Books I've Read Lately

Back for the final "official" show us your books link up for the year!!! WOW!!! I'll also share my top reads of the year later in December and I look forward to that, but here's what I've read since the last link up. Check out Steph and Jana's blogs for other book posts, especially if you need any ideas for Christmas gifts!! :)

Books I've read lately in no particular order:

Beard with Me by Penny Reid

This book was emotional - I knew it would be but goodness gracious Scarlet and Billy had difficult times in their youth! I felt heartbroken, tense, mushy, and all over the place while reading this but ultimately I am glad I read it to understand a bit more of their youth that we read so much about in later books. It was cute too. Not a happy ending though- as expected!


Beard Necessities by Penny Reid

I had over the top Everest-level expectations for this book after dying to find out what happened to Billy and Claire in the end after so many hints in past books. In many ways, this satisfied my hopes for them as characters and it was extremely fun to read about all the Winstons' shenanigans in Italy too. It didn't have quite as much emotion/angst as I was expecting but there were a few heart wrenching moments to read about. Loved the preview for the new spin off series with Cletus and Jenn :) Thankful that Penny Reid wrote about all these amazing and complex characters and their lives in this series. The epilogue was wonderful.
<3 br="">
Would Like to Meet by Rachel Winters

There is quite a lovable (and also a few irritating!) cast of characters to enjoy in this book. I am predisposed to love British holiday-time books and this one was no exception. It was adorable that way. It was a bit predictable, but I didn't mind that. It read a bit like a Sophie Kinsella/Mhairi McFarlane book with a character who needed to have more confidence in herself and then grew that way throughout the book. It also reminded me a bit of Waiting for Tom Hanks with all of the romcom mentions and the film world setting. It took me a while to get used to some of the formatting in this book when she was acting out meet-cute scenes and writing about them. Still though, this passed the time nicely and the supporting characters were really fun so I don't hesitate to recommend it. I definitely laughed out loud more than once and that doesn't always happen so that counts for something :) Thank you to Edelweiss and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell

This was a fun, quick, fall book with beautiful illustrations. Definitely YA but I really liked the characters and the tour around the pumpkin patch :)





Let it Snow by John Green

This book had some cute moments but the problem with short stories is that I almost always want a little bit more :) The stories also made me feel cold since there was SO MUCH SNOW, haha. Cute little characters and now I can watch the movie on Netflix though!!!

Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson

I was feeling a strong urge to re-read this book so I did so on audio and it was so lovely, as before. A few irritating FIGURE IT OUT ALREADY moments but love these characters and so many quotable lines in this book. I really wish she'd write another someday!!!



What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand

I'd say that I enjoyed the second book in this trilogy about as much as the first. It was generally a fun way to pass the time and made me want to go to this island and have all the adventures like this family. LOL. The diary entries were an interesting addition to the plotline and I will definitely end up having to read the third in the series to see how all of this family drama/small mystery type situation wraps up.


A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh

This book was soooo creepy and good and compelling and not easy to put down. The culture and community and characters were so well written and interesting. The mystery aspect itself was not easy to figure out and I was mostly guessing till the last page. Really enjoyed this and would recommend for fans of authors like Lisa Jewell and Jane Harper. Now I need to give Nalini Singh's more dominant genre (Paranormal) a try!!! Thank you to Edelweiss and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Trigger warning: domestic abuse.

The Christmas Sisters by Sarah Morgan

Loved this Christmas book SO much!! The ending made me tear up. This is aprt family drama with a little bit of relationship drama and a cozy and fun setting. There are three very different sisters who are altogether not as close as they could be but they find they have more in common than they thought. I'd say this is one of the least sappy/Hallmark romance type Christmas books I've read that still really makes you feel the spirit but not in a super cheesy way. Highly recommend. The book itself is absolutely gorgeous too if you end up with the metallic/glittery paperback like I did from the library. So special.

Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

I have had this book on my list of books to read for YEARS but I was always a bit scared that I wouldn't like it. One day, I just decided to go for it when I saw it was available on audio from the library and I really, REALLY enjoyed it. Unfortunately, this means that my book bestie has basically disowned me, haha, but I'm still going to stick with my opinion :) I am excited now too because I have an ARC of her new 2020 book that I am looking forward to reading!!
It I can 100% see how this book isn't for everyone, and I think I truly just happened to pick it up at the right time. I might not even have enjoyed it as much in paper format because the narrator was really excellent. There is a lot of jumping around in this book between time periods and groups of people and that can be a bit confusing or seem pointless but I loved it. It was extremely interesting to come full circle with who ended up owning the Station Eleven comics years later. I really enjoyed that parts of this book took place in Canada and I love that St. John Mandel is another Canadian author for me to appreciate.

Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman

With this book, I've officially read every book Fredrik Backman has written...so now he's due to write me another one :) I knew Britt-Marie (and Kent) from My Grandmother Sends Her Regards and Apologises and I'm glad I read that one first. This audiobook, as all of his books, was wonderfully well done and an excellent way to take in his words. Britt-Marie is a lovable and interesting character and my heart goes right out to her. I loved reading her flourish in this book. It was excellent if you have enjoyed his other works though I know this type of fiction is not everyone's cup of tea.

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

This was extremely readable, super cute, and really fun. Loved these characters and the entire plot. It was definitely YA fluffiness but it was adorable and too much fun and gave my brain a much needed little break so no complaints here!!! :) Enjoyed the dual perspectives too. Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 


Secrets and Suitors by Joanna Barker

This book was adorable and I wasn't quite sure where I wanted it to go - which is always fun. Really liked Nora and was glad to see her grow and stand up for herself. A sweet and fun little proper romance book - highly recommend if you enjoy this genre. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.  


TL;DR - I highly recommend Station Eleven (if you're not one of the people who hate it LOL), The Christmas Sisters, A Madness of Sunshine, and Penny Reid's Winston brothers series if you like contemporary romance.

Currently reading: Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris and Stay by Catherine Ryan Hyde. :)

Recent Reads and Reviews

Happy Show us Your Books day for November!!! I haven't been reading quite as much as I'd like lately - I still read some really great books in October, but it was SUCH a busy month. We somehow have all of our weeknights stacked with children's activities and I find once I get them to bed at 7 or 7:30ish, all I really want to do is stare at the wall. LOL. That being said...we have had some lower-key weekends and more to come heading into winter, I think, and I just want to be cozy and relax as a family and get some work done inside our home.

Here are a few of the books I read in the last month or so! Linking up today with Steph and Jana, as always. Check out the link up to see some other great, quick book reviews!!!

I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book has been on my TBR for a super long time. It was quite long, and strange in the sense that it was a thriller but a LONG one. It was captivating though, and the audiobook held my interest the entire time. This is quite a saga that goes back and forth in time a little bit and it is easy to forget that it is fiction. At times, I really wanted it to go just a bit faster to find out how it all worked out but the journey to that final destination was definitely interesting. Some of the characters were very easy to follow along with even though I wouldn't call it a character-driven novel.
This definitely wouldn't fall in the category of a quick thriller/mystery but if you have the time and want to commit to the story, I found it absolutely worth it and wish I had picked it up sooner. HIGHLY recommend the audiobook - the narrator was fantastic.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Reading this aloud to my daughter was so wonderful. I love the illustrated books. This has usually been my favourite in the series though I go back and forth a little bit. I just love the whole Triwizard Tournament aspect and the growth in everyone's relationships and transition to maturing etc. I was a bit concerned about my 8 year old's reaction to the ending and the darkness to come, but I think we will be able to talk about it for years to come and we'll hold off on Order of the Phoenix for a couple more years. (Not me though - I am going to re-read that one myself asap).

Red at the Bone by Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson is such a phenomenal writer and this story was so well told. It wasn't long, nor was it easy to read. It was a beautiful story of family and it stayed with me long after I finished it.







Not the Girl You Marry by Andie J. Christopher
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This wasn't quite as good as I was expecting. It definitely had some cute moments and also definitely did remind me a bit of How to Lose A Guy in 10 days but the writing just wasn't my favourite ever. The cover and description sucked me in but it just didn't deliver for me personally.





The Winston Brothers series by Penny Reid

Did a re-read with Kristen of the first 4 Winston Brother books in less than a week - this is such a loveable family and these books were exactly what my tired and grumpy brain needed in the week after daylight savings time. LOL. Now I'll re-read the 5th one ASAP and get to the two NEW BOOKS including the conclusion to the series. Penny Reid writes complex and smart characters in a contemporary romance genre and I love her books. My favourites so far are Truth or Beard and Beard in Mind but I'm sure I will love the final book.




Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow, this book completely held my attention and I was super absorbed in all of the events unfolding at Ellingham. I'd say this reads like a slightly creepier and older The Mysterious Benedict Society, kind of?! It jumps from past to present and I didn't mind that. I loved the present-day characters and the mystery component was SO good. I knew this one ended on a cliffhanger so I knew I had to start the second book right away but I was NOT expecting the cliffhanger to feel like the author actually just stopped writing mid-sentence (the sentence was complete but UGH!!!). So just be warned, you will need to have the next book right next to you to start right away. I alternated between audio & ebook and enjoyed the audio narration very much. FANTASTICALLY creepy but not too scary fall read. (YA)

The Vanishing Stair by Maureen Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The only thing I didn't like about this book is that its sequel IS NOT OUT YET.

Seriously though, I loved all the extra information we got here and even though many of the relationships had more tension here than in the first book, I still enjoyed the plot and characters immensely. Ellingham continues to be a creepy setting and you still don't QUITE know who you can trust. The ending of this one was yet another cliffhanger that left me dying to read the third and final book in this series, so if you can wait until all 3 books are out, you might be a happier reader. LOL. (the third book comes out January 2020).

A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In some ways, this book was completely different in tone (and definitely setting) than A Curse so Dark and Lonely. I think I loved it equally as much once I adjusted to that though. Grey is one of my favourite characters maybe ever. He is complex but he is so kind, he is strong but he is also human. I really, really enjoyed the whole journey-adventure-being on the road plotline in this book. I definitely felt extreme tension near the end and was utterly shocked at the conclusion of the story. Yet another series with a cliffhanger and a third installment that doesn't come out for months (in this case, years, ahhhhhh). Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think that's about all I've read lately!!! Currently reading: Still Life (Three Pines Re-read) but slowly!!!, Would Like to Meet, and hoping to plow through some more ARCs before the end of 2019!!! What have you read lately?! Anything I really need to check out asap?! 

Recent Reads (October show us your books!!)

Happy 5th Anniversary to Steph and Jana and Show us Your Books!! Wow!! Thank you for the time and effort you both put into this link up. Show us Your Books day is always one of my favourites in the month and I love reading everyone's reviews of the books they've been reading lately. Long live SUYB!!  :)

Fall reading is in full swing over here (I LOVE reading in the fall, lol, well, actually any season, but my attention span gets longer in the fall as opposed to the summer). I've read some great books lately and cannot wait to chat about them today!!

SERIOUSLY wonderful books

Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane

I absolutely devoured this book. I can't even explain what it is that I liked about it so much, but the characters and the plot were so compelling and the writing was incredible. The audiobook was especially well done. I cannot rave about this book enough and I highly recommend it. I don't want to say too much about the plot here because I really think this is best gone into without much idea of what happens, but there are a few content warnings to heed if there are themes that you're sensitive about. This is one of those books that I'd recommend to (almost) everyone though - it's just so well done and so much to think about/discuss.

View all my reviews The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller

I had heard a lot of positive praise for this book, so I had high expectations when I started it despite not being very clear on the genre or plot. I am pleased to report that I absolutely LOVED this book. It took me a chapter or two to get into, but then I was completely engrossed. This book actually crosses genres a little bit, but at its heart, it is a historical mystery/historical romance, in my opinion. There is a slight supernatural element as well. I adored these characters and the main male character, Sam, reminded me a little bit of Newt Scamander from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (the movie). He definitely had that mad scientist thing going on and it was soooo fun to read about. His family, on the other hand, reminded me of my beloved Bridgertons though there are fewer of them here. They were absolutely heartwarming and just the kind of beloved family that you want to read about. There were humorous moments, suspenseful moments, steamy moments, swoon-worthy lines, and moments of relief and joy in this book. The writing was superb and I cannot wait to follow this wonderful author's career in the future. Thank you to Edelweiss, Netgalley, and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is a perfect fall read if any of this sounds wonderful to you too.

