Infernal by Linsey Hall

Title: Infernal (The Shadow Guild: Hades and Persephone #1)

Author: Linsey Hall

Publisher: Bonnie Moon Press 2020

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 356

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Hades never saw me coming...

Tuesday night in the library started out normal--alone with cheap beer and a murder mystery. Partying, librarian style. Until the god Hades appears.

When he abducts me, I try to say he's got the wrong girl--I'm no goddess. At least, I don't think so.

Suddenly, I'm in his world, captive. The upside? I live in a castle with a lethally beautiful god who wants to make me a queen. The downside? He's scary AF and also wants me to help him destroy the world.

Obviously that gets a big 'no' from me. I'll do whatever it takes to escape, including seducing the god of death. But together, we're an inferno, and the heat is impossible to resist. His touch fogs my mind, but I must succeed. Otherwise, everyone dies.

Sorta random pick for this month. A FB group centered on sci-fi and fantasy books picked this as a random buddy read. It was cheap on Amazon, so I picked it up and started reading. And surprisingly, I really enjoyed this one. We get a very different Hades and Persephone pairing in this book. The tone is fairly dark and more horror-minded. There is the beginnings of romance, but we definitely end on a big cliffhanger. This was a nice contrast to my other Hades and Persephone stories (Neon Gods, Lore). I will continue this series.

The Shadow Guild: Hades and Persephone

#1 Infernal
#2 Awakened
#3 Captured

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Place to Hang the Moon by Kate Albus

Title: A Place to Hang the Moon

Author: Kate Albus

Publisher: Margaret Ferguson 2021

Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction

Pages: 309

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

It is 1940 and William, 12, Edmund, 11, and Anna, 9, aren't terribly upset by the death of the not-so-grandmotherly grandmother who has taken care of them since their parents died.

But the children do need a guardian, and in the dark days of World War II London, those are in short supply, especially if they hope to stay together. Could the mass wartime evacuation of children from London to the countryside be the answer?

It's a preposterous plan, but off they go-- keeping their predicament a secret, and hoping to be placed in a temporary home that ends up lasting forever. Moving from one billet to another, the children suffer the cruel trickery of foster brothers, the cold realities of outdoor toilets and the hollowness of empty stomachs.

But at least they find comfort in the village lending library-- a cozy shelter from the harshness of everyday life, filled with favorite stories and the quiet company of Nora Müller, the kind librarian. The children wonder if Nora could be the family they've been searching for. . . . But the shadow of the war, and the unknown whereaouts of Nora's German husband complicate matters.

A second middle grade book featuring children evacuees during WWII. This one was easier to read than The War That Saved My Life, but still contains some tough situations. However, I didn’t quite love this as much as the other similar book. William, Edmund, and Anna are very lovable characters that you spend the entire book rooting for. The plot is a bit far-fetched, as are many middle grade books, but focusing on their search for family is the important part. I will probably add this to our homeschool read aloud list for future years.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Anatomy by Dana Schwartz

Title: Anatomy: A Love Story

Author: Dana Schwartz

Publisher: Wednesday Books 2022

Genre: Horror

Pages: 338

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

Hazel Sinnett is a lady who wants to be a surgeon more than she wants to marry.

Jack Currer is a resurrection man who’s just trying to survive in a city where it’s too easy to die.

When the two of them have a chance encounter outside the Edinburgh Anatomist’s Society, Hazel thinks nothing of it at first. But after she gets kicked out of renowned surgeon Dr. Beecham’s lectures for being the wrong gender, she realizes that her new acquaintance might be more helpful than she first thought. Because Hazel has made a deal with Dr. Beecham: if she can pass the medical examination on her own, Beecham will allow her to continue her medical career. Without official lessons, though, Hazel will need more than just her books―she’ll need corpses to study.

Lucky that she’s made the acquaintance of someone who digs them up for a living.

But Jack has his own problems: strange men have been seen skulking around cemeteries, his friends are disappearing off the streets, and the dreaded Roman Fever, which wiped out thousands a few years ago, is back with a vengeance. Nobody important cares―until Hazel.

Now, Hazel and Jack must work together to uncover the secrets buried not just in unmarked graves, but in the very heart of Edinburgh society.

Apparently, historical fiction with a medical history theme is my catnip. I’ve read a few in the past and always enjoy them. This particular book definitely hit the spot this month. I loved Hazel and Jack and their different perspectives and stations in life. I loved seeing each of them learn as they navigate Edinburgh. There were a few scenes that I wished had been expanded, but this is a fast moving young adult novel. (I did get very confused as to the exact physical relationship between Hazel and Jack. It was very hand-wavy.) And then we get to the interesting plot lines of becoming a doctor and body snatching. I loved getting into the weeds of Hazel learning and then opening up an ad hoc clinic in her home. My one issue with this book came towards the end. I was not super into the supernatural explanation of the mystery and the very ambiguous ending. Otherwise, I really enjoyed this novel.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

The Witch's Heart by Genevieve Gornichec

Title: The Witch’s Heart

Author: Genevieve Gornichec

Publisher: Ace Books 2021

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 359

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

Angrboda’s story begins where most witches' tales end: with a burning. A punishment from Odin for refusing to provide him with knowledge of the future, the fire leaves Angrboda injured and powerless, and she flees into the farthest reaches of a remote forest. There she is found by a man who reveals himself to be Loki, and her initial distrust of him transforms into a deep and abiding love.

Their union produces three unusual children, each with a secret destiny, who Angrboda is keen to raise at the edge of the world, safely hidden from Odin’s all-seeing eye. But as Angrboda slowly recovers her prophetic powers, she learns that her blissful life—and possibly all of existence—is in danger.

With help from the fierce huntress Skadi, with whom she shares a growing bond, Angrboda must choose whether she’ll accept the fate that she’s foreseen for her beloved family...or rise to remake their future. From the most ancient of tales this novel forges a story of love, loss, and hope for the modern age.

All the shades of Madeleine Miller’s Circe wrapped up in Norse mythology. I very much enjoyed following Angrboda’s story as she comes to terms with who she is, loves, suffers, and eventually accepts the events of Ragnarök. We slowly meander through Angrboda’s years for the first part of the book. I enjoyed getting to know her and Loki and Skadi and Gerd (and then the children). The action picks up in Part II arriving at a crossroads before the last section of the book. I loved how Gornichec weaved multiple characters and versions of stories into a cohesive sequence of events. I loved that she focused on a “side” character from Norse mythology while still allowing appearances from the well-known characters. It was a bit weird watching the MCU’s Loki series while reading this book. Two versions of Loki with an interesting contrast. If you are a fan of Norse mythology or of Miller’s work, this would be a great follow-up.

Next up on the TBR pile:

When the Tripods Came by John Christopher

Title: When the Tripods Came (Tripods #0.5)

Author: John Christopher

Publisher: 1988

Genre: Middle Grade Scifi

Pages: 160

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When it comes to alien invasions, bad things come in threes.

Three landings: one in England, one in Russia, and one in the United States.

Three long legs, crushing everything in their paths, with three metallic arms, snacking out to embrace—and then discard—their helpless victims.

Three evil beings, called Tripods, which will change life on Earth forever.

And with this book, we finally get to see how exactly the Tripods invaded Earth and eventually dominated the human population. This was very much a War of the Worlds type adventure following one family as they slowly realize what is happening and try to escape. The book opens with a bit action sequence and keeps the pace throughout. I read it in one setting on the edge of my seat waiting to see how it all comes to be. We get to travel with Laurie’s family as they escape to what will become The White Mountains. I really enjoyed this prequel. Good middle grade science fiction that doesn’t seem too dated for our current times.

The Tripods

Next up on the TBR pile:

Beautiful by Christina Lauren

Title: Beautiful (Beautiful #5)

Author: Christina Lauren

Publisher: Gallery Books 2016

Genre: Romance

Pages: 400

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

After walking in on her boyfriend shagging another girl in their place, Pippa Bay Cox ditches London for the States to go on a drunken road trip with Ruby Miller and some of her Beautiful friends.

Scaling the career ladder is the default way to deal with heartbreak—and to just deal—for Jensen Bergstrom. Absolutely buried by his drive and workload, he rarely takes time for himself. But when his sister Hanna convinces him to join the gang on a two-week wine tour, he has a rare moment of cutting loose. Of course, it’s only once he’s committed that he realizes the strange girl he met briefly on the plane is coming along, too. She might be too much for him…or he might realize his life has become too small and needs her to make it bigger, crazier.

With this circle of friends there’s always something going on: from Chloe and Sara’s unexpected personality swaps to Will’s new domestic side to Bennett’s text message barrage and George’s own happily-ever-after. In short, their adventures in love, friendship, and hilarity are nothing short of Beautiful.

The last book in this series and I must admit that Christina and Lauren disappointed me. This one was just not sexy at all. They seem to have completely lost all the steamy momentum from the other books. Pippa and Jensen were sweet but not sexy at all. I loved the appearances from some of the other characters in this series, but overall I kept waiting for the steamy scenes and there just weren’t that many and the ones that were there weren’t that good. Oh well. Not everything is going to be a winner.

Beautiful Bastard

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Second Story by Neil Patrick Harris

Title: The Second Story (Magic Misfits #2)

Author: Neil Patrick Harris

Publisher: Little, Brown Books

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Growing up in an orphanage, Leila was bullied for being different. She turned her hardship into skill by becoming an escape artist--a valuable trait when you belong to a group of magical best friends. But when a famous psychic comes to town, Leila and her pals can't escape the big mystery heading their way. Whether chasing mad monkeys or banishing ghosts from haunted hotels, these six friends will do their best to keep their home of Mineral Wells safe--but can they protect themselves?

Join the Magic Misfits as they discover adventure, friendship, and more than a few hidden secrets in this delightful new series. Whether you're a long-time expert at illusion or simply a new fan of stage magic, hold onto your top hat!

Another super fun middle grade adventure. Arthur read this one and immediately put it into my hands. I had to read it right then and there. I loved that this volume shifted the main focus from Carter to Leila. We get to learn about her backstory and her own internal thoughts. Plus we get another great mystery involving magic (real or not?). We even get a few appearances from previous antagonists. And finally we learn more about the Emerald Ring. Arthur and I will both be continuing this series.

The Magic Misfits

#1 The Magic Misfits
#2 The Second Story
#3 The Minor Third
#4 The Fourth Suit

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart

Title: The Paradox Hotel

Author: Rob Hart

Publisher: Ballantine Books 2022

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

January Cole’s job just got a whole lot harder.

Not that running security at the Paradox was ever really easy. Nothing’s simple at a hotel where the ultra-wealthy tourists arrive costumed for a dozen different time periods, all eagerly waiting to catch their “flights” to the past.

Or where proximity to the timeport makes the clocks run backward on occasion—and, rumor has it, allows ghosts to stroll the halls.

None of that compares to the corpse in room 526. The one that seems to be both there and not there. The one that somehow only January can see.

On top of that, some very important new guests have just checked in. Because the U.S. government is about to privatize time-travel technology—and the world’s most powerful people are on hand to stake their claims.

January is sure the timing isn’t a coincidence. Neither are those “accidents” that start stalking their bidders.

There’s a reason January can glimpse what others can’t. A reason why she’s the only one who can catch a killer who’s operating invisibly and in plain sight, all at once.

But her ability is also destroying her grip on reality—and as her past, present, and future collide, she finds herself confronting not just the hotel’s dark secrets but her own.

Such a twisty, head-turner of a novel. Right away I had hoped that this book would be great based on the hotel as a character aspect. I do so love it when the setting becomes it’s own character within the novel. This one does not disappoint. From the beginning I knew bad things were going to happen but understanding the how’s, why’s, and who's. was the big draw for me. We’re thrown into an unknown situation with a narrator who may or may not be unreliable. From there, we follow January as she tries to unravel the mysteries within the Paradox Hotel and what exactly is going to be the sequence of future events. This science fiction book involves some science but never gets bogged down in the technical talk. We get enough to attempt to understand what is happening within the hotel. But the more immediate mystery is a murder that only January can see. All of the characters kept me guessing as to their motivations and endgames. January was a treat to follow even if I didn’t quite love her ending. I ended up really enjoying this time travel adventure.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Pool of Fire by John Christopher

Title: The Pool of Fire (Tripods #2)

Author: John Christopher

Publisher: 1968

Genre: Middle Grade Scifi

Pages: 204

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

After being held captive in the City of Gold and Lead—the capital, where the creatures that control the mechanical, monstrous Tripods live—Will believes that he’s learned everything he needs to know to destroy them. He has discovered the source of their power, and with this new knowledge, Will and his friends plan to return to the City of Gold and Lead to take down the Masters once and for all.

Although Will and his friends have planned everything down to the minute, the Masters still have surprises in store. And with the Masters’ plan to destroy Earth completely, Will may have just started the war that will end it all.

We finally get to see the conclusion of Will’s adventure in the revolt against the Masters. The third book starts right up with the plot and keeps going until the end. We get to revisit the city of the Masters and find out more about how they operate. We reconnect with Beanpole and Henry while learning more about the the other cities of the Masters. I loved how the big confrontation happened and was right there with all of them. My only issue was the very pessimistic ending of the story. It felt really realistic, but very sad. Not quite sure what I feel about all of that. Now, I need to read the prequel.

The Tripods

#0.5 When the Tripods Came
#1 The White Mountains
#2 The City of Gold and Lead
#3 The Pool of Fire

Next up on the TBR pile:

Girly Drinks by Mallory O'Meara

Title: Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol

Author: Mallory O’Meara

Publisher: Hanover Square Press 2021

Genre: Nonfiction - Food

Pages: 384

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

Strawberry daiquiris. Skinny martinis. Vodka sodas with lime. These are the cocktails that come in sleek-stemmed glasses, bright colors and fruity flavors—these are the Girly Drinks.

From the earliest days of civilization, alcohol has been at the center of social rituals and cultures worldwide. But when exactly did drinking become a gendered act? And why have bars long been considered “places for men” when, without women, they might not even exist?

With whip-smart insight and boundless curiosity, Girly Drinks unveils an entire untold history of the female distillers, drinkers and brewers who have played a vital role in the creation and consumption of alcohol, from ancient Sumerian beer goddess Ninkasi to iconic 1920s bartender Ada Coleman. Filling a crucial gap in culinary history, O’Meara dismantles the long-standing patriarchal traditions at the heart of these very drinking cultures, in the hope that readers everywhere can look to each celebrated woman in this book—and proudly have what she’s having.

Overall a very entertaing romp through history and alcohol. I do so enjoy O’Meara’s writing style. She approaches a May Roach style with her dy wit and small asides. There were many historical stories and facts that I already knew going into the book. And yet, I learned more through the pages. And I enjoyed my time reading through the chatpters. My favorite ones were the early chapters about prehistory and the ancient world.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Beautiful Boss by Christina Lauren

Title: Beautiful Boss (Beautiful #4.5)

Author: Christina Lauren

Publisher: Pocket Star 2016

Genre: Romance

Pages: 115

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

One Player tamed. One nerd girl satisfied. And one more major life decision to make. When Will fell for Hanna, her quirky sense of humor and fierce dedication to her career were part of the attraction. (Not to mention her coy newbie attitude toward sex and her willingness to let him teach her everything.) But when the job offers start rolling in for her—and oh, they do—Hanna has trouble deciding what she wants, where they should live, and how much she should burden Will with the decision. Magic between the sheets is only one part of a relationship...getting on the same page is quite another altogether.

Meh. Will and Hannas are not my favorite couple, but at least they aren’t Chloe and Bennett. This is yet another story where Hanna just acts so incredibly young and I am annoyed by it I am not a fan of that dynamic. This story wrapped up some of their particular plot line. But I’m definitely ready to move on to the last book in the series.

Beautiful Bastard

Next up on the TBR pile:

Beautiful Secret by Christina Lauren

Title: Beautiful Secret (Beautiful #4)

Author: Christina Lauren

Publisher: Gallery Books 2015

Genre: Romance

Pages: 385

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

When Ruby Miller’s boss announces he’s sending her on an extended business trip to New York City, she’s shocked. As one of the best and brightest young engineers in London, she knows she’s professionally up to the task. The part that’s throwing her is where she’ll be spending a month up close and personal working alongside—and staying in a hotel with—Niall Stella, her firm’s top urban planning executive and The Hottest Man Alive. Despite her ongoing crush, Ruby is certain Niall barely knows she’s alive…until their flirty overnight flight makes him sit up and take notice.

Not one for letting loose and breaking rules, recently divorced Niall would describe himself as hopeless when it comes to women. But even he knows outgoing California-girl Ruby is a breath of fresh air. Once she makes it her mission to help the sexy Brit loosen his tie, there’s no turning back. Thousands of miles from London, it’s easy for the lovers to play pretend. But when the trip is over, will the relationship they’ve built up fall down?

And we get to know Max’s younger brother Niall in this romance romp. Overall I did really enjoy this book, but there were a few aspects that I wasn’t the biggest fan of. I enjoyed the general romance between Niall and Ruby. I liked their personal relationship as they navigate their feelings for each other. The steamy scenes were definitely steamy. I was very much into this story. But then, we get the big conflict and I was very annoyed. It seems like this entire series has a dynamic of a male character stepping back while a female character handles a terrible situation. Okay I’m very on board with this idea of men stepping back and allowing women to step up for themselves. Again, I am okay with this set-up. What I don’t like is that there is always some other male character acting terrible that suffers no consequences from their behavior. In this book we get a very sexual predator boss who forces Ruby to quit her internship or stop dating Niall (who is not her boss in any matter). And nothing absolutely happens. I am very enraged in these situations through the series. I’m still going to finish the series, but very annoyed by this small part.

Beautiful Bastard

Next up on the TBR pile:

The City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher

Title: The City of Lead and Gold (Tripods #2)

Author: John Christopher

Publisher: 1967

Genre: Middle Grade Scifi

Pages: 209

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

When Will and his friends arrived at the White Mountains, they thought everything would be okay. They’d found a safe haven where the mechanical monsters called Tripods could not find them. But once there, they wonder about the world around them and how they are faring against the machines.

In order to save everyone else, Will and his friends want to take down the Tripods once and for all. That means journeying to the Tripod capital: the City of Gold and Lead.

Although the journey will be difficult, the real danger comes once Will is inside the city, where Tripods roam freely and humans are even more enslaved than they are on the outside. Without anyone to help him, Will must learn the secrets of the Tripods—and how to take them down—before they figure out that he’s a spy…and he can only pretend to be brainwashed for so long.

Finally, we get to see the aliens in the tripods! Overall this book was a very enjoyable ride. We get to follow Will as he travels into the city of the Masters. The writing becomes very descriptions as we learn more about the aliens and their plans for Earth. Thankfully the books moves quickly keeping the action continuing at a decent pace. I am definitely interested in how this story is going to end.

The Tripods

#0.5 When the Tripods Came
#1 The White Mountains
#2 The City of Gold and Lead
#3 The Pool of Fire

Next up on the TBR pile:

Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes

Title: Dead Silence

Author: S.A. Barnes

Publisher: Tor Nightfire 2022

Genre: Horror

Pages: 343

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

Claire Kovalik is days away from being unemployed—made obsolete—when her beacon repair crew picks up a strange distress signal. With nothing to lose and no desire to return to Earth, Claire and her team decide to investigate.

What they find is shocking: the Aurora, a famous luxury spaceliner that vanished on its maiden tour of the solar system more than twenty years ago. A salvage claim like this could set Claire and her crew up for life. But a quick search of the ship reveals something isn’t right.

Whispers in the dark. Flickers of movement. Messages scrawled in blood. Claire must fight to hold on to her sanity and find out what really happened on the Aurora before she and her crew meet the same ghastly fate.

I cannot remember where I heard about this one (maybe Book Pages?), but I was totally in for a space horror story. This does not disappoint. Right away we know that something went horribly wrong onboard the ghost space ship Aurora. We then spend the rest of the book switching back and forth between the story of what the crew found and Claire’s present. Make not mistake, this story is creepy and very gory. If you cannot handle blood and gore, do not read this one. The writing dives right into very atmospheric settings and graphic descriptions. I was on the edge of my seat the entire ride. I would have liked a bit more time encountering the spooky while onboard the Aurora before Claire passes out and her memory mostly goes blank. But otherwise I really enjoyed this one!

Next up on the TBR pile:

The White Mountains by John Christopher

Title: The White Mountains (Tripods #1)

Author: John Christopher

Publisher: 1967

Genre: Middle Grade Scifi

Pages: 223

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

Will Parker never dreamed he would be the one to rebel against the Tripods. With the approach of his thirteenth birthday, he expected to attend his Capping ceremony as planned and to become connected to the Tripods—huge three-legged machines—that now control all of Earth. But after an encounter with a strange homeless man called Beanpole, Will sets out for the White Mountains, where people are said to be free from the control of the Tripods.

But even with the help of Beanpole and his friends, the journey is long and hard. And with the Tripods hunting for anyone who tries to break free, Will must reach the White Mountains fast. But the longer he’s away from his home, the more the Tripods look for him…and no one can hide from the monstrous machines forever.

J has been trying to get me to read this series for years now. He read it during childhood and remembered it fondly. I finally started the series and blew through the first book in two days. This is short and middle grade, so not hard to read. There were some great sequences of the boys escaping through the countryside and coming across the ruins of civilization past. I especially loved the sections set in what was Paris. The overall escape adventure was fun to follow. There were passages that were slow and very old-fashioned in terms of style. And the ending was very abrupt and terrible. I really wish for two more chapters to detail their arrival at the White Mountains, but oh well. Maybe the next book will expand that setting.

The Tripods

#0.5 When the Tripods Came
#1 The White Mountains
#2 The City of Gold and Lead
#3 The Pool of Fire

Next up on the TBR pile:

Magic for Liars by Sarah Gailey

Title: Magic for Liars

Author: Sarah Gailey

Publisher: Tor 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR; Unread Shelf

Ivy Gamble was born without magic and never wanted it.
Ivy Gamble is perfectly happy with her life – or at least, she’s perfectly fine.
She doesn't in any way wish she was like Tabitha, her estranged, gifted twin sister.
Ivy Gamble is a liar.

When a gruesome murder is discovered at The Osthorne Academy of Young Mages, where her estranged twin sister teaches Theoretical Magic, reluctant detective Ivy Gamble is pulled into the world of untold power and dangerous secrets. She will have to find a murderer and reclaim her sister—without losing herself.

Our April book club selection and one off my own unread shelves. I was hoping for another great adventure a la Upright Women Wanted. This one didn’t quite live up to the action and adventure. I loved the setting and the overall atmosphere of the novel. Osthorne and all the weird settings really put me in the spooky mood. I was definitely along for the plot itself. I needed to find out what happened to Capley and whodunnit. My biggest issue was with Ivy herself. She just wasn’t a likable character and I completely understand why. She has a past, but some of the desperation was completely self-inflicted. I could only take so much of the desperation before it really started to grate on me. Overall, I enjoyed this novel, but I think it’s going to be farther down he list of favorite Gailey books.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Dragon in the Library by Louie Stowell

Title: The Dragon in the Library

Author: Louie Stowell

Publisher: Nosy Crow 2019

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Pages: 224

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

Kit can't STAND reading. She'd MUCH rather be outside, playing games and getting muddy, than stuck inside with a book. But when she's dragged along to the library one day by her two best friends, she makes an incredible discovery - and soon it's up to Kit and her friends to save the library... and the world.

Meh. I was hoping for another fun literary themed middle grade fantasy (a la The Bookwanderers), but this one did not deliver for me. It was a little too immature. Definitely lower elementary as opposed to proper middle grade. I was slightly annoyed by the repetition in the narration and commentary about the various characters. It just didn’t really keep my attention and I won’t me reading farther into the series.

Next up on the TBR pile:

If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy

Title: If the Shoe Fits (Meant to Be #1)

Author: Julie Murphy

Publisher: Hyperion Avenue 2021

Genre: Romance

Pages: 304

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR

Cindy loves shoes. A well-placed bow or a chic stacked heel is her form of self-expression. As a fashion-obsessed plus-size woman, she can never find designer clothes that work on her body, but a special pair of shoes always fits just right.

With a shiny new design degree but no job in sight, Cindy moves back in with her stepmother, Erica Tremaine, the executive producer of the world’s biggest dating reality show. When a contestant on Before Midnight bows out at the last minute, Cindy is thrust into the spotlight. Showcasing her killer shoe collection on network TV seems like a great way to jump-start her career. And, while she’s at it, why not go on a few lavish dates with an eligible suitor?

But being the first and only fat contestant on Before Midnight turns her into a viral sensation—and a body-positivity icon—overnight. Even harder to believe? She can actually see herself falling for this Prince Charming. To make it to the end, despite the fans, the haters, and a house full of fellow contestants she’s not sure she can trust, Cindy will have to take a leap of faith and hope her heels— and her heart—don’t break in the process.

Another romcom for my reading month. This one came from a recommendation from the Currently Reading podcast. And it was good. Nothing that I will want to read over and over again, but it was a good romcom book. In general, I think I prefer the spicy romances, but we at least get a good meet-cute and re-meet-cute. My favorite parts of this book were actually the interactions between Cindy and her family. I loved Anna and Drew and the triplets. We get all the elements of good romcom, and I had a good few days reading it, but ultimately this wasn’t amazing.

Meant to Be:

#1 If the Shoe Fits by Julie Murphy
#2 By the Book by Jasmine Guillory
#3 Kiss the Girl
#4 Tangled Up in You
#5 Worth Fighting For

Next up on the TBR pile:

Tell Me an Ending by Jo Harkin

Title: Tell Me an Ending

Author: Jo Harkin

Publisher: Scribner 2022

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 448

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

What if you didn't have to live with your worst memories?

Across the world, thousands of people are shocked by a notification that they once chose to have a memory removed. Now they are being given an opportunity to get that memory back. Four individuals are filled with new doubts, grappling with the unexpected question of whether to remember unknown events, or to leave them buried forever.

Finn, an Irish architect living in the Arizona desert, begins to suspect his charming wife of having an affair. Mei, a troubled grad school dropout in Kuala Lumpur, wonders why she remembers a city she has never visited. William, a former police inspector in England, struggles with PTSD, the breakdown of his marriage, and his own secret family history. Oscar, a handsome young man with almost no memories at all, travels the world in a constant state of fear.

Into these characters’ lives comes Noor, a psychologist working at the Nepenthe memory removal clinic in London. The process of reinstating patients’ memories begins to shake the moral foundations of her world. As she delves deeper into how the program works, she will have to risk everything to uncover the cost of this miraculous technology.

And a big old dud for me. I was intrigued by the Black Mirror and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind comparisons. I was looking for a very strange trip through memory and neuroscience (with a dash of the sci-fi thrown in). Unfortunately, we get a book of terrible people speculating about the terrible things they may or may not have done. The pace was excruciating. Nothing happened for chapters and chapters and chapters. And then when things happened, they weren’t that exciting. I was just thoroughly bored and definitely did not like this book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Bookwanderers by Anna James

Title: The Bookwanderers (Pages and Co. #1)

Author: Anna James

Publisher: HarperCollins 2018

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Pages: 400

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Seasonal TBR

Since her mother's disappearance, eleven-year-old Tilly Pages has found comfort in the stories at Pages & Co., her grandparents' bookshop. But when her favorite characters, Anne of Green Gables and Alice from Wonderland, start showing up at the shop,Tilly's adventures become very real. Not only can she follow Anne and Alice into their books, she discovers she can bookwander into any story she chooses. Tilly's new ability leads her to fun and exciting adventures, but danger may be lurking on the very next page...

When new secrets are uncovered, it's up to Tilly to solve the mystery of what happened to her mother all those years ago. From debut author Anna James comes a charming and exciting adventure about a bookish young heroine, a mysterious librarian, and a magical bookshop that will delight book lovers everywhere.

Oh this was just so delightful! I always love books that incorporate books and this was such a great adventure story involving characters from books. Right away I was delighted with Tilly and her family’s book store. And then we start to encounter some interesting “people.” The big adventure finally gets going about halfway through the book and then doesn’t stop until the last page. And even then, we know there’s so much more to the story. I absolutely adored following along and must read more in this series soon.

Pages and Co.

#1 The Bookwanderers
#2 The Lost Fairy Tales
#3 The Map of Stories
#4 The Book Smugglers
#5 The Treehouse Library

Next up on the TBR pile: