I loved this, I loved this, I loved this. What a perfect summer book. It just made me want to visit PEI and experience the island myself. I really likI loved this, I loved this, I loved this. What a perfect summer book. It just made me want to visit PEI and experience the island myself. I really liked Lucy (though it took me until halfway through to realize her name was most likely a nod to Lucy Maud Montgomery) and her friendship with Bridget was so well done. I will admit, I was scared about what secret Bridget was hiding (view spoiler)[but when it was revealed that Bridget's fiancée was offered a job in Australia and Bridget was deciding on whether or not to go with him I let out a sigh of relief. That felt so natural, something that could happen and it makes sense that Bridget had to work it on her own before she could tell Lucy. (hide spoiler)]
Lucy and Felix worked well together and though I rolled my eyes at first at their insta-connection/obsession's with each other's bodies, I really liked how their friendship developed over the years. Even though this book was from Lucy's POV, I could still see when Felix started to fall for her and the way he remembered things like her favorite cheese or how Lucy gets carsick on long road trips. . It was very sweet and made me grin.
I liked how this book was divided into three parts, and though the third act had (view spoiler)[Lucy and Felix agreeing to take a break (why? they still ended up doing the long distance thing) I did like that Lucy put herself first and tried to find herself instead of jumping straight from Bridget to Felix. I applauded that. (hide spoiler)]. This book was just so full of love. I think that's what I loved most about it. Lucy loves everyone and everything in her life and it just shined through the pages. My kind of book!
My friend recommended Fortune's debut novel, so I just put that on hold. Hopefully I like it as much as this one....more
Someone recommended this to me the other day and since it's been well over a year since I've read a finance book, I decided to give this a try. And I'Someone recommended this to me the other day and since it's been well over a year since I've read a finance book, I decided to give this a try. And I'm so glad I did!
Part memoir/part introduction to financial literacy, this book hit all the right marks for me. Madeline and I are close in age and a lot of the worries, issues and fears she went through felt familiar to me. I loved her no nonsense attitude, her desire to help people and her understanding that you shouldn't make money off the backs of others. It was very captivating and I could not put it down. I wish every business treated people the way Madeline intentionally treats their staff (everyone makes the same amount of money! everyone got cars when no one had reliable transportation in LA! everyone does the best they can with what they have!). The world would be a much better place....more
I loved this. Absolutely loved this. Tangled is probably one of my favorite Disney movies and I thought this spin on it, though absolutely different tI loved this. Absolutely loved this. Tangled is probably one of my favorite Disney movies and I thought this spin on it, though absolutely different than the movie, was really well done. There were some small nods to the movie that made me grin (Fitz's car is named Max, when Ren and Fitz set off on their adventure Ren goes back and forth on whether or not she is a bad daughter) but for the most part, this book stood on its own which I appreciated because I didn't want a modern retelling of Tangled. I wanted something unique and different and this book really delivered on that.