The Art of Theft by Sherry Thomas

I am completely hooked on this series about Charlotte Holmes and this addition to the series was wonderful and enticing to read. These characters are lovely and the introduction of several new characters including the Maharani of India and Lord Ingram's friend
Lieutenant Atwood. I loved the touch of romance in the third book and that tension was still present in this book though I am dying for things to move forward a bit in that regard ;) It was interesting to have Livia and Stephen Marbleton play a more critical role as characters in this book and for the development of the series' plot with Moriarty too. All in all, I adore this series and I now intend to seek out all of Sherry Thomas' other works although I don't expect them to be similar to this. Highly recommend starting this series at the beginning and savouring it all. Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. I highly recommend reading this series in order!!!

The Enchanted Hour: The Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction by Meghan Cox Gurdon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was so thought-provoking and inspiring. This book definitely makes an extremely strong case for the power of reading aloud to children AND to adults and highlights the human connection we are able to embrace when reading together. I loved it.

BOOKS I LIKED

We Met in December by Rosie Curtis
3.5 stars - I really liked this and read it quickly and loved the characters. The plot felt a bit off and on at times. This is definitely not a Christmassy book in any way - and it reminded me a lot of One Day in December which I had similar feelings for last year :) Thank you to Edelweiss and William Morrow paperbacks for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 




Bossypants by Tina Fey

This was hilarious, read by the author. I liked it a lot. I'm probably one of the last people around to read this so not much more I can say about it but if you are a fan of hers at all, you will like this!





Leave the Grave Green by Deborah Crombie

These books definitely pass the time nicely and are interesting enough for the mystery aspects but not ground-breakingly incredible for me either. I do really like the characters but I didn't enjoy some of the interpersonal issues in this book - although I'm sure it moves forward in a better way than this book.




Twenty-one Truths About Love by Matthew Dicks

The format of this book was a bit difficult because I tend to (unfortunately) be a bit of a skim reader and I found it difficult to focus my attention on the lists. I also found it difficult that we rarely got other character's perspectives. However, the lists were heartwarming and the way the story was told was pretty funny at times. It was also a bit "out there" in my opinion, but the ending was cute. It reminded me a little bit of The Rosie Project. Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Currently reading: A Heart so Fierce and Broken, Mourn Not Your Dead, Bringing Down the Duke, and Finnikin of the Rock. About to start a re-read of Louise Penny's series and anxiously anticipating our arrival of the new Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire illustrated edition to read to Molly this fall!! (It comes out today!!!)

Happy reading, everyone!! If you've read any of these books or you want to, please tell me what you think!!!

Show us Your Books September Book Reviews

Phew! I finished this post just in the nick of time after losing power for 48 hours after Hurricane Dorian swept through the Maritimes. Fortunately, there were no major injuries in this area and we personally did not have any major damage done to our home or neighbourhood. Others were less lucky and I am keeping them in my thoughts this week.

Anyway, time for another book review link-up for Show us Your Books with Steph & Jana!! I felt like I barely read at all in August - I had no energy to do so after chasing the girls around for 18 days straight. Haha. I definitely get more reading done when we are more in our "fall/winter/spring" routine aka the kids are in school :) That being said, I did read a few books!! I'm back on my reading game the last week or so too and looking forward to some great fall reading.

A Conspiracy in Belgravia by Sherry Thomas

This series is so excellent. I love Charlotte Holmes' character and the parallels to the deductive mind of Sherlock Holmes. SO fun. It is excellent feminist fiction for the time period and so well written and interesting. Definitely reminds me a lot of Deanna Raybourn's Veronica Speedwell series, which is one of my favourites ever. Definitely start with the first book.

The Hollow of Fear by Sherry Thomas

This third book in the series completely blew me away. I could NOT stop listening to it. Not only is the audiobook narration absolutely fantastic, but the plot was also thick in this novel and the character development was spot-on. I loved it. 4.5 stars but rounding up to 5 because it was just so highly readable (listenable?!). Cannot wait to continue the series ASAP and see what the future holds for this wonderful cast of interesting characters. There is plenty of feminism, friendship, a hint of love, intrigue, mystery, and humor in this series and I am here for it 100%.

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

Oh, wow. This book. I loved (most of) the characters in this book. I loved the setting. I loved the characters' resilience and determination to better their lives. I loved the tension created near the ending. This book was so wonderfully written with such an interesting plot and storyline that was well-paced and so enticing to read. I can't recommend this historical fiction about traveling librarians enough.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

As far as Christina Lauren books go, this one was more along the lines of Love and Other Words than similar to Josh & Hazel or My Favorite Half-Night Stand. It's not a funny book, but it was well-written and I gobbled it all up in one sitting and loved the characters so it was still wonderful in that sense. I could have easily read another 50 pages ish about the whole plot and especially towards the end, I felt like it wrapped up a bit earlier than I wanted it to - but that's life!! I definitely liked it a lot and I will probably eventually read everything they've ever written.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Aussie Next Door by Stefanie London

This book was super cute and absorbing, but it wasn't my favourite in this genre. I did love the characters, especially Jace and his career, but I found parts of it a little bit too disjointed. Overall, still a cute little book about an American in Australia with some fun side characters and a HEA ending.

Thank you to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Best Thing by Mariana Zapata

I tried to hold off on reading this one for a little bit, but I couldn't, and I'm glad I didn't. This book is definitely maybe one of my favourites from Mariana Zapata and it was so good. It was EXTREMELY readable and even though her books are always quite long, I had no trouble at all finishing this in a day. I loved Lenny and Grandpa Gus, and Jonah and everyone. It was cute, it made me laugh, and it brought a tear to my eye as well. Highly recommend if you like contemporary romance or her other books.

The Love Solution by Ashley Croft

This book made me laugh out loud at times. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the sisters and certain moments definitely pulled at the heartstrings. I much preferred one of the love stories to the other, which is often the case. Overall, it wasn't a hit-out-of-the park romance for me but it was cute at times and easy to read. The Britishness always bumps it up just a touch for me, too.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Side Hustle: From Idea to Income in 27 Days by Chris Guillebeau

This book was good, and I liked the audio version. It was motivating and there were some great ideas. It wasn't EXACTLY what I was expecting/hoping for, but it is certainly a worthwhile read if you are trying to figure out some plans to grow your income on the side.

READ ALOUD RECOMMENDATION:

The Secret World of Og by Pierre Berton

It was a total delight to read this book aloud to my children this summer. My grade 3 teacher read it aloud to us and it has stayed with me for years. The illustrations in this edition are wonderful and the story kept both my girls quite captivated.


Currently reading: The Dreamers (but I'm getting closed to DNFing it) and The Art of Theft, which is the 4th in the Sherry Thomas series I am hooked on. Also started A Heart So Fierce and Broken!!

What have you read lately? Any good recommendations for me? It's been a while since I've read a good contemporary-ish mystery/thriller....

What I've Been Reading Lately - July Reviews

Happy Show us Your Books Day!!! Linking up with Steph and Jana today to share some recent reads. Hope you are all enjoying this summer reading season. I know I am! The only problem is that summer is soooo busy that there are nights when I sit down to read and I do not even have the energy to look at the words on a page. This happens every year and I just have to embrace it ;) The warm weather and socializing make up for it, of course!!! I am mostly reading ARCs and library books these days, and I'm ok with that. I have to keep up with those ARCs so I can keep being approved for them, after all!

That being said, it took me a lot longer to get through some of the books I read this month than it normally would - but here are the books I'm dying to talk about:

Here are a few books I loved:
A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer

I absolutely loved and devoured this book. As in, tried to ignore almost everything in my life for 3 days to finish it. It was SO good. Mind you, this book probably isn't for everyone - it's a retelling of Beauty & the Beast with very loose ties to the original. It's not high fantasy though, it's pretty readable and it was definitely very compelling to follow along with. I can't WAIT to read my ARC of the second one asap because this one leaves you hanging just a little bit!!


Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear

I absolutely loved this. So relatable and applicable and motivating. I don't always find non-fiction/self-help type books to be easy to read or pay attention to, but this one is definitely one with a lot of little tidbits that I HOPE will lead to lasting change in some areas of my life. His website and newsletter are also excellent. (I listened to this via Scribd).

Becoming by Michelle Obama

I think it is almost impossible not to enjoy this book. I really enjoyed the inside peek into the White House life, but I also LOVED hearing about her early life, how she met Barack, her family and education, and the initiatives she took on as the first lady. So good. Her narration was also excellent and I highly recommend the audiobook - it is not a short book, but it held my interest throughout.



Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews

I LOVED the first three books in the Hidden Legacy series so I was highly anticipating this one. I knew it was about a different main character, Nevada's sister, Catalina, and I grew to really love her too by the end of this book. I am simply DYING to read the next in the series now though and I can't, for years to come!! UGH!!! Catalina's magical abilities are SO cool and interesting. She is a strong character and she has definite similar tendencies to Nevada. I love their family loyalties and willingness to help others even if it maybe isn't in their best interests.
Anyway, like I said, I loved almost everything about this book except for one little thing which I am happy to talk about if you've already read it too. This whole world is very fascinating to me. Thank you to Avon and Edelweiss for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Recursion by Blake Crouch

I really liked this, and it was exactly what I expected from Blake Crouch after enjoying Dark Matter. However, I found parts of it suuuuper confusing and had to re-read sections. This was probably more me than the book and I shouldn't have chosen to read it during such a busy season in my personal life. I loved Barry and Helena. The last half was really intense and heartfelt and I loved the ending. Highly recommend this book - I can't say I will read everything he ever writes because I still feel like too much of a wimp to try Pines but I do love this writing. Thank you to Netgalley and Crown Publishing for the ARC of this book which published June 11.

 Don't You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane

Oh, I really loved this book. It was charming and hilarious and adorable. It was also long - but it flew by, for me. I love how British it is. It reminds me of a better Sophie Kinsella book - the main character is perceived as a bit of a hot mess, but she isn't as much of one as the Kinsella books I've read. Haha. I would re-read this in a heartbeat and I did re-read several pages immediately after finishing. This is perfect chick lit/women's fiction for the summer time. It's romantic but not really a romance book. Thank you to Edelweiss and Harper Collins for the ARC of this book! 

The Wallflower Wager by Tessa Dare

This series continues to be so fun to read. I loved Penny and Gabe and being "reunited" with the other characters from the previous books. I absolutely feel the need to read all of Tessa Dare's books at some point in this lifetime. If you like cute and funny historical romance, try this series! Start with the first one, The Duchess Deal though :) There will be one more to come and I cannot WAIT for that!!! Thank you to Edelweiss and Avon for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.


The Lady in the Coppergate Tower by Nancy Campbell Allen

This was a solid addition to the series and I loved Hazel and Sam and their adventure in this book. Now I want to re-read the other two books. I get the feeling there will be a fourth...fingers crossed?!

Thank you to Netgalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for the ARC of this proper romance book - it comes out Aug 6!




Other books I liked enough: 

The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai

I definitely liked this - the characters were mostly great, I found the CTE in football aspect extremely interesting, I liked the whole dating app competitors thing and the set up of the main love interest. It didn't hold my interest quite as much as I was expecting though, and I'm not sure why. I also found Annabelle hard to get on board with even though I know she was intended to be that way. I will definitely read more from this author in the future. Thank you Avon & Edelweiss for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Don't Ever Tell by Lucy Dawson

This started out feeling pretty creepy to the extent that I didn't feel like reading it before bed (but I'm a bit wimpy these days)...however, ultimately, it fell a little bit flat. I guessed most of the twists except one and that maybe didn't help. Interesting concept and definitely had me hooked to the page and not super long so would make a good beach read. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. 



The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory

I liked this book enough and read it in mostly one sitting. The characters were fun, cute, and loveable. It was especially fun to re-connect with characters from the first two books in this series although it took me a few minutes to sort out the timeline and I'll admit that I didn't remember Theo particularly well from The Wedding Date. I just didn't love it as much as the first two in this series...and that happens sometimes!
Thank you to Berkley and Edelweiss for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.


Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor

I flew through this book pretty quickly and I liked the concept of it, despite it not really being about Grace Kelly aside from her being a peripheral character. I enjoyed the dual perspectives. I really liked the characters overall and the setting. The plot moved quickly and it was fun to read. I had some issues with some things that happened near the end though, and I can't rate it higher because of that...don't want to spoil anything but it just didn't quite end up the way I expected overall. I will still pursue other works by these authors as I enjoy their style though!! And that cover...WOW!!! Thank you to Edelweiss and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Hattie's Home for Broken Hearts by Tilly Tennant
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was cute and I liked the plot, the setting, and the characters. The writing wasn't my favourite of all time, and I think it is a bit forgettable overall but it was still a good enough read at the time. I will admit that I picked this up solely based on the main character's name which is the same as my niece, and the cover - which satisfied a category in Erin's book challenge. :)
Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

And that's about it! What have you been reading lately?

Currently reading: Soulless by Gail Carriger (so good) and Washington Black by Edi Edugyan