The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall by Katie Alender

Title: The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall

Author: Katie Alender

Publisher: Point 2015

Genre: YA Fantasy

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Theme - August

Delia's new house isn't just a house. Long ago, it was the Piven Institute for the Care and Correction of Troubled Females -- an insane asylum nicknamed "Hysteria Hall." However, many of the inmates were not insane, just defiant and strong willed. Kind of like Delia herself.

But the house still wants to keep "troubled" girls locked away. So, in the most horrifying way, Delia becomes trapped. And that's when she learns that the house is also haunted.

Ghost girls wander the hallways in their old-fashioned nightgowns. A handsome ghost boy named Theo roams the grounds. Delia learns that all the spirits are unsettled and full of dark secrets. The house, too, harbors shocking truths within its walls -- truths that only Delia can uncover, and that may set her free.

And she'll need to act quickly -- before the house's power overtakes everything she loves.

This was a surprisingly fun ghost adventure story. I’m not sure why I ended up picking this up, but I sped read through this one in only a few days. I was immediately drawn in by the setting. I’m a sucker fo ra haunted former asylum or school. I liked Delia, but the other characters were the ones that kept me reading. I loved Theo and Eliza and Florence and even Maria. I couldn’t wait to uncover the mystery of who was controlling the ghosts. The last 30 pages were a rollicking good time. This was very fun and a good weekend’s read.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune

Title: The House in the Cerulean Sea

Author: TJ Klune

Publisher: Tor Books 2020

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 393

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: MMD 2020; Monthly Theme - July

Linus Baker is a by-the-book case worker in the Department in Charge of Magical Youth. He's tasked with determining whether six dangerous magical children are likely to bring about the end of the world.

Arthur Parnassus is the master of the orphanage. He would do anything to keep the children safe, even if it means the world will burn. And his secrets will come to light.

This was such a delightful, feel-good book. I found myself smiling as soon as Linus arrived on the island and met the inhabitants. I was rooting for all the characters to find their happy and their home. I immediately fell for all the characters, but especially Lucy. It’s so great to read a book where the characters really care for each other deeply and want to reach happiness. I was desperate to see everything turn out okay. By the conclusion of the book, I was on pins and needles urging Linus to go back and find his home. I even got a bit teary-eyed. It was just so incredibly good. If you need a book to pick you up, this one definitely does the job.

Modern Mrs Darcy Summer Reading Challenge 2020.png

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller

Title: The Widow of Rose House

Author: Diana Biller

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Jar Random

It’s 1875, and Alva Webster is ready for a fresh start. After three years of being pilloried in the presses for fleeing her abusive husband, his sudden death allows her to return to New York where she is determined to restore a dilapidated Hyde Park mansion, and hopefully her reputation at the same time. She is decidedly not supposed to fall in love.

But when a haunting at her new home threatens her careful plans, she must seek help from the eccentric and brilliant and - much to her dismay - very handsome Professor Samuel Moore. Alva doesn’t need more complications in her life, especially not a convention-flouting, scandal-raising one like Sam. Unfortunately, Sam is the only one who can help. Together, the two delve into the tragic secrets wreathing Alva’s new home while Sam attempts to unlock Alva’s history―and her heart.

Not sure why this one came up on my TBR, but I’m glad I ended up reading it. Overall I really enjoyed the story of Alva and the the mysteries of a rundown mansion. I loved her relationship with Sam and the back and forth between those two. I loved the the discussions about engineering and interior design. It was an interesting book and a good historical fiction volume. My biggest complaint was the ghost story part. The summary of the book makes it seem like the ghost story is essential, but it only appears sporadically. I would have liked more ghost story, but it was not meant to be.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

Title: Big Summer

Author: Jennifer Weiner

Publisher: Atria Books 2020

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Pages: 364

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Modern Mrs. Darcy 2020

Six years after the fight that ended their friendship, Daphne Berg is shocked when Drue Cavanaugh walks back into her life, looking as lovely and successful as ever, with a massive favor to ask. Daphne hasn’t spoken one word to Drue in all this time—she doesn’t even hate-follow her ex-best friend on social media—so when Drue asks if she will be her maid-of-honor at the society wedding of the summer, Daphne is rightfully speechless.

