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Hey friends. Time for book reviews from October. A couple I didn't finish, one I loved, and a few ehh.
Total physical/kindle books: 3
Total audible: 5
Total books for 2024: 97
Goal: 150 books
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Title: By Any Other Name
Author: Jodi Picoult
Genre: Historical Fiction
How I Read It: libby audiobook
My Rating: 1 out of 5
Amazon Description: Young playwright Melina Green has just written a new work inspired by the life of her Elizabethan ancestor Emilia Bassano. But seeing it performed is unlikely, in a theater world where the playing field isn’t level for women. As Melina wonders if she dares risk failure again, her best friend takes the decision out of her hands and submits the play to a festival under a male pseudonym.
In 1581, young Emilia Bassano is a ward of English aristocrats. Her lessons on languages, history, and writing have endowed her with a sharp wit and a gift for storytelling, but like most women of her day, she is allowed no voice of her own. Forced to become a mistress to the Lord Chamberlain, who oversees all theatre productions in England, Emilia sees firsthand how the words of playwrights can move an audience. She begins to form a plan to secretly bring a play of her own to the stage—by paying an actor named William Shakespeare to front her work.
Told in intertwining timelines, By Any Other Name, a sweeping tale of ambition, courage, and desire centers two women who are determined to create something beautiful despite the prejudices they face. Should a writer do whatever it takes to see her story live on . . . no matter the cost? This remarkable novel, rooted in primary historical sources, ensures the name Emilia Bassano will no longer be forgotten.
My Review: This was a DNF. I got 25% in and couldn't get into the story line. The jump back and forth was confusing and hard to keep up with. The story line was boring and didn't hook me. I really wanted to love this book.
Title: The Pumpkin Spice Cafe
Author: Laurie Gilmore
Genre: Romance
How I Read It: Hoopla Audiobook
My Rating: 5 out of 5
Amazon Description: When Jeanie’s aunt gifts her the beloved Pumpkin Spice Café in the small town of Dream Harbor, Jeanie jumps at the chance for a fresh start away from her very dull desk job.
Logan is a local farmer who avoids Dream Harbor’s gossip at all costs. But Jeanie’s arrival disrupts Logan’s routine and he wants nothing to do with the irritatingly upbeat new girl, except that he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her.
Will Jeanie’s happy-go-lucky attitude win over the grumpy-but-gorgeous Logan, or has this city girl found the one person in town who won’t fall for her charm, or her pumpkin spice lattes…
My Review: Cozy sweet, Gilmore Girl vibes, perfect for fall. Screams small town romance Hallmark movie with a little bit of spice and smidge of mystery.
Title: Famous At Home
Author: Josh and Christi Straub
Genre: Christian Parenting
How I Read It: Hoopla Audiobook
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Amazon Description: No one wakes up and decides, “I’m planning to ruin my marriage, neglect my kids, and cause mistrust in my family.” Yet our personal pursuits and busyness can lead us there. In this book, marriage and leadership coaches Dr. Josh and Christi Straub show how seven core decisions can help us put what’s most important center stage in our lives.
Famous at Home is Josh and Christi’s realistic, grace-filled look at the struggles families face in a culture that competes for their time, attention, and identity. Whether you’ve found yourself putting more effort into becoming famous on stages outside the home, or your stage is the home, Famous at Home offers guidance and inspiration to help you give your family the best version of you instead of your leftovers.
Famous at Home will help you and your spouse
- Be on the same team—fighting for each other and not against each other
- Stay emotionally connected even if work, distance, or busyness are in the way
- Deeply invest in the emotional lives of your children
My Review: Encouraging and practical ways to make your family your focus. Love examples and action steps to have realistic changes that anyone can do.
Title: Lights Out
Author: Navessa Allen
Genre: Dark Romance
How I Read It: Hoopla audiobook
My Rating: 5 out of 5
Amazon Description: I want someone with a soul as black as night. Someone who would burn the world down for me and not lose a single minute of sleep over it.
Trauma nurse Aly Cappellucci doesn’t need any more kinks. She likes the one she’s landed on just fine. To her, nothing could top the masked men she follows online. Unless one of those men was shirtless, heavily tattooed, and waiting for her in her bedroom. She dreams about being hunted by one in particular, of him chasing her down and doing deliciously dark things to her willing body. She never could have guessed that by sending one drunken text, those dreams would become her new reality.
I want things most people don’t, craving darkness and depravity instead of light and love.
Josh Hammond has spent his life avoiding the limelight, but his online persona is another story. At night, he posts masked thirst traps for his millions of fans to drool over, but one follower has caught his eye: Aly. After reading a comment begging him to break into her house wearing a mask, he decides to take her up on her offer.
Together, Aly and Josh live out their darkest fantasies, unaware that Aly has captured the attention of someone else. Someone with far more sinister intentions than a little light stalking. As Josh turns from predator to protector and the stakes heighten, he must ask himself how far he’s willing to go for the woman he’s obsessed with.
My Review: Dark Romance with romance mixed in. I hate to say I didn't feel like this was as dark as a lot other books. (maybe I just need therapy) I enjoyed the banter and couldn't listen fast enough. Be sure to check triggers.
Title: Co-Wrecker
Author: Meghann Quinn
Genre: Romance
How I Read It: Hoople Audiobook
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Amazon Description: Co-Wrecker is a small town, coworkers to lovers romance that can be read as a standalone romantic comedy. See why readers are falling in love with this nerdy alpha male.
What do ice cream and Sadie Montgomery have in common? They're both ice cold, but one taste is never enough.
I wanted to be friends — I would have even settled for her seeing me as anything but a nerd — but there was no getting through. So just like any hard-headed, red-blooded man out there, I made up my mind.
I’d make my coworker fall for me.
I’d like to say it was simple, but like every other epic love story, all it took was one drunken night and a lot of naked courage to get the girl. For a moment, at least.
Love with a coworker is never simple, especially since Sadie’s trying to keep us on the low. Not to mention her persistent ex-boyfriend who won’t leave her alone. But I’ve never been good at giving up, and I don’t plan to start now.
The whole thing is a recipe for a rocky road, but I plan to eat the whole gallon, no matter how bad the brain freeze.
My Review: Laugh out loud, likeable story. Characters that you were rooting for, entertain read.
Title: Autumn in Sycamore Park
Author: CP Ward
Genre: Chick Lit
How I Read It: kindle ebook
My Rating: 3 out of 5
Amazon Description: Having fled a relationship and a previous life she would rather forget, young teacher Jennifer Stevens throws herself into a demanding new job at Brentwell Primary. Charged with marshalling a group of unruly eight-year-olds to the autumn harvest festival, her only solace is the peace of nearby Sycamore Park.
As the evenings draw in and the leaves begin to fall, will new friends, delicious autumn treats, and a possible new man on the orange-tinted horizon help Jennifer finally come to terms with her past and begin to look forward into the future?
My Review: A cozy read perfect for fall. Moving to a new town, making new friends, a new job, and a potential new romance. A slow read to really connect with the characters with a very predictable story line.
Author: Juliette n. Banks
Genre: Romantic Suspense
How I Read It: kindle ebook
My Rating: 4 out of 5
Amazon Description: He’s sworn to protect, and never love again, but will she be the one to breach his walls?
My name is Josh Hawke, decorated SEAL and founder of Black Hawke Security. Some might call me arrogant. Women call me cold. Those who truly know me call me dangerous.
I’m all those things.
My priority is my elite team of former special ops who fulfill our contracts with governments and some of the most powerful people in the world.
When a famous rockstar hires us to protect his daughter, it’s just another job. Until I meet Cassy Cartwright and her intense green eyes send a bolt of chemistry through me.
She’s as infuriated as I am by it.
The last thing I want is private security intruding on my quiet, hard-fought-for life. Even if he is six foot four and the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen.
Not interested.
Josh is going to distract all the clients in my hair salon and… protect me from the stalker who is out of prison and looking for me again thanks to my rock star father's comeback hit.
But that’s all I want from him.
My Review: Steamy sexy seal filled story. Quick read because I couldn't put it down. Be sure to read trigger warnings.
Author: Catrina Burgess
Genre: Paranormal Romance
How I Read It: kindle ebook
My Rating: 1 out of 5
Amazon Description:
She’ll do anything for vengeance, even confront death itself
Born a healer, nineteen-year-old Colina has been taught to fear dark magic. But now vengeance and survival are her only goals, and she seeks the help of the Death Dealers—dark mages who wield the death arts, drawing their power from the spirits of the unsettled dead.
Colina asks a death dealer named Luke for help. Little does she know convincing him to train her will be the easiest part of her journey.
Three dark rituals, each more terrifying than the last.
If she survives her trials, what will she become?
My Review: I did not finish. The storyline had my attention. Felt like a great book to read around Halloween. The characters were whiny and not likeable. I got 50% through and just couldn't finish.
What are you reading this month?
I did finish By Any Other Name but I didn't enjoy it much at all. I was so sad about that!
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