The Mistake by Elle Kennedy

Title: The Mistake (Off Campus #2)

Author:Elle Kennedy

Publisher: Createspace 2016

Genre: Romance

Pages: 298

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Challenge - A Book You Meant to Read Last Year

Spice Meter: 5

He’s a player in more ways than one…
College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance.

Now he’s going to need to up his game…
After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.

Hmmm…. not quite sure how I feel about this book. I actually really enjoyed the first book in this series while not usually gravitating toward college romances. I was intrigued by the rest of the series, but this volume didn’t quite land the same way. The issues surrounding Grace and Logan’s relationship didn’t really resonate with me. I was hoping for a bit more relationship talk and bringing in their families and pasts. I was hoping that the steamy scenes would redeem the book for me, but those scenes just didn’t do it for me. I will probably keep reading this series as I’ve enjoyed the appearances of Dean in previous books.

Off Campus

#1 The Deal
#2 The Mistake
#2.5 The Pact
#3 The Score
#3.5 The Incident
#4 The Goal
#5 The Legacy

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Next up on the TBR pile:

Death in the Air by Kate Winkler Dawson

Title: Death in the Air: The True Story of a Serial Killer, the Great London Smog, and the Strangling of a City

Author: Kate Winkler Dawson

Publisher: Hachette Books 2017

Genre: Nonfiction - History

Pages: 352

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR

London was still recovering from the devastation of World War II when another disaster hit: for five long days in December 1952, a killer smog held the city firmly in its grip and refused to let go. Day became night, mass transit ground to a halt, criminals roamed the streets, and some 12,000 people died from the poisonous air. But in the chaotic aftermath, another killer was stalking the streets, using the fog as a cloak for his crimes.

All across London, women were going missing--poor women, forgotten women. Their disappearances caused little alarm, but each of them had one thing in common: they had the misfortune of meeting a quiet, unassuming man, John Reginald Christie, who invited them back to his decrepit Notting Hill flat during that dark winter. They never left.

The eventual arrest of the "Beast of Rillington Place" caused a media frenzy: were there more bodies buried in the walls, under the floorboards, in the back garden of this house of horrors? Was it the fog that had caused Christie to suddenly snap? And what role had he played in the notorious double murder that had happened in that same apartment building not three years before--a murder for which another, possibly innocent, man was sent to the gallows?

The Great Smog of 1952 remains the deadliest air pollution disaster in world history, and John Reginald Christie is still one of the most unfathomable serial killers of modern times. Journalist Kate Winkler Dawson braids these strands together into a taut, compulsively readable true crime thriller about a man who changed the fate of the death penalty in the UK, and an environmental catastrophe with implications that still echo today.

Overall, this was a fairly interesting history narrative that failed due to clarity of writing. I was intrigued by the juxtaposition between a literal serial killer and a killer fog. I vaguely remember reading some short article about the killer fog, but didn’t know much. I did learn a lot abut the fog, but the book seemed to meander a bit and really go deep into the minutiae of politics in Parliament. The other side of the story involving the serial killer was introduced in a strange detached way. I wasn’t pulled into the story that I thought I would. Dawson doesn’t quite have the narrative talent of Erik Larson and such. The book just didn’t hold my attention from chapter to chapter.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Timemaster by Robert L. Forward

Title: Timemaster

Author: Robert L. Forward

Publisher: Tom Doherty Books 1992

Genre: Scifi

Pages: 301

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR

Read the tale of Randy Hunter, billionaire industrialist, who communicates with aliens, achieves interstellar flight and explores far-flung worlds in a future filled with technological wonders. The future physics is mind-boggling but firmly grounded in the science of today, and the action never stops.

This was a recommendation from J that ended up really not landing for me at all. I was intrigued by the science included in this book. We get some interesting sections detailing various new scientific ideas and inventions. Unfortunately, in between all those sections was an appalling collection of characters and interactions. The misogyny is rampant with some very offensive dialogue. I kept thinking that this book was written in the 1950s. Imagine my surprise when I realized that the book was actually written in 1992! Seriously, I just couldn’t get over this fact and very quickly soured on the book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Come as You Are by Jess K. Hardy

Title: Come as You Are (Bluebird Basin #1)

Author: Jess K. Hardy

Publisher: Pinkity Publishing 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 318

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Set in a Workplace; Romanceopoly - Flirts Corner (Contemporary by an author you haven’t tried before)

Ashley Cooke will do just about anything to save her struggling ski hill. When she hires the men from a local sober living home for the season to cut costs, even she thinks she’s gone too far. With her credit cards maxed, her cheating ex-husband intent on buying the mountain out from under her, and record-breaking snow in the forecast, she can’t afford to be distracted by the six-foot-tall bearded and tattooed sober living home owner moving onto her mountain.

Recovering addict and ex-grunge rocker Matthew Madigan has devoted every minute of the last decade to the men residing at his sober living home. When he meets tightly wound and adorably flustered Ashley, desires he’s put on the back burner for years start to simmer. Immune to his infamous albeit rusty charm, Ashley presents a challenge he can’t resist. When she offers to give him skiing lessons in exchange for his help training her St. Bernard rescue dog, he jumps at the chance to ride next to her on the chairlift despite his debilitating fear of heights.

During bunny hill shenanigans, chairlift confessions, and steamy cabin serenades, Madigan teaches Ashley that a person’s past doesn’t define them, and Ashley shows Madigan that the men he helps aren’t the only people who deserve a second chance. When sabotage threatens both the men and the mountain, Ashley and Madigan will have to decide if they’re only having a winter fling, or if the mountain isn’t the only thing worth fighting for.

Such a beautiful contemporary romance. I am completely head over heels for this one. We get mature protagonists, true communication, very hot sexy scenes, past mistakes and redemption, and some great side relationships and family issues. I picked this one for our book club’s Dirty Book Month in the hopes of a great steamy romance with some substance to it. Thank goodness it delivered. I related so much to Ashley and her insecurities and hang-ups. I literally wrote down a ton of quotes just on that point. I wanted to see her understand her walls and start to break them down with a very sexy man. And then we get to Madigan. I loved his own redemption story and the ways in which he tries to be the best person for everyone around him. He was so easy to love. Mostly I loved how they opened up to each other and the people around them. So many great conversations and true conflict resolution modeled in this book. I also loved how we got to see Ashley and Madigan interact with other people at the resort. The side characters were relatable and definitely set up some sequels for the future. I can’t wait to discuss this with book club next week!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Babel by R.F. Huang

Title: Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution

Author: R.F. Huang

Publisher: Harper Voyager 2022

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 545

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Unread Shelf; BOTM Cleanout

Traduttore, traditore: An act of translation is always an act of betrayal.

1828. Robin Swift, orphaned by cholera in Canton, is brought to London by the mysterious Professor Lovell. There, he trains for years in Latin, Ancient Greek, and Chinese, all in preparation for the day he’ll enroll in Oxford University’s prestigious Royal Institute of Translation—also known as Babel.

Babel is the world's center for translation and, more importantly, magic. Silver working—the art of manifesting the meaning lost in translation using enchanted silver bars—has made the British unparalleled in power, as its knowledge serves the Empire’s quest for colonization.

For Robin, Oxford is a utopia dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge. But knowledge obeys power, and as a Chinese boy raised in Britain, Robin realizes serving Babel means betraying his motherland. As his studies progress, Robin finds himself caught between Babel and the shadowy Hermes Society, an organization dedicated to stopping imperial expansion. When Britain pursues an unjust war with China over silver and opium, Robin must decide…

Can powerful institutions be changed from within, or does revolution always require violence?

This is going on my Top Ten of 2023! It was truly an amazing masterpiece of a book. And one that I am still processing. Thankfully I have a Nerdy Bookish Friends Zoom this weekend to talk all of it through with other bookish people.

The book gets labeled as fantasy, but don’t let that scare you. This is more literary fiction than fantasy. The crux of the book is about the intersection of translation and language and colonization. We follow Robin as he attempts to create a home for himself at Babel in Oxford. But will he ever really be accepted into society in England? And what’s the real purpose of Babel? And does Robin want the life that has been laid out in front of him? As the story progresses, we see Robin made friends and enemies, discover his love of languages and translation, and come to realize the true horrors of colonization. I am having trouble succinctly writing a review as my mind is still very much stuck in that world grieving for Robin and Ramy and Letty and Victoire. And realizing that Victoire was my favorite character and now knowing it until the very last page.

“Translation, speaking, is listening to the other and trying to see past your own biases to glimpse what they’re trying to say. Showing yourself to the world, and hoping someone understands.” (pg. 535)

Next up on the TBR pile:

Holiday Wishes by Jill Shalvis

Title: Holiday Wishes (Heartbreaker Bay #4.5)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Avon

Genre: Romance

Pages: 128

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Spice Rating: 5

It’s Christmastime again in Heartbreaker Bay!

When Sean O’Riley shows up at the Hartford Bed & Breakfast for his older brother’s bachelor weekend, he’s just hoping to make it through the weekend. What he’s not expecting is to come face to face with the woman he lost his virginity to a decade ago—a woman he’s never really forgotten.

The last time Lotti Hartford saw Sean, she told him she loved him while he said nothing. Now, ten years later, she’s just looking for a good time. For once, she wants to be the wild and free one, and Sean – the good time guy – is the perfect candidate.

But as the weekend continues, Sean realizes that after a lifetime of being the hook-up king, he’s ready to find happily-ever-after, and he wants it with Lotti. But will she open her heart to him again? As Christmas sweeps through the little B&B, he can only hope love and magic are in the air.

Not enough! I was hoping that we would get a full length novel featuring Sean. Instead, we get a very short novella. I wanted to see more of how Sean has grown since the series started. I wanted more conversations between him and Finn and him and Lottie. I wanted to actually see them start a proper relationship. Disappointed in how short and abrupt this one felt.

Heartbreaker Bay

#1 Sweet Little Lies
#2 The Trouble with Mistletoe
#2.5 One Snowy Night
#3 Accidentally on Purpose
#4 Chasing Christmas Eve
#4.5 Holiday Wishes
#5 About That Kiss
#6 Hot Winter Nights
#6.5 Just Say When
#7 Playing for Keeps
#8 Wrapped Up in You
#8.5 Twist of Fate

Next up on the TBR pile:

Chasing Christmas Eve by Jill Shalvis

Title: Chasing Christmas Eve (Heartbreaker Bay #4)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Avon

Genre: Romance

Pages: 366

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Spice Rating: 5

Meet cute...

Run for the hills—temporarily. That’s Colbie Albright’s plan when she flees New York for San Francisco. Wrangling her crazy family by day and writing a bestselling YA fantasy series by night has taken its toll. In short, Colbie’s so over it that she’s under it. She’s also under the waters of a historic San Francisco fountain within an hour of arrival. Fortunately, the guy who fishes Colbie out has her looking forward to Christmas among strangers. But she’s pretty sure Spencer Baldwin won’t be a stranger for long.

Make merry...

Spence’s commitment to hiding from the Ghosts of Relationships Past means he doesn’t have to worry about the powerful—okay, crazy hot—chemistry he’s got with Colbie. Just because she can laugh at anything, especially herself... just because she’s gorgeous and a great listener…just because she “gets” Spence immediately doesn’t mean he won’t be able to let Colbie go. Does it?

…and hope for a miracle.

Now the clock’s ticking for Colbie and Spence: Two weeks to cut loose. Two weeks to fall hard. Two weeks to figure out how to make this Christmas last a lifetime.

Another fun romance novel from this series. Spencer may have the most intriguing of the original group. I really wanted him to find love. We finally get see more of his life and learn about his past relationship troubles. Over the course of the book, I totally fell for Spencer even more. He’s such a great guy. Enter Colbie and her attempt to run away from her responsibilities. I liked Spencer and Colbie together as they find ways to be more true to themselves and connect to each other. The only part that I didn’t love was how Colbie and her family interacted. That part of the story frustrated me. I really wanted to see more growth from her family. Still Spencer and Colbie were great together.

Heartbreaker Bay

#1 Sweet Little Lies
#2 The Trouble with Mistletoe
#2.5 One Snowy Night
#3 Accidentally on Purpose
#4 Chasing Christmas Eve
#4.5 Holiday Wishes
#5 About That Kiss
#6 Hot Winter Nights
#6.5 Just Say When
#7 Playing for Keeps
#8 Wrapped Up in You
#8.5 Twist of Fate

Next up on the TBR pile:

Accidentally on Purpose by Jill Shalvis

Title: Accidentally on Purpose (Heartbreaker Bay #3)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Avon 2017

Genre: Romance

Pages: 353

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Emergency Services (Main characters is a part of emergency services [I’m counting Archer’s job]); Finishing the Series

Spice Rating; 5

There’s no such thing as a little in love . . .

Elle Wheaton’s priorities: friends, career, and kick-ass shoes. Then there’s the muscular wall of stubbornness that’s security expert Archer Hunt—who comes before everything else. No point in telling Mr. “Feels-Free Zone” that, though. Elle will just see other men until she gets over Archer . . . which should only take a lifetime . . .

There’s no such thing as a little in lust . . .

Archer’s wanted the best for Elle ever since he sacrificed his law-enforcement career to save her. Their chemistry could start the next San Francisco earthquake and he craves her 24/7, but Archer doesn’t want to be responsible for the damage. The alternative? Watch her go out with guys who aren’t him . . .

There is such a thing as . . .

As far as Archer’s concerned, nobody is good enough for Elle. But when he sets out to prove it by sabotaging her dates, she gets mad—and things get hot as hell. Now Archer has a new mission: prove to Elle that her perfect man has been here all along . . .

I absolutely adored Elle and Archer in the previous books and I was so looking forward to following their relationship. They intrigued me. Once we got to their story, I was all in on learning more about them individually as well. Overall, I enjoyed their story. But I wasn’t that into their actual relationship. There was much too much back and forth and repetition of the same conversations and arguments. I wanted to see their relationship really progress, but it seemed really stuck for most of the book. I wanted to see more of them after actually together. Oh well. Here’s hoping the next book is better.

Heartbreaker Bay

#1 Sweet Little Lies
#2 The Trouble with Mistletoe
#2.5 One Snowy Night
#3 Accidentally on Purpose
#4 Chasing Christmas Eve
#4.5 Holiday Wishes
#5 About That Kiss
#6 Hot Winter Nights
#6.5 Just Say When
#7 Playing for Keeps
#8 Wrapped Up in You
#8.5 Twist of Fate

Next up on the TBR pile:

Sweet Little Lies by Jill Shalvis

Title: Sweet Little Lies (Heartbreaker Bay #1)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Avon 2016

Genre: Romance

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - The Bar (Main character works at or owns a bar); Finishing the Series

Spice Rating: 5

Choose the one guy you can’t have . . .

As captain of a San Francisco Bay tour boat, Pru can handle rough seas—the hard part is life on dry land. Pru loves her new apartment and her neighbors; problem is, she’s in danger of stumbling into love with Mr. Right for Anybody But Her.

Fall for him—hard . . .

Pub owner Finn O’Riley is six-foot-plus of hard-working hottie who always makes time for his friends. When Pru becomes one of them, she discovers how amazing it feels to be on the receiving end of that deep green gaze. But when a freak accident involving darts (don’t ask) leads to shirtless first aid, things rush way past the friend zone. Fast.

And then tell him the truth.

Pru only wants Finn to be happy; it’s what she wishes for at the historic fountain that’s supposed to grant her heart’s desire. But wanting him for herself is a different story—because Pru’s been keeping a secret that could change everything. . . .

Over Christmas, I read #2 and #2.5 in this series while driving to and from Indiana. I enjoyed them and decided to pick up the rest of the series to read the other romance pairings in the building. Surprisingly, each of these novels has romance but also a much more serious topic to cover. In this book, we get characters who feel a lot of guilt about actions their parents took. I like how Shalvis gives us real people with real issues and problems that they then need to communicate to others and get support. Finn and Pru were a great couple to start off this series. I loved them together and was rooting for their relationship from page one. I just wish the big conflict and reveal at the end was drawn out a bit more with more communication. Still, I really enjoyed this volume in the series.

Heartbreaker Bay

#1 Sweet Little Lies
#2 The Trouble with Mistletoe
#2.5 One Snowy Night
#3 Accidentally on Purpose
#4 Chasing Christmas Eve
#4.5 Holiday Wishes
#5 About That Kiss
#6 Hot Winter Nights
#6.5 Just Say When
#7 Playing for Keeps
#8 Wrapped Up in You
#8.5 Twist of Fate

Next up on the TBR pile:

Take My Hand by Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Title: Take My Hand

Author: Dolen Perkins-Valdez

Publisher: Berkley 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

Pages: 359

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR

Montgomery, Alabama, 1973. Fresh out of nursing school, Civil Townsend intends to make a difference, especially in her African American community. At the Montgomery Family Planning Clinic, she hopes to help women shape their destinies, to make their own choices for their lives and bodies.

But when her first week on the job takes her along a dusty country road to a worn-down one-room cabin, Civil is shocked to learn that her new patients, Erica and India, are children—just eleven and thirteen years old. Neither of the Williams sisters has even kissed a boy, but they are poor and Black, and for those handling the family’s welfare benefits, that’s reason enough to have the girls on birth control. As Civil grapples with her role, she takes India, Erica, and their family into her heart. Until one day she arrives at their door to learn the unthinkable has happened, and nothing will ever be the same for any of them.

Decades later, with her daughter grown and a long career in her wake, Dr. Civil Townsend is ready to retire, to find her peace, and to leave the past behind. But there are people and stories that refuse to be forgotten. That must not be forgotten.

Because history repeats what we don’t remember.

I gave this book three stars on the strength of the actual historical story alone. I just had so many issues with the characters and construction of the plot in this one that I had to struggle to finish it. I definitely would like to read more about the actual story this novel is based on. I know a lot about events like the Tuskegee Syphillis experiments, but little about the forced sterilizations in the 1970s (only the ones previous). The story itself is brought down by clumsy characters and random side plots that seem to have little place in this story. My biggest complaint is the weird dual timeline. Why does Civil keep insisting that the story is so incredibly important and yet never told her daughter until right now? It’s so clunky and not needed. Just set the story in the 1970s and leave it there. We don’t need a “connection” to our modern times. That was just one of my issues. I also had problems with the abortion storyline (why was it hammered into our heads over and over again). weird romance with the girls’ father (just why?), the constant reminder of the socio-economic differences between Civil and the girls, and the insistence of researching the dangers of the birth control shot that was then dropped immediately after the sterilization happened (why focus so much energy just to switch gears so completely?). I was bored and annoyed throughout most of this book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Never Rescue a Rogue by Virginia Heath

Title: Never Rescue a Rogue (Merrill Sisters #2)

Author: Virginia Heath

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin 2022

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 368

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Featuring an Inheritance; Romanceopoly - Library (Free Choice)

Spice Meter: 4

Diana Merriwell and Giles Sinclair only tolerate one another for the sake of their nearest and dearest. Everyone believes that the two of them are meant to be together, but Diana and Giles know that their constant pithy barbs come from a shared disdain—not a hidden attraction. Diana loves the freedom of working at the newspaper too much to give it up for marriage, and Giles is happily married to his bachelor lifestyle. But they do have one thing in common—the secrets they can’t risk escaping.

When Giles’ father, the curmudgeonly Duke of Harpenden unexpectedly turns up his toes, it’s only a matter of time before someone comes crawling out of the woodwork who knows the true circumstances of his only son's birth. As the threat of blackmail becomes real, Giles must uncover the truth of his parentage first, or else he and all those who depend upon him will be ruined—and dogged bloodhound Diana is his best hope at sniffing out the truth. As Giles and Diana dive into his family’s past, the attraction that the two of them insisted wasn’t there proves impossible to ignore. Soon, the future of the Sinclair estate isn’t the only thing on the line…

Another slightly disappointing historical romance. I was looking forward to this one as I loved Diana and Giles in the first book. In fact, their scenes were the best parts of the first book. So, I had hoped that this volume would be an improvement. Unfortunately, I was once again disappointed. Until the end, I couldn’t really put a finger on why I didn’t like it. The best explanation that I could come up was that I was bored. Something about Heath’s writing style bores me. I liked the big plot line and the mystery involved. It was a good plot, but I was still bored.

Merriwell Sisters

#1 Never Fall for Your Fiancée
#2 Never Rescue a Rogue

Next up on the TBR pile:

Well Traveled by Jen DeLuca

Title: Well Traveled (Well Met #4)

Author: Jen DeLuca

Publisher: Berkley 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 336

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Book About Siblings; Romnaceopoly - Contemporary romance with an illustrated cover

Spice Rating: 4

A high-powered attorney from a success-oriented family, Louisa "Lulu" Malone lives to work, and everything seems to be going right, until the day she realizes it’s all wrong. Lulu’s cousin Mitch introduced her to the world of Renaissance Faires, and when she spies one at a time just when she needs an escape, she leaps into the welcoming environment of turkey legs, taverns, and tarot readers. The only drawback? Dex MacLean: a guitarist with a killer smile, the Casanova of the Faire… and her traveling companion for the summer.

Dex has never had to work for much in his life, and why should he? Touring with his brothers as The Dueling Kilts is going great, and he always finds a woman at every Faire. But when Lulu proves indifferent to his many plaid charms and a shake-up threatens the fate of the band, Dex must confront something he never has before: his future.

Forced to spend days and nights together on the road, Lulu’s interest in the kilted bad boy grows as he shows her a side of himself no one else has seen. The stresses of her old lifestyle fade away as she learns to trust her intuition and follow her heart instead of her head. But when her time on the road is over, will Lulu go with her gut, or are she and Dex destined for separate paths?

Another volume in his lovely contemporary romance series set in a Renaissance Faire. I absolutely loved the first and third books, but was not excited by the second one at all. This volume play off the characters from the second book, but they get to operate as side characters. Thank goodness. This one unites the Malone family with the MacLean family with a great pairing. I loved seeing a slightly older woman not necessarily interested in marriage and children finding her place and partner. We get some great will they/won’t they encounters throughout the first half of the book. The second half wasn’t quite as exciting, but I still enjoyed figuring out how Lulu and Dee triumph over their obstacles.

Well Met

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Merry Little Meet Cute by Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

Title: A Merry Little Meet Cute

Author: Julie Murphy and Sierra Simone

Publisher: Avon 2022

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 425

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Body Positive Message; Romanceopoly - Winter

Spice Rating: 7

Bee Hobbes (aka Bianca Von Honey) has a successful career as a plus-size adult film star. With a huge following and two supportive moms, Bee couldn’t ask for more. But when Bee’s favorite producer casts her to star in a Christmas movie he’s making for the squeaky-clean Hope Channel, Bee’s career is about to take a more family-friendly direction.

Forced to keep her work as Bianca under wraps, Bee quickly learns this is a task a lot easier said than done. Though it all becomes worthwhile when she discovers her co-star is none other than childhood crush Nolan Shaw, an ex-boy band member in desperate need of career rehab. Nolan’s promised his bulldog manager to keep it zipped up on set, and he will if it means he’ll be able to provide a more stable living situation for his sister and mom.

But things heat up quickly in Christmas Notch, Vermont, when Nolan recognizes his new co-star from her ClosedDoors account (oh yeah, he’s a member). Now Bee and Nolan are sneaking off for quickies on set, keeping their new relationship a secret from the Hope Channel’s execs. Things only get trickier when the reporter who torpedoed Nolan’s singing career comes snooping around—and takes an instant interest in mysterious newcomer Bee.

And if Bee and Nolan can’t keep their off-camera romance behind the scenes, then this merry little meet cute might end up on the cutting room floor.

Finally! I had this on my holds list since November and it finally became available. Right away, I fell for Bee hard. She’s such a great character. I loved her entire outlook on life and what she enjoys doing. We get a few discussions and moments discussing others’ perspectives and ideas about her body, but unlike a previous Simone book, we don’t dwell on this the book. We’re not reminded of her size or any body insecurity every chapter. I love that she’s such a strong plus-size role model. I loved it! I enjoyed the overall story and romance, but my favorite parts were focused on Bee and some of the side characters. I was slightly less enthused by the relationship between Nolan and Bee. It wasn’t quite the strongest relationship I’ve read, but I did enjoy it. Be advised that the focus on sex starts in Chapter one even if the character don’t actually have sex until part of the way through the book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Lush and Seething Hell by John Hornor Jacobs

Title: A Lush and Seething Hell: Two Tales of Cosmic Horror

Author: John Hornor Jacobs

Publisher: Harper Voyager 2019

Genre: Horror

Pages: 368

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Survival Story

Bringing together his acclaimed novella The Sea Dreams It Is the Sky and an all-new short novel My Heart Struck Sorrow, John Hornor Jacobs turns his fertile imagination to the evil that breeds within the human soul.

A brilliant mix of the psychological and supernatural, blending the acute insight of Roberto Bolaño and the eerie imagination of H. P. Lovecraft, The Sea Dreams It Is the Sky examines life in a South American dictatorship. Centered on the journal of a poet-in-exile and his failed attempts at translating a maddening text, it is told by a young woman trying to come to grips with a country that nearly devoured itself.

In My Heart Struck Sorrow, a librarian discovers a recording from the Deep South—which may be the musical stylings of the Devil himself.

A mixed bag of two stories. I did not connect with or enjoy the first story, The Sea Dreams It is the Sky. I was intrigued by the characters and their pasts under a brutal dictatorship. What they both witnesses and experienced was horrific, no doubt. It just wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. I kept waiting for the Lovecraftian horror to descend. It never really got there for me. But then I dove into the second story, My Heart Struck Sorrow, and I was instantly feeling that lingering sense of dread. I couldn’t wait to see what would be revealed in Harlan Parker’s journals. The story unfolds slowly, letting you glimpses little bits of horror along the way, until it culminates in a truly terrifying chapter near the end. I had to take a few minutes after finishing the story to digest everything I had just read. That second story got a 5 star rating, but the first story only got 3 stars. So I averaged those out to give the collection 4 stars.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Snow, Glass, Apples

Title: Snow, Glass, Apples

Author: Neil Gaiman, Colleen Doran

Publisher: Headline 2019

Genre: Comic

Pages: 64

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges:

A chilling fantasy retelling of the Snow White fairy tale by New York Times bestselling creators Neil Gaiman and Colleen Doran!

A not-so-evil queen is terrified of her monstrous stepdaughter and determined to repel this creature and save her kingdom from a world where happy endings aren't so happily ever after.

Randomly saw this one the library shelf and immediately grabbed it. This is a very dark retailing of the Snow White story. Not for children at all. The story itself is pretty interesting, but it’s the art that really shines in this volume. Doran layers so many pieces into each panel. My eye hardly knew where to look first. After reading the story once, I went back to look at some of my favorite pages again. Such beautiful art!

Next up on the TBR pile:

Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath

Title: Never Fall for Your Fiancée (Merrill Sisters #1)

Author: Virginia Heath

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin 2021

Genre: Historical Romance

Pages: 368

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; Romanceopoly - The Cobbles (Historical romance with a rake)

Spice Rating: 4

The last thing Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, ever wants is a wife. Unfortunately for him, his mother is determined to find him one, even from across the other side of the ocean. So Hugh invents a fake fiancée to keep his mother’s matchmaking ways at bay. But when Hugh learns his interfering mother is on a ship bound for England, he realizes his complicated, convoluted but convenient ruse is about to implode. Until he collides with a beautiful woman, who might just be the miracle he needs.

Minerva Merriwell has had to struggle to support herself and her two younger sisters ever since their feckless father abandoned them. Work as a woodcut engraver is few and far between, and the Merriwell sisters are nearly penniless. So when Hugh asks Minerva to pose as his fiancée while his mother is visiting, she knows that while the scheme sounds ludicrous, the offer is too good to pass up.

Once Minerva and her sisters arrive at Hugh's estate, of course nothing goes according to his meticulous plan. As hilarity and miscommunication ensue while everyone tries to keep their tangled stories straight, Hugh and Minerva’s fake engagement starts to turn into a real romance. But can they trust each other when their relationship started with a lie?

A bit of a disappointment. I was hoping for a good historical romp with lots of banter. Instead, I got a book that mostly bored me. The two main characters don’t show enough sparkle or wit early on. (Seriously the best friend and sister steal every scene they are in. Guess I should just read the sequel…) The conversations all the characters had seemed to repeat themselves over and over again. I was just pretty bored overall. The big trope of fake fiancee felt very forced and not fun. I just didn’t really enjoy reading this one.

Merriwell Sisters

#1 Never Fall for Your Fiancée
#2 Never Rescue a Rogue

Next up on the TBR pile:

Lost in the Moment and Found by Seanan McGuire

Title: Lost in the Moment and Found (Wayward Children #8)

Author: Seanan McGuire

Publisher: Tordotcom 2023

Genre: Fantasy

Pages:146

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; 52 Book Club - Under 200 Pages

Welcome to the Shop Where the Lost Things Go.

If you ever lost a sock, you’ll find it here.
If you ever wondered about a favorite toy from childhood... it’s probably sitting on a shelf in the back.
And the headphones that you swore this time you’d keep safe? You guessed it….

Antoinette has lost her father. Metaphorically. He’s not in the Shop, and she’ll never see him again. But when Antsy finds herself lost (literally, this time), she discovers that however many doors open for her, leaving the Shop for good might not be as simple as it sounds.

And stepping through those doors exacts a price.

CW: Grooming, Child Abuse

First, a note about the content warning. No child abuse happens on the page. As the reader, you know that’s where Antsy’s life is heading. But then, she runs aways before anything actually happens. The threat is so big that she runs away from her life pretty spontaneously. From there, the story really gets started.

I absolutely loved this story of lost innocence and the prices we pay in life. This volume felt very personal, almost as if McGuire was letting us glimpse her own life. And therefore, the story felt more real, more important, than some of her other writings. I was rooting for Antsy from page one, hoping she would be able to find her place. We get to visit another interesting world while glimpsing a few others (including an appearance by a certain set of twins). I read this in one sitting and that felt just right. Dazzling volume in this favorite series!

Wayward Children

Next up on the TBR pile:

Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack

Title: Anya and the Nightingale

Author: Sofiya Pasternack

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2020

Genre: MG Fantasy

Pages: 416

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Winter TBR; 52 Book Club - Written in Present Tense

It’s been a year since a violent Viking terrorized the small village of Zmeyreka and Anya and her foolish friend Ivan saved a friendly dragon from being sacrificed for his magic.

But things still aren’t safe in the kingdom of Kievan Rus’.

After embarking on a journey to bring her papa home from war, Anya discovers a powerful forest creature terrorizing travelers. But she soon learns that he’s not the monster the kingdom should fear. There’s an even greater evil that lurks under the city.

Can Anya stop the monster, save her papa, and find her way home? Or will the secrets of Kiev leave Anya and her friends trapped beneath the city forever?

Another decent, if not super exciting book for this series. I wanted to love this book more than I actual loved this book. I think this is a case of the book not being written for me. If I was 12 and reading this one, I think I would have given it 5 stars. It just felt a little too juvenile for me. I wanted to Anya to dive a little deeper into the culture and the stories. Instead, we get lots of angst and a very transparent mystery.

Anya

#1 Anya and the Dragon
#2 Anya and the Nightingale

Next up on the TBR pile:

Priest by Sierra Simone

Title: Priest (Love Story #1)

Author: Sierra Simone

Publisher: No Bird Press 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 378

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Featuring one of the “Seven Deadly Sins”; Romanceopoly - Passion Place

Spice Meter: 8 (for the taboo nature of the pairing)

There are many rules a priest can't break. A priest cannot marry. A priest cannot abandon his flock. A priest cannot forsake his God. I've always been good at following rules. Until she came. Then I learned new rules. My name is Tyler Anselm Bell. I'm twenty-nine years old. Six months ago, I broke my vow of celibacy on the altar of my own church, and God help me, I would do it again. I am a priest and this is my confession.

CW: Suicide, Sexual Abuse

I am so very disappointed in this book. It’s been all over Bookstagram; featured on all the super spicy romance lists. But I came to the end of the book very uncomfortable and not turned on at all. My main issue with this book really centers on the religion piece. All of the characters seem to take their faith very seriously, but also reject all the “rules” that they claim to be so important. I couldn’t wrap my brain around these seemingly contradictory stances. I was very uncomfortable with how the characters try to find the loopholes and edge cases to justify their actions. I would have greatly preferred if they realized that they didn’t actually believe in the religion at all. But it continue claiming to be believers and still not really repenting for their transgressions just felt icky to me. I was hoping for a good deep dive into the ways that the Catholic Church has mishandled the abuse scandals and it’s current stance toward sex, but that seemed to be teased at the beginning and then pushed to the side. At the end, it seemed like everything the characters did was justified because they got married. I just couldn’t with this book. I will not be reading the sequels.

Love Story

#1 Priest
#1.5 Midnight Mass
#2 Sinner
#3 Saint

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Dire King by William Ritter

Title: The Dire King (Jackaby #4)

Author: William Ritter

Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers 2017

Genre: YA Historical Fiction; Horror

Pages: 352

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series; 52 Book Club - Final Book in the Series

The fate of the world is in the hands of detective of the supernatural R. F. Jackaby and his intrepid assistant, Abigail Rook. An evil king is turning ancient tensions into modern strife, using a blend of magic and technology to push the earth and the otherworld into a mortal competition. Jackaby and Abigail are caught in the middle as they continue to solve mysteries in New Fiddleham, New England—like who’s created the rend between the worlds, how to close it, and why the undead are appearing around town.

At the same time, the romance between Abigail and the shape-shifting police detective Charlie Cane deepens, and Jackaby’s resistance to his feelings for the ghostly lady of 926 Augur Lane, Jenny Cavanaugh, begins to give way. But before the four can think about their own futures, they will have to defeat an evil that wants to destroy the future altogether.

And we that, the story of Abigail Rook and Jackaby has ended. And it was quite an ending. We knew things were going to get very serious after the third book, but I wasn’t quite prepared exactly how serious until we get to the halfway point of this book. I was very much on the edge of my seat for the entire second half. I was totally unprepared for the final battle against the Dire King and his allies. I knocked off one star in that I did think that the final confrontation was too drawn out without enough conclusion/reconnection of the characters. I would have liked to see the pacing at the end reworked a bit. But I did love the ending of Abigail’s story. Overall, this has been such a great mystery series.

Jackaby

#1 Jackaby
#1.5 The Map
#2 Beastly Bones
#3 Ghostly Echoes
#4 The Dire King

Next up on the TBR pile: