chapters, though, I couldn’t put it down. I was given this book for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
James Patterson doesn’t disappoint, and I liked reading another book in the Alex Cross series. Although this book is called, “Alex Cross Must Die,” on Goodreads it is listed as “Cross Out.” Both of those titles confuse me because the book has nothing to do with someone hunting down Alex Cross.
That being said, this book reads quickly, just as Patterson’s books do. It has four different mysteries going on at one time: the bringing down of a plane, the missing college athlete, the disappearance of a CEO, and a serial killer of younger men. Some reviews said they found it a little confusing, but I actually liked all of the different storylines. It kept the story moving along, and I didn’t think it was confusing.
I gave this book four out of five stars. Thank you Little, Brown and Company for my free copy in exchange for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
This was a book that I read quickly. There’s nothing better than a psychological thriller (my favorite genre) that is an easy read. There are 8 characters in this book with different subplots that are all connected. I found the character of Laure intriguing because she is the “guest” who moves right in to her best friend’s house when she is having marital problems. And trust me, she MOVES IN. I love my best friend, but I don’t need her wearing my clothes or rearranging my house as a guest.
Halfway through the book, I went back and reread the prologue. I kept trying to figure out how it was related. The last chapter brought it all together, and what a page-turning twist! All of the secrets and lies come out, and now I need to talk to someone that has read it! If you are someone who reads the last chapter before the you read the rest of the book, please don’t be that person this time. It will ruin it for you.
This book was published in February 2024.
I gave this book four out of five stars. I was given this book for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
I love when authors combine two different genres into one book. If you love mystery combined with fantasy, then you are going to like this book. Think Agatha Christie or Sherlock Holmes placed into a fantasy world. The Tainted Cup is definitely stronger on the mystery side, but it has characters that have grafts that give them exceptionalities. Mix in some biological science, a corrupt society, with a huge Leviathan, and you have an interesting book.
The story is told through the point of view of Din, an Engraver, who remembers everything that he sees. He has been assigned as an assistant to Investigator Ana, who has been assigned to solve the mystery of the murders that are happening in the Empire. Ana’s sarcasm and wit (with a huge potty mouth), cracked me up.
Although this is the beginning book of a series that was published in February, 2024, the book does wrap up nicely. I’m glad it didn’t leave me hanging. The book is well-written and moves along nicely.
I gave this book four out of five stars. I’m not a huge fantasy fan, but if you are, you will enjoy this book even more. I was given this book for my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
Wow, what a great book!
It amazes me how one book can be read so differently by many people. It’s why book clubs exist, right? This story follows a book and how it was experienced by ten different people. I normally don’t like short stories, but each chapter is a story about how a fictional book called, “Theo,” affected different character’s lives. Each chapter takes about 20-30 minutes to read, and I was sad when each one ended. I wanted to keep living the story of the characters.
Then it became even better when some of the lives became intermingled later in the book. I loved every single chapter, and I was excited to meet the new characters in each part. This was a book that I didn’t want to end. Erica Bauermeister is obviously a wonderful storyteller.
I gave this book five out of five stars. I was given this book for my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
I LOVED this book. I was excited to see that Kristin Hannah had written another book, but I was especially happy to see it was on a topic that I have little knowledge. I mean, have you read a book about the nurses in Vietnam? Me neither. To me, the nurses in Vietnam were as heroic as the men that served.
“Frankie” McGrath was a San Diego debutante who decided she wanted to serve in the Vietnam War as a nurse for different reasons. The story follows Frankie’s life while in Vietnam and what she went through when she returned to the US. It was astounding to me how many times people would say that women didn’t serve in Vietnam. I’m pretty sure “Hot Lips”‘ from MASH would disagree.
I laughed, cried, and felt all of the feels while reading this book. I gave this book five out of five stars, and I highly recommend this book.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
CAUTION: Don’t even bother reading this if you’re not over 40, preferably over 50. You will have a hard time relating.
Was this book funny? YES! Was the author PC at all times? Nope. Could I relate to many of the topics? Most definitely. It’s a great book to pick up when you have some extra time or need a laugh. It’s definitely worth reading.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
There is something special when an elderly person befriends a teenager. It can be a beautiful bond. This story is about Callum, a 15-year-old boy, who is bullied at school, doesn’t know his father, and his mother is married to a man who is verbally and emotionally abusive.
One day in the woods, Callum meets Potts, a WWII veteran, who enjoys a reclusive life, while dealing with PTSD.
The characterization is this book is strong. I was cheering on Callum every time his talked to his love interest, Lucy. I was cheering on Potts, who just wanted to be left alone, but found that he really wanted company more than he thought. I wanted to punch his abusive stepfather, and I wanted to shake his mother who stayed in the home. The bond between Potts and Callum was just beautiful. Everyone should have a “Potts” in their life when they are young.
I enjoyed the story and gave it four out of five stars. I was given this book for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
I am a huge fan of the show “Bosch” and the show “The Lincoln Lawyer.” When I saw that this book combines both of those characters, I couldn’t wait to read it. It takes place long after Bosch has retired, and he is now a driver for Mikey, the Lincoln Lawyer. They are cousins. Who knew? That was a little weird to me at first, but it was fun how they teamed up in this book. It makes me want to read more books where these two characters are teamed up again. Michael Connelly does it again with another interesting book.
If you are a fan of courtroom books, with some action, you will enjoy this book.
I gave this book four out of five stars for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Have you ever had that one “love that got away”? Do you wonder what life would have been like? What would you be willing to do to get that one person back?
Can’t Look Away by Carola Lovering is told through the viewpoints of three different characters: Molly, Sabrina and Jake. It goes back and forth between the present and the past. Molly is an aspiring writer, Jake is the music star, and Sabrina is obsessed with getting Jake back from Molly..
This is a psychological thriller with some surprising twists and turns. It dealt with friendship, love, infertility, and obsessive personality traits.
I enjoyed this book, and I gave it four out of five stars. It was an easy, fast read.
I was given this book for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
I remember sitting in my college classes as an 18-year-old woman and thinking how strange it was to see someone in their thirties taking the same class. They seemed out of place, and I don’t remember talking to them much. However, now I wish I had. I have to assume that there is a cool story about why someone in their thirties would go back to college. I truly missed out on an opportunity.
Class: A Memoir of Motherhood, Hunger, and Higher Education by Stephanie Land opened my eyes of what it would be like to try to raise as a child as a single mother, attend college courses in order to attain a degree, all while living in poverty.
Land is the bestselling author who inspired the series, “Maid,” on Netflix. This book takes place during Land’s last year in college. She invites us in to share the highs and lows of her last year in college as a thirty-something as she aspires to become a writer.
I have not read Land’s previous book, but I did enjoy this one. I will now have to go back and read it.
I gave this book four out of five stars for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
I couldn’t wait to read this book because Patterson is one of my favorite suspense writers and Lupica is one of my favorite sports writers.
Jane Smith, a Long Island attorney, finds out that she has twelve months to live because of terminal cancer. You find this out in the beginning of the book, so I’m not giving away anything. Jane has never lost a case, and she is asked to represent a client that she isn’t sure is innocent. Unfortunately, the DA has never lost a case either.
It’s a fast-paced book, as Patterson’s books usually are, and it made me want to keep reading. Some parts in the courtroom didn’t seem plausible, but I still enjoyed the book. Will Jane win the case? Is her client really innocent? Read and find out.
I give this book four stars. It was given to me for my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
If you’re like me, Charlie and Chocolate Factory was one of your favorite books/movies. This book was like the adult version.
Jack “the Mastermind” Masterson has written a series of books, but stopped writing after awhile. When he announced the he was writing one more book, he also stated that he was holding a contest on his island to see who would own the only copy of this book.
Lucy, a teacher’s aide, loved his books, and read all of them to Christopher, a student who tragically lost his parents. In Lucy’s hope to adopt Christopher, she needed the money by selling Jack Masterson’s one and only copy of his new book.
This is where the contest comes into place, and why it’s like Charlie and Chocolate Factory. This was a beautiful story filled with interesting characters. It’s a feel-good book that I would recommend to others.
I gave this book five stars! I was given this book for my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
Wow! I have so many mixed feelings about this book. I am new to this author, but I now want to read more of her books. The Wolf Hunt has so many different issues going on, but it is basically about an Israeli immigrant family that moves to the Silicon Valley and become pawns in the death of a black teenager.
The story is told from the mother’s point of view, and oh man, this book might really pull on a mother’s heartstrings. Her son, Adam, is bullied by Jamal, and Jamal ends up dead at a teenage party. Throughout the book, the reader is trying to figure out who killed Jamal. There are different storylines throughout the book, and a major one surrounds a defense class, taught by Uri, a former Israeli Special Forces Officer, who Adam begins to worship. However, Adam’s mom isn’t convinced that Uri is a good person for Adam to be around.
At times, this translated novel made me very uncomfortable as it deals with antisemitism, racial issues, animal cruelty, and bullying. That’s a lot to deal with in one book, and at times, made me very sad. However, it made me want to keep reading and learn more about the different characters.
I kept going back and forth between four or five stars for this book. I decided to go with five because it is a book that I will think about for awhile, even though it made me uncomfortable. I was given this book for my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
I can officially say that this has been my favorite book this summer! I read it in two days, and I don’t usually read books that quickly.
This memoir hooked me right from the start. The author, Lara Love Hardin, was a suburban soccer mom when she was arrested and charged with 32 felonies. She shares her account of addiction, how she stole credit cards to pay for everything, her time in jail (my favorite part), and how she pulled her life together. The part about jail reminded me so much of the show “60 Days In,” and Love Hardin did an excellent job of putting her reader right there with her.
The book is well-written, and I kept cheering her on throughout the book. It is a heavy book, but it is one of hope and forgiveness.
I gave this book five out of five stars. I was given this book for my honest review, and I highly recommend it.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
A book that takes place in Colorado…and in the 60’s? So fun!
I have never read a book by James Lee Burke, and I am now a fan. This book is not the usual kind of book I would pick up and read. Plus, I had no idea it was part of a family sage, but it can definitely stand alone. Aaron Holland Broussard, the main character, is a veteran who decided to jump off of the boxcar in Denver in the 60s. He ends up working on a farm, and meets a college student/artist that makes him see the beauty in life again. There is a lot of evil going on in this town; Broussard experiences a drug-induced cult, mysticism, and other sinister characters.
The author, Burke, has a beautiful way of writing. It was almost poetic in his descriptions, and the characters kept my interest. He definitely made me want to read his other books.
I gave this book four out of five stars. The ending was intense, but it also confused me in a way. That being said, it is definitely a book I recommend. I was given this book for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Can you think of that one family in your neighborhood or among your friends where they just seem, well, perfect? You know that everyone has “stuff” going on in their lives, but you just can’t imagine what could be wrong with their family?
I love a good thriller, which is why I was drawn to this book. The Perfect Family by Robyn Harding follows four characters that make up the family members in this book. I like a book where the characters are being messed with, and no one can figure out who is messing with them.
Harding does a good job of developing the characters as you watch their secrets unfold. The story was fast-paced and made me want to keep reading. The book contains vandalism, theft, late night video chats in lingerie, sexual assault, and drunken indiscretions Just wanted to make sure you were aware ahead of time. 🙂
I gave this book four out of five stars. I was given this book for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Truth be told, I have this obsession with prisons. I think it is because I am so terrified of ending up in one. Ha. When I saw that the book, You Will Know Vengeance by W. A. Pepper, was compared to the Shawshank Redemption, I knew that I had to read it.
This was definitely a different type of book than my normal read. The editors called it a “techno-thriller.” Have you ever heard of a prison that is filled with just computer hackers? Brilliant minds all in one place? I almost have the feeling that this place could actually exist. The main character, Tanto, has spent eight years in a hidden prison in Texas. Everyone’s job in this prison to is catch other people online. (I especially like when they are catching the scum that prey on naive teenagers online.)
The characters in the story are what make it in an interesting read. The head of the prison calls everyone, “Dog,” and treats them as such. The other inmates also bring their own stories to this prison. It is a life of violence, but to some, it is still considered home.
The book was well-written, and although there is quite a bit of technology terms, everything was explained well .
I gave this book four out of five stars. I was given this book for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
I love a good mystery mixed in with some historical facts!
The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont is about a time that I didn’t even know had happened. The story is narrated by Nan O’Dea, who was the mistress of Archie Christie, husband of Agatha Christie. I love a good Agatha Christie mystery, so right away I was intrigued to learn more about her life.
When Agatha learned about her husband’s mistress, she ended up missing for eleven days, in which everyone assumed she had killed herself.
The story goes back and forth about Nan’s childhood and how she ended up where she did, but it intertwines with Agatha’s disappearance as an adult. I was “Team Agatha,” of course, but I enjoyed how the author wrote the story.
If you enjoy some historical fiction (based loosely on facts), mixed in with a mystery, you will enjoy this book. I gave it four out of five stars.
I was given this book for my honest review.
3/5 stars ★★★☆☆
One of my favorite memories in life are from the trips I used to take with my mom. One time, when I was in college, we decided to jump in the car and head up the West Coast. We didn’t plan on where we were stopping or where we would stay. I was lucky to have a mom that I wanted to spend time with in this way.
The book, THINGS I WISH I TOLD MY MOTHER by Susan Patterson, Susan DiLallo and James Patterson, brought back so many memories of my mom. This is a story of a mother and daughter who are completely different. Laurie is a the free-spirited daughter, and Liz has spent most of her life living through her profession as a doctor.
Laurie decides to invite her mom to a trip to Europe, and their adventures made me laugh throughout the story. Secrets come out, stories are shared, and bonding begins to happen. Of course, it isn’t all roses on their trip.
There were times when I wished the book would hurry up, and I was a bit surprised (disappointed?) with the twist at the end.
I gave this three out of five stars. I liked how it brought back memories, but it was also easy to pick up and put down.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
“Secrets bind the shamed to the guilty. Truth will set them free.”
