Loving this cookbook my sweet daughter got me for Mother‘s day. I‘ve made several recipes from it so far and tonight‘s was Lasagne Alla Vodka and it was delicious!

It was a great reading month! These are all the books I read or listened to in May (except for the ebooks). I enjoyed so many of them including Herc, The Guncle Abroad, The Bandit Queens, Red River Girl, Funny Story, Black Chameleon and, of course, my re-read of Romancing Mr. Bridgerton.

So good! Witty, queer, unique, and funny, I‘ve never read anything quite like it. Telling the story of Hercules from various perspectives of everyone but Hercules himself, it is equal parts enjoyable and thought provoking. If you like mythology, check this out! #20in4 @Andrew65

Hope to finish this today for #BookspinBingo though it will be a stretch. I really need a #readathon in my life right now, so thanks @Andrew65 for the push! Happy reading, all! #20in4

Absolutely fantastic! Loved this installment of Disney‘s Little Mermaid imagined for grown ups. Ariel, one of 6 sisters in a world renowned girl band, meets Eric, an up and coming musician who loves music, except for hers. Mistaken identity, forced proximity, quirky bandmates, and an adorable guinea pig make for a charming story full of life and heart. Great on #audio. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

This nonfiction book is so compelling and fascinating that it reads like a thriller. Tina Fontaine was the young Indigenous woman whose death set off the firestorm of news coverage in 2014 about the missing and murdered Indigenous women across Canada. The journalist did an amazing job bringing Tina‘s story to light as well as that of the detectives and police squad. While tough to read at times, I highly recommend this one! #BookspinBingo

This was a fantastic debut! Compelling and layered, this unique love story between two unlikely characters is full of angst, longing, and heart. I‘m not surprised that Kuang has been a screenwriter and show runner in the past and I can‘t wait to see how she has adapted Emily Henry‘s forthcoming adaptations. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks #BOTM

Totally worth the hype! Funny, raw, and compelling, this snarky feminist gem was fantastic! I enjoyed it on #audio as well. #BookspinBingo

Heartbreakingly honest, this unflinching memoir of neglect, sadness, pain, and addiction has beautiful prose that stops you in your tracks. It was hard to read but I‘m so glad I did. I understand why it is considered a classic. #BookspinBingo #Roll100 @AllDebooks @TheAromaofBooks

Barnes & Noble Memorial Day sale was worth the trip! Double rewards points and much of the store on sale.

June (how is it possible?) #BookspinBingo list! Bring on summer reading! @TheAromaofBooks

Solid thriller, interesting perspective from a small town girl accused of killing her best friend and the podcaster that is trying to find the truth. Unexpected family dynamics and abusive relationships complicate matters as the story unfolds. I really liked the unlikable MC. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

“The only thing you absolutely have to know is the location of the library.” -Albert Einstein

This was such a delight! A little free library, a guard cat, and a little boy trying to solve a mystery make for a sweet, compelling and thoughtful story. So many special gems inside like a Mary Oliver poem, talking mice, and I‘ll let you discover the rest. Highly recommend! #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Loved this latest thriller featuring Lily Kintner and Henry Kimball. They are such compelling and conflicted characters and this was another great page turner. So happy to have a sneak peek at this #ARC that releases on June 11th. Highly recommend, though it is helpful if you‘ve read the first two in the series. #netgalleygroup @AllDebooks #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Good, dark, smart, twisty. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Powerful, evocative, mythical, and smart, this mixture of essays and poetry will have me thinking for a long time. Mouton is the Poet Laureate of Houston and she shares stories of her time there but also growing up in Los Angeles and Michigan. There is a real sense of place and memory in this book and the #audio is fantastic, narrated by the author. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

A sweet, funny, steamy romance set in a small Canadian community that is comforting and relaxing. Can‘t wait to read the next one in this new Elsie Silver series.

This was sweet and fun, I loved all of the flower pieces and the setting on a flower farm. Two complicated women find themselves living together on a flower farm aa they struggle to keep it, and themselves, afloat. The friends of one and sisters of the other form a strong (and hilarious) friend group that is a joy to be around. Great fun! #BookspinBingo #audio @TheAromaofBooks

This was the most delightful, charming fairytale retelling-maybe the best I‘ve ever read! Christina Lauren have reimagined Tangled in a modern, realistic way with complicated characters that you can‘t help but fall for. This releases June 25th and I can‘t wait until everyone reads it so we can all fan girl over it. Now I really want to watch Tangled! #BookspinBingo #netgalleygroup @TheAromaofBooks

This was a great thriller, kept me guessing and great twist at the end! I appreciated how well the three sisters loved each other, even while they were all dealing with difficult issues stemming from their painful childhoods and their shared history with the same abusive foster parent. #BOTM #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Rowley does it again and manages to recreate the same magical combination of heart and humor. We rejoin Patrick a few years later as he takes his niece and nephew on an European adventure. Great to be along for the ride and experience all the special joys of travel with GUP and the kids, laughing all the way. A snarky teenager, family wedding, a Launt (what!), a little bit of heartbreak and a happy ending make for the perfect summer read!

This was a delightful surprise! I loved Jenkins‘ authentic history, perspective, & voice. Getting to know him as he navigates his relationship with his loving mom who struggles with his identity as a gay man & her strict Christian faith. Jenkins‘ parents had a moment of fame in the 70s as they walked from Louisiana to Oregon, capturing national attention, & he & his Mom are retracing their steps and examining their relationship. #BookspinBingo

Snarky, pointed, and laugh out loud funny, this dark comedy was a thrilling take female friendship. Filled with secrets, humor, and murder, and a cast of relatable characters that will keep you guessing until the very end. The various bridal settings were fun and the send up of influencers and ridiculous social media culture had me giggling. And the yoni eggs? Hilarious! #netgalleygroup #BookspinBingo @AllDebooks @TheAromaofBooks

So good! I‘m so ready for season 3 of Bridgerton on May 16! #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks #Bookspin

#firstlinefridays

This was ok. Dark and twisty with several big surprises at the end that were . . . not that surprising. Maybe I‘ve read too many others where the characters felt more fully formed and less formulaic? Was a great listen, hard to put down, and I will try another of hers for sure. Just didn‘t blow me away. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Perfect heartwarming read!
Sweet children‘s librarian ✅
Scruffy and kind winery barkeep ✅
Fake relationship and forced proximity ✅
I loved every minute of these earnest sweethearts finding each other. Sigh 😍 Henry does it again and I‘m here for it! #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Got to check out the Charles Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa with my sweet sister @Ireadkidlit her kids and my son and had a ball! Highly recommend if you are ever in the area!

So unique and funny. I loved the set up-a reality show that gives two strangers 6 weeks to convince their families they are in love and getting married. And they have to plan a wedding at the same time. Shenanigans ensue and LGBTQ+ vibes abound. I get the hype! #pride #ownvoices #BookspinBingo Finished this just under the wire for 3 bingoes! @TheAromaofBooks

Wow! This epic story captures all of the layered elements of Robin Williams‘ expansive talent, unique personality, and special heart and exceeded all expectations. The author spoke with Robin often over the years and many of his friends and family spoke with him to about their relationships with Robin and it brought so much life and understanding to the biography. Beautifully written, I highly recommend it for comedy fans. #Roll100 #BookspinBingo

So good! I loved this sapphic love story about a farrier and a city girl who fall in love while trying to save the family business. With horses! Thoughtful and sweet with a light amount of spice, it left me wanting to visit Dugan‘s world more and hoping for another book set here-Lochlan and Tyler‘s perhaps? And how great is that cover?! #BookspinBingo #ARC #netgalleygroup @TheAromaofBooks @AllDebooks

This was a charming little bookstore!

So good! Dark in places but the characters are so earnest and lovable that you root for them that whole way. I leaned a lot about OCD and intrusive thoughts and it made me think about how you never know what others are going through. #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Finally got my May #BookspinBingo done. April has been a light reading month due to work but I‘m looking forward to a banner reading month in May! @TheAromaofBooks

Delightful and funny with a mystery storyline that was engaging. #BookspinBingo

Ooh boy! This one is dark, spicy, and one of a kind. Two serial killers who murder serial killers meet, fall in love, and try to figure out a way to make each other happy, even if healthy isn‘t in the cards. Fascinating characters, dark themes, and a meet cute you‘d never imagine add up to a genre I didn‘t know existed-romantic horror? While I had to skip a couple of gross sections (read the content warnings!) this was a great read! #BookspinBingo

I‘ve been a bit quiet and haven‘t had a chance to read much this past week as it has been conference week. I was blessed to meet some amazing authors and will be buzzing for awhile. I‘ll share ove the next few days but here is the first one-the amazing Leanne Morgan, whose first book will release in September. She was so kind, authentic, and funny. So special to meet her!

So good! Loved on #audio as she read it and it was wonderful to hear it in her iconic voice. I loved the musical recording pieces they added into the audiobook. What an amazing creative life she has led, I am so thankful for the art that she has put into the world. She is a national treasure! #BookspinBingo Counting as two spaces since it was 48 hours long! @TheAromaofBooks ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Loved this! A former gymnast and grumpy Irish chef struggle to come to terms with their feelings while getting up to hilarious shenanigans. Just delightful!

Finished this a few days ago and liked it so much, I jumped right into book 2 of the series. Loved the setting on a fancy yacht that fancy people can rent. The behind the scenes perspective was fun and the characters a delight! #BookspinBingo

This was fast paced, twisty, and compelling but also down to earth and believable. I liked the characters-how earnest and engaging they were while still being a little complicated. I don‘t want to say much because going in blind, like I did, may be the best way to experience this mystery. This has been on my #TBR for way too long, so glad that #Roll100 moved this up! #Bookspin #Doublespin @TheAromaofBooks @PuddleJumper

This was funny, charming, and had a unique point of view that was really refreshing. The most well respected and award-winning screenwriter tries his hand a a rom-com and it is terrible. Career-ending level of awful. So they bring in an unknown writer who has a tough road to help ghost write it and make it passable. Shenanigans ensue, can these two broken people find their way, alone or together? Comes out June 11th!

Just finished my second Silver series. Man, these were fun! Making the most of my kindle unlimited free subscription 😉 #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

I am loving this on #audio read by the author. So delightful!

#BOTM was hard to resist this month! But one was a free birthday book!

March was a great reading month for me! List of mood reading to celebrate my birthday and I managed (just barely) to clear my board! #bookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Really angsty, high steam, PTSD, and the horse racing elements were great! 😀 Was a fun read! This one blacks out my BookspinBingo board! @TheAromaofBooks

Still on my Elsie Silver kick. These are like a cozy blanket to cuddle up in and escape the world. With horses 🐎 #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

My April #BookspinBingo list! I don‘t reread much, but planning to read the tagged book again in anticipation of Bridgerton season 3 😍 @TheAromaofBooks

What an unusual, lovely, romantic, and authentic story about a woman who is on autopilot until an unplanned pregnancy throws her life into technicolor. There were some tough moments but so many sweet ones and the way the people around her showed up for her had me grinning from ear to ear. I will seek out more from Bastone! #BOTM #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks