A timely read about unpleasant characters with unfortunate logic. I‘d say this barely hangs together as a novel and praise the writing and evocative characters- especially Lenny. The first and last sections are super tight but there‘s a lag in the middle.

#netgalley gave me early access to the audiobook. The narrator was incredibly easy to listen to and it was a short meditative listen about the hidden depths of a nail salon owner known as Susan. Because it wasn‘t a plot driven novel I‘d be more inclined to recommend it in print.

I so appreciate #netgalley giving me early access to this prequel by one of my favourite favourite authors. I LOVE Bunny and wasn‘t sure it needed a prequel - the work speaks for itself. For the first third of the book - when the Bunnies tell their side of the story - I thought my suspicions were true. Once Aerius (the OG himbo bunny) starts telling his story, I was hooked back in. Not as comfortable with dark ambiguity as its predecessor still 👍

A bittersweet account of one manchild dealing with a breakup he didn‘t want and didn‘t see coming.

A super odd choice of commute listen on my part. Centred around the question, “Why do you write?” Toews delves into her family trauma and her joys, her past, her community. I loved it. It was very short.

Culpability relied a bit too heavily on coincidence toward the end and was a smidge more heavy handed than I‘d like, but was still an excellent, timely read. Lots of good bits about raising teens. Lots of thought-provoking arguments for and against AI.

I bought this YA fantasy for the incredible cover. Dani escapes after being wrongly imprisoned and seeks revenge. I liked the magic system and was blindsided by the twist.

I do not know why I continually do this to myself. I‘m not the target audience for dead estranged dad books.

Imagine Joe from YOU as a geriatric woman who just wants to retire from the murdering already. She has bingo to play and snacks to make for church socials. Yeesh - can‘t an old lady get any peace?

I guessed every twist and devoured it anyway.

A light pick. I liked how Jones took us through Jade‘s trauma and how it made her incapable of seeing her own strength and potential to be a ‘final girl.‘ The action - when it got going - was great. It just had a smidge too long a fuse.

Beach witches in Greece.

I feel conflicted about even admitting I read this. A paparazzo‘s take on making a living stalking Britney Spears and - while he quit and reflected - he‘s still making money off Britney Spears. And I read it. Why? I despair. 😔

I adore Heather O‘Neill‘s brand of gritty whimsy. In this book the Montreal Metro was the star. Though I must admit there was also writing good enough to make me cry.

A quiet coming of age story that kept feeling like it was going to be incredibly special but never quite got there for me.

I had never read a polyamorous romance before and I was curious. This is also the smuttiest book I‘ve ever read. A bit too spicy and at least one too many men. I did love Cay and Jake‘s relationship.

The dark side of reality TV but make it fiction

I can‘t believe how little I‘ve read in August. I bought this book for $10 from Indigo thinking it looked like a quick, fun, summer read. The opening third is very dark. Then it becomes more of a traditional quest tale. I liked it, but not as much as I‘d expected to.

I got into it, and it still wasn‘t his best. I agree with other Littens that Holly didn‘t quite read like Holly all the time, the Barbara storyline seemed to strain credulity (but i went with it), and the Chris/Chrissy storyline felt a bit off - like King was unintentionally punching down in 2025(?). Not sure if it was a pick or a so so.

While I am the target audience for a Kevin Wilson book, I‘m definitely not the target audience for any book involving estranged families coming together. This was that and it was okay and sometimes good and then it ended too abruptly.

A perfect cozy escape - adorable baby dragons, minimal conflict, romance, brief fake marriage, baked goods. Will read more.

Enjoyable family saga

I love the way Allende tells a story - making the political very personal. This isn‘t one of my favourites of hers. While I was riveted by the civil war scenes, the story ended abruptly. It felt unsatisfying.

Almost Shakespearean in its tragic inevitability. I could not put it down.

A young woman gets a second chance at life and love in Amsterdam.

I really enjoyed this AI-themed cosy mystery.

My sky high expectations were simply too high. Love Riley Sager books, but guessed too many twists and turns to feel satisfied.

My favourite romance novel is a queer romance with elite athletes - one of whom seriously needs therapy to work through their shit before they can sustain their relationship. This is that. Also F1 ish.

Sarah comes off as a grateful and reflective person who was caught up in this utterly crazy show. Having watched ANTM, and heard some of the rumours about how crazy production was, I have to admit I will STILL SURPRISED at some of the things done and said to these young women.

Growing up is hard. Craving your mother‘s love and not getting it is hard. All of it is harder and darker and grosser for Margot. She‘s being raised by a cannibal mother with an insatiable appetite. So freaking dark.

After My Friends earlier this month, I thought it‘d be a long while before another book took possession of my heart and mind. Nope. This book was most excellent. I need a sequel.

I was not prepared for how emotionally devastating I‘d find this dual timeline family drama.

Reliably dark as hell. I thought Tender is the Flesh was much stronger but still had to finish this in a single day.

Blake is kind of a dink. He loses his job for selling secrets and has a wandering eye. He and his fiancée Krista need to take on a tenant so they don‘t lose their brownstone with Blake out of work. Things go south as soon as Whitney moves in and chaos ensues. The narration was really solid and easy to listen to. The pacing was as fast as it always is with McFadden. The twist was just meh.

The world building was excellent and I enjoyed Odessa‘s story so much I can ignore the times the male lead made confusing decisions seemingly only so the plot would go in a certain direction. The romance was a slowwwww burn. I‘d read the next one.

Burnt out Emelie leaves the city behind for the Swedish woods. She inadvertently comes upon a colony of misfits who live outside the confines of society. The ending was rushed, but otherwise a solid read.

Utter chaos - but mostly in a good way. Wally (based on a real person) and Judith (based on a fictional character) shine in this tale of Klimt x Jung x Frankenstein. I‘d like to know more about the incorporation of Inuit culture into the story from someone of that background.

The scandalous demise of one of NY‘s oldest art gallery. I‘m an absolute sucker for art true crime. This one moves fast and tells the story of the gallery more so than the story of a person. The author‘s narration was serviceable and suited the voice of the book. Thanks #netgalley.

What a voice! Sky Daddy does such a good job of articulating MC Linda‘s unusual desire and search for acceptance. I really really liked it.

This was darkety darkety D A R K dark

Bachman‘s writing is so beautifully and brutally straightforward that it reads like a fairytale. This story of four friends is definitely one of my favourite books of the year. Keep the Kleenex handy!

The voice actor who narrated Wally did a phenomenal job. It was exaggerated wholesomeness that came across as so creepy. Loved it. While I enjoyed the listen, the book itself is too obvious, which meant the twist was a huge letdown. Still appreciated the chance to listen. Thanks #netgalley

I‘m obsessed with hockey romance and curious if pickleball romance would scratch the same itch. It didn‘t. Shaw is a capable narrator breathing life into plucky MC Bex. The chemistry between the two characters didn‘t quite work for me - the grumpy/sunny vibe that I know loads of people will really love. Similarly the fake dating stakes felt low. My review makes it sound like I liked it less than I did.

I‘m consistently a sucker for a book about cults. Bex has escaped from the cult and started a new life. A visit from her former BFF brings up strong feelings, opens old wounds, and threatens Bex‘s new life. Since the audiobook features two MCs, I would‘ve preferred two narrators. Julia Atwood is an excellent and emotionally charged reader. Thanks #netgalley

It‘s very rare that I‘ll have the opportunity to listen to a full 10+ hour audiobook in a 24-hour period. Because I did with this one, I wasn‘t able to overthink anything and I enjoyed it loads. The narration was particularly strong. John Pirhalla did an excellent job as the fish-out-of-water blue collar father of the bride - I‘ll look out for more of his voicework. Apologies for the late review #netgalley - I‘d slept on a fun thriller.

Hani, an 11-year old boy sets out with his donkey to find his missing father and sister. It‘s set after the fall of Troy. At first I was surprised by the choice of a female narrator for the audiobook, but the performance was so affecting I couldn‘t imagine it any other way. It‘s short but packs a huge emotional punch. Thank you #netgalley

Baker absolutely knocked this book out of the park. It‘s dark, it‘s timely, there‘s genuine love in it, and genuine frustration too. I often find third person narration more tricky in audiobooks because there‘s more distance between me and the author in my mind. Not this time though - I was right there every step of the way. One of the best cold opens I can remember reading and surely one of my favourite listens this year. Huge thanks #netgalley

Chose this bleak but enjoyable read because it is on this years #womensprizelonglist. The MC is an almost wholly unlikeable character fixated on the fact that life has shortchanged her at every turn. She has to reckon with some of the trauma of her past when police discover bodies at her family‘s former house.

After the death of her father from cancer, Claire found solace in Algonquin Park and canoeing. She becomes obsessed with a bear attack in the park - the inspiration for her novel bear. This brave memoir juxtaposes a reconstruction of that attack with Claire own fight with the same cancer that killed her father. Read by the author and not to be missed. Thanks #netgalley

Having attended uni in Moscow in the late 1990s, I‘m a sucker for a coming-of-age memoir against a similar backdrop. Many of the touchstones were familiar to me so I gulped it down in greedy, nostalgic bursts.