Implied Consent, by Keenan Powell, is one of those great courtroom thrillers that make you want to keep reading. Since the leading lawyer is a woman, it drew my interest right away.
According to tort law, “The plaintiff’s consent is implied when the plaintiff fails to object, or is silent in a situation in which a reasonable person would object to the defendant’s actions.”
Not only did the title and cover of this book catch my eye, but in the “me too” movement, I was curious about how implied consent is objectively looked at in a court of law.
When Josephine, the plaintiff, brings charges against her boss, a Hollywood “mogul,” for sexual crimes, but stays silent at first because she doesn’t want to lose her job, a lawsuit is created. Maureen, the prosecuting attorney, must prove her case without a lot of evidence. Also, Maureen’s past plays a big part in how she decided to try this case.
The set up for the case, the mysteries involved with the characters, and the courtroom drama made this an interesting book. It reminded me of Grisham’s books that make you want to keep reading.
I gave this book four out of five stars. I would recommend it to my friends. I was given this book for my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
I don’t think I have ever given 5 stars to a romance book, but this one definitely deserves it. I was hesitant to read it (not a fan of the cover), but when I saw it won a Goodreads Choice Award, I decided to try it.
Well, never judge a book by its cover. So cliche, I know, but I really enjoyed this book. It was surprisingly funny (my favorite part), made me cry real tears, made me miss my sisters, made me want to hug on my husband, and made me wish I was having a glass of wine in a small town bookstore. In other words, it made me feel all kinds of emotions, which made it a good book.
Short plot summary: The two main characters, Nora and Charlie, are in the book industry, live only for their jobs, and are “ride-or-die” fans of living in New York City. Nora’s sister, Libby, decides to take a month-long vacation in Sunshine Falls, North Carolina, with Nora in order to fulfill their “checklist” of fun things to do before Libby has her baby. Yup, that is all I am going to tell you. 🙂
I definitely recommend this book and give it five stars.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
I loved this book! It is definitely a five star rating from me, and I can’t wait for the series to come out on Apple Tv+.
Here is who will like this book:
1) You cheer on strong female leads
2) You’re a parent of a gifted child
3) You like romance
4) You have a pet in your life that is part of the family
5) You are a foodie and/or you like cooking
6) You like the books I recommend. Ha
Lessons in Chemistry is a fictional book, but I felt like I knew the character in my own life. Here is the short summary: Elizabeth is an underpaid chemist who tries to make it in a man’s profession. She meets Calvin, who is on the cover of different chemist’s magazines. Without giving anything away, Elizabeth starts her own tv cooking show and is raising a very gifted daughter. On her cooking show, she treats her women viewers like intelligent human beings by sharing WHY ingredients work and uses scientific terms. Since this story takes place in the 1950s, the women loved it because they weren’t used to being treated this way.
This book made me laugh out loud, and I was excited each time I sat down to read it.
The cons of the book:
1) There were times when the characters and timelines were a little confusing.
2) I don’t like the cover
I was given this book for my honest review, and I would recommend it to my friends.
Almost every teenager I know is preoccupied with friends, school, drama, and relationships. Mix with this in with being a part of the deaf culture at a school for the deaf, and you end up with a great book.
True Biz is a book that I will remember for awhile. Not only does it have an interesting storyline, but I loved how it included visual lessons of sign language between each chapter. The most interesting character to me was Charlie. She transferred to the school after she was basically de-languaged when she had a cochlear implant installed as a child that never worked properly. I loved following the relationship she formed with Austin, who came from a long-line of deaf family members, and grew up with ASL. There was also November, who was the headmaster of the school, and who was doing her very best to keep the school from shutting down.
I enjoyed this book because it made me have a new perspective on my students who have a hearing disability. It can’t be easy to be mainstreamed into a classroom when you can’t see everyone’s face when they are talking or hear soft voices from across the room.
This would be a good book for your book club.
I was given this book for my honest review.
4.5 stars ★★★★☆
I know I really enjoyed a book when I couldn’t wait to go back to the storyline each day. This psychological thriller made me want to keep reading because it was told through two different perspectives, and each character was well-developed.
First there is Holly, the 22-year-old babysitter who comes from a terrible home life and attaches herself to the family of her new job. Does she go too far? Then there is Sarah, the mother of Jacob, who ends up having to move across the country just to get away from the babysitter. However, Sarah becomes aware that someone is still watching her and her family. Did Holly follow them to create terror on their lives?
I was definitely more intrigued with Holly’s perspective, but the book had enough twists and turns that made me want to keep reading.
I would give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars if I could, but I enjoyed it enough to give it five stars. I was given this book for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
If you like science fiction books with a lot of action, then this book is for you. It’s not my normal type of read, but I do like books that take place in the future.
