JULY 2019
After I Do by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Lauren and Ryan meet in college and are inseparable since. Ryan turns 30 and they can hardly stand each other. So they decide to take a year break with zero contact from their marriage. This book is not as scandalous as the 7 husbands but I loved it. Filled with good wisdom about relationships and this book surprisingly made me laugh a few times. Verdict: 3.5
Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides: This book is so crazy you guys. Theo is a psychotherapist determined to help a patient who went completely silent after killing her husband. This book has a lot of twists and was so satisfying. I loved it! I cannot say anything more about it, just enjoy! Verdict: 5 Stars
Little Fires Everywhere by Celest Ng: So this book got my attention right away, 3/4 into it I started getting bored but then it picked up again. This is my first time reading Celeste Ng, this is one of a few times where the writer went deep into almost all the characters. You may love or hate that and in the end I loved it because it made sense. The story was touching and I highly recommend it. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary: This book was a delight from start to finish. It is quirky and I just loved the main characters. They are the type of people I would want to be friends with. Tiffy is looking for a new flat on a small budget and respond to an ad of a flatshare with a man. They share the one bedroom apartment but will always be home at different times so they will never get in each other way. They communicate through short notes and soon form a friendship. This is how you write a romantic comedy, it has a happy ending but it is not at all cliché or boring. Verdict: 4.5 Stars
The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez: I expected this to be brain candy and part of it was but part of it was also heavy. Kristen meets Josh during a fender bender and she finds out that he will be part of her best friend’s bridal party. She has a boyfriend and is trying hard to keep Josh away. It was a great book and I finished it in a day. Verdict: 4 Stars
Jar of Hearts by Jennifer Hillier: I read this book in a day, I could not put it down. Geo is on her way to prison for a secret she kept for 14 years. She came clean and is now serving 5 years in prison. Her story though is so much more complicated than that. This was a great thriller. Verdict: 4 Stars
Like A Love Story by Abdi Nazemian: Reza moved from Iran to Toronto and is not living in New York with his mom and step dad. It’s 1989 and he’s terrified by the AID crisis. In his new high school he meets Judy that likes him instantly but he definitely has a thing for Judy’s best friend Art that is gay and very open about it. This book was truly wonderful and if you are a Madonna fan, it will be a treat for you. Verdict: 4.5 Stars
How Could She by Lauren Mechling: This book is about 3 friends, Geraldine, the one that everyone worries about, she just broke up with her cheating fiancé and is looking for a new job after impulsively moving to NYC. Rachel, the YA writer and mother with the adorable husband, her writing career is not all that great. Finally, Sylvie the artist with all the success and rich husband. Rachel and Sylvie do not get along but lately they seem to be bonding and leaving Geraldine out of it. This book is about the sometime weird dynamic of female female friendship and I really enjoyed it. Could not put it down. Verdict: 4 Stars
My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan: Ella is in Oxford for a year and is so excited to be there and soak it all in. She meets Jamie in not the best circumstances and later finds out he’s her professor. Ella is driven and not looking for any attachements, unfortunately things are not as simple as they may seem. Cannot go into this without giving anything away. I liked this book way more than I expected. Verdict: 3.5 Stars.
More Than Enough By Elaine Welteroth: Oh I honestly did not plan on reading this book, but I decided to do so after seeing so much buzz about it and I’m glad I did. Elaine did such an amazing job telling her story, from sharing her dreams to work in the magazine industry, being biracial, her love life, being an editor in chief for a major magazine under 30. Her story is nothing like Michelle Obama’s Becoming but it’s as beautifully written. I got the audiobooks and I loved that her parents made several cameo in it. Verdict: 5 Stars
AUGUST 2019
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne: Some books are just special and this is one of them. Cyril is adopted and growing up in Ireland, early on he knows he is different and spend most of is early years living a double life. He meets his first crush Julian at 7 yo and runs into them later in boarding school and is in love with him the entire time. He comes clean in the most inopportune time then fleas Ireland for Amsterdam where he starts a new life. He ends up in New York at the height of the AIDS crisis when tragedy strikes again. During that time he runs into Julian who’s playboy ways finally caught up with him. While this book is deep, it made me laugh the entire time. The characters were so clever and endearing. I listened to it using Audible. A MUST READ! Verdict: 5 Stars
Missing Molly by Nathalie Barelli: Rachel is panicking after finding out the newspaper she works for is starting a podcast about finding a young girl that went missing years ago. She is freaking out because that girl is her. This story was so good and I could not put this down but this book frustrated me in various parts. It’s still worth checking out though. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
The Bookish Life Of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman: Nina is an only child raise by a nanny and had an absentee mother. She has a packed schedule and doesn’t like unplanned events. She works at a book store and is an avid reader, her life gets messy when she finds out about her dad that recently passed away, he left her an inheritance and a bunch of siblings, nieces and nephews. This was a feel good book, a less traumatic version of Eleonor Oliphant is completely fine. Verdict: 4 Stars
Evie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes: Evie is planning to leave her husband when he dies tragically in a car accident. Everyone thinks she’s grieving her husband’s death, but she’s dealing with a lot more. Her husband was not as perfect as their community thought he was, and her marriage had lots of issues. I read this fairly fast but it was just OK for me. Verdict: 2.5 Stars
Recursion by Blake Crouch: Helena is doing research related to memories motivated by her mom with Alzeihmers. Her research finally gets funded by a tech guru that truly believes in her. Her research takes her beyond what she hoped to accomplish and is not being used for good. To make things worse she is also worried about her safety. I don’t usually go for Sci-Fi but this was amazing! Verdict: 5 Stars.
Dark Matter by Blake Crouch: Had to pick up another book by Blake Crouch because I loved the previous one so much. Jason is abducted on his way home after grabbing drinks with a friend. When he finally wakes up, everyone is excited to see him but he’s not exactly where he’s suppose to be. Another trippy story by Blake that I could not put down. Verdict: 5 Stars
I’m Fine And Neither Are You by Camille Pagan: I’m realizing that Camille’s book are always heavy but I ended up loving this story although I thought it was depressing at first. Penny is grieving the death of her best friend, that seemed to have the perfect life. Jenny was a successful blogger with a huge following, had an adorable daughter and husband; She was found dead due to an overdose on prescription drugs. Penny is not only sad but feels bad for not realizing that her best friend was struggling. Penny is also dealing with the stress of being a working mom with a very lazy ‘almost unemployed’ husband. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Queen Of Hearts by Kimmery Martin: This book is about the friendship between Zadie and Emma, they met in college and both went to medical school. Later, both married with children and successful careers, they learned that an old colleague is coming to work in Emma’s hospital and they are pretty nervous about it. This book was excellent, the end made me roll my eyes but I can’t tell you without giving some of the plot away. Verdict: 4 Stars
Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple: I decided to read this before the movie comes out. I decided to watch the movie because my favorite, Cate Blanchette is starring in it. I really had no opinions on that book and it was a delight. It was quite funny to me and I love all the jabs at Microsoft. Not sure if the author purposely did that but it was hilarious to me. I see why this book gets so much hype, it was truly unique. Verdict: 5 Stars
Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng: I enjoyed Little Fires Everywhere, full review here. So I decided to pick up another of Celeste Ng books. It’s about a Chinese American family in the 70s when their favorite and perfect daughter Lydia goes missing and is later found dead. Everything unravels and you soon starts seeing all the cracks in the foundation of that family. The parents put a lot of pressure on Lydia white pretty much ignoring their other son and daughter. Nathan the eldest son is convinced their neighbor Jake is to blame for the death of his sister. Verdict: 4 Stars
Miracle Creek by Angie Kim: This is Angie Kim’s debut novel and it is brilliant. She said it took her 5 years to write it and it shows. Elizabeth is on trial for the death of her son autistic Henry during one of his treatments. This book is narrated from several characters perspective, and you see how several different events can amount to something catastrophic. I don’t want to give anything away but it is truly a great story. I listened to this book via audible and I think it was beautifully narrated. Verdict 5 Stars
The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo: Marilyn and David met in college and quickly get married in the 70s. Years later they have 4 adult daughters; Wendy is rich and troubled, she entertains herself with alcohol, younger men and driving her sister Violet crazy. Violet is uptight and a stay at home mom, she was my least favorite sister. Liza is a college professor with a loser boyfriend that plays video game all day. Grace is away from home and lying to her parents about what’s going on. Everything changes when Wendy brought Jonah to the picture, the baby Violet gave up for adoption years ago. Meanwhile the 4 sisters are desperately thriving to live to the their parent’s relationship. Through the years David and Marilyn are still very much in love. I can’t think of a single thing I didn’t like about this book, the story was entertaining from beginning to end. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Bride Test by Helen Hoang: Khai is autistic and convinced that he’s incapable of love. His mother is trying and failing to find him a wife. She meets Esme in Ho Chi Minh City where she’s working as a janitor in a hotel and offers to bring her to America, thinking she’s the perfect girl for him. Esme agrees because she wants to give her family and young daughter a better life. I thought this would be just a cute rom com but it was so much more. Esme was hardworking and determined to make it in the US. Don’t want to give too much away but I loved it! Verdict: 4 Stars
After The End by Clare Mackintosh: Pip and Max have the perfect family until their son Dylan gets diagnose with a brain tumor. Everything changes and Pip pretty lives in the hospital hoping her son will be get better after a major brain operation. They late learn that Dylan’s surgery wasn’t successful and he will never fully recuperate. They have to decide if to let Dylan die in peace or force new treatment that may buy them a few months or a couple more years. Their world is turned upside down when Pip and Max are not in agreement for what’s best for their son and end up in court. I did not want to read this to be honest but once I started I could not put it down. Verdict: 4.5 Stars
Three Women by Lisa Taddeo: Lisa follows the sex life of 3 women over the course of 8 years. This reads like fiction and was interesting. I think it is way over hyped on instagram. The stories of these women are nothing I haven’t heard before. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
SEPTEMBER 2019
Very Nice by Marcy Dermansky: Rachel is 19 and in love with her writing professor Zahid, that she had a fling with. At the beginning of Summer, she agrees to watch his dog while he goes back home to Pakistan. Zahid comes back early with no place to live for the Summer, he has a sublet that is no mood to share the place. He goes to Connecticut to get his dog from Rachel and agrees to stay there with Rachel and her mom Becca. Things get weird pretty quickly as Zahid and Becca seem to be getting close. Basically every character in this book needs therapy, they are all selfish, terrible and amusing. This book was hilarious to me, the perfect light read. Verdict: 4 Stars
When We Believed In Mermaids by Barbara O’Neal: Kit is an ER doctor in Santa Cruz, while watching the news report of a fire in a nightclub in New Zealand during a late shift, she sees her sister Josie in the background. Josie died years ago in a terrorist attack in Paris. She tried to move on, but her mom saw the news snippet as well and is asking Kit to go look for her sister. The trip ends up changing Kit’s life, she finds love, her sister, a new family and lots of drama in between. I looooved this book. Verdict: 4.5 Stars
Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty: 9 strangers go to a retreat, each of them is going through different challenges. The retreat is well a bit unconventional, and the participants are growing suspicious of the leader of the retreat, Marsha. The retreat is slowly turning into nightmare and they are not sure if Marsha is insane or if this is all part of her master plan. This book starts slow but once you get hooked, it is such a ‘shitshow’. It made me laugh and say WTF several times. It was a fun read. Verdict: 4 Stars
What Alice Forgot by Liane Moriarty: I picked up another one by Liane and it did not disappoint. Alice faints during a spin class and hits her head. She is rushed to the hospital, physically she’s fine but she thinks she 29 when she’s actually 39. She forgot the past 10 years and cannot believe how much she’s changed, most of all her relationships with her sister and husband are not what she expected. She doesn’t recognize her three kids and has no idea who her dead best friend Gina is. As she navigates this new life, she sees how she became someone that wasn’t all that nice. The ending was so satisfying. Verdict: 4 Stars
100 Days of Sunlight by Abbie Emmons: Tessa is involved in a major car accident and temporarily loses her sight. She is beyond sad and frustrated. Weston hears of Tessa and volunteers to help her. She is reticent at first, but his perseverance and good nature eventually charms her. Weston is also hiding something from Tessa and once she gets her sight back he’s not sure how she will feel about him. Weston was such a sweet fictional character. This was given to me by Netgalley for review. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai: Rhiannon is the brain behind a major dating app. Unlucky in love, she has random hookups. Once, she bended her rules and decided to see one of her conquest again, he stands her up. Seeing him again in a work setting, unsettles her. Can she believe his explanation and trust that he’s a good guy, or will she let her past come in the way of this new relationship. Found this at the library and it was a light and fun audiobook. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane: Peter and Kate are neighbors and friends but their parents don’t have the best relationship. While in the 8th grade, something major happens that separates them for a few years. When Peter reaches out to her years later, they end up dating and getting married. But all the resentment between their parents can’t be brushed away easily and they face many challenges. This was a great story and kept me engaged the entire time. Verdict: 4 Stars
Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren: Tate and Sam meet while vacationing in London and it’s almost love at first sight. They quickly grew close but their romance unfortunately doesn’t last. Years later, Tate is a big actress. She’s starring in a new movie, the screenwriter is none other than her old love Sam. Let’s just say she is not happy to see him. It was a cute love story but not my favorite from Christina Lauren but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I received this book from netgalley for review. Verdict: 3 Stars
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern: This book is just enchanting and has 218 chapters so yeah. It is certainly not what I usually go for, but it was beautiful. Celia clearly has magical powers and her dad has her perform in a circus as an illusionist. At an early age, her dad had he join a challenge with an unknown competitor and there’s no way out of it. Verdict: 5 Stars
American Royals by Katharine McGee: I was so excited for this and it did not disappoint. Imagine after the Revolutionary War, America ended up with a Monarchy. In modern day, Princess Beatrice is being prepped to eventually be the first Queen. The throne used to go to the first born son, now it’s to the first born allowing the first princess to become a Queen. Beatrice is a good girl and takes her job very seriously but doesn’t have much of a personal life. Her younger twin siblings Samantha and Jefferson are the wild ones but Sam gets all the blame. Beatrice feels misunderstood by her sister but so does Sam. I don’t want to give anything away but it was such a fun read and when it ended I was not ready. I’m guessing there will be a sequel and I surely cannot wait for it. Verdict: 4 Stars.
OCTOBER 2019
The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood: Zee has a pretty hard life, and on top of that she’s trying to free her kidnapped sister. Her mother is severely overweight and a hoarder, she’s also trying to shield her young nephew Marcus from it all. Gentry claimed to be Zee’s champion and helps through all her troubles. He is also on the spectrum and “very special”. I don’t want to give much away but this author is simply brilliant. It took me a while to finish this book because of my trip but it was really interesting. Would I want to read a similar book right now, NO! So this is a great book but surely not for everyone. Verdict: 4 Stars
Red At The Bone by Jacqueline Woodson: Iris is 15 and pregnant, her parents are upset but she insists on having the baby. She names her Melody but eventually Iris goes to college, leaving Melody’s dad and grandparents to raise her. This book was so much better than I expected. The story is not groundbreaking but I love the author’s writing style and how she shared everyone’s perspective of the story. I highly recommend it and I finished it in one day. Verdict: 5 Stars
Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell: After reading this book, the first thing I did was check out the reviews. Someone complained that Malcom didn’t give actual tips on how to talk to strangers. Sigh… This is a book we need in 2019, this is something I think about all the time but I don’t have Malcom’s expertise to express and research so well. More than ever I feel like we live in a time where everyone has very strong opinions and think we can have quick fixes. Welp that’s just not the case, some problems (like racism and more) don’t have easy clean cut solutions. So I didn’t get into this book expecting a formula on how to understand strangers. Human beings are complicated, we can figure them out just by looking at them. We all have an origin story, that almost always unknown to others. This book is excellent and I enjoyed it. I got the audio version and it was produced amazingly. Like a long, high quality podcast. Verdict: 5 Stars
Do You Mind If I Cancel by Gary Janetti: Gary runs this hilarious instagram account. I got to know him better because of his celebrity stylist boyfriend Brad Goreski, Gary is a TV writer for shows like Family Guy and Will & Grace. His humor is in line with mine so I knew I had to read his book. It was everything I hoped it would be, sassy and funny. I loved reading about his evolution as a gay man and coming into the confident and hilarious man he is today. I read this book on a four hour flight and people possibly thought I was insane because I was giggling through most of it. This book was given to me by Flatiron Books. It comes out on October 22nd and you can preorder it here Verdict: 5 Stars
Inside Out by Demi Moore: I ordered this as soon as it came out. My earliest memory of Demi is in ghost, after reading this book, I have to watch GI Jane and rewatch Striptease and Indecent Proposal. I was kinda young when her career was taking off. I finished this book in one day, it was that good. I think she wrote her memoir beautifully without throwing anyone under the bus, she just told her truth. She went through so much and it’s inspiring to see someone turn their life around, and take responsibility for the part they played in their story and come to terms with things they cannot change. Verdict: 5 Stars
NOVEMBER 2019
All It Takes by Kristen Proby: At the reading of her grandfather’s will, Sienna and her sister inherits a big chunk of money. Her grandpa however left a property to the city to remain as a park, but another lawyer ‘Quinn’ comes to the reading claiming that Sienna grandpa sold the property to his client. Sienna is also a lawyer and wants to fight for her grandpa’s wishes. Now she has to work with Quinn to settles this and there’s definitely sparks between them. This author is a go-to for brain candy. Verdict: 3 Stars
Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid: So I decided to read all of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s books and thankfully they are all available at my library. Hannah is kind of a mess, after ending her relationship with a married man in New York, she is moving back to her hometown LA. She is excited to live with her best friend Gabby again and reconnects with her high school boyfriend Ethan. One her first night out, Ethan asks to her to stay out with him, from that point on you start reading two parallel stories. In one Hannah stays out with Ethan, and in the other she chooses to go home with Gabby and not rush things. Taylor is very creative and I really enjoyed reading this. It was so interesting to read how things turned out based on a single simple decision. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates: Sigh… I am having such a hard time reviewing this book. I usually avoid books and movies about slavery, I’ve spent years studying that subject and it makes me sad, so I usually don’t seek it when looking for entertainment. This book has amazing reviews and clearly the writer is beyond gifted. It just wasn’t for me. It took me three weeks to finish it. Not even going to rate, I say check the reviews and it may or may not be for you.
The Best Thing by Mariana Zapata: I usually like this author for light reads. I really enjoyed The Wall of Winnipeg and Me and Rhythm, Chord & Malykhin, but this one was meh, I didn’t finish it. Verdict: 2 Stars
Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid: Elsie is a 20 something librarian with a pretty simple life. This story starts with a bang, her husband ‘Ben’ of barely one week goes out to get her cereal and dies in an accident. She is devastated, they met six months prior and it was pretty much love a first sight. Now she’s grieving and dealing with Ben’s mom that she’s never met. This was another great story by Taylor Jenkins Reid, I enjoyed it but know that it is a bit sad. Although, I was very happy with the ending. Verdict: 3.5
All The Beautiful Lies by Peter Swanson: I also decided to read all of Peter Swanson books and I am officially spooked. Harry has to miss graduation because his father passed and it’s unclear if it’s a freak accident or premeditated. He goes back home to his stepmom Alice. She is beautiful and Harry was always weirdly attracted to her. Overwhelmed by his last parent passing and not sure what’s his next step is, Harry is obviously distraught. On the day he got back home, he notices a girl that is staring at his father’s house, then later sees her at the funeral. Yet no one seems to know who she is. Harry start digging in his father’s past and is learning some of his father’s secrets. Also Alice is not so innocent either. I looooved this book, it had me at the edge of my seat the entire time. So twisted and so good. Verdict: 4 Stars
Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson: Kate suffers from anxiety and has a traumatic past. When she travels to the US for a six months flat exchange with her cousin Corbin, she is very nervous as this is a major endeavor for her. Upon her arrival, a girl is freaking out and asking for a wellness check on her friend that lives next door to Kate’s new flat. We later found out that the next door neighbor was indeed murdered in her apartment. Kate is of course freaked out, was her cousin involved with this girl? Is her new and slightly creepy neighbor Alan involved? She doesn’t know, but something fishy is definitely going on, and some people are not who they claim to be. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Girl with a Clock for a Heart by Peter Swanson: George is a 40 something single man. While hanging at the bar with a friend, he see his ex from college Liana. She disappeared from his life 20 years and is wanted for murder. The meeting wasn’t accidental, she needs a favor from George and he just can’t say no to her. Another great book by Peter, the end wasn’t as satisfying. I love when everything is resolved but still a great read that will have you at the edge of your seat. Verdict: 4 Stars
Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson: This is my very first time reading this author and I was worried this book would be similar to a Liane Moriarty novel but it was totally different. Amy is a regular mom and wife, she is hosting book club when her new neighbors hijacks it and starts playing a very dangerous game. She knows something about Amy’s past that she has not shared with anyone in her new life. Verdict: 4.5 Stars
The Roxy Letters by Mary Pauline Lowry: Roxy is in her late 20s, failed artist and work in the deli at Whole Foods in Austin Texas. She’s unlucky in love and having so much financial issues that she’s renting her ex Everett a room in her house. Everett is not her first choice as a tenant but she needs the money, she also knows he can help take care of her pets. She writes Everett letters when he’s running late on rent, or when he brings cheese to the house. Roxy is a wannabe vegan and cheese is her weakness. As her life unravels with drama, Roxy continues to writes these letters to Everett, talking about her woes, failed attempts at dating, outrage at Lululemon and more. Sometimes you read a book that is just so different, Roxy is a millennial to the T but deep down she wants to get her life together and her journey will make you shake your head, laugh and eventually love her. Verdict: 4 Stars – Thanks to Netgalley for this advance copy, this book will be out in April 2020 and is worth preordering. I will give you guys a reminder when it’s out.
After The Party by Lisa Jewell: Jem and Ralph are separated and coparenting their two kids. When Ralph mysteriously doesn’t pick up the kids with little explanation, Jem seriously gets worried and start looking for him and calling his family. The story then goes back to a year prior when Jem and Ralph were still together. I think this was a really interesting story of transitioning from a carefree relationship to being in your 30s, struggling with fertility, having kids and feeling disconnected from your partner. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
Get A life Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert: Chloe’s life changed when she is diagnosed with fibromyalgia, this chronic illness caused her to lose her fiancé and all her friends. She is often in pain and they didn’t get her current limitations. Thankfully her family is very supportive. She finally moves out to her own flat and starts a list to-do list to get her life together. She doesn’t make the best impression on her superintendent Red, who she’s being spying on. This is a super cute and steamy romance with lots of depth, because both Chloe and Red have a lot of emotional baggage from their previous bad experiences. It was such a fun read, I loved it as much as The Hating Game and that’s saying a lot. Verdict: 4.5 Stars
The Making of Us by Lisa Jewell: Lydia had a sad upbringing and is now a lonely upbringing. Robyn is gorgeous and popular but now she’s struggling in medical school. Dean is a new single dad without a purpose. They don’t know each other but are linked and they lives are about to change. I always enjoy Lisa’s books, her stories are always so interesting. Don’t be fooled by my simplistic summary, this story is so complex and the end was so satisfying. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
DECEMBER 2019
Roommates Wanted by Lisa Jewell: Ok I’m officially a fan of Lisa Jewell, her books are not groundbreaking but they have depth, great storyline and endearing characters. Toby is a bit of a weirdo and owns a big house. His mom died when he was young, his dad wasn’t really there for him and his wife left him after a month of marriage. In his big house, he has 5 roommates that he feels responsible for. When one dies at 97 years old and leaves him some money, a cat and a letter, he starts making some life changes. Verdict: 4 Stars
The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory: Maddie puts up with Theo, he is her best friend Alexa’s coworker/friend. When she is dragged to Theo’s birthday party by Alexa, she ends up having to drive him home and then some. Now they are trying to hide their hook ups from Alexa as she is prepping her wedding. I read the proposal and it was nice to see the different character intertwined. This was a really fun modern romance. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
The House We Grew Up In Lisa Jewell: I’ve been on the Lisa Jewell bandwagon and I can’t seem to hop off. This started a bit slow but it picked up and kept me engaged the entire time. It’s about a family with fours kids, two girls and twin boys. When one of the twin boys commits suicide the family is forever changed and the mom starts showing hoarder tendencies. This book will make you feel a lot better about your own family, these people are all over the place. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
Kulti by Mariana Zapata: Sal is a professional football player and she finds out that her football star idol, that she grew up loving and looking up is going to be her coach. He’s not a very nice man to say the least, but somehow they end up building a friendship. The Wall of Winnipeg is still my favorite but I really enjoyed this. I’m seeing a trend in Mariana main male characters, they are always so rude. Verdict: 3.5
The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell: Pip is 12 and recently moved in this new flat with her mom and sister Grace. The flat is around this communal garden, where all the tweens and kids in the neighborhood run free. One night after a party, Pip founds her sister in the garden unconscious and half dressed. Trust me I didn’t spoil the story, this is all in the beginning and the story goes back to how they got there. Loved it! Verdict: 3.5 Stars
Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory: Ok I’ve been reading Jasmine Guillory’s books out of order and it really doesn’t matter. In the Wedding Date above it was all about Maddie and Theo, well this book is about Maddie’s mom Vivian. She travels to the UK with Maddie, she has a gig to dress the duchess for her holiday events. While Maddie is working, her mom starts a romance with Malcom who’s the personal secretary of the Queen. It was so nice to read a romance novel about a more mature couple. This one was so sweet and festive. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens: Joe is struggling to keep up with college work, deal with his bipolar mom and autistic brother Jeremy. His mom keeps getting in trouble with her drinking and is not taking very good care of Jeremy. For an english class assignment, Joe has to write the biography of a stranger and founds Carl Iverson at a nursing home. He is dying of cancer and was convicted for the rape and murder of a 14 year old in the 80s. He claims to be innocent and promise Joe he’s full life story. This book was so so good, my summary cannot do it justice. It was my first time reading Allen Eskens and I can’t think of anything negative about it. They are adapting it to the big screen, I definitely will want to see that. Verdict: 5 Stars
Nothing More Dangerous by Allen Eskens: Since I loved The Life We Bury, I picked up Allen latest as well. Boady is a young teen boy living with his mom, he doesn’t have any friends other than his older neighbor Hoax. When he hears that he is getting new neighbors and they have a son his age, he’s pretty excited to meet him and potentially make a new friend. His new neighbors are black and some people in town are not too excited to have them around. Some of his schoolmate try to recruit him to vandalize his new neighbors home but he refuses to go through with it, now he has to deal with the consequences of that choice. Allen is officially a new favorite. Verdict: 4 Stars
My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren: I picked up this one at the library on a whim and read in two days, only because I had to work and sleep and so on. This may be my all time favorite Christina Lauren book. Millie has a great group of guy friends and they are also her coworkers. She is closer to Reid and they are pretty much the center of the group. After a night of monopoly and heavy drinking, Millie finds herself very attracted to Reid and they have a half night stand. They then agree to go back to being friends and keep things PG. When they all need dates for a big work event, they all agree to join online dating but Millie ends up with two accounts. In one she’s Millie, the girl that never goes too deep, in the other she’s Cat and matches with Reid. Don’t want to give too much away but I loved this one. Verdict: 4 Stars
I Found You by Lisa Jewell: Alice lives in a beachside cottage with her three kids. One morning she wakes up to a stranger sitting on the beach claiming to not know who he is and how he got there. She makes the unsound advice to let him in, meanwhile somewhere else in the UK, newlywed Lily is anxious because her new amazing husband has not come home. She is new to the UK so have very little help and the police is not as alarmed as she is. So who is the man on the beach and where is Lily’s husband? Are these events related? Verdict: 3.5 Stars
We Met in December by Rosie Curtis: Jess moves to London with a new job and is excited to live in Nothing Hill. Her friend Becky inherited a huge fully furnished house from her grandparents and is renting rooms for a steal to Jess, Emma, Alex and Rob. When Jess meets Alex, it’s pretty much attraction at first sight. Becky has one rule, no funny stuff between roommates to avoid drama. Jess goes on a ski trip that December when she comes back she notices Emma leaving Alex’s room. She is not thrilled, but her and Alex still manage to become very good friends. When Jess starts a new relationship Alex is also not thrilled. Needless to say life in the house is getting complicated for both. This was a very cute read and it’s another great one for the holiday season. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
We Came Here To Forget by Andrea Dunlop: Katie was a professional skier, but she has currently gained 20 pounds and is depressed. Something major happened with her family and her sister Penny is no longer in her life. On a whim, she takes a trip to Argentina and decides to stay there for a while. She gets a new gig and make new expat friends who all seem to be escaping something as well. Eventually Katie has to face her problems and her past is catching up to her. I picked this up at the library because I’ve seen it all over instagram. I liked it because the story was pretty unique, don’t want to give too much away. Verdict: 3.5 Stars
Awk-Weird by Avery Flynn: Picked this up on a whim from the library and it was so cute. Tess is super awkward and is from a shitty family. She meets Cole a hockey player at one of her best friend’s rehearsal dinner, it starts shaky but they end up spending the night together. A month later, she is pregnant and keeping it. Cole wants to help her but Tess has a hard time letting people in and Cole has some quirks as well. Verdict: 3.5 Stars