Ren and Fitz were adorable - I really loved how Ren was both smart and naive but a good reader of people. Fitz had his walls up HARD but the moment he started to fall for Ren they came crashing down and it was such a treat to watch. These two communicate well and I liked that. I liked that a lot actually. Other romance writers, take note. The last few Christina Lauren books have been such a miss for me personally that it made me so happy to see that this one was the exact opposite. In fact, it might be my favorite thing they've ever written. I didn't even mind that both the leads read young (I could see this as YA instead of adult) because it was EXACTLY what I needed. Will be re-reading again for sure....more
I'm not going to lie, I struggled with this one but I think it was my headspace, not the book. I just couldn't keep all the contestants straight and iI'm not going to lie, I struggled with this one but I think it was my headspace, not the book. I just couldn't keep all the contestants straight and it was annoying after awhile so I found myself forcing myself to read. It was a good mystery though, and I still adore Ffion and the way she keeps everyone at arms length. Her relationship with Leo wasn't my favorite this time around (see: arms length) but I am looking forward to book three. I hope we get more Ffion and Leo as well as Ffion and George teaming up again because I enjoyed seeing the two of them working together. ...more
This was such a, pardon the pun, enchanting book. The world building was excellent and I really liked all the different characters though Torin, SidraThis was such a, pardon the pun, enchanting book. The world building was excellent and I really liked all the different characters though Torin, Sidra and Adaira were probably my favorite by the end. I loved how the spirits were as much a part of the isle as the humans are. I already have book 2 here ready to go - what a cliffhanger!...more
I feel like with each new book released, it becomes my favorite. Spoilers below:
(view spoiler)[ What I love most about this series is how Electra/ElliI feel like with each new book released, it becomes my favorite. Spoilers below:
(view spoiler)[ What I love most about this series is how Electra/Ellie grows. She's not stagnant, she's not still the same person she was in the first book. Which each new event or interaction we can see how it changes and marks her. There was a section in here about how she talked about possibly not going back to thieving after the war was over, it doesn't have the same pull it once did. And that really struck me because she's growing up and she's thinking about herself and her own needs, not what is most familiar to her.
I also liked how her parents story seem to be picking up speed. It's not regulated to the background like it was initially but it is starting to become out in the forefront and vital to the story. I knew at once that the man with the knife was not after Ramsey, but after Ellie. #calledit I'm intrigued by what secrets Ellie will discover next.
And speaking of Ramsey, all the romance in here was FANTASTIC. I loved Ramsey's sister immediately clocking how good Ellie is for him ("How did you get him to take his pills and go to bed?" /"I just suggested it"). I loved all the kissing, all the first name calling and then the ending with the utter angst ("You distract me" followed by Ellie's dawning realization that she is in love with Ramsey when its too late). I'm sorry to my charming son Felix, because I do think he loves Ellie in his own way, but I'm glad we put the love triangle question behind us in this book because we can't keep putting it off indefinitely. Ellie/Ramsey always and forever, yo'.
I am very excited for the next book in which they go to Portugal. It's going to be awkward and angst-y and I personally cannot wait. This series may be set in the middle of a war but it's absolutely a blast to read and get lost in. (hide spoiler)]
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC....more
Have you ever finished a book and went "the amount of care, research and thought that went into this is outstanding?" That was exactly what I thought Have you ever finished a book and went "the amount of care, research and thought that went into this is outstanding?" That was exactly what I thought of when I read this book. It's well written, its got various plotlines, great world building and outstanding characters. I really liked Anequs, she read much older to me than fifteen years but as she points out to her classmates, Anequs was not raised in the Anglish world with all their various customs - the way she approaches the world in thought and action is different. The racism in here was outstanding, both the deliberate racist and threats made to Anequs from grown-ups that DON'T EVEN KNOW HER but also the unconscious racism that she gets even from well meaning people. People who didn't realize what they said was offensive because they have never been around people outside their social circle and environment. It made for an interesting read.
I found an interview with the author, an enrolled member of the Seaconke Wampanoag Tribe, and she states: "Anequs differs from most fantasy protagonists in that she’s Indigenous, from a traditional Indigenous community — and this impacts everything about the way she experiences the world. Her understanding of her relationship to her dragon, her relationship to the world and to her family and community, what her responsibilities are, and her expectations about her future are all informed by her Indigenous identity and how different it is on a fundamental level from the Anglish cultural norms that she’s thrust into. One of my greatest goals in telling Anequs’ story is to get the readers to comprehend how fundamentally different the European/colonialist perceptions of the world are from the Indigenous perceptions."
And honestly, she totally hit her goal. It made me think and really drew me into the story. I cannot wait for book 2!...more
I love stories about strong, independent and fierce women and this one was no exception. Told from the POV of three generations of mothers and daughteI love stories about strong, independent and fierce women and this one was no exception. Told from the POV of three generations of mothers and daughters, I could not put it down. Thai's writing is almost lyrical in verse and I love the way she made Banyan House feel like a fourth member of the family. Wonderful. ...more
This book was good. I read it in a span of about 16 hours. I really loved Perry and her family. And being alongside her while she learned about the NaThis book was good. I read it in a span of about 16 hours. I really loved Perry and her family. And being alongside her while she learned about the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and what it hasn't done in the last thirty years was really eye opening and all the missing and murdered Indigenous girls shown here really hurt my heart. Why are some people so awful? All that said, mostly book just made me want to re-read Firekeeper's Daughter. I missed Daunis being the main character a lot though she was definitely a major player in this story in her own right, and Perry was just as strong of a warrior as her aunt is. But this book felt more YA to me while the previous story felt more adult (if that makes sense), and so I think I prefer Firekeeper's Daughter though both books are quite exceptional pieces of storytelling and there should be no competition between them.
I hope this author continues to write! The glossary of resources in the back for more learning about repatriation made me so happy to see. #librarian...more
5 stars for the romance. 3 stars for the plot. 4 stars overall.
This is probably my favorite of the three novels so far but (view spoiler)[you can't gi5 stars for the romance. 3 stars for the plot. 4 stars overall.
This is probably my favorite of the three novels so far but (view spoiler)[you can't give me kissing and Ellie calling Major Ramsey by his first name when she knows he is mortally wounded and expect my little fangirl heart not to freak out. Sorry Felix, I love you, but you are no Major Ramsey and I really hope the next book has Ellie figuring that out. We took a big step forward in this one! Even though these two agreed to ignore it and not let it mess with their future interactions. Idiots (affectionate) (hide spoiler)]
Sidenote, what a cliffhanger the last section was. My eyes nearly bugged out of my head at that reveal. I am very interested in the next book now. I don't know if I can wait a whole year. Ahh!...more
This felt like a classic Nora Roberts book. Intriguing storyline(s), wonderful heroine and hero who actually (gasp) listen and respect each other, a sThis felt like a classic Nora Roberts book. Intriguing storyline(s), wonderful heroine and hero who actually (gasp) listen and respect each other, a strong, involved family on both sides, not one family business but two, lots and lots of wine and good food. I was utterly hooked and could not put this down.
If anything, I am jealous of NR's writing ability. She's been writing for over 40 years now and she's still got the Midas touch, even after all this time. Amazing....more
I think its so hard to do an Emma retelling appropriately because the character of Emma can be so polarizing and mean if you ignore her generosity andI think its so hard to do an Emma retelling appropriately because the character of Emma can be so polarizing and mean if you ignore her generosity and huge heart (or just focus on her flaws) as the majority of retellings do. I try to stay away from them just because I love the original book so much and 9/10 the retelling disappoint me.
Well, this was not that book.
I loved it. Kamila is all the things I love and hate about Emma but with her own individuality and lifestyle. I really loved that the author didn't do a standard retelling of the original, some stuff stayed, other things changed but all in all, the homage to the original came through. I especially enjoyed Kamila's relationship with her dad, you can totally tell that he is first in her life and his love for his daughter is strong. Her falling for Rohan was great, I liked the backstory between them and the entire cast of friends was very fleshed out and well rounded. And the food! The food in here made me so hungry because it all sounded so good. I could not put this down, I had to keep reading to see what happened next. I have already put Jana's story (which comes out next week) at hold at the library. What an enjoyable read. It's been awhile since I've sat down and just gotten lost in a good story....more
It took me a little bit to get into, there are a lot of characters and the storyline jumps from present (new year's day) when a maI really liked this.
It took me a little bit to get into, there are a lot of characters and the storyline jumps from present (new year's day) when a man was found dead in the lake, to the previous six months or so in a effort to reveal who killed him. Different characters get their own chapters which was nice because there is a lot that is revealed in that process but on the flip side, so many characters to keep track of! Probably around a dozen. Even by the end I was still flipping back to the map at the front to make sure I remembered who was married to whom/who lived where. It didn't take me out of the story, every character was unique and interesting , even the ones who only had one or two chapters, but it did make reading a bit harder. I had to pay attention (#thehorror haha)
You know I did like though? Ffion. And Leo. A lot. I liked them both a lot. I did not realize this was the start of a series until I read the author's note in the back and I am so excited that there will be more in this universe. Both for the good writing and twisty plots this author creates but also for the slow burn between Ffion and Leo. He better pick up that phone next book! ...more
I really liked this. I listened to this on audio book which I strongly encourage everyone to do because you can hear both Gloria and Anderson as they I really liked this. I listened to this on audio book which I strongly encourage everyone to do because you can hear both Gloria and Anderson as they tell their stories in their own words. I didn't know much about either before I started listening but after chapter 1, I was utterly entranced. Gloria has been through so much, publicity and privately, and to hear her still have her internal optimism and spirit gave me hope for myself. I wasn't as enamored with Anderson's responses (but I liked how he talked about how losing his father and brother when he was young really turned him inward and made he want to be a war correspondent because he knew by age 21 that bad things really do happen to everyone). He and his mother have a good repartee and the entire conversation between them flowed and felt natural, like two friends discussing life and family.
I really liked that they grew closer. That at 91 (the age Gloria was when she and Anderson wrote and published this book), Gloria has the privilege of time and wisdom to look back on certain events in her life and see them differently, outside her own narrow or self centered point of view. One of my biggest issues with memoirs is when the subject is still too young and/or still close to the event/situation and can't discuss it without rationally because there still may be a lot of pain/hurt/resentment involved that is coloring their opinion (*cough Prince Harry cough*). Gloria talks a lot about her childhood custody case and her wild and painful teenage and adult years and listening to Anderson prob her on why she thought relatives or other people acted a certain way back then was very eye illuminating. At 91, she can see many people differently now and gives them a lot of grace and understanding into why they made the choices they made even if the end result was that it negatively impacted her. It made me reflect on my own life story and how I see thing one way when there are always multiple sides to every story and more people involved then just little old me.
Anyways, this memoir was really nice and I am so glad they both read the audiobook together because Gloria passed away in 2019 but Anderson can still hear her voice and wisdom in this recording/story and that is such a gift to have....more
Rhodes was a slightly too big of a jerk in the beginning (view spoiler)[(I get his kid rented the apartment behind his back but don't ignore your tenaRhodes was a slightly too big of a jerk in the beginning (view spoiler)[(I get his kid rented the apartment behind his back but don't ignore your tenant for like 200 pages because your feelings are butt hurt) (hide spoiler)] but I loved Aurora from the first page . This was probably my favorite Zapata after From Lukov With Love and the only reason its not 5 stars is that Rhodes was being TOO standoffish for far long and Aurora called him Mr. Rhodes for far too long as well. (view spoiler)[I mean, he was already calling her Angel and she still continued with the Mister which rubbed me the wrong way. I don't like a unbalanced power dynamic (hide spoiler)] The friends and family members were great in here and I LOVED Amos and his growing bond with Aurora that was independent of the relationship she had with his dad. So sweet!
When Zapata is good, she is GOOD and this book was a reflection of her immense talent and the way she can really write people with all their quirks, fears, flaws and heart. Also fun note side note, my library had a physical copy of this book which threw me for a loop because I've only seen/read her books as e-books. It was nice even though 500+ pages in paperback is very heavy for my hands and in the future I will probably just re-read this on my Kindle....more
4.5 stars, amazing. The character of Cara just jumped off the page from her very first paragraph(My name is Cara Romero and I came to this country bec4.5 stars, amazing. The character of Cara just jumped off the page from her very first paragraph(My name is Cara Romero and I came to this country because my husband wanted to kill me. Don't look so shocked. You're the one who asked me to say something about myself.) and I was utterly enthralled. This is a such a unusual way to write a book (weekly interviews + the different applications or forms at the beginning of each chapter) but it WORKED here and it worked so well. I felt like I knew about Cara's life, her strength and her weaknesses and all the characters in her apartment building and her sister were very fleshed out and indivuals on their own. That last paragraph at the end was a perfect closing note.
I have spent the past month reading this book on my lunch breaks and it was the perfect way to escape for sixty minutes halfway through my workday. JeI have spent the past month reading this book on my lunch breaks and it was the perfect way to escape for sixty minutes halfway through my workday. Jessica Nabongo is the first Black woman to travel to all 195 (UN approved) countries and 10 territories and this book is the highlight reel/PowerPoint presentation from 100 of those countries.
(Side note she finished her goal in October 2019 and in her author note she talks about the world shutting only a short five months later. Crazy to think how different things would have been if her timeline had been pushed back, she would not have been able to complete it!).
I see some of the comments on here say that book is too brief, that many countries only get 2-3 pages of text and most of the book is made up of her (gorgeous) photographs. I don't disagree with them but also, I do not care. I feel like Jessica wrote this book to show how travel is possible for anyone (granted she does mention her privilege multiple times at holding both a US and Uganda passport that made it easier for her to enter countries), to show how no country should be off limits to visitors, that people are people all over, that racism exists but it should not stop people of color from exploring and that the world is a beautiful place that needs to be protected for future generations (a lot of smaller islands are banning single use plastics for example). This book made me want to see more of the world (the food mentioned in here sounded delicious!) and visit countries that are not mentioned on top 10 travel destination lists. Very motivating and awe-inspiring. It definitely awakened the travel bug within myself....more
"But after a time she became a little pensive, and relapsed into meditative silence.
'What is it, Miss Tallant?' asked Mr. Beaumaris, when she showed n"But after a time she became a little pensive, and relapsed into meditative silence.
'What is it, Miss Tallant?' asked Mr. Beaumaris, when she showed no signs of breaking the silence.
'Do you know,' she said slowly, ‘I have just thought – Mr. Beaumaris, something tells me that Lady Bridlington may not like this dear little dog!’
Mr. Beaumaris waited in patient resignation for his certain fate to descend upon him.”
!!!! Well this book was adorable. I can see now why it keeps topping people's favorite lists of Heyer's. I really liked Arabella, she has such a strong sense of duty and justice that makes it so incredibly easy to see why Beaumaris falls for her (but I also like that she's not perfect! She does have a temper and she can act without thinking at times). The side plot with the brother gambling was okay, I will probably skim it on re-read but it wasn't bad. It just felt unnecessary because I knew that Beaumaris would fix it in the end (which is did!). I also liked all the side characters in here - from all of Beaumaris staff to Arabella's numerous siblings, they were all very well done. Why has no one done any movies on Heyer's books yet? They are all so good and funny! The movie rights must not be available, that is my only reason for why Hollywood is sleeping on her brilliance. Because this one would be great to see onscreen....more
I really enjoyed this. It was just funny. I loved how since Oliver and Primrose grew up together (Oliver and Primrose' older brother are childhood besI really enjoyed this. It was just funny. I loved how since Oliver and Primrose grew up together (Oliver and Primrose' older brother are childhood best friends and the three of them are a trio for most of the novel) and have known each other their whole lives, we didn't have to worry about establishing a connection between the two main leads. Instead it is there from the first pages - Oliver making Primrose laugh during a ball, Primrose insulting him and making Oliver laugh right back, etc. Add in some magic, a mystery, a house party in the country and it was a perfect childhood friends-lovers story. I had a migraine all day yesterday and this book was the perfect distraction from my pain.
I know the author has written more in both this series and the companion series but honestly I enjoyed this book so much that I don't feel the need to read the rest because I know it won't be as good as this one. This one is so specifically tailored to my interests and hits quite a lot of my personal tropes (laughter! humor! strong family ties!) that anything else will be a let down. So I will just re-read this one if I want to be back in this Regency universe of light magic and would-be-assassins and dukes with merriment oozing out of their whole beings....more
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