Welcome to Litsy!

One of my top 5 authors! Seem to love everything she writes and so far, this book will be toward the top!

Spending the next two weeks at St Augustine Beach and hoping to get some reading done. Up first! My July #bookspin pick. It‘s also on my #14books14weeks2023 list!

@TheAromaofBooks
@TheHeartlandBookFairy (5 of 14)

Here we go! July‘s #bookspin and #doublespin

Excited to read these two…they are both on my #14books14weeks2023 list!

Thank you for hosting, @TheAromaofBooks

Thank you for my order. #litsylove @LitsyLove
Can‘t wait to share!

Thank you so much for my book too!
You all are so kindhearted. 💕🤗💕🤗💕

Thank you Katherine for all of these books!! You are amazing! We will definitely be able to use these for #LitsyLove 📝💌📮♥️📚

I loved this book, such a feel good story, all the characters were lovely. It deals with some difficult subject matters but in a good way.

It took me awhile to finish this ebook. - I kept getting distracted with other books. A satisfying modern #romantsy set in a private school in Texas . Gentle and joyful- a good summer read.

This book is all soft sand and comfy couches. It‘s warm, the steaks are fairly low, and the characters are quirky. The perfect relaxing summer beach read.

My beautiful #flowers and Willow Tree Angel from my Valentine 💙💗

#Ithadtobeyou

Read earlier in the week for a blog party celebrating the paperback edition publishing, I really enjoyed this book-my 2nd from this author. A good blend of poignancy, humor & hope, about embracing yourself & choosing joy in life despite the ups & downs. I loved Sam & her fight to save her beloved school. Paired with Donut-Fried Apples as my bookish dish from a fruit juggling scene where a character calls them by wrong names to make kids laugh. ⬇️

Yesterday was a great #bookmail day! 📚📪
I received my #poetryswap box from @kspenmoll that I am so excited to open! 🤗📦📚I also got two #arcs for a couple of recipe party book tours in August.

#summerpoetryswap

Probably my least favorite book by Katherine, but still a pick. My #doublespin for July @TheAromaofBooks

I was looking for something similar to Beach Read by Emily Henry and while it did scratch that enemies-to-lovers itch it was also surprisingly incredibly uplifting! Sometimes we have to choose joy on purpose before we can experience it again and heal. I'm trying to learn how to put that into practice.

Center does work place romances well. The books I have read of hers remind me of beach reads with substance. I loved the characters in this. She is now an auto buy author now.

Another amazing novel by the amazing Katherine Center. I guessed a few of the plot twists, but that‘s okay because I loved the characters and the writing. Book 27 in 2021

4.5 ⭐
I absolutely loved this book.
While both the main characters are going through some difficult times, the story is still sweet, with a little bit of romance. Thought the story was much deeper. Grief and PTSD were two big subjects in this book, even if we don't see the subject being explore at their full expense, it brough so much to the story.
I also really like reading a community coming together to help eachother. ❤

Currently reading 📚🥰

Good story with the message that people should choose joy even (and especially) in difficult and painful times. I love Center‘s characters and writing style! But this one fell a bit short of the quality in How to Walk Away, and Things you save in a Fire.

#bookspinbingo @TheAromaofBooks

Unlike the first 2 books of Center's I've read and really enjoyed, this one fell flat. Characters were okay, I didn't love the plot.

I‘ve been re-alphabetizing my books (don‘t ask how many I have—even book people gasp when I admit it) and after 4 days, I‘m part way through H. I am a pile of aches and pains so I‘m stopping early today. I‘ve earned sit on the couch and dive into one of the #newyearwhodis books @hes7 chose for me.

I‘ve been eagerly awaiting when this book would appear in my library‘s Libby offerings and jumped on this one ASAP. I finished this book in less than 24 hours.

Of the 3 Center books I‘ve read, I‘d rank this above What You Save in a Fire, but below How to Walk Away.

My only con is that both MCs are a little bit dramatic and presumptuous about how others will react to their respective personal issues, to the point of not being realistic.

Read it basically in a day other than the first 15 pages. Simple but enjoyable. Loved the fact that the author was inspired by Joyful. Color and it‘s impact on Joy fascinate me.

I really loved Things You Save in a Fire so I was really excited to read this one especially when I found out it took place in a school. I said it was just okay because Sam‘s need to run away was particularly frustrating. I almost stopped reading after the first 30 pages because I couldn‘t wrap my head around a woman leaving a school because of her crush. I kept going and it was worth it just not my favorite read.

Congratulations to @Texreader on her milestone! I‘m dying to read the tagged book bc I adore Katherine Center‘s stories❤️❤️

#karensgiveaway

Katherine Center is another auto read for me. She takes on tough topics and builds storylines and characters around them to bring a book through to fruition. I loved the build-up in this book but then feel the last 1/3 was too rushed in most of it. Still a great book with a very loveable school librarian, just not my favorite KC to date.

Finished 6 books (that was my goal) so far for #SuperSeptember
All 6 check off a spot on #BookSpinBingo too!

What You Wish For by Katherine Center is a bright story for the difficult times right now. Full review on my blog https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com/2020/09/12/what-you-wish-for/

The characters are a little bit too much, but it is a heartwarming and enjoyable story about finding joy, choosing joy.
“Life. It goes on.“

Meh. Kinda incongruous for me - bordering on annoying & flippant, reality-tv like writing thru much it, mixed with deep topics that demand some gravitas. At least for this mom at the start of another bizarre homeschooling year.

Katherine Center really knows how to tell a story about relationships, personal growth, troubled pasts, and love. I enjoyed this one and knocked it out in one day. It was much less steamy than some of her more recent books, which I was a bit disappointed about. I also was annoyed a bit by the main character‘s pining. But overall, I appreciated this story and it was well-written. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 #botm #botmbacklog #beachread

3.5⭐️ full review at thejwordpress.wordpress.com

Thank you sooo much Sharon for this beautiful package!! Definitely made my day and cheered me up!! Love it! Thanks so much!! ❤️❤️❤️

#LitsyLove

I have a lot of feelings about this book. I wanted to like it a lot more then I did. This is probably an #UnpopularOpinion but I just didn‘t really like Sam. She really annoyed me. Some of the quotes in this book just rubbed me the wrong way and the way she behaved. Also I found it really weird they were trying to turn an elementary school into a prison like atmosphere. But I have no experience in school like situations.
Full review on GoodReads.

-*~ 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 ~*-
⁣
𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 delivers a charming tale about finding joy in everyday life. 𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝗪𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐅𝐨𝐫 centers on a quirky librarian who finds a surrogate family, her own voice, & love with a man who re-learns to feel joy after a life-changung event. Funny, feel-good romance for a summer day at the beach or by the pool. ⭐⭐⭐⁣

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸: https://tinyurl.com/yxqw5ypn

Of all the gin joints in all the world, Sam‘s secret teacher crush - four years back in her California librarian days - has been hired as principal for her current school in Galveston. This was my favorite Katherine Center book to date. I love Galveston and was waiting to see if she referenced BOI - and she did! ...Additionally, her book covers are gorgeous!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What You Wish For is such a good book. I love anything by Katherine Center. I was listening to this on audio and I could not stop listening. I had to devour it. It was cute and gripping. I highly recommend this book and any of her other books.
#botm #bookstagram #bibliophile #litsy #littens

No one knows what to expect when Duncan Carpenter takes over. Samantha realizes that she knows him from a prior job where his care free nature enamored her. The Duncan she knew was light hearted and fun. Samantha is horrified when Duncan Carpenter introduces himself and begins to change everything that made the school special. What happened to the Duncan she knew? Will she be able to remind him how to enjoy life like he once did for her?

Katherine Center has become one of my go to authors over the last several years, and this book did not disappoint. She just knows how to write such hopeful stories.

For my full review, please visit my blog at: http://obsessedbookaholic.com/2020/08/05/what-you-wish-for-book-review/

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin‘s Press for an Advanced Reader‘s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What You Wish For is an emotional and timely story of choosing love and joy. https://www.bluestockingreviews.com/post/what-you-wish-for

I wanted to love this one, but it was a little cheesy and predictable for me. It started out strong and I enjoyed getting to know the characters...but it wasn‘t all that believable and I didn‘t like how everything was wrapped up too cleanly in the end. It was disappointing because I have completely loved her latest 2 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

A book about the importance of “choosing joy” even when life gets hard. The story was reminiscent of a Hallmark movie, but I liked it that way. This was the warm hearted pick-me-up that I needed this week. ❤️ 🐋

An unpopular opinion: I‘m bummed that I did not love this. The idea of choosing joy and happiness no matter what is fine. But Sam (the main character) irritated me. She was so wishy-washy. I couldn‘t take her seriously at all, and I think that made me feel disconnected to the rest of the story, which felt endlessly dramatic. This is unfortunate, because I liked the other characters.

Great audio, though. Narrated by Therese Plummer.

My current read! ☕️☀️

Sam works for a school library and rents from the beloved principal, Max. Not having family, she loves their relationship. So when Max does suddenly, it‘s jarring. Also shocking, the new principal, Duncan is her old crush. This story focuses on how the big things in life can redefine us. It‘s not hard to figure out Duncan‘s deal, but it‘s still enjoyable. My only wish was to spend more time with them and that school, which sounded pretty kick ass.

Can‘t wait to start this one!

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ Ten big hearts and 5 💫💫💫💫💫

Relatable characters engrossing storytelling, and downright awesome. The story centers around a Librarian the main character working in a school. I laughed so hard, loved it! Real life situations are all throughout this novel rolled into a fantastic story. Love, love, it, from each character's life challenges that are overcome to the fantastic feel good ending!

I was SOOOO excited to hear there was a new novel by Katherine Center! I have loved her last 2 and can‘t wait to dive into this one!!!

“…you can decide to do something joyful. …You can hug somebody. Or crank up the radio. Or watch a funny movie. Or tickle somebody. Or lip-synch your favorite song. Or buy the person behind you at Starbuck‘s a coffee. Or wear a flower hat to work.”

Celebrate joy!

I loved this book so much! I want to work at the Kemper School. Sam & Duncan are just a wonderful couple. #teachersoflitsy I‘m always skeptical about books set in schools and while this school is the ideal place to work, it doesn‘t shy away from hard educational truths and real life difficulties.