Chef’s Kiss was a cute, quick read. I really liked the story of discovering yourself and your passions.
I really liked how supportive the chefs at the restaurant were, but I did feel like Ben made the wrong decision by not talking about his difficulty finding a job when he graduated, and his job at the restaurant with his family.
Also, Watson was such a fun character – and I loved the scenes he was in.
I will definitely be trying the butternut squash soup recipe in the back of the book! That sounds so, so good!
I was so honored to meet author Ann LaBar and have her sign a copy of her debut novel, Prom Theory. I bumped this book up on my TBR list to read it during prom season – while I was seeing friends post pictures of their children in their prom dresses and suits.
While friends to lovers isn’t my favorite trope in romance, the miscommunication (or in this case the lack of communication) trope never works for me.
That said, I did enjoy reading this book. The friendships felt honest, and I would have loved to be part of this friend group.
Iris is determined to scientifically prove that attraction is a chemical reaction. She sets her target on the most popular, and newly-single, boy in school.
I did really like the the NVLD representation in this book – and that the author took the time to give more information about NVLD in the back of the book.
I didn’t know anything about this book when I picked it up. I bought it because Alicia Keys has always been a fantastic artist, whose voice is soothing and powerful, and Fiction Addiction Bookstore in Greenville, SC had a signed copy.
What I got was a poignant story of family and learning to be yourself. Even if yourself is someone with superpowers.
I do hope to see more of this world and of Lolo, because I feel like her story was just getting started.
I feel like my knowledge of recent history is lacking. In school, we spent so much time on ancient history, the building of civilizations, that by the time we got to more current history, either we had to breeze through it or the school year was over.
Luckily, we have people around still today who can tell their stories so we don’t forget our history. I’m so thankful for writers like George Takei who are willing to share their past.
They Called Us Enemy is told from the point of view of a child in the Japanese internment camps during WW2.
George’s story was heartbreaking, I had to put this aside a few times because it was hard to read. But, I am so thankful I did.
This is one of those parts of history that we don’t talk about – we don’t teach in schools – and it’s such an important lesson to learn.
If you haven’t already read this graphic novel, definitely pick it up.
Today I am featuring American Faust, which was published back in May. Synopsis from @goodreads What happens when a dot.com entrepreneur with a revolutionary software is offered a billion dollars from the devil to find a woman of eternal beauty caught in the clutches of her demon lover? American Faust follows the lives of three Americans from different time eras (1920s, 1960s, 2000) whose lives converge when each of them makes a deal with the devil which will have eternal consequences. It’s a compelling fast-paced story that delves into the existential angst of pursuing the American Dream — and the price some are willing to pay to have it all. Thank you to @booktrib for sending me a copy of American Faust! I cannot wait to dive into this one!
A Little Too Familiar was a cute read! I absolutely loved Lou and her friends and little found family. Granted, the ferrets stole every scene they were in and turned out to be some of my favorite characters in this book.
There were a couple of twists thrown in, but I guessed them pretty early on. That’s didn’t stop me from enjoying the ride, though.
Thank you to Turn the Page Tours and Lish McBride for the review copy!
Synopsis:
Love brings out the animal in you.
Louise Matthews has got it good. Wonderful job? Check. Loving family? The best. Roommates? Pretty fantastic, thank you. All of this helps her stay focused on what she wants: to finish out her apprenticeship and become a fully licensed Switch-an animal mage who bonds familiars to their witches.
Only a problem has just moved in-a hot, occasionally wolf-shaped problem.
Declan Mackenzie doesn’t want to be a lone wolf, but he doesn’t have a choice. Girlfriend? Gone. Sister? Starting a new life. Parents? In prison where they belong, thankfully. All he wants is a fresh start-new home, new job, new life. What he gets is a house full of witches, a fledgling phoenix named Dammit, and rogue ferrets who won’t stay out of his business.
And he could handle all of that if it wasn’t for Louise. It’s not great to crush on your roommate. It’s even worse when you realize she wields the kind of magic that sends you running for the door.
Still, Declan is no pup, and he’s not going to let this set him back..
Until the past comes back to haunt him-the parents he put in jail have busted out. They want revenge.
And the only thing standing between them and Declan is Louise and the very magic he vowed never to go near again.
Lish McBride is a writer, former bookseller, and amateur goblin living in the PNW. In the crime of the century, she tricked not one but two universities into giving her degrees, ending up with an MFA from the University of New Orleans. (They cannot have it back, either, as she has invoked the ancient law of “no backsies.”) When she is not writing or reading, she’s usually hanging out with her family and friends…and talking about writing or reading. Her ultimate dream is to have her own castle and one of the libraries with the wheely ladder.
You can find her online in all of the usual places under the handle @lishmcbride, usually posting pictures of her dogs.
I love historic romances, but have not read one in a while. The Duke and I, the first book in The Bridgerton series, definitely reignited my love of this genre.
Daphne is the kind of heroine I love to read about – she’s smart and witty, and in this setting that makes her for the perfect friend but not the perfect bride. Until Simon, the new Duke of Hastings, arrives back in London. He’s gruff and brooding – their qualities mesh perfectly together.
I don’t know how much I can add to the conversation about this book – or any of The Bridgerton books. The Duke and I was definitely a fun read – romantic and swoon and also being fun and making me laugh with the antics of Simon and Daphne (and her brothers).
I did read an edition that had the second epilogue in it – which I wish I hadn’t read until I finished the series, the way they were meant to be read. I felt like it was a little bit of spoilers for future books.
Thank you to Once Upon a Book Club for providing me with the Bridgerton Vol. 1 box, which was a fun way to read The Duke and I! (If you want your own Once Upon a Book Club experience, use LEANNREADS10 when you shop their site.)
I don’t typically read hyped books, mostly because they almost never live up to the hype for me.
But, with a cover blurb declaring Neon Gods as “Unspeakably hot” I decided this was a hyped book I had to try. It did sit on my shelf for a while, so I guess that’s something?
I have recently read the graphic novel, Lore Olympus, which gave me a baseline for the Persephone and Hades myth, but Neon Gods definitely turned the heat up on the story.
I really enjoyed the romance and the storyline throughout the book, and the romance and sexy times weren’t the catalyst for moving the story forward.
I do wish there had been more explanation about how the positions within the Thirteen are filled – because it kind of sounds like the English aristocracy, where once you assume the Dukedom your name changes to that of the title.
I absolutely enjoyed this book and cannot wait to pick up Electric Idol.
Amanda Lovelace is one of my favorite modern day poets, so when Unlock Your Storybook Heart had a release date announced, and a Target special edition with extra poems included, I made sure to preorder it!
The tried to read this slowly, to savor each poem in this collection, but I still devoured this book quickly.
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