This book was able to completely change my mindset on winter and fully appreciate the beauty and benefits of the cold season. Leibowitz takes a scientific yet entertaining approach to sharing how being miserable in winter is a choice, and a mindset shift is all you need. Finding rituals that make you excited for the late afternoon darkness, taking awe walks to notice the good, the benefits of baths, and much more!

A stronger showing than the last few years! And I read some long books this year when I completed the whole Super Powereds series. The fourth book was 1,981 pages 😳. Luckily it was audio otherwise I would have never picked it up haha. Probably couldn‘t even hold a book that thick 😂

Happy New Year all!

A slow burn and not your typical thriller. There are some elements that lean into fantastical and it was a bit hard to follow in moments.

Some behind the scenes of all that happened at Disney between the early 90s and the Mickey Mouse Club, all the way to the 2010s. I learned a lot of new information and Lalaine (Miranda from Lizzie McGuire) did a fantastic job narrating. It didn‘t have any bombshell information and won‘t ruin your idea of Disney the way other tell-alls are known to do.

I loved this thriller! Unexpected and kept me engaged the whole time. Although I loved the audio, I highly recommend reading the hard copy as there are pictures inside that are essential to the flow and eeriness of the story.

This was a cute and cozy read for fall. It‘s a bit slow, and I also didn‘t connect with the romance. It felt forced and unnecessary for the storyline since I thought the relationship with the three young witches and Mika was much more engaging. It picked up the last few chapters, and it was a sweet story overall.

An entertaining audiobook with great narrators. It‘s a simplistic/mundane writing style, but I didn‘t notice it in the audiobook format.

The characters are not smart and get themselves into all sorts of trouble. But I was engaged and needed to know the truth. I didn‘t love that the ending happened so quickly. When we do find the truth, there are questions remaining since we skip to six months later. But it‘s a fun fall read for back to school.

I have loved every TJR book & I‘ve read them all! I can‘t really describe why I enjoyed this book. Truthfully, Carrie is an unlikeable character, and I wouldn‘t have been rooting for her if it wasn‘t for her dad. Javier is a gem! The audiobook is stellar w/ multiple narrators. However, it‘s mostly a walk-through of multiple tennis matches. But TJR just has some sort of magic in her writing that just works even when it‘s simple.

This was a super sweet YA romance about Deepa‘s wish for a perfect bf which ensures he ends up right next store. And into the midst of their neighborhood prank war which she refuses to lose against her tormentor Vik. Love triangle and enemies to lovers all wrapped in one.

Read this immediately after seeing the movie for It Ends With Us, which was a nice refresher since I hadn‘t read it since it first published. I enjoyed reconnecting with the characters and seeing more of Lily and Atlas‘s story. I love the hope and happily ever after, despite it being a much more simplistic story than the first book.

Another brilliant book from Alice Feeney! With two unreliable narrators, an emerging serial killer in a small town, and a disturbing look at the past, Feeney keeps you guessing. This one felt a bit slower to start then some of her others, but I actually think that was an issue with the audiobook. The “murderer” narrator, while unique, had some audio quality issues. I never listen to books on regular speed & I had to for this one. Still a favorite!

I loved how this thriller had a different dynamic than most, focusing on the mother/daughter relationship where the reader learns about the truth before the characters do. Each chapter is short, alternating perspectives between the mom and daughter. It kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to understand the full story. Pekkanen also did a great job with character development so you care about both Ruth and Catherine throughout.

Reading this mother-daughter thriller while visiting my parents‘ and loving their new screen room and view! Truly heaven!

Book publishing meets rom-com meets Beauty and the Beast. This book took all the best Beauty and the Beast themes (beautiful library, talking bathtub, and amazing chef/staff—yes, please!), and created a story all its own. A recluse celebrity struggling to write his memoir due to past trauma and an editorial assistant tugging at his heartstrings and pulling it out of him, with a very sweet romance. I‘m excited to read the rest of Meant to Be!

Jiminez continues to be a must-read author. I love how her romances are so much more than that and always dive into a deeper emotional storyline.
But Daniel is such a good love interest, and I loved watching their story evolve in this big city girl meets small town boy book.

This was a fantastic read! It pulls you in immediately starting off with Alexandra‘s family murdered one night while they all slept. It slows down a bit after that, but it‘s only because there is so much content, mystery and intrigue to digest. From Alexandra‘s life when she was accused of the murder, to the defamation case against the police, avoiding the public and their obsession for true crime, & unraveling the truth behind it all.

Just started this today and it‘s addicting from the first minute. Tried listening during every spare moment today and about 3 hours in 😍. Can‘t wait to see where it leads.

Jiminez always does a fantastic job melding hard truths and traumatic experiences with romance, and this novel is no different.
Justin is a fantastic book boyfriend and perfect older brother and caretaker to his siblings. Emma‘s relationship with all of them is beyond sweet and had me tearing up several times.
I have to go back and read Part of Your World and Yours Truly as characters from those books make an appearance in this one.

A phenomenal book that reminds you there is always something beautiful to find in the world around you despite the hardships. It was beautiful watching the good two strangers in completely different life stages and tax brackets could bring out in each other. And plenty of humor, too.

A murder mystery author is on a book tour in Italy where her friend (who has also been blackmailing her) thinks he is about to get murdered. Which is oddly perfect as she was going to kill him off as a character in her book anyway.
This is a light read with an inside look at the publishing industry as the main character is always breaking the fourth wall. Perfect beach read with a bit of mystery…and murder!

Alice Feeney writes another edge-of-your-seat thriller with an ending you won‘t see coming! She is masterful at pacing and storytelling. Until almost the end I really couldn‘t see where the story was going, but it all just clicks into place right when she wants it to.

There‘s even a hidden Easter egg revealed at the end that is incorporated seamlessly and will have you flipping back to try to find it. I can‘t wait for others to read it!

This was such a beautiful story about friendship, love, respect, and understanding of all beings and people from all walks of life. There were so many sweet and emotional moments, and even the characters with a bit of an edge make it impossible not to love them. It reminded me a bit of Miss Peregrine‘s Home for Peculiar Children but for adults.
I am so excited for the sequel!

Read an advanced manuscript of the new Jason Rekulak and it was so good! The rich seem to always get away with everything and this explores that further as a widowed father tries to protect his estranged daughter who is marrying into a tech-billionaire family. The foster child Abigail was my favorite character and I love how her storyline develops.
A strong thriller I finished in a few days. The ending is a bit abrupt but it does answer it all.

I couldn't put this one down! The concept of a magic attic spawning husbands like a dating app was intriguing. However, it grew repetitive as we barely connected with the many characters. The ending felt rushed, lacking closure. The message about finding happiness within was solid, but the pacing at the end could've been slower to enrich the experience.

This was a much stronger book than Beach Read! I liked the dynamic of the friend group, and I was routing for Wyn and Harriet‘s relationship from the beginning, but it wasn‘t until about halfway through the book I really started caring about the characters. It was a cute read and I appreciated how it touched on depression and how insecurities can pull apart a strong relationship.

I enjoyed this despite it being a slow read. I live on a boarding school campus, so it was extra interesting to see that perspective through the MC‘s eyes. I needed to know who the killer was and it felt a bit like a true crime novel itself.

I enjoyed parts of this book, but I was never super excited to pick it up. Took me about four months to read and felt like a wannabe Eleanor Oliphant. Some great characters but also times where the main character was more frustrating than charming.

This is the top banned book right now so I wanted to see what it was about. I liked the art style and it was easy to follow the story while adding some depth to the emotion with the use of flames and orange/red coloring. There‘s a lot of mature content (sex, masturbation, and suicide), but it‘s ultimately about finding your place in the world and that everyone matters.

Just finished the last book in this self-published Super Powereds series and it was so good! This was probably my favorite series since Happy Potter or The Hunger Games. The characters develop so much from year one to year four, and you get to root for their success every step of the way. I‘m so sad it‘s done! Each book is so long (this was 61 hours), but it read faster than some 8 hour books. Highly recommend!

I watched the show last year and loved it, so decided to pick up volume one of the graphic novel. It is a super fast read and I finished it in about 45 minutes. I‘m not as invested in the characters since you don‘t get as much time with them, but I definitely felt the excitement near the end!

I enjoyed the present day timeline in this book but wasn‘t invested in the past timeline, so it prevented me from really getting into the story. I enjoyed it but there wasn‘t anything surprising in it. And I feel like it ended abruptly.

The first half of this romance is a bit slow, and if it wasn‘t for our bookclub I likely wouldn‘t have finished it. However, the second half picks up and you start to root for Jasper and Drew to find their happily ever after. The beginning was a bit too tied up in family drama and the romance wasn‘t believable at first. But I became fans of it as it progressed. And it had a very sweet ending.

This book added dimension to the superhero world outside of what we‘ve seen in the superhero school. This book follows Titan after a fall from grace. He makes his way back as a superhero after laying low for so long. He is a likeable character and we meet a lot of other characters with strong personalities that you grow very attached to. I really enjoyed seeing that there‘s a life for supers besides super hero work like rescue workers.

Just finished year 3 of this series and it is branching out further from the safety of the super hero school, and we are being introduced to bad guys and forces outside of what we‘ve gotten used to in books 1 and 2. A bit slower than the first two books but still really well done and addictive. Especially for a 41 hour audiobook! We are learning more about Nick and other students families, so it‘s expanding the world in a positive direction.

Year 2 of the Super Powereds series was just as addicting as year 1! It‘s the longest audiobook I‘ve ever listened to at 32 hours, but it flew faster than some 6 hour audiobooks I‘ve listened to. I do feel like there were some chapters that were redundant or didn‘t push the storyline or character development along, but they were few and far between.

I really enjoyed Hannah Brown‘s memoir! I liked how she carried herself during the Bachelor and Bachelorette while also being unapologetically herself. She also experienced quite a lot by her early 20s, and it is definitely a reminder that there is more to a person than what meets the eye. I respect her a lot more after listening to her story, and she actually was a great storyteller and narrator. I‘ll give her rom-com a try this spring!

I‘m surprised but I‘m loving this series! It‘s not something I would‘ve picked up on my own as I don‘t read a lot of self-published, sci-fi series, or really long books. But it was recommended, & I‘m glad I gave it a chance. The most impressive part is Kyle McCarley the audiobook narrator uses a full list of characters & differentiates voices between the characters. I can hear a voice and know who is speaking by their unique sound!

This was my very first cozy mystery, and it was fun! A nice switch up from the holiday rom-coms, while still keeping me in the holiday spirit. The whodunnit aspect was a bit abrupt as it didn‘t have a lot of lead up, but it fit into the story. I‘d definitely try another cozy mystery in the future.

McCurdy is an engaging writer & it‘s difficult to read about all the trauma she suffered at the hands of her mom, grandma & Hollywood. I‘m so glad she‘s doing better & was brave enough to share her story. I listened to the audiobook read by her, & she does a phenomenal job with it. She‘s a natural storyteller & even got Miranda Cosgrove‘s voice down to the point that I wondered if those lines were read by Miranda.
I can‘t wait to read her fiction!

My first book of the year to round out the holiday season! I read a handful of holiday romance-coms this year, including a different “Faking Christmas” title, but this was a top pick!

Laurel‘s boss Gilbert mistakenly thinks that Laurel owns and runs a family farm with plenty of Christmas traditions, but it‘s her twin sister‘s. So she tries to fool him with a fake husband (her nemesis) to attempt to keep her job. It‘s romantic and really funny!

This is so much more than a rom-com! Yes, there‘s a romance to root for & plenty of steamy scenes, but it‘s also about the evolution of Anna & Quan. They have major life struggles to face, & they come to accept themselves throughout the process.

The book is heavier than Hoang‘s others as Anna has to care for an aging father and unsupportive family. But, these struggles were so important for Anna‘s growth.
This is one of my new favorites!

My last read of 2023! It‘s a cute Christmas romance, but it took too long to get to the heart of the story and plot. It definitely did not need to be over 10 hours long.

A cute premise about an insurance adjuster meeting a woman after her accident, and she and her sick uncle helps him see the joy of Christmas, but I didn‘t feel connected to the characters. A lot was going on, but nothing in depth enough to care about the outcome. It‘s a super short listen at about 5 hours on audiobook, so it was easy listening while cleaning.

I downloaded and finished Faking Christmas in one day on audio, & it is such a feel-good enemies to lovers! Yet it still tackles some deeper subject matter like grief without derailing the romantic momentum. The best part, there‘s no annoying communication issue break-up plot as is always the case with this trope. This definitely got me in the Christmas spirit, and I recommend for anyone wanting a young Hallmark-esque story. It‘s vanilla & sweet!

This is a fun Christmas romance to gear up for the holiday season! It‘s very steamy with sex scenes every few chapters, and I really liked the plot of a porn star trying to get her next opportunity in a wholesome Christmas movie, while costarring with a former boy band pop star she was obsessed with as a teen. The book went on a bit long and there wasn‘t a lot of build-up to the relationship as it kicked off early on, but I still enjoyed it!

This psychological thriller had an unexpected spin on it that kept me reading and needing to know more. There isn‘t a ton of motivation to explain the driving forces behind the plot, but if you take it at face value, it‘s an intriguing and entertaining book!

What happens when a one-night stand from your bachelorette party stalks you to your wedding and honeymoon?

Britney‘s memoir is short and a quick listen on audio, but it still covers what many people want to know most about—her relationships and the conservatorship. It‘s a bit repetitive in parts, but the chapters are sort and you feel as if you‘re listening to a friend thanks to Michelle‘s narration. Britney has lived such a tough life and I truly hope she has sunnier days ahead and is able to spend more time with her kids.

This was a fun rom-com about Dylan who is traveling to figure out what‘s next without family money, & he meets Addie who is managing the bed & breakfast. We see their love story unfold in “then” chapters & see why it ended in the “now” chapters when they inadvertently end up traveling to their friend‘s wedding together with her sister, his best friend who hates Addie, and a random guest.
Spicy & sweet & quite the adventurous road trip!

I‘m so excited about Spotify‘s new audiobook program for Premium users! Listening to Britney Spear‘s new memoir for free and available to download immediately with no holds! You get 15 hours a month of free listening and that‘s not too bad! 1-2 audiobooks a month depending on how long they are!

So many twists and a really strong debut novel! I am still thinking about the ending and have been researching all the fan theories. I do think the most straightforward viewpoint makes the most sense, but was shocked by the way it all played out.