Can you imagine being about to concentrate and multitask better? Be able to read every little facial expression of others? Be more fit and need less sleep? Logan Ramsey has been given an “upgrade,” but not by choice. His mother, a famous geneticist, wants to save the human race by messing with the genomes of everyone in the world. But at what cost? Would you be willing to give up everything and everyone for this upgrade?
I admit that part of this book was a little too detailed in the genome category, but I think other people would find it really interesting. This book is action-packed, and I would be surprised if it wasn’t turned into a movie one day. Many people have compared it to Michael Crichton or Ray Bradbury books.
I was given this book for my honest review. I gave it four out of five stars.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Another hit by Hendricks and Pekkanen! I am a big fan of their books, and this one didn’t disappoint me either.
Think of any suburban couple that you know. On the outside, it looks like a marriage made in Heaven, until it isn’t. Marissa and Matthew are wealthy Washington suburbanites who are struggling with their marriage. They decide to go see Avery, a non-licensed therapist who specializes in controversial therapy. Red flag for you? Yes, me too, but not for Marissa and Matthew because they were desperate. Avery does everything she can to involve herself in her client’s lives, even if it’s obtrusive.
Since this is a psychological thriller, you know this isn’t going to go well. The authors did a great job of making the characters relatable, and the story is told through the three different perspectives.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers or enjoyed some of their other books like THE WIFE BETWEEN US, then you will enjoy THE GOLDEN COUPLE also.
I gave this book four out of five stars. It would have been five stars, but I thought it wrapped up a little too quickly.
I was given this book for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
What if?
What if JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette hadn’t died? What would their lives have been like?
MEANT TO BE by Emily Griffin is an easy summer read that takes you into the lives of Joe Kingsley, the son of an iconic American hero, and Cate Cooper, a model who ended up working for a fashion designer. Loosely based on the lives of JFK Jr. and Carolyn, this story kept me interested throughout the book. It also reminded me a little of the movie PRETTY WOMAN.
Although many dream of meeting that Prince Charming that comes from a wealthy family, this book shows that it isn’t easy trying to fit in if you didn’t grow up that way. Everyone has hidden secrets of their past. If you’re in love, do those secrets still matter?
I would recommend this to my friends that just want to enjoy a simple story that will make you smile.
I gave this book four stars. I was given this book for my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
To me, there is nothing better than learning about a part of US history, shown from a strong woman’s perspective. Combine that with adventure, love, and friendship and it becomes a winning book. THE BOOK OF LOST FRIENDS is a beautifully written story by Lisa Wingate. Her previous book, BEFORE WE WERE YOURS, was also another amazing book.
During the time of slavery, there was a newspaper article titled, “Lost Friends,” during the post-civil war era where families would try to reconnect with lost family members. The newspaper was sent to black churches, and the pastors would read it aloud to their congregations. This is the story of Hannah in 1875, a former slave, who tries to find her family that was taken from her. It converges with the storyline of Benny, a high school teacher in the 1980s, who starts her students on a research project about slavery.
The main part of the story, though, is about Hannah’s adventures of her quest to find her family. Wingate is a fantastic storyteller who keeps you engaged throughout the whole book.
I gave this book FIVE stars; yes, I enjoyed it that much. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends.
I was given this book for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Do not trust the Liar.
Do not go in the River.
Do not cross the King.
Those three sentences pulled me in right from the beginning. This wasn’t my normal type of reading because it was a mystical, horror story, but it didn’t disappoint. Imagine you were able to make a lie come to life. What would you lie about? In this book, Sadie, a. young woman finds herself the The LIar of Red Valley. People come to her to tell her their lies, she writes them down in her book, they sign with blood, and then they give up a part of their life to make that lie come true. Would YOU want this job?
This book has everything from monsters, a king, mythical creatures, time-travelers, and of course, friends. It takes place in modern times in CA, which also made it interesting to me.
Pros:
1) It made me want to keep reading.
2) The characters were interesting.
Cons:
1) The perspective changes suddenly at times, but most of it is told from Sadie’s point of view
2) The author threw in his political beliefs in small parts. It never matters to me if I agree with the author or not; I just don’t like when they work that into a story.,
I gave this book four out of five stars. It doesn’t come out until July 2022, but you can pre-order it on Amazon right now. I was given this book for my honest review.
4/5 stars ★★★★☆
Do you have friends from your childhood that you know will come to your rescue at any point and time, even though you haven’t seen each for years? This book made me reflect on who those people would be from my own childhood.
Robbie Malcom, a billionaire, just learned that he will die soon. He decides to pull together his three best friends on a last vacation in order to tell them about his illness and spend time with them. Although this sounds like a sad story, it was mostly heartwarming. The secrets that come out from the friends and their lives are interesting. The book helps you to remember that life is short, and you need to enjoy each moment that you can.
If you are looking for a simple summer read that is entertaining, you will enjoy this book.
I gave this book four out of five stars. I was given this book for my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
There is no doubt that sisters have a special bond. Sometimes it can be a push and pull relationship, but there is no doubt that it is a bond unlike any other.
Fern and Rose are fraternal twins. Although very different from each other, they both rely on each other for certain things. Rose is a person with diabetes and Fern is a person with sensory processing disorder. The author, Sally Hepworth, does an EXCELLENT job of describing what life can be like for someone that struggles with SPD. You become enveloped in the character, Fern, who is oversensitive to things in her environment.
I loved this book because it is a psychological thriller (my favorite genre), which made me want to keep reading, but I also loved the characters. It focused on family relationships, and it had a nice love story mixed in. The characters were well-developed, and I will remember them for awhile.
I gave this book five out of five stars. I was given this book for my honest review. I can’t wait to read more books by Hepworth.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
If you have had aging parents in your life, this book will hit close to home. Elizabeth Berg’s memoir is about her personal experience of watching her dad deal with early Alzheimer’s Disease and the anger her mother feels about having to change her lifestyle to meet her father’s needs.
I admit, this book made me incredibly sad, but only because it hit so close to home as the adult child. I relived many moments of my own life through Berg’s story. It is beautifully written from the viewpoint of a daughter who struggles to watch her parents experience the transformation of the latter years of their lives. It is extremely honest, and you feel as if you are living this with her.
I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars, but it hurt too much to read. For others, though, you will find it beautiful and heartwarming. I would recommend this book to my friends.
I was given this book for my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
Does it bring you comfort to think about a loved one, who has passed away, looking down on you from Heaven? Do you think or worry about what would happen to your loved ones the year after you have passed?
In Golden Girl, novelist Vivian Howe is killed in a hit-and-run accident leaving behind her young adult children. When Vivian goes to The Beyond, she meets her “Person” (or guardian angel) who informs her that she can watch her family throughout the summer. She is allowed to make three nudges (like a magic genie wish) to change the outcome at any time she wishes.
I loved reading this book. It hits home for me because I like to think of my mom, who passed away, looking down on me and nudging me along the way.
Elin Hilderbrand has written many books that I have loved, and this one didn’t disappoint. She does an excellent job of describing scenery and creating interesting characters. This book was given to me for my honest review, and I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
Let me start off by saying that it’s rare that I give a book 5 stars. I have to absolutely love it and will remember the characters for a long time in order to give it a perfect rating. The Incredible Winston Browne is my new favorite book of the year.
I enjoyed reading about the small town life of the South in the 1950s. This book included friendship, romance, mystery, and heartbreak. Although the book was somewhat predictable, I couldn’t wait to get back into the life of Winston each time I sat down to read. It made sit back and think what I could do to inspire the lives of others, just like Winston.
I was given this book for my honest review.
Another hit by JP Delaney. When you are looking for a psychological thriller, Delaney is the way to go.
Can you imagine finding out that the baby you brought home from the hospital really isn’t yours? Can you imagine finding this out when your child is two? This is an interesting look at how “the system” plays out for families, especially if someone in the family is a psychopath.
The story takes place in London. One day, Pete the father of Theo, open the door to Miles, the father of David, only to find out that his child really isn’t his. Miles and Pete’s babies were swapped at the hospital. Miles will do anything to get his own child back, even if it means killing to get him. Will the system work for the families to do what’s right for the children.
I sighed a lot while reading this book, so my husband kept telling me. It was a riveting book, but like any psychological thriller, it frustrated me…in a good way. I would definitely recommend this book to my friends.
I was given this book to read for my honest review.
Some historical fiction books just make me happy that I live in these modern times.
Picture that you are a female, living in 1862, shy and without a dowry to help you find a husband. A BRIDESHIP WIFE by Leslie Howard was heavily researched about this time period. I had not heard about the brideship women previously, so this story was very interesting to me.
Charlotte, the main character is the book is 21 and not ready to get married. If she doesn’t marry soon, however, she can expect to be a nanny or spinster, but she is looking for more adventure in life. She hears about the Columbia Emigration Society that would send ships of unmarried women from England to Canada in order for them to find a husband in the new colonies.
I felt like I was on the ship with Charlotte and then experiencing her life in Canada. The storyline kept me interested, and I learned about a part of history that wasn’t taught in school.
I would definitely recommend this book to my friends. I was given this book for my honest review.
5/5 stars ★★★★★
“Sometimes a bad thing has to happen to make a good thing happen.” This quote from the book stuck with me because I truly believe that things happen for a reason. This is definitely one of my favorite books of the year. It is not the type of book I would normally read, and I’m not even sure why I loved it so much. I have to really love a book to give it five stars, and I was actually sad when this book ended.
The main character, Joanna, a field biologist, struggles with her breast cancer and the death of her mother. Gabriel, her next door neighbor, who also sells eggs down the street, has also experienced some trauma in his life.
The two are brought together by a little girl, Ursa, who shows up at Joanna’s door claiming that she is an alien and can only go back home when she has experienced five miracles. Ursa worked her magic on me, and the characterization of all three characters made me constantly think about the story long after I finished the book.
If you read other’s reviews, people either loved or hated the book. If you have Kindle Unlimited, you can read the book for free right now. It is up for one of the best books on Goodreads, so other people obviously agree with me. Take some time to enjoy a little bit of magic with this wonderful book.
“Sally had read about lighthouses but had never seen one in real life. Lighthouses were made for sailors, the beacons of light to guide them home. She thought about home; maybe this shining light might lead her mother to her. It was foolish, she knew, but the idea brought an odd, momentary comfort.”
This book definitely pulled at my heartstrings. It is a historical fiction book based on the life of Sally Horner, who at the age of 11, was abducted by a man claiming to be an FBI agent. This story inspired Vladimir Nabokov to write his controversial and iconic book, Lolita. I admit, some of the details were difficult to deal with because I can’t imagine a little girl living through this abduction, and it would be a parent’s worst nightmare. The author states that it is fiction based on true events. In a way, it also reminded me a lot of the Elizabeth Smart abduction.
The story is told through all different characters, and it is written well. It takes the reader on the road with Sally, and her vile abductor, Frank LaSalle. It is not a light-hearted read, but it stuck with me throughout my day, even when I wasn’t reading.
I was given this book for my honest review, and I give it 4.5 stars.
Looking for a nice book to read while you’re sitting on the beach? Sunset Beach by Mary Kay Andrews is what I would call a “beachy mystery.” It has romance, family drama, mystery, and made me wish I was reading it from my own beach house.
Dru, the main character, moves back into the house that her grandparents left her after her mother passed away. She takes a job from her absentee father and ends up trying to solve a murder mystery that she came across while doing her job. It has some interesting twists toward the end, which I always appreciate in a good mystery.
I gave this book four out of five stars and was given the book for my honest review.
“My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it.” Who doesn’t love a beginning line like that one? LYING IN WAIT by Liz Nugent kept my attention throughout the book. I wouldn’t consider it a mystery because you find out what happened in the beginning chapter, but I did enjoy finding out WHY everything happened throughout the book.
Some of you may relate to this, but it reminded me of V.C. Andrews book with a weird mother/son relationship. It is one of the those books that gives you a weird feeling because you aren’t sure who to cheer on throughout book; seriously, the entire family was dysfunctional. I did like the twists that the author included throughout the storyline.
I was given this book for my honest review and gave it four out of five stars.
It’s been a long time since I absolutely LOVED a book. This is definitely my favorite book of the year so far. If you are looking for something to read this summer, definitely get this one. To me, this book had everything: mystery, coming of age, family ties, friendship, and adventure. The book was beautifully written, and I didn’t want it to end. I was living on the marsh in North Carolina with Kya, known as the Marsh Girl, in the 1950s. She was slowly abandoned by her family when she was young, and it is her story of growing up to be a strong, self-sufficient woman. Mostly it was a murder-mystery story that switches back and forth between the present and when Kya was growing up. It evolves into a love story which made it more light-hearted. Again, I highly recommend this book.This is a heartwarming story about a teenage girl, Penny, who inherits a mansion from her art teacher, Henry. To her, he was just a man who taught her to draw. To him, Penny taught him to enjoy a new type of art and life in a small town. To the world, he was a renowned artist. The story involves many characters that eventually come together to celebrate what is important in life.
The story takes place in Sag Harbor and Penny’s mom manages a hotel that Henry hangs out in each day. This is how he gets to know Penny. When Penny inherits Henry’s mansion, Bea Winstead, his longtime friend and art manager, can’t believe that Henry would leave his fortune to a teenage girl and figures something must be fishy. She fights the inheritance with everything in her power.
I give this book four stars because it the characters are inviting and believable. I like how the author weaves all of the characters together throughout the book. You can buy it here!
This book was given to me for my honest review.
Manistique is the type of town that I picture for retirement one day. A small town feel in Michigan with interesting characters that keep the town going. This is what drew me to this book in the first place. The characters are what kept me intrigued throughout STUCK IN MANISTIQUE BY DENNIS CUESTA.
Mark, an attorney from Chicago, shows up to settle his estranged aunt’s affairs, only to find out that his aunt left her bed-and-breakfast inn to him. Emily, a surgeon on her way to meet with her married boyfriend, ends up in Manistique by mistake. The two are brought together at the inn, while guests keep showing up for their vacation. The interesting characters kept the story moving. It reminded me a lot of the Maeve Binchy books. This is an easy read that I would recommend.
I give this four out of five stars.
This book was given to me for my honest feedback.
For those of us that are around this age (ahem), you will enjoy reading the 15 different essays by female writers. The essays actually cover ages late 30s into the 50s, and I found most of the essays very relatable. By this age, all of us have experiences that connect us together as women, whether they are stories told about love, friendship, aging parents, and fashion trends. I see it as a celebration of the knowledge that we have acquired throughout our lives.
I laughed out loud while reading each chapter of The Rantings of a Bitter Childless Woman. It is a fun, light-hearted read that both parents and childless people will enjoy. It almost gives you a look at parenting and well, “non-parenting” from every perspective. Some of my middle schoolers have even ranted about the very same topics that are in this book. I gave this book five stars.
If you loved THE TRUE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULOVE by Elizabeth Berg, then you are going to love this book just as much. This is a companion novel and is told from the point of view of Lucille (Arthur’s fun neighbor in the first book). I would recommend reading THE TRUE STORY OF ARTHUR TRULOVE before you read this book. Although this book can stand on its own, it will be much easier to understand the backstory of the different characters.
I am a big fan of Maeve Binchy, and I compared Berg’s writing to Binchy in my previous review. I did laugh when Binchy was mentioned in this book. This is a heartfelt story of Lucille, who lives in a small town in Missouri, and lives a simple life of giving cooking lessons in her home. As an old woman in this book, Lucille befriends her neighbors and ends up taking care of the neighborhood boy, Lincoln, while his mom is receiving her chemotherapy treatments.
I gave this book five stars.
Sometimes it nice to read a book about simpler times, and live the lives of the characters in the book. The book made me laugh, cry, and cheer on the different characters. I would definitely recommend this book.
This book will come out on November 13th, 2018.
This book was given to me for my honest review.
I give this five stars!
This has been the book that I have been recommending to my friends lately. It is one of those books where the story stays with you because of its intrigue.
“How far would you go to save your marriage?” This question stuck with me throughout the book. The characters were realistic, and the story made me want to keep reading. In a way, and I don’t mean to offend anyone, but it reminded me of Scientology. Once you agree to a “pact,” you are expected to follow that pact for the rest of your life. I liked that the book actually does give some great advice on how to keep your marriage together, but “the pact” could put everyone’s lives in danger.
I wanted to love this book because I am a die-hard fan of psychological thrillers.
Part 1: When Layla disappeared, I was hooked right from the beginning. Was she kidnapped? Did she run away from her boyfriend, Finn? Did Finn kill her? Why did he start dating her sister, Ellen?
Part 2: It dragged on for me. It was enough of a mystery to keep me reading because I wanted to know what happened to Layla, but it was a little too repetitive. Layla leaves Russian dolls for Finn, he questions whether the people in his life are involved or not. He questions whether he really does love Ellen. Repeat.
Part 3: The reader finds out what happened to Layla. The last 20% of the book hooked me again because the mystery is solved.
This is a book that some people will love, I have no doubt, and some people will think it’s just okay. I was given this book for my honest review.
I loved this book because it made me think…how can I up the ante in my room? How can I hook my students into whatever lesson/unit I am presenting? Like strong writing, every lesson has a good hook to engage your learners. I would have loved to have been in Dave Burgess’ class in high school. You definitely have to take his ideas and tweak them for your own class, but that is one of the places I find joy in teaching.
I can’t say enough great things about this book. If you are looking to “gamify” your class, this is the book to buy. It comes with a wealth of ideas, which can be somewhat overwhelming, so I will need to refer back to it many times.
Love the idea of bringing fun back into the classroom. Going to work on lessons involving legos and my Mr. Potato Heads now.
| Loved this book. Every administrator snd teacher should read it, especially if you need that boost at the end of summer as to why you became a teacher. Well, it’s because kid’s deserve it. |
Kirr’s book is well-written and shows the journey of her teaching career and how her teaching techniques/thoughts have “shifted.” She includes great ideas that teachers can implement right away. This would be a great gift for a new teacher.
| This will definitely be a book I keep right by my desk. It will be used constantly throughout the year in my public speaking class, but it would be useful for any teacher. |
I love reading books that take place in vacation towns. This is a light read, but it was also easy to put down. I do have to give props to Ms. Blundell for her character development. Her writing reminded me somewhat of the author Maeve Binchy. You delve into the character’s lives without having a major storyline. It also reminded me of watching a reality tv show.
The main character, Ruthie, has to deal with an ex-husband that has moved on, a rebellious teenager, and a workplace that feels she isn’t needed anymore. The reader moves through the transformations with the characters.
I wouldn’t recommend this book to my students, but I would recommend it if you want a light read that is full of drama.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Leave a Reply