Crossings by Alex Landragin

Title: Crossings

Author: Alex Landragin

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy

Pages: 384

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf

On the brink of the Nazi occupation of Paris, a German-Jewish bookbinder stumbles across a manuscript called Crossings. It has three narratives, each as unlikely as the next. And the narratives can be read one of two ways: either straight through or according to an alternate chapter sequence.

The first story in Crossings is a never-before-seen ghost story by the poet Charles Baudelaire, penned for an illiterate girl. Next is a noir romance about an exiled man, modeled on Walter Benjamin, whose recurring nightmares are cured when he falls in love with a storyteller who draws him into a dangerous intrigue of rare manuscripts, police corruption, and literary societies. Finally, there are the fantastical memoirs of a woman-turned-monarch whose singular life has spanned seven generations.

With each new chapter, the stunning connections between these seemingly disparate people grow clearer and more extraordinary. Crossings is an unforgettable adventure full of love, longing and empathy.

An interesting premise and attempt at an interesting construction and yet this one ultimately fell very flat for me. I was hoping for another Cloud Cuckoo Land, a story that discussed the the ways in which humans create connections. Unfortunately, I never quite connected with any of the characters or found them remotely interesting. Every single character was incredibly unlikeable and definitely unreliable. I just couldn’t. And when we get to the larger story, I just couldn’t really care to care. I even tried reading it along the Baroness sequence after getting about 40% of the way through the regular way. I agree that the Baroness sequence makes a better flowing story, but I still didn’t really love the story at all. So another book that I was very excited about that just fell super flat for me.

Next up on the TBR pile:

First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

Title: First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World #1)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2010

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 371

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf, Finishing the Series

Spice Meter: 5 (albeit with a vampire)

The night is not safe for mortals. Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows—her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield—and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family's past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness—and a demon shapeshifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who lusts for a taste of her.

He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human—even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the nightmare together . . .

Because once the first crimson drop falls, they will both be lost.

A spin-off book featuring my favorite vampire, Spade. Seriously, I like him so much more than Bones (although I still love Bones). Spade is my kind of leading man. A little less quippy, but still smoldering. We finally get Spade’s story in his forced proximity story with Denise. Now Denise was not my favorite and really still isn’t my favorite. But I hung on due to the fun demon branding storyline. Plus we get to meet some other interesting vampires and our favorites make appearances. (Especially Ian’s appearance. Hello Ian!) Overall, I read this one just about one day due to a pain flare and it was just what I needed. Something fun and fast-paced to help distract from my pain. Enjoyable addition to the Night Huntress Universe.

Night Huntress World:

#1 First Drop of Crimson
#2 Eternal Kiss of Darkness

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Crane Husband by Kelly Barnhill

Title: The Crane Husband

Author: Kelly Barnhill

Publisher: Tordotcom 2023

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 120

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; 52 Book Club - Book starts with “the”

“Mothers fly away like migrating birds. This is why farmers have daughters.”

A fifteen-year-old teenager is the backbone of her small Midwestern family, budgeting the household finances and raising her younger brother while her mom, a talented artist, weaves beautiful tapestries. For six years, it’s been just the three of them—her mom has brought home guests at times, but none have ever stayed.

Yet when her mom brings home a six-foot tall crane with a menacing air, the girl is powerless to prevent her mom letting the intruder into her heart, and her children’s lives. Utterly enchanted and numb to his sharp edges, her mom abandons the world around her to weave the masterpiece the crane demands.

I randomly picked this one up from the New Releases shelf at the library. And I was so glad that I did. This is a very strange slim novella based on a reimagining of a classic folklore story. Right away we are dropped into a world that seems just like our own except that our narrator’s mother has brought home a crane to be their new Father. Very strange indeed. Over the next 100 pages, we slowly have to come to terms with the fact that there’s a crane/man living in the house disrupting the usual goings on in the family. Ultimately this a very sad story of a broken family.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher

Title: The Hollow Places

Author: T. Kingfisher

Publisher: Gallery / Saga 2020

Genre: Horro

Pages: 341

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Books - Sends You Down a Rabbit Hole

Pray they are hungry.

Kara finds the words in the mysterious bunker that she’s discovered behind a hole in the wall of her uncle’s house. Freshly divorced and living back at home, Kara now becomes obsessed with these cryptic words and starts exploring this peculiar area—only to discover that it holds portals to countless alternate realities. But these places are haunted by creatures that seem to hear thoughts…and the more one fears them, the stronger they become.

A deliciously creepy and strange horror novel was just what I needed this week. Right away, we get a great description for the Museum of Oddities that really sets the stage for the story. And then Kara finds a hole and things get very strange. I was seriously having some weird dreams while reading this book. Definitely a sign that I’m really enjoying the book and it’s very scary. I can still picture Kara and Simon’s encounter with Sturdivant. So very very creepy! This book gave me all the Annihilation vibes that I was looking for. And now I want to read everything Kingfisher has every written. I’m craving all the horror.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Come as You Are by Emily Nagoski

Title: Come as You Are: The Surprising New Science That Will Transform Your Sex Life

Author: Emily Nagoski

Publisher: Simon & Schuster 2015

Genre: Nonfiction - Health

Pages: 400

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

For much of the 20th and 21st centuries, women’s sexuality was an uncharted territory in science, studied far less frequently—and far less seriously—than its male counterpart.

That is, until Emily Nagoski’s Come As You Are, which used groundbreaking science and research to prove that the most important factor in creating and sustaining a sex life filled with confidence and joy is not what the parts are or how they’re organized but how you feel about them. In the years since the book’s initial publication, countless women have learned through Nagoski’s accessible and informative guide that things like stress, mood, trust, and body image are not peripheral factors in a woman’s sexual wellbeing; they are central to it—and that even if you don’t always feel like it, you are already sexually whole by just being yourself. This revised and updated edition continues that mission with new information and advanced research, demystifying and decoding the science of sex so that everyone can create a better sex life and discover more pleasure than you ever thought possible.

Must read! Am absolute must read for all women. Nagasaki uses a conversational tone to teach us everything we need to know about sexual health. Each chapter tackles a topic or a myth and reframes health. We get a wholistic approach instead of just a focus on physical health. I learned so much after reading the book. I cannot wait to put some of the ideas I learned into practice. I definitely need to buy my own copy and probably a few more copies to give away to friends.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Title: Destined for an Early Grave (Night Huntress #4)

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Avon 2009

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 355

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Finishing the Series

Spice Meter: 5 (albeit one with a vampire)
Her deadly dreams leave her in grave danger

Since half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her undead lover Bones met six years ago, they've fought against the rogue undead, battled a vengeful Master vampire, and pledged their devotion with a blood bond. Now it's time for a vacation. But their hopes for a perfect Paris holiday are dashed when Cat awakes one night in terror. She's having visions of a vampire named Gregor who's more powerful than Bones and has ties to her past that even Cat herself didn't know about.

Gregor believes Cat is his and he won't stop until he has her. As the battle begins between the vamp who haunts her nightmares and the one who holds her heart, only Cat can break Gregor's hold over her. She'll need all the power she can summon in order to bring down the baddest bloodsucker she's ever faced . . . even if getting that power will result in an early grave.

Another volume in this series, but this one just didn’t land for me at all. Right away, we get an intriguing plot involving a potential previous claim on Cat by another vampire. I wanted to fall into the adventure and story. Unfortunately, I really disliked the storyline about Cat and Bones’s relationship. It felt just so incredibly off from the previous works. I was in a constant state of stress the entire book. I hated all the fighting between the two of them. I just wanted to see those two reconnect and move to the next phase of their lives. The saving aspects of the book were really the side characters. Vlad and Spade were the best. They really kept the book from getting 2 stars from me.

Night Huntress:

#0.5 Reckoning
#1 Halfway to the Grave
#1.2 The Other Half of the Grave
#1.5 Happily Never After
#2 One Foot in the Grave
#3 At Grave’s End
#3.5 Devil to Pay
#4 Destined for an Early Grave
#4.5 One for the Money
#5 This Side of the Grave
#6 One Grave at a Time
#6.5 Home for the Holidays
#7 Up from the Grave
#7.5 Outtakes from the Grave
#7.6 A Grave Girls’ Getaway
#8 Both Feet in the Grave

Next up on the TBR pile:

Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez

Title: Part of Your World

Author: Abby Jimenez

Publisher: Forever 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 400

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; Romanceopoly - Spring (Has an animal on the cover)

Spice Meter: 4

After a wild bet, gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich, and cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s ten years younger than her and as casual as they come—the complete opposite of sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And yet their chemistry is undeniable.