Drue was always the one who had everything—except the ability to hold onto friends. Meanwhile, Daphne’s no longer the same self-effacing sidekick she was back in high school. She’s built a life that she loves, including a growing career as a plus-size Instagram influencer. Letting glamorous, seductive Drue back into her life is risky, but it comes with an invitation to spend a weekend in a waterfront Cape Cod mansion. When Drue begs and pleads and dangles the prospect of cute single guys, Daphne finds herself powerless as ever to resist her friend’s siren song.

A sparkling novel about the complexities of female relationships, the pitfalls of living out loud and online, and the resilience of the human heart, Big Summer is a witty, moving story about family, friendship, and figuring out what matters most.

Wow! What a huge disappointment to me. I was annoyed the first third of the book or so by the constant reminders of Instagram influencing and the fact that Daphne’s plus size. I just kept wanting to put down the book and not pick it back up again. I also got really tired of the constant flashbacks to how Drue acted in the past. Then we hit the 50% mark and I wanted to throw the book against the wall. I couldn’t get into the new direction of the book. Daphne becoming an amateur detective was completely unrealistic. The insta-love between her and Nick was unrealistic. I guessed the prologue’s importance once Drue died, but it was just annoying. I hated the entire second half of the book and disliked the first half of the book. Complete disappointment for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi

Title: White is for Witching

Author: Helen Oyeyemi

Publisher: Riverhead Books 2014

Genre: Horror

Pages: 306

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Horror; Monthly Theme - October

There’s something strange about the Silver family house in the closed-off town of Dover, England. Grand and cavernous with hidden passages and buried secrets, it’s been home to four generations of Silver women—Anna, Jennifer, Lily, and now Miranda, who has lived in the house with her twin brother, Eliot, ever since their father converted it to a bed-and-breakfast. The Silver women have always had a strong connection, a pull over one another that reaches across time and space, and when Lily, Miranda’s mother, passes away suddenly while on a trip abroad, Miranda begins suffering strange ailments. An eating disorder starves her. She begins hearing voices. When she brings a friend home, Dover’s hostility toward outsiders physically manifests within the four walls of the Silver house, and the lives of everyone inside are irrevocably changed.

I am starting to think that I’m not really a big fan of Oyeyemi’s writing style. The story jumps a bit all over the place and becomes hard to follow. I wasn’t a fan of how the various characters referred to each other. It was hard to tell who was who and what the relationship between the various characters. It also took me extra long to figure out who the various narrators were. Things got better once I figured out that part, but I was still confused in many instances. I just didn’t love this book, but could appreciate Oyeyemi’s commitment to a gothic writing style and inventive story lines.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Dark Desires by Eve Silver

Title: Dark Desires (Dark Gothic #1)

Author: Eve Silver

Publisher: Eve Silver 2013

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 318

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Goodreads Random

Betrayed by those she trusted, penniless and alone, Darcie Finch is forced to accept a position that no one else dares, as assistant to dangerously attractive Dr. Damien Cole. Ignoring the whispered warnings and rumours that he's a man to fear, she takes her position at his eerie estate where she quickly discovers that nothing is at it seems, least of all her handsome and brooding employer. As Darcie struggles with her fierce attraction to Damien, she must also deal with the blood, the disappearances … and the murders.

With her options dwindling and time running out, Darcie must rely on her instincts as she confronts the man she is falling in love with. Is he an innocent and misunderstood man … or a remorseless killer who prowls the East End streets?

I sped through this novel quickly. It was one of those random cheap Kindle deals that I picked up somewhere along the way. I thought it would be a fun supernatural romance. I really wanted some good fun supernatural occurrences, a great relationship, and some steamy scenes. By the time I had gotten tot he end of the book, i was just pretty disappointed. Their relationship between Darcie and Damien was nonexistent. I couldn’t see any reason why these two were together. I get Darcie’s motivations a bit, but Damien is a complete mystery. I never figured out why he loved Darcie. There just didn’t seem like anything to build a relationship. And I was disappointed that there wasn’t any real supernatural occurrences. Not really impressed.

Dark Gothic

#1 Dark Desires
#2 His Dark Kiss
#3 Dark Prince
#4 His Wicked Sins
#5 Seduced by a Stranger
#6 Dark Embrace

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lovely War by Julie Berry

Title: Lovely War

Author: Julie Berry

Publisher: Penguin Books 2020

Genre: YA Historical Fiction

Pages: 480

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Modern Mrs. Darcy 2020; Monthly Theme - June

They are Hazel, James, Aubrey, and Colette. A classical pianist from London, a British would-be architect turned soldier, a Harlem-born ragtime genius in the U.S. Army, and a Belgian orphan with a gorgeous voice and a devastating past. Their story, as told by the goddess Aphrodite, who must spin the tale or face judgment on Mount Olympus, is filled with hope and heartbreak, prejudice and passion, and reveals that, though War is a formidable force, it's no match for the transcendent power of Love.

Another selection from the Modern Mrs. Darcy Summer Reading Challenge. Overall, I ended up really enjoying this book. I loved following the interconnected stories of James, Hazel, Aubrey, and Colette. I loved reading about their experiences in World War I and the trials their endured. It was a good book that kept me interested throughout. I did have to keep reminding myself that this was labeled as a young adult novel and as such, didn’t get as serious as i would have liked. The frame story with the Greek gods was inventive in the telling of the story. The story did start fairly slow and I didn’t get hooked until we crossed the 100 page mark. And the last 25 pages or so, I could have done without. But it was a good book that was very infortative as to life during World War I.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Devolution by Max Brooks

Title: Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre

Author: Max Brooks

Publisher: Del Rey 2020

Genre: Horror

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Theme - October

As the ash and chaos from Mount Rainier’s eruption swirled and finally settled, the story of the Greenloop massacre has passed unnoticed, unexamined . . . until now. The journals of resident Kate Holland, recovered from the town’s bloody wreckage, capture a tale too harrowing—and too earth-shattering in its implications—to be forgotten. In these pages, Max Brooks brings Kate’s extraordinary account to light for the first time, faithfully reproducing her words alongside his own extensive investigations into the massacre and the legendary beasts behind it. Kate’s is a tale of unexpected strength and resilience, of humanity’s defiance in the face of a terrible predator’s gaze, and, inevitably, of savagery and death.

Yet it is also far more than that.

Because if what Kate Holland saw in those days is real, then we must accept the impossible. We must accept that the creature known as Bigfoot walks among us—and that it is a beast of terrible strength and ferocity.

Part survival narrative, part bloody horror tale, part scientific journey into the boundaries between truth and fiction, this is a Bigfoot story as only Max Brooks could chronicle it—and like none you’ve ever read before.

Oh this was such fun! I always love a good horror book and Max Brooks spins a good yarn. I really enjoyed World War Z and the faux documentary style of the book. Thankfully Brooks continues the style with a fun Sasquatch attack in Washington. I was worried that the build-up would take too long, but we dive right into it. I love the little teases of impending doom from various people. It’s so good! And we get into such a suspenseful state after the eruption. I loved Kate’s voice throughout the book. Overall, I had such fun reading this one!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Stationery Shop by Marjan Kamali

Title: The Stationery Shop

Author: Marjan Kamali

Publisher: Gallery Books 2019

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 320

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Theme - October

Roya is a dreamy, idealistic teenager living in 1953 Tehran who, amidst the political upheaval of the time, finds a literary oasis in kindly Mr. Fakhri’s neighborhood book and stationery shop. She always feels safe in his dusty store, overflowing with fountain pens, shiny ink bottles, and thick pads of soft writing paper.

When Mr. Fakhri, with a keen instinct for a budding romance, introduces Roya to his other favorite customer—handsome Bahman, who has a burning passion for justice and a love for Rumi’s poetry—she loses her heart at once. And, as their romance blossoms, the modest little stationery shop remains their favorite place in all of Tehran.

A few short months later, on the eve of their marriage, Roya agrees to meet Bahman at the town square, but suddenly, violence erupts—a result of the coup d’etat that forever changes their country’s future. In the chaos, Bahman never shows. For weeks, Roya tries desperately to contact him, but her efforts are fruitless. With a sorrowful heart, she resigns herself to never seeing him again.

Until, more than sixty years later, an accident of fate leads her back to Bahman and offers her a chance to ask him the questions that have haunted her for more than half a century: Why did he leave? Where did he go? How was he able to forget her?

I really wanted to love this book and I just felt like it was good, but not great. The writing is lovely. The characters are (for the most part) lovely. But it just didn’t connect with me emotionally. I wonder after reading it if I wanted more in the past. Often with these books set in the present and the past, I end up liking one time period much more than the other. And usually that preference is for the story set in the past. I would have liked to have spent more time in 1950s Iran than the present.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lumberjanes Vol. 12 and 13

Title: Lumberjanes Vol. 12: Jacklope Springs Eternal

Author: Shannon Watters, Noelle Stevenson, Brooklyn Allen

Publisher: BOOM! 2019

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 112

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When Counselor Jen takes the Roanoke scouts on a mission to find a Jackalope, they end up stumbling on a young cowgirl who’s been living in the woods surrounding camp with her herd of unusual critters!

In the aftermath of the time shenanigans set off by Jo’s Mysterious Time Thingy, the Roanoke scouts are a little bit uneasy on their feet. It’s up to Jen to cheer them up and help them get back up and off adventuring again, with a quest to seek out the most mysterious mythological monster of all…the mighty JACKALOPE!

Fun! Fun! We get to meet another inhabitant of the mysterious woods outside camp. And we are on the hunt for the infamous Jackalope! This entire series really just makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.

Title: Lumberjanes Vol. 13: Indoor Recess

Author: Kat Leyh, Shannon Watters, Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Brooklyn Allen, Dozerdraws, Maarta Laiho

Publisher: BOOM! 2019

Genre: Graphic Novel

Pages: 112

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

On a rainy day at Lumberjanes camp, the Roanokes explore tabletop gaming (with bonus magic!), and the underground tunnels beneath the Mess Hall.

The woods surrounding Miss Qinzella Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady-Types are home to more incredible magical critters and beings than anyone could possibly imagine…unfortunately, on this particular day, it’s pouring rain, and each and every ‘Jane has been tasked with just one job: stay inside, stay dry, and DON’T get into trouble. Confined to the Mess Hall, Jo and Molly give tabletop roleplaying a try, while Ripley, April, and Mal venture a little further afield after discovering a secret tunnel beneath the Kitchens...and the colossal prehistoric bug that lives there! Hey, they’re not technically outside, right?

Oooohhh I loved the split adventures of the campers. My favorite was definitely the aboveground adventures in the cabin. I loved the random twists and turns with the new board game. So much fun!

A Rogue of One's Own by Evie Dunmore

Title: A Rogue of One’s Own(A League of Extraordinary Women #2)

Author: Evie Dunmore

Publisher: Berkley 2020

Genre: Romance

Pages: 444

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: TBR Jar Random

Lady Lucie is fuming. She and her band of Oxford suffragists have finally scraped together enough capital to control one of London’s major publishing houses, with one purpose: to use it in a coup against Parliament. But who could have predicted that the one person standing between her and success is her old nemesis and London’s undisputed lord of sin, Lord Ballentine? Or that he would be willing to hand over the reins for an outrageous price—a night in her bed.

Lucie tempts Tristan like no other woman, burning him up with her fierceness and determination every time they clash. But as their battle of wills and words fans the flames of long-smoldering devotion, the silver-tongued seducer runs the risk of becoming caught in his own snare.

As Lucie tries to out-maneuver Tristan in the boardroom and the bedchamber, she soon discovers there’s truth in what the poets say: all is fair in love and war…

Another great historical romance! I really enjoyed the first one in the series and this one was a delightful continuation of some of the characters. We get to know Lucie and Tristan throughout the course of the novel and I completely fell in love with both of them. I love how each of them have hidden their actual personalities and dreams. Thankfully we do get a check-in with the ladies from the first novel also. At times the novel became very serious, but I loved it. There was even a point where I felt myself tearing up. It really got to me and I just had to see Tristan and Lucie find their happen ending.

A League of Extraordinary Women

#1 Bringing Down the Duke
#2 A Rogue of One’s Own

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Title: The Only Good Indians

Author: Stephen Graham Jones

Publisher: Gallery 2020

Genre: Horror

Pages: 320

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Monthly Theme

Seamlessly blending classic horror and a dramatic narrative with sharp social commentary, The Only Good Indians follows four American Indian men after a disturbing event from their youth puts them in a desperate struggle for their lives. Tracked by an entity bent on revenge, these childhood friends are helpless as the culture and traditions they left behind catch up to them in a violent, vengeful way.

I really really enjoyed the plot of this horror novel. I loved the underlying folklore and myth and the very really horror experienced by the characters. But everything else about the book really annoyed me. I couldn’t get over the very strange writing style. Sort of a cross between a Noir Detective Novel and Stream of Consciousness? The end result is that I had trouble following what was happening on any given page. And we’re thrown straight into the story without getting to know the main characters before the terror starts. I wasn’t sure how to feel about the characters. Should we be rooting for them to overcome or get what’s coming? I was just confused through most of the book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lord of Darkness by Elizabeth Hoyt

Title: Lord of Darkness (Maiden Lane #5)

Author: Elizabeth Hoyt

Publisher: Grand Central 2013

Genre: Romance

Pages: 385

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Perpetual - NPR Romance

WHEN STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT

He lives in the shadows. As the mysterious masked avenger known as the Ghost of St. Giles, Godric St. John's only goal is to protect the innocent of London. Until the night he confronts a fearless young lady pointing a pistol at his head-and realizes she is his wife . . .

BECOME LOVERS . . .

Lady Margaret Reading has vowed to kill the Ghost of St. Giles-the man who murdered her one true love. Returning to London, and to the man she hasn't seen since their wedding day, Margaret does not recognize the man behind the mask. Fierce, commanding, and dangerous, the notorious Ghost of St. Giles is everything she feared he would be-and so much more . . .

DESIRE IS THE ULTIMATE DANGER

When passion flares, these two intimate strangers can't keep from revealing more of themselves than they had ever planned. But when Margaret learns the truth-that the Ghost is her husband-the game is up and the players must surrender . . . to the temptation that could destroy them both.

Another very satisfying historical romance. I am really enjoying this series so much! Hoyt has crafted great characters, steamy scenes, and great mysteries in every book. I really did enjoy Margaret and Godric (more than Hero and Griffin!). I enjoyed encountering some of our previous characters again and seeing where they are now. (Seriously Lord Caire has an adorable daughter named Annalise? I couldn’t handle the cuteness!) I was hoping that Godric turned out to be a more interesting character than we had previously encountered and I was correct. I can’t wait tor read the next book.

Maiden Lane

#1 Wicked Intentions
#2 Notorious Pleasures
#3 Scandalous Desires
#4 Thief of Shadows
#5 Lord of Darkness
#6 Duke of Midnight
#7 Darling Beast
#8 Dearest Rogue
#9 Sweetest Scoundrel
#10 Duke of Sin
#10.5 Once Upon a Moonlit Night
#10.7 Once Upon a Christmas Eve
#11 Duke of Pleasure
#12 Duke of Desire
#12.5 Once Upon a Maiden Lane

Next up on the TBR pile:

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Title: Gods of Jade and Shadow

Author: Silvia Moreno-Garcia

Publisher: Del Rey

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf Project; Monthly Theme - May

The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.

Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.

In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld.

I absolutely loved Moreno-Garcia’s latest work, Mexican Gothic, and was extra excited that Girly Book Club chose this one for September’s book. It’s a very different book, but still such an amazingly told story. This is a fantasy/fairy tale-esque journey. Casiopea immediately grabbed hold of my heart and didn’t let go. I wanted to see everything good happen to here but knew that there would be danger along the path. Thankfully she was a protector/guide of sorts with a Mayan god of death. I loved seeing how they both changed and grew while on the journey. And the last setting in the underworld was a perfect way to conclude the journey. I loved learning more about Mayan stories and myths as well as more modern Mexican culture. Highly recommend.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner

Title: The Jane Austen Society

Author: Natalie Jenner

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 320

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: MMD 2020

Just after the Second World War, in the small English village of Chawton, an unusual but like-minded group of people band together to attempt something remarkable.

One hundred and fifty years ago, Chawton was the final home of Jane Austen, one of England's finest novelists. Now it's home to a few distant relatives and their diminishing estate. With the last bit of Austen's legacy threatened, a group of disparate individuals come together to preserve both Jane Austen's home and her legacy. These people―a laborer, a young widow, the local doctor, and a movie star, among others―could not be more different and yet they are united in their love for the works and words of Austen. As each of them endures their own quiet struggle with loss and trauma, some from the recent war, others from more distant tragedies, they rally together to create the Jane Austen Society.

I listened to this one on audio (read by Richard Armitage!) and it was a delight. I enjoyed getting to know these delightful characters, all who love Jane Austen. Following their stories was interesting, but my favorite parts were every discussion about Jane Austen, her stories, and her characters. I wanted to see more of those conversations as the characters’ lives progressed. Adaline and Benjamin were my clear favorites, although Frances was also amazing. I just wanted to see all everyone get a happy ending. I was annoyed by the choice Adam made and Mimi’s relationship. But I guess those stories also ended well. The ending was very rushed (like usual), but the ending did leave me all warm and fuzzy inside.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert

Title: Take a Hint, Dani Brown (Brown Sisters #2)

Author: Talia Hibbert

Publisher: Avon 2020

Genre: Romance

Pages: 400

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom.

When big, brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and former rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact to him, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Suddenly, half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse?

Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf is secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his... um, thighs.

The easy lay Dani dreamed of is now more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?

Definitely better than the first book in terms of characterization. Dani is much more interesting and exciting character than Chloe. I really enjoyed her relationship with Zafir throughout the book. And Zafir was a great leading man. Their banter was delightful and kept me coming back for more. On the flip side, there were a few deficiencies. I needed more steamy scenes. There were hardly any at all in this volume! A travesty! And I would have liked to have seen more of Gigi. Still a nice fun contemporary rom com for my week.

Brown Sisters

#1 Get a Life, Chloe Brown
#2 Take a Hint, Dani Brown

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Holdout by Graham Moore

Title: The Holdout

Author: Graham Moore

Publisher: Random House 2020

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

It’s the most sensational case of the decade. Fifteen-year-old Jessica Silver, heiress to a billion-dollar real estate fortune, vanishes on her way home from school, and her teacher, Bobby Nock, a twenty-five-year-old African American man, is the prime suspect. The subsequent trial taps straight into America’s most pressing preoccupations: race, class, sex, law enforcement, and the lurid sins of the rich and famous. It’s an open-and-shut case for the prosecution, and a quick conviction seems all but guaranteed—until Maya Seale, a young woman on the jury, convinced of Nock’s innocence, persuades the rest of the jurors to return the verdict of not guilty, a controversial decision that will change all their lives forever.

Flash forward ten years. A true-crime docuseries reassembles the jury, with particular focus on Maya, now a defense attorney herself. When one of the jurors is found dead in Maya’s hotel room, all evidence points to her as the killer. Now, she must prove her own innocence—by getting to the bottom of a case that is far from closed.

As the present-day murder investigation weaves together with the story of what really happened during their deliberation, told by each of the jurors in turn, the secrets they have all been keeping threaten to come out—with drastic consequences for all involved.

A very readable murder mystery / thriller / court room drama. I actually read half of it in one setting. The story really does pull the reader along and I needed to see what happened next. I was interested in the overall mystery and needed to find out the identity of the killer. I wondered about the second murder but was actually less interested in that. I wanted to find out Rick’s secret more than anything. The ending felt rushed and I wasn’t so excited about the reveal of Rick’s killer. I really wished that it had been something more sinister. I did enjoy the glimpse in the various juror’s lives, but wanted a bit more on that aspect. Overall a fun light read for a strange a week.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Title: Crazy Rich Asians (Crazy Rich Asians #1)

Author: Kevin Kwan

Publisher: Anchor 2013

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 546

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When New Yorker Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with the man she hopes to marry. But Nick has failed to give his girlfriend a few key details. One, that his childhood home looks like a palace; two, that he grew up riding in more private planes than cars; and three, that he just happens to be the country’s most eligible bachelor.

On Nick’s arm, Rachel may as well have a target on her back the second she steps off the plane, and soon, her relaxed vacation turns into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers.

Hmmm… I wasn’t that excited about this one at all. I like the overall plot line, but the characters and writing style bothered me. The writing often switched perspective and was very juvenile at times. The descriptions of the settings were very interesting and lush. But when we focused on a character and especially dialogue, the writing style started to fall apart. The pages did not flow like I was expecting. Many of the characters were a bit boring and I just didn’t want to read about them. Lastly, I felt a little weird and icky reading about people who have more money than they know what to do with. It was very tone deaf at times.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Love and Death Among the Cheetahs by Rhys Bowen

Title: Love and Death Among the Cheetahs (Royal Spyness #13)

Author: Rhys Bowen

Publisher: Berkley 2019

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Ebook

I was so excited when Darcy announced out of the blue that we were flying to Kenya for our extended honeymoon. Now that we are here, I suspect he has actually been sent to fulfill another secret mission. I am trying very hard not to pick a fight about it, because after all, we are in paradise! Darcy finally confides that there have been robberies in London and Paris. It seems the thief was a member of the aristocracy and may have fled to Kenya. Since we are staying in the Happy Valley—the center of upper-class English life—we are well positioned to hunt for clues and ferret out possible suspects.
Now that I am a sophisticated married woman, I am doing my best to sound like one. But crikey! These aristocrats are a thoroughly loathsome sort enjoying a completely decadent lifestyle filled with wild parties and rampant infidelity. And one of the leading lights in the community, Lord Cheriton, has the nerve to make a play for me. While I am on my honeymoon! Of course, I put an end to that right off.

When he is found bloodied and lifeless along a lonely stretch of road, it appears he fell victim to a lion. But it seems that the Happy Valley community wants to close the case a bit too quickly. Darcy and I soon discover that there is much more than a simple robbery and an animal attack to contend with here in Kenya. Nearly everyone has a motive to want Lord Cheriton dead and some will go to great lengths to silence anyone who asks too many questions. The hunt is on! I just hope I can survive my honeymoon long enough to catch a killer. . . .

Another Georgie mystery. It was pretty decent, but not the best in the series. I did enjoy the change in scenery to Kenya. Unfortunately the relations between the natives and Europeans was a bit much. I understand the time period, but I I wasn’t really excited by all of the commentary. The murder mystery was interesting, but then the reveal is much too quick. I would have liked a bit more discussion and resolution. And there was a decided lack of grandfather and Claire. I need more in the next book.

Her Royal Spyness:

#0.5 Masked Ball at Broxley Manor
#1 Her Royal Spyness
#2 A Royal Pain
#3 Royal Flush
#4 Royal Blood
#5 Naughty in Nice
#6 The Twelve Clues of Christmas
#7 Heirs and Graces
#8 Queen of Hearts
#9 Malice at the Palace
#10 Crowned and Dangerous
#11 On Her Majesty’s Frightfully Secret Service
#12 Four Funerals and Maybe a Wedding
#13 Love and Death Among the Cheetahs
#14 The Last Mrs. Summers

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Hike by Drew Magary

Title: The Hike

Author: Drew Magary

Publisher: Penguin Books

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 288

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When Ben, a suburban family man, takes a business trip to rural Pennsylvania, he decides to spend the afternoon before his dinner meeting on a short hike. Once he sets out into the woods behind his hotel, he quickly comes to realize that the path he has chosen cannot be given up easily. With no choice but to move forward, Ben finds himself falling deeper and deeper into a world of man-eating giants, bizarre demons, and colossal insects.

On a quest of epic, life-or-death proportions, Ben finds help comes in some of the most unexpected forms, including a profane crustacean and a variety of magical objects, tools, and potions. Desperate to return to his family, Ben is determined to track down the “Producer,” the creator of the world in which he is being held hostage and the only one who can free him from the path.

At once bitingly funny and emotionally absorbing, Magary’s novel is a remarkably unique addition to the contemporary fantasy genre, one that draws as easily from the world of classic folk tales as it does from video games. In The Hike, Magary takes readers on a daring odyssey away from our day-to-day grind and transports them into an enthralling world propelled by heart, imagination, and survival.

What an incredibly weird, amazing book! I started the book on the recommendation of a podcast and did not read more of the summary. I had no idea what I was getting into and that’s the best way to approach this book. I read the first two chapters and was completely sucked in. I was completely on the path with Ben facing the trials and tribulations as he did. The middle section involving a fellow traveler was a bit slow, but thankfully things pick up quickly after that encounter. Genuinely strange book about a journey. I loved it!

Next up on the TBR pile: