Mason does a fantastic job with developing an eerily evocative storyline full of mystery and intrigue. The eerily gothic setting incites a sense of loneliness, foreboding and a hauntingly sinister tone, while the pacing allows for a slow burn as tension builds up revealing the devious legacy this old house holds.

This may appeal to readers who enjoy murder mystery with paranormal elements, haunted houses, curses and dark family secrets.

This one was just 2.5 meh ⭐️ for me. I will admit there were some funny laugh out loud moments but the immaturity factor and over the top antics just wasn‘t WORTH IT!

Such a wonderful story about love, loyalty and the undying bond between a dog and his human, a must read for every dog owner or lover. The audio narration really brought this one to life.

In 1942 Irena Sendler organized a network of Polish resistance workers who managed save the lives of 2,500 Jewish children from death and deportation by smuggling them out of the Warsaw ghetto during Nazi-occupied Poland.

I will admit that I had hoped to feel more emotion than I did but felt it read more like textbook. I would have enjoyed this more had it been a work of fiction based on real events. Still a worthy read.

Sweet, lighthearted and funny, Well Met is the quintessential modern romantic comedy. A decent debut with a fun and refreshing plot. This was a ⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me.

An effortless page turner, this one grabbed me from the start and wouldn‘t let go. Disturbing, devious and so cleverly written, the relationship lines between the unreliable narrators and unlikable characters quickly blurred making it difficult to figure out who was predator and who was prey in this twisted game of cat and mouse. I gobbled this one up in one sitting. Fans of Riley Sager, B.A. Paris and Lisa Jewell will enjoy this one.

I really wanted to love this one but will admit it was a struggle for me. I appreciated the authors attempt at humanizing these five women that were violently murdered by Jack the Ripper without glorifying him further, but I found it to be a depressing and dry read with so many details about their lives that it almost read like a history book. I finished but just wasn‘t for me.

The plot of this YA fantasy story offers nothing new compared to other mainstream YA fantasy stories I‘ve read yet still managed to hold my attention. I liked the characters (despite the over told storyline) and enjoyed the story behind the war between Firebloods and Frostbloods. While this first installment in the Frostblood Saga trilogy felt familiar, I still found it to be a decent enough addition to the YA fantasy genre.

The Kingmaker‘s Daughter tells the story of Anne Neville, the younger daughter of the man known as the Kingmaker, Richard Neville,Earl of Warwick, who became queen of England in 1483.

Even knowing the historical outcome, I enjoyed Anne‘s journey to the thrown. Gregory has such a knack for weaving historical fact and fiction together into a most detailed, exquisite and vivid tapestry.

Bianca Amoto‘s narration is absolutely fabulous!

Love when I pick up a book for a reading challenge, one that would never have sparked my interest, only
To thoroughly enjoy it. A fun fantasy retelling of King Arthur and Guinevere full of magic, action and romance. A pleasant surprise. I look forward to reading the next book in this series. The audio was fabulous!

I love second chance love stories, the hope they offer as broken couples learn to love again. Sadly, I didn‘t love the overall story or drama. This was my third Brittainy C. Cherry book and my least favorite. While I didn‘t enjoy the storyline, her writing is wonderful so I continue to read more from her. I recommend your giving it a chance and forming your own opinion. You may very well love it!

Such a heartbreakingly sweet story about love, loss, grief and learning to move on, this one had me crying through my laughter and laughing through my tears. Not sure why it took me so long to pick this one up!

This book took my by surprise. The writing evocatively captured my imagination with the beauty of the mountains while effectively contrasting the hardships of mountain life amidst the Great Depression. The characters where complex and lovely, and while the story was almost woeful at times the lyrical prose left me with a sense of hopefulness. Don‘t be fooled by by the middle grade label, this was pure story telling at its best. A wonderful read

Poor and abused, Charles James grows up to become incredibly successful but loses himself and everything that‘s important in the process. He‘s not a nice guy stepping on many as he climbs toward success. He appears to have it all but ambition and greed turn him into an unhappy and broken man. A twist of fate offers him the opportunity of a second chance. A wonderful start to this series about second chances and redemption

A fairytale romance packed with swoon worthy moments, a little sizzle and a happily ever after, this was a perfect beach read. While not totally unpredictable, I fell in love with Kaylee and Owen and found myself rooting for them all the way. I loved that Emma and Jack made an appearance in the storyline too.

What‘s not to love about a modern day Cinderella style romance! I fell in love with Emma, Jack and the chemistry between them (*sigh). What should have been a simple holiday fling spirals out of control when the paparazzi is involved. I really enjoyed following Emma and Jack on their journey as they navigated through the craziness of their lives in search of a happily ever after. A perfect rainy day escape read!

Jenny Lawson could be the poster-child for many suffering from mental illness and the stigma that is attached. I love her ability to poke fun at everything and everyone, especially herself. Suffering from depression, anxiety and a slew of other conditions, this is her journey. I found her to be motivational, encouraging and hopeful. Heartfelt and funny, this was a perfect read for everything going on in the world right now. Audio was fantastic

A funny, honest and realistic read depicting what it‘s be like to live with schizophrenia.

Told through the unfiltered and expressive journal entries of our protagonist Adam, I loved seeing inside his mind, his thoughts teetering between despair and humor, and loved his self-awareness to the state of his mind. The author successfully brings awareness to the manifestation of schizophrenia while debunking the negative stereotypes that surround it.

Julia Quinn's writing is fun and flirty, a mixture or wit and sensuality. Her characters are perfectly flawed and easily likable and she has a refreshing feministic take on Regency England.

Similar to her other series, this can be read as standalone as each book focuses on a different character, but Quinn does intertwine the characters so there is potential for spoilers. If you loved Quinns Bridgerton series, you will enjoy this!

This one took me by surprise. A departure from his usual teach jerker, cliche, romance, See Me offered a decent mystery suspense with a romance that was second to the mystery. Predictable, yes and wasn‘t crazy about the insta love, but a decent read for a rain day.

This series started out 5* for me and every couple books it seems to go down a star. I‘ve found the books in the series themselves are worth the read but the novellas are unnecessary and awful with the exception of Destroy Me because Warner‘s point of view was actually insightful and added something to the way I thought about things. With one book to go, I‘m hoping Mafi got back on track to her beautiful writing depicted in Shatter Me.

I‘ve read many Danielle Steel books over the years but after a while her storylines seemed to be recycled, just different characters and locations. Unfortunately Leap of Faith was just that to me, nothing original. Overall I enjoyed the story and it was a fast read. The ending was the biggest disappointment for me. It was predictable, felt rushed and I would have enjoyed an epilogue.

A beautifully haunting, elegantly creepy and deliciously unsettling story.

Moira Fowley-Doyle has crafted a richly atmospheric setting blurring the lines between reality and fantasy, creating a perfect level of dark and whimsy. The rhythm and cadence of the lyrical prose is eerily hypnotic, almost sad, setting an enchantingly chilling tone that fills you with a sense of dread. Entrancing and addictive read.

A cute story about a boarding for descendants of Greek Gods (think Hogwarts for Greek Gods). The protagonist is a high school senior and I found much of the story to be realistic to the challenges kids face today (bullying, mean girls, peer pressure, grades, self esteem, popularity) but felt the maturity level of the characters better fit middle school. Sweet clean first love makes this a perfect read for middle school to high school age kids.

Mitch Album has a gift for words and I find his stories to be thoughtful, inspiring, and comforting.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven was a beautiful story that had me reflecting on ones purpose in life and how the events in our life are interconnected, one affects the other and the other affects the next.

Mitch Album has a way of reminding me that despite the darkness, there is always light. He‘s my go to comfort read

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical murder mystery but will admit it is eleven year old Flavia de Luce that I fell in love with. What a clever, witty, tenacious science loving, eccentric, young genius she is. I adored how her love of potions and Sherlock Holmes-like deduction approach to solving crime was full of humor and wit. The audio was wonderful and I look forward to following young Flavia

I thoroughly enjoyed the steamy, drama filled On Dublin Street so was happy to see Ellie and Adam‘s story. My only complaint is I wish it were longer. I enjoyed the back and forth timeline as the story unfolds through Ellie‘s journal entries, thought it cleverly closed the loop on some things that happened in On Dublin Street and loved reliving her childhood crush, jealousies, frustrations and dreams for HEA while hearing Adam‘s perspective.

On Dublin Street was a well needed, deliciously sexy escape for me. I loved Joss, her vulnerability and snarkiness and Braden, well any Jamie Fraser lover will love this a sexy, swoon worthy, alpha Scotsman. I I I loved these damaged, perfectly imperfect characters, flaws and all. The steamy, drama filled plot and sweet family dynamic kept me wanting more. Everything worked for me with this one.

This YA contemporary romance took me by surprise.
I enjoyed the premise of this story, loved watching Allison and Esben‘s relationship unfold and adored everything about Simon and his parenting abilities.

This story relayed so many positive messages around kindness and hope, family and love, trust and friendship, it really was a great read that drew every emotion from me.

My first read from Jessica Park, it won‘t be my last.

Such an enchanting tale about love, loss, heartbreak, hope and redemption, Keeper of Lost Things is infused with humor and charm. A perfect cozy day kind of read.

Nicola Yoon has masterfully crafted a tender coming of age love story that tastefully tackles serious and sensitive topics. I love how the ‘universe‘ becomes its own character shedding its perspective on fate and coincidence while passing a message that in life we are all connected and no matter how trivial we think our life may be or how inconsequential a meeting of someone may seem, everything we do influences and affects someone else‘s life too

The first book in The Mother Daughter Bookclub series I found it to be a refreshing modern day story that realistically portrays the struggles of middle school especially around fitting in. With Little Women as the book selection, the four girls and their moms spend the better part of the year working their way through the story while dealing with the challenges, drama and growing pains they are faced with. I love watching the friendships bloom

On my bookshelf for far to long, the Alchemist was a wonderful read full of many uplifting thoughts about the journey of life with reminders to listen to your heart and follow your dreams. Such a beautiful and gentle reminder that the simple things are most extraordinary. There is treasure in the journey itself, the discoveries you make and the wisdom you acquire along the way.

With Death as it‘s narrator, this WWII story is unique in its telling. Death seems sardonic initially, but isn‘t portrayed as evil or cruel, in fact, as he shares the burden his job holds in collecting souls, he expresses a weariness and remorse while exhibiting compassion and respect to the task.

A wonderful perspective, this story was a beautiful reminder of the power of words and their ability to create beauty and potential to destroy it

It‘s been a lot of years since I read a Danielle Steel book and I forgot how much I enjoy her writing. Dating Game was such a refreshing reminder that life may not always turn out how you expected, but that doesn‘t mean it isn‘t how it‘s meant to be and that even with tragedy there are blessing. Very glad I took a chance with this author again.

Taylor and Walker are two gentle broken souls.
Fate brought them together, trust allowed the walls protecting their hearts to crumble and love nurtured the beginning of healing. I loved the sweet emotional connection these two had and enjoyed sharing in their journey as they navigated through their heartbreak toward healing.

While this story is a beautiful romance, there is also a cleverly plotted mystery and suspense that will keep you guessing

What a hauntingly beautiful and sad story. Set in Paris during late 1860, it is a story about the Haussmann era in Paris and how the modernization of the city uprooted entire neighborhoods destroying homes the houses generations of families.

I am surprised by the low ratings for this book. Very different from the story behind Sarah‘s Key, there is no way to compare, but I found the writing to be lyrical and lush and the story to be beautiful.

Hilderbrand‘s first crack at historical fiction was a bit of a let down for me. 1969 was such a tumultuous and eventful time with the Apollo 10 mission/Apollo 11 moon landing, Vietnam, Woodstock, Manson murder‘s and Chappaquiddick but she tries to tackle too many issues and events so most are touched on with little sentiment making the historical aspect almost ancillary. It wasn‘t a terrible read, it just wasn‘t what I expected

Good historical novels can get the reader interested in certain time period, event or person, while curiosity and the desire to learn are fueled by many things, interest being one of them. The story‘s modern feel will make the story more real while the time travel aspect will help draw a young reader in. The number of Holocaust survivors is diminishing so stories like this become even more important to bear witness and keep the memory alive.

Austenland is such a perfect piece of Austeny goodness. Jane‘s attitude about her Austen obsession is a riot, and he obsession with finding a perfect Darcy is quite similar to my Jamie Fraser obsession (*sigh). Nothing terribly deep with this one. It‘s a fluffy read meant to bring a smile to any Austen or non-Austen lover‘s face.

Prom and Prejudice is a cute and fun retelling of Jane Austen‘s Pride and Prejudice. It‘s backdrop is a privileged boarding school where social status means everything and year end prom is the highlight of the social calendar, this one will appeal to YA readers with its modern and youthful edge.

Such an evocative story, a woman recounts days living in NYC during her coming of age years.

Vivian Morris wasn‘t always likable, but she had this energy and vitality about her that drew you in. A sexually adventurous risk taker for young woman of that time, she shares life experiences around friendships, mistakes, growing up in war torn America, second chances and forgiveness. The narration by Blair Brown is fantastic

One Day in December is a heartwarming story about fate, timing and and true love. Poignant and funny, this was a perfect feel good winter read.

The First Mistake is a cleverly written, compelling, character driven psychological thriller that has a good dose of family drama thrown in. Primarily told from the present day viewpoint of Alice, there are a few chapters told in the past from her best friends POV and together a deliciously dark, tangled web of a tale is crafted with interesting twists and unsettling turns that made for an addictively suspenseful read.

My Lovely Wife is a fast paced, suspense filled psychological thriller full of crazy twists and turns that will leave you agog. Lining up well developed character after character, each with their own sort of crazy, this one grabbed my attention from the start and kept me guessing right up to the explosive ending.

The Dutch House is a sensual family saga that spans over several decades that teeters between real life and a dark fairytale. It explores the breakdown of a family, the bond between siblings, the effects of parental abandonment while centering around the character the Dutch House itself. Tom Hanks knocked this one out of the park with his narration. A fabulous read!

YA/NA is not my favorite genre but for many reasons, one being the amount of teenage drama and chaos that ensues. I will admit that I enjoyed this story. I loved the young, toxic love these two broken people shared (does that make me crazy?) and loved how they balanced each other out. I did find myself growing bored with the continuous drama and immaturity, and the plot was a bit far fetched, but overall a decent read for the audience intended

The Wives was an intriguing, action-packed, 5* page turner for me until about the 55% mark. The premise was fascinating and I was invested in the story, but I didn‘t love the direction it took which left me with majorly conflicted feelings. Wasn‘t terrible, just left me feeling a bit deflated. Overall a 3* for me

I was a bit underwhelmed with The Queen of Nothing, the last book in The Folk of the Air trilogy. Maybe it was just the anticipation, but after two exciting and action packed volumes, this just felt rushed and the ending was a bit too easy. Yes everything was wrapped up in a nice little bow, but I felt like Holly Black played it a bit too safe. Still a satisfying ending to a thoroughly enjoyable series.

Holly Black bangs it out of the park with book two in The Folk of the Air series, The Wicked King. The prose is magical, the world building fantastic and pacing was perfect. I have fallen in love with this exquisitely luscious, beautifully magical and dangerously dark Fae world that Holly Black has created. Again, no fairytale endings here, but this cruel, twisted, dark tale will leave you craving for more. Addictively entertaining!