While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis doesn’t need glory or fame. She’s fine with being a “mere” ER doctor. And every minute she spends with Daniel and the tight-knit town where he lives, she’s discovering just what’s really important. Yet letting their relationship become anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family and giving up the opportunity to help thousands of people.

Bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, and yet she can’t just give up the joy she’s found with him either. With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his?

CW: Domestic Violence, Abuse

Look at that Content Warning. Usually I immediately put a book down if it deals with those topics, and yet I wanted to read this one. I think my ability to attempt it is due to previous success with Jimenez’s books. She deftly handles very difficult topics within her contemporary romance books. In this one, we meet two very different people that eventually realize just what they are missing in life. Alexis is a great character, but Daniel is the real favorite of the couple. I loved his commitment to his town and the people within his life. Seriously, so attractive! There’s a happy ending, but it definitely takes a while for our characters to get there. Along the way, we get very serious events and discussions. I found myself working through the some of my past. Strange cathartic book for me. It’s not super steamy, but a very satisfying contemporary romance.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

Title: The Calculating Stars (Lady Astronaut #1)

Author: Mary Robinette Kowal

Publisher: Tor Books 2018

Genre: Science Fiction

Pages: 431

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

On a cold spring night in 1952, a huge meteorite fell to earth and obliterated much of the east coast of the United States, including Washington D.C. The ensuing climate cataclysm will soon render the earth inhospitable for humanity, as the last such meteorite did for the dinosaurs. This looming threat calls for a radically accelerated effort to colonize space, and requires a much larger share of humanity to take part in the process.

Elma York’s experience as a WASP pilot and mathematician earns her a place in the International Aerospace Coalition’s attempts to put man on the moon, as a calculator. But with so many skilled and experienced women pilots and scientists involved with the program, it doesn’t take long before Elma begins to wonder why they can’t go into space, too.

Elma’s drive to become the first Lady Astronaut is so strong that even the most dearly held conventions of society may not stand a chance against her.

Overall, this book just didn’t quite land with me. I was so caught up in the weird innuendo scenes between Nathaniel and Elma and the in-your-face sexism and anti-semitism that I had trouble really connecting to the rest of the story and characters. By setting the book in the 1950s, I knew that there was going to be a lot of -ism, but the storyline really never seemed to get past it in anyway. Even Elma herself constantly exhibited micro-aggressions towards her colleagues. I expected to see growth and really didn’t get much of any. And the marriage between Nathaniel and Elma constantly annoyed me. I realize that it’s still the 1950s, but come on. We get weird foreplay scenes and then fade to black almost every other chapter. We get to see Nathaniel support Elma, but then also constantly question her abilities and role. It was like watching a very infuriating tennis match. I was not a fan of them at all. And then we get to the storyline. While I was glad that we didn’t dwell on the immediate death and destruction caused by the meteorite, I feel like the it was quickly forgotten as we focused on the day-to-day running of the space program. I wanted a bit more about what was happening to the world. We get a few tiny snippets, but Elma mostly dismissing them. I would have liked to hear more about how the impact had affected people around the world instead of focusing on the small cast of characters in Kansas City. On a last note, the pacing was really slow in the middle. I was struggling to stay with it and not turn to other books. Unfortunately, I just don’t think that this story was for me at all.

Lady Astronaut

#1 The Calculating Stars
#2 The Fated Sky
#3 The Relentless Moon

Next up on the TBR pile:

A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair

Title: A Touch of Darkness (Hades X Persephone #1)

Author: Scarlett St. Clair

Publisher: Scarlett St. Clair 2019

Genre: Romance

Pages: 353

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; Romanceopoly - Coffee Shop (Read a book that has been recommended to you!)

Spice Meter: 5

"Let me worship you," he said.

She remembered the words she had whispered to him in the back of the limo after La Rose. "You will worship me, and I won't even have to order you." His request felt sinful and devious, and she reveled in it.

She answered, "Yes."

Persephone is the Goddess of Spring in title only. Since she was a little girl, flowers have only shriveled at her touch. After moving to New Athens, she hoped to lead an unassuming life disguised as a mortal journalist. All of that changes when she sits down in a forbidden nightclub to play a hand of cards with a hypnotic and mysterious stranger.

Hades, God of the Dead, has built a gambling empire in the mortal world and his favorite bets are rumored to be impossible. But nothing has ever intrigued him as much as the goddess offering him a bargain he can't resist.

After her encounter with Hades, Persephone finds herself in a contract with the God of the Dead, and his terms are impossible: Persephone must create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever. The bet does more than expose Persephone's failure as a goddess, however. As she struggles to sow the seeds of her freedom, love for the God of the Dead grows—a love that is both captivating and forbidden.

I’m a bit conflicted about this book. I really loved Greek mythology retelling stories and the overall concept of this one really got me. I loved the work that was created with the gods coming down to the mortal world and revealing themselves. How fun! I loved the various gods that we meet throughout the story, especially Hades and Hermes. All of those parts of the book made me want to give this 5 stars. But then we get to Persephone herself and I just couldn’t with her. She constantly tells everyone how strong she is, but turns around at every situation and allows others to decide her actions. She’s just so spineless throughout most of the book that I could not really root for her. And her constant ignorance of how the gods operate really got me. Like I understand that your mom kept you sequestered, but you’ve been out in the world for a few years now. Did you learn anything? Clearly the answer is no. Even her interactions with Hades made it so that I couldn’t really root for her. I will probably keep reading this series, but I’m not the biggest fan of Persephone at this point.

Hades X Persephone

#1 A Touch of Darkness
#2 A Touch of Ruuin
#3 A Touch of Malice

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Dark King by Gina L. Maxwell

Title: The Dark King (Deviant Kings #1)

Author: Gina L. Maxwell

Publisher: Entangled: Amara 2022

Genre: Romance

Pages: 339

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; Romanceopoly - Action Avenue (Read a fantasy from your TBR)

Spice Meter: 6

CW: Sexual Assault (off page), BDSM

For Bryn Meara, a free trip to the exclusive and ultra-luxe Nightfall hotel and casino in Vegas should’ve been the perfect way to escape the debris of her crumbling career. But waking up from a martini-and-lust-fueled night to find herself married to Caiden Verran, the reclusive billionaire who owns the hotel and most of the city, isn’t the jackpot one would think. It seems her dark and sexy new husband is actual royalty—the fae king of the Night Court—and there’s an entire world beneath the veil of Vegas.

Whether light or shadow, the fae are a far cry from fairy tales, and now they’ve made Bryn a pawn in their dark games for power. And Caiden is the most dangerous of all—an intoxicating cocktail of sin and raw, insatiable hunger. She should run. But every night of passion pulls Bryn deeper into his strange and sinister world, until she’s no longer certain she wants to leave…even if she could.

I grabbed this one off of the library’s new books shelf. I probably should have at least looked into a review or two before diving in. This story and these characters really didn’t connect for me. I finished the book and had a bit of trouble figuring out just why I was disappointed. After some reflection, I was very disappointed in the power dynamics and lack of communication in the main relationship. I get the Beauty and the Beast-like setup. I okay with the BDSM sex scenes. But the real problem is how much Caiden keeps Bryn in the dark. She never has the upper hand or the dominant position in the relationship until the very very end of the story. I want to see more of a partnership between my main characters. I was also upset that the sex scenes did not being with proper communication. I’m okay with lots of behaviors in the bedroom if both (or more) parties are on the same page. We do not see that here at Bryn. Not a fan.

Deviant Kings

#1 The Dark King
#2 The Rebel King

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Night Ship by Jess Kidd

Title: The Night Ship

Author: Jess Kidd

Publisher: Atria Books 2022

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 400

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Spring TBR

1629: A newly orphaned young girl named Mayken is bound for the Dutch East Indies on the Batavia, one of the greatest ships of the Dutch Golden Age. Curious and mischievous, Mayken spends the long journey going on misadventures above and below the deck, searching for a mythical monster. But the true monsters might be closer than she thinks.

1989: A lonely boy named Gil is sent to live off the coast of Western Australia among the seasonal fishing community where his late mother once resided. There, on the tiny reef-shrouded island, he discovers the story of an infamous shipwreck…

I grabbed this book right after Christmas and was so excited to read it after living Kidd’s previous book, Things in Jars. This one is a very different book from that and I just didn’t enjoy it as much. This one alternates between two pretty dire situations and time periods. There’s not a light or hope in this book. It’s very dark and depressing. Two main characters are set adrift in the world, one very literally. Both characters have experienced horrors in life and they seem to be continuing. I was really rooting for each of those characters (and many of the side characters) even while knowing that the story of the Batavia doesn’t really have a happy ending. My favorite part was the weaving of the mythology and folklore into the two storylines. We get to hear snippets of stories throughout the journeys. In some passages, it really felt like those stories had come to life and were stalking the characters. You’re never really certain what’s real and what’s imaginary. That play between real and unreal lifted this book from just a sad story to something mystical.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Vampire Villain by Melody Raven

Title: The Vampire Villain (Evil Rising #2)

Author: Melody Raven

Publisher: 2019

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 232

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; COYER

Spice Rating: 5 (albeit with a vampire)

Marcus might look like an angel, but he's always been a villain. So when he's tasked with infiltrating the Vampire rebellion he doesn't expect it to be complicated. But his plans might take on a new path as he grows closer to a mortal, who can't--or won't--die.

After Gena is brutally murdered and mysteriously resurrected, she sets out to discover the truth about her supernatural background. But when she crosses paths with the sexy and vengeful Marcus, she realizes that there is more to her past than she ever realized.

With time running out, Gena and Marcus search for answers to her past, while going head-to-head with their enemies. Will it end the same way it began--with Gena's death?

Oof this one did not land at all. I read the first one and, for the most part, enjoyed it. I liked the spin on the vampire myth. This volume I could not get behind at all. First off, Gena is just way too blasé about everything and never truly understands how much danger she is in. I really hated that she never really asked enough questions about what was going on. And Marcus is the worst of the alpha male type. He never tempted me at all. And then we find out just what Gena and I got even more annoyed. Nope. Don’t believe, don’t care. Guess I am done with this series.

Evil Rising

#1 The Lost Vampire Prince
#2 The Vampire Villain
#3 Her Very Own Demon
#4 The Werewolf and the Siren
#5 Beauty and the Shapeshifter

Next up on the TBR pile:

Radiant Sin by Katee Robert

Title: Radiant Sin (Dark Olympus #4)

Author: Katee Robert

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca 2023

Genre: Romance

Pages: 345

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; Romanceopoly - Killer Crescent (Mystery/Thriller of choice)

Spice Rating: 5

As a disgraced member of a fallen house, Cassandra Gataki has seen firsthand what comes from trusting the venomous Thirteen. But when the maddeningly gorgeous and kind Apollo asks her to go undercover as his plus-one at a week-long party hosted by a dangerous new power player…Cassandra reluctantly agrees to have his back.

On one condition: when it's all over, and Apollo has the ammunition he needs to protect Olympus, she and her sister will be allowed to leave. For good.

Apollo may be the city's official spymaster, but it's his ability to inspire others that keeps him at the top. Despite what the rest of Olympus says, there's no one he trusts more than Cassandra. Yet even as their fake relationship takes a wicked turn for the scaldingly hot, a very real danger surfaces… threatening not only Cassandra and Apollo, but the very heart of Olympus itself.

Another decent volume in this series. I do love returning to the Dark Olympus world and revisiting some of the characters. I wish that we would have had more appearances from past characters, but this one was much more of a limited cast list. Apollo and Cassandra are fun characters and I loved how the relationship between the two grew over the course of the book. We get some great quiet moments between them and some great steamy scenes. I would have liked more steamy scenes, but the ones included were good enough. The locked room mystery was an extra fun angle to the series. And now Robert has announced two more books int he series. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Dark Olympus

#1 Neon Gods
#2 Electric Idol
#3 Wicked Beauty
#4 Radiant Sun
#5 Cruel Seduction

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Getaway by Lamar Giles

Title: The Getaway

Author: Lamar Giles

Publisher: Scholastic Press 2022

Genre: YA Thriller

Pages: 400

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Starts with “G”

Jay is living his best life at Karloff Country, one of the world’s most famous resorts. He’s got his family, his crew, and an incredible after-school job at the property’s main theme park. Life isn’t so great for the rest of the world, but when people come here to vacation, it’s to get away from all that.

As things outside get worse, trouble starts seeping into Karloff. First, Jay’s friend Connie and her family disappear in the middle of the night and no one will talk about it. Then the richest and most powerful families start arriving, only... they aren’t leaving. Unknown to the employees, the resort has been selling shares in an end-of-the-world oasis. The best of the best at the end of days. And in order to deliver the top-notch customer service the wealthy clientele paid for, the employees will be at their total beck and call.

Whether they like it or not.

Yet Karloff Country didn’t count on Jay and his crew--and just how far they’ll go to find out the truth and save themselves. But what’s more dangerous: the monster you know in your home or the unknown nightmare outside the walls?

Another recommendation from my favorite book podcast. I was a bit leery, but just jumped into this one immediately without any really knowledge of the book. This is a ride. Not one that is for everyone, but such a ride. The book really gets into a lot of very serious topics all while setting the story in a future setting. Do not read if very affected by violence. I have to admit that there were even a few scenes that I struggled to get through due to the violence depicted. I really felt for the four main characters. Sure, they each had flaws, but that’s what made them real characters. I wish that the story would have spent a little more focused on the main characters and how they dealt with the interpersonal relationships. Still this was a force of a book.

Next up on the TBR pile:

Hot Winter Nights by Jill Shalvis

Title: Hot Winter Nights (Heartbreaker Bay #6)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Avon 2018

Genre: Romance

Pages: 362

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; Finishing the Series

Who needs mistletoe?

Most people wouldn’t think of a bad Santa case as the perfect Christmas gift. Then again, Molly Malone, office manager at Hunt Investigations, isn’t most people, and she could really use a distraction from the fantasies she’s been having since spending the night with her very secret crush, Lucas Knight. Nothing happened, not that Lucas knows that—but Molly just wants to enjoy being a little naughty for once . . .

Whiskey and pain meds for almost-healed bullet wounds don’t mix. Lucas needs to remember that next time he’s shot on the job, which may be sooner rather than later if Molly’s brother, Joe, finds out about them. Lucas can’t believe he’s drawing a blank on his (supposedly) passionate tryst with Molly, who’s the hottest, smartest, strongest woman he’s ever known. Strong enough to kick his butt if she discovers he’s been assigned to babysit her on her first case. And hot enough to melt his cold heart this Christmas.

Another fun volume in this contemporary romance series, but still not my favorite. Lucas and Molly were at least two great characters that had actual personalities and lives. Their growing relationship was delightful to read. The book was a joy to read, but I was a little sad at the lack of steamy scenes. Some of the previous books had a better balance of steam, action, and dialogue.

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:

Weyward by Emilia Hart

Title: Weyward

Author: Emilia Hart

Publisher: St Martin’s Press 2023

Genre: Fantasy

Pages: 336

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; BOTM Cleanout

I am a Weyward, and wild inside.

2019: Under cover of darkness, Kate flees London for ramshackle Weyward Cottage, inherited from a great aunt she barely remembers. With its tumbling ivy and overgrown garden, the cottage is worlds away from the abusive partner who tormented Kate. But she begins to suspect that her great aunt had a secret. One that lurks in the bones of the cottage, hidden ever since the witch-hunts of the 17th century.

1619: Altha is awaiting trial for the murder of a local farmer who was stampeded to death by his herd. As a girl, Altha’s mother taught her their magic, a kind not rooted in spell casting but in a deep knowledge of the natural world. But unusual women have always been deemed dangerous, and as the evidence for witchcraft is set out against Altha, she knows it will take all of her powers to maintain her freedom.

1942: As World War II rages, Violet is trapped in her family's grand, crumbling estate. Straitjacketed by societal convention, she longs for the robust education her brother receives––and for her mother, long deceased, who was rumored to have gone mad before her death. The only traces Violet has of her are a locket bearing the initial W and the word weyward scratched into the baseboard of her bedroom.

Weaving together the stories of three extraordinary women across five centuries, Emilia Hart's Weyward is an enthralling novel of female resilience and the transformative power of the natural world.

CW: Rape, Domestic Violence

Usually with content warnings like those, I would immediately say no thank you to the book. But something about the summary of the book really drew me in. I started reading and was immediately connecting with the three Weyward women. As their stories unfold, we understand just how these women have been shoved to the side of their lives and how the patriarchy has punished them for just about everything. Their stories are not happy ones, but we do get to see these women come into their own identities and triumph over many of the obstacles put into their paths. The stories end on very hopeful notes, but more importantly, we get to see the journey these women undertake to get to the hopeful spot. This may just end up on my Top 10 of the year.

Next up on the TBR pile:

You Just Need to Lose Weight by Aubrey Gordon

Title: “You Just Need to Lose Weight” and 19 Other Myths About Fat People

Author: Aubrey Gordon

Publisher: Beacon Press 2023

Genre: Nonfiction

Pages: 224

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR

The pushback that shows up in conversations about fat justice takes exceedingly predicable form. Losing weight is easy—calories in, calories out. Fat people are unhealthy. We’re in the midst of an obesity epidemic. Fat acceptance “glorifies obesity.” The BMI is an objective measure of size and health.Yet, these myths are as readily debunked as they are pervasive.

In “You Just Need to Lose Weight,” Aubrey Gordon equips readers with the facts and figures to reframe myths about fatness in order to dismantle the anti-fat bias ingrained in how we think about and treat fat people. Bringing her dozen years of community organizing and training to bear, Gordon shares the rhetorical approaches she and other organizers employ to not only counter these pernicious myths, but to dismantle the anti-fat bias that so often underpin them.

As conversations about fat acceptance and fat justice continue to grow, “You Just Need to Lose Weight” will be essential to ensure that those conversations are informed, effective, and grounded in both research and history.

Finally, I got Gordon’s follow up to her first book. I had really been excited about this volume and make no mistake, this is a great book. It just fell a little flat for me because it felt like a rehashing of a lot of things from her first book. I think that this one has a better format for people. Taking on one myth at a time helps to break up the science and the heavy. Having follow-up questions at the end of chapters is a great way to push the knowledge and questions back to the reader. In a sense, this is the workbook version of her first book. The content isn’t completely the same, but there’s a lot of overlap. I enjoyed hitting some of the high points. I really enjoyed getting some language to help combat anti-fat bias in the wild. If you had to pick up one Gordon book, make it this one.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Drift by C.J. Tudor

Title: The Drift

Author: C.J. Tudor

Publisher: Ballantine Books 2023

Genre: Thriller

Pages: 340

Rating: 5/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 52 Book Club - Published in 2013

Hannah awakens to carnage, all mangled metal and shattered glass. Evacuated from a secluded boarding school during a snowstorm, her coach careered off the road, trapping her with a handful of survivors. They’ll need to work together to escape—with their sanity and secrets intact.

Meg awakens to a gentle rocking. She’s in a cable car stranded high above snowy mountains, with five strangers and no memory of how they got on board. They are heading to a place known only as “The Retreat,” but as the temperature drops and tensions mount, Meg realizes they may not all make it there alive.

Carter is gazing out the window of an isolated ski chalet that he and his companions call home. As their generator begins to waver in the storm, something hiding in the chalet’s depths threatens to escape, and their fragile bonds will be tested when the power finally fails—for good.

The imminent dangers faced by Hannah, Meg, and Carter are each one part of the puzzle. Lurking in their shadows is an even greater danger—one with the power to consume all of humanity.

