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Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez

Title: Say You’ll Remember Me

Author: Abby Jimenez

Publisher: Forever 2025

Genre: Romance

Pages: 368

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Romanceopoly - Valentine’s Day (Grand Gesture); Read Around the USA - California

Where I Got It: Library

Spice Rating: 4

There's no such thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediate yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong . . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake.

But after one incredible and seemingly endless date, Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be. Only no amount of distance or time is enough to forget what's between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.

I have really enjoyed all the Jimenez romances that I’ve read before this one. But this one just really did not work for me. In general, I appreciate about Jimenez balances romances and real life obstacles and difficulties. Unfortunately, this one leaned too much on the serious plot lines. I didn’t feel that there was enough romance. Our main characters spend almost the entire book apart. I want to read romances where we get to see the main characters interact in person with each other. We didn’t get that here. Instead, there’s a lot of crying about money and Samantha’s mom’s condition. Important stuff. But this read more as a women’s lit selection than romance. A rare disappointment for me.

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Next up on the TBR pile:

jujutsu16.jpg jujutsu 17.jpg jujutsu 18.jpg ne'er duke.jpg wedding people.jpg familiar.jpeg raeliana1.jpg raeliana2.jpg beautifully.jpeg raeliana3.jpg raeliana4.jpg raeliana5.jpg raeliana6.jpg raeliana7.jpg drop of corruption.jpg somewhere beyond.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 19.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg grace year.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg maybe you should.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg wicked things.jpg antidote.jpg tales accursed.jpg raeliana8.jpg
tags: Abby Jimenez, contemporary, romance, Romanceopoly, Read Around the USA, 3 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 06.24.25
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Twisted Wonderland Vol. 2

Title: Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul, Vol. 2

Author: Yana Toboso, Wakana Hazuki

Publisher: Viz Media 2023

Genre: Manga

Pages: 194

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Finishing the Series

Where I Got It: Library

Stranded in the world of Twisted Wonderland, Yu must brave a magical school filled with ghosts, monsters, and uncooperative students!

Yu is formally enrolled in Night Raven College. He’s even a prefect…of Ramshackle Dorm. But that doesn’t mean things are getting any easier for him. When his classmate Ace shows up on his doorstep after getting in trouble, Yu faces his biggest challenge yet!

Okay a bit of slow volume as we get more acquainted with Night Raven College. We get a little adventure involving some crystals, but overall this volume dragged a bit. I get it Ace and Deuce are fuck-ups and Riddle is a tyrant. My favorite parts involved Cater and Trey.

Twisted Wonderland: Book of Heartslabyul

  • Volume 1

  • Volume 2

  • Volume 3

  • Volume 4

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Next up on the TBR pile:

jujutsu16.jpg jujutsu 17.jpg jujutsu 18.jpg ne'er duke.jpg wedding people.jpg familiar.jpeg raeliana1.jpg raeliana2.jpg beautifully.jpeg raeliana3.jpg raeliana4.jpg raeliana5.jpg raeliana6.jpg raeliana7.jpg drop of corruption.jpg somewhere beyond.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 19.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg grace year.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg maybe you should.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg wicked things.jpg antidote.jpg tales accursed.jpg raeliana8.jpg
tags: Yana Toboso, fairy tale stories, 3 stars, manga, Finishing the Series
categories: Book Reviews
Saturday 06.21.25
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Alley by Junji Ito

Title: Alley

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Media 1992

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 344

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

Every night, a young man hears children playing outside his boarding house—but the alley below his window is fenced off from the world. Then, when a young woman’s family starts acting strangely at the same time she begins having bizarre dreams, she decides to stay with her aunt, but the town she heads for has neither addresses nor roads… Also, an all-you-can-eat ice cream bus that’s more sinister than sweet!

Legendary horror author Junji Ito presents ten bloodcurdling short stories.

Alley - Such a great story! I especially loved the ending!

Descent - Loved this super weird story! Great unexplained phenomena.

The Ward - Very nice creepy locked room style horror story.

The Inn - Meh

Blessing - Meh

Smoker’s Club - Meh

Mold - Oh loved this one that included a ton of body horror

Town of No Roads - Confusing story. Not a fan.

Memory - Okay I guess

Ice Cream Bus - Always creepy when stories involve children.

Next up on the TBR pile:

jujutsu16.jpg jujutsu 17.jpg jujutsu 18.jpg ne'er duke.jpg wedding people.jpg familiar.jpeg raeliana1.jpg raeliana2.jpg beautifully.jpeg raeliana3.jpg raeliana4.jpg raeliana5.jpg raeliana6.jpg raeliana7.jpg drop of corruption.jpg somewhere beyond.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 19.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg grace year.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg maybe you should.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg wicked things.jpg antidote.jpg tales accursed.jpg raeliana8.jpg
tags: manga, horror, Junji Ito, 3 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Friday 06.20.25
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 

Deserter by Junji Ito

Title: Deserter

Author: Junji Ito

Publisher: VIZ Medai 2011

Genre: Manga Horror

Pages: 392

Rating: 3/5 stars

Reading Challenges: 

Where I Got It: Library

A vengeful family hides an army deserter for eight years after the end of World War II, cocooning him in a false reality where the war never ended. A pair of girls look alike, but they’re not twins. And a boy’s nightmare threatens to spill out into the real world…

This hauntingly strange story collection showcases a dozen of Junji Ito’s earliest works from when he burst onto the horror scene, sowing fresh seeds of terror
.

Bio House - Weird murdery story. Not my favorite.

Face Thief - Another weird story that I wasn’t a huge fan of.

Where the Sandman Lives - Okay this one was kinda interesting and fun.

The Devil’s Logic - Meh

The Long Hair in the Attic - My absolute favorite from the collection. Just the right amount of suspense in this one.

Scripted Love - Very forgettable.

The Reanimator’s Sword - Not a big fan of the religious bent to this story.

A Father’s Love - Nope. Not for me.

Unendurable Labyrinth - Decent

Village of the Siren - Very weird premise. I was definitely intrigued. Kinda wish that this one was longer.

Bullied - Not very excited about this one at all.

Deserter - I’ve somehow read this one before. I liked it, but not my absolute favorite.

Next up on the TBR pile:

jujutsu16.jpg jujutsu 17.jpg jujutsu 18.jpg ne'er duke.jpg wedding people.jpg familiar.jpeg raeliana1.jpg raeliana2.jpg beautifully.jpeg raeliana3.jpg raeliana4.jpg raeliana5.jpg raeliana6.jpg raeliana7.jpg drop of corruption.jpg somewhere beyond.jpg seoulmates.jpg jujutsu 19.jpg jujutsu 20.jpg grace year.jpg jujutsu21.jpg jujutsu22.jpg jujutsu23.jpg jujutsu24.jpg black butler.jpg jujutsu25.jpg jujutsu26.jpg jujutsu27.jpg maybe you should.jpg mayor of maxwell.jpg wicked things.jpg antidote.jpg tales accursed.jpg raeliana8.jpg
tags: manga, horror, Junji Ito, 3 stars
categories: Book Reviews
Tuesday 06.17.25
Posted by Tobe Buffenbarger
 
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