What an absolute ride! Usually books billed as thrillers really fall flat for me. They just lack the oomph that I’m looking for or the characters are so incredibly unlikeable that I’m wishing all of them would get murdered. This one I went in blind except for a recommendation from my favorite podcast. The host purposely left the summary mostly hidden so as not to spoil the reveals and that’s exactly the way to go with this one. I dove in and immediately started piecing the big connections and storyline together. We are plopped right into the middle of a bus crash, a stalled ski lift gondola, and a mysterious locked “retreat.” From there, we have to understand exactly what is going on in the outside world, who each of the characters actually are, and how they intend to survive the situation and the elements. I got so wrapped up into the story that I ended up finishing this book in one day. I was completely along for the ride. Once the big reveals happen, I actually gasped out loud (I hardly ever do that.) It was just so good! A great book to end my work on.

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Score by Elle Kennedy

Title: The Score (Off Campus #3)

Author:Elle Kennedy

Publisher: Createspace 2016

Genre: Romance

Pages: 354

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Spring TBR; Romanceopoly - Library

Spice Meter: 5

He knows how to score, on and off the ice
Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn’t have the first clue about what she's going to do after college. To make matters worse, she’s nursing a broken heart thanks to the end of her longtime relationship. Wild rebound sex is definitely not the solution to her problems, but gorgeous hockey star Dean Di Laurentis is impossible to resist. Just once, though, because even if her future is uncertain, it sure as heck won’t include the king of one-night stands.

It’ll take more than flashy moves to win her over
Dean always gets what he wants. Girls, grades, girls, recognition, girls…he’s a ladies man, all right, and he’s yet to meet a woman who’s immune to his charms. Until Allie. For one night, the feisty blonde rocked his entire world—and now she wants to be friends? Nope. It’s not over until he says it’s over. Dean is in full-on pursuit, but when life-rocking changes strike, he starts to wonder if maybe it’s time to stop focusing on scoring…and shoot for love.

Enjoyed this volume much more than the number two in the series. I had wondered about Dean’s story since he first appeared in The Deal and was excited to finally dive into his own deal. Paired with Allie, whom we met at Hannah’s roommate and happily together with another man, we get a great storyline. This one involves rebound to lover, along with manipulation (not from Dean or Allie, but Allie’s ex-boyfriend), and lots of talk about what to do next in life. Once Dean really started opening up, I was totally hooked on him. Loved seeing all the layers being peeled back. Throughout this entire series, I feel like I’ve liked the MMCs much more than the FMCs. Kennedy writes the men as much more interesting and layered characters. Even though I thoroughly disliked Sabrina when she’s appeared before, I will have to read the next book to get her and Tucker’s story.

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

Next up on the TBR pile:

The Thousandth Floor by Katharine McGee

Title: The Thousandth Floor (Thousandth Floor #1)

Author: Katharine McGee

Publisher: Harper Collins 2016

Genre: YA Science Fiction

Pages: 441

Rating: 2/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Unread Shelf; Spring TBR

New York City as you’ve never seen it before. A thousand-story tower stretching into the sky. A glittering vision of the future, where anything is possible—if you want it enough.

Welcome to Manhattan, 2118. A hundred years in the future, New York is a city of innovation and dreams. But people never change: everyone here wants something…and everyone has something to lose.

Leda Cole’s flawless exterior belies a secret addiction—to a drug she never should have tried and a boy she never should have touched.

Eris Dodd-Radson’s beautiful, carefree life falls to pieces when a heartbreaking betrayal tears her family apart.

Rylin Myers’s job on one of the highest floors sweeps her into a world—and a romance—she never imagined…but will her new life cost Rylin her old one?

Watt Bakradi is a tech genius with a secret: he knows everything about everyone. But when he’s hired to spy by an upper-floor girl, he finds himself caught up in a complicated web of lies.

And living above everyone else on the thousandth floor is Avery Fuller, the girl genetically designed to be perfect. The girl who seems to have it all—yet is tormented by the one thing she can never have.

Much too Gossip Girl nonsense for me. I was intrigued by the premise and the setting. I was hoping that it was going to be a more action filled version of High Rise, but it really fell flat for me. We get too much teenage angst and the love triangles were killing me. I just felt myself getting more and more bored with the story as the pages went by. That’s never a good sign. And then we get to the big ending and I just did not care about the characters at all. Definitely not the book for me. This book was more teenage romantic nonsense than science fiction story.

Next up on the TBR pile: