A great little prequel novella to The Illuminae Files. This is basically AIDIN‘s origin story. I loved it.

A slow burn psychological thriller that has you questioning whether or not the main characters are sane or if they are losing touch with reality. After Kate‘s mom is murdered she begins receiving threats from the supposed killer. She heavily relies on Blaire, her estranged BFF to help figure out who close to her could be the killer and stalker. I was able to guess the main culprit early on but that didn‘t detract from the enjoyment of this novel.

Completely disturbing, bordering (for me) on horror. A group of adolescent girls and two teachers are stuck on an island where they are infected with the Tox, something that causes deformities in the form of abnormal things. The writing is great but the subject matter was not for me as I have a queasy stomach when it comes to gross things. Still a higher rating b/c if this had been my type of novel, I would have loved it.

#arc #netgalley

I really enjoyed this sports romance! Especially b/c it‘s clear Martin understood football and didn‘t just use it as a way to make her hero look better by being an athlete.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#romance #sportsromance

The majority of the time Ana and Merrick were searching for clues and trying to solve a puzzle. Along the way they meet so many gods and goddesses from different mythologies that your head spin. But what made it so hard to read was how much Ana obsesses over her crush on Merrick. I think if perhaps Analiese Rising only focused on one mythology or didn‘t mention how cute Merrick was every other page, this could have been more successful.

#arc

I think I like this one more than the first! Rosamund and Daisy (the two little girls) stole my heart and made me laugh. And I loved both Alex and Chase.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#historicalfiction #romance

Wow, I devoured this book. I started during work (don‘t judge) and rushed home to finish it in evening. There was something about it that just resonated with me.

I loved every one of these characters. They were complex and broken and so so real. They dealt with the hand life gave them the same as so many of us would do: bravely one day, in denial the next, taking two steps forward and one step back.

#netgalley #arc #contemporary

A sci-fi thriller with tons of twists. This book is dense; there is so much going on that at times I felt a little overwhelmed. But it was definitely worth it. We follow our two main characters, Billy, a NYPD detective, and Helena, a scientist intimately involved with the False Memory Syndrome. Knowing much more than that would spoil the wild ride that is Recursion.

#netgalley #arc #scifi #thriller

I bought this after I saw high praise for it from a few people but the cover initially turned me off so I put it on my shelf for a few years. However, I ended up enjoying it. All of our favorite fairy tale characters are in exile in New York, living hidden lives while they long to return to their magical lands. This first volume revolves around a crime.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

#graphicnovel #fantasy

May Stats.
This may be my slowest reading year of the past decade. I‘m struggling to find books I love and it‘s taking forever to finish the ones I start. Mostly 3 ⭐️ reads this month; a few 3.5 or 4 ⭐️s.

#may #stats

If you‘re looking for a good history of serial killers book, I‘d recommend Harold Schechter‘s The Serial Killer Files. This was my second book of Vronsky‘s and I just couldn‘t get into it. I wasn‘t a fan of the writing and I found the beginning to be a little posturing in regards to his many accidental run ins with serial killers.

#netgalley #arc #truecrime #dnf

Cute and fun with a touch of angst. Interesting premise and good use of the enemies-to-lovers trope. I liked Layne‘s 21 Wall Street Series better, but this was still a quick, easy read that had you turning pages and escaping for a few hours.

#netgalley #arc #romance

A fun romantic comedy with a older brother‘s best friend trope. There were times I wish the characters were a little more fleshed out (Travis‘ backstory in particular), but overall a good read. Once they get together it is steamier than the cover leads you to think. My first Tessa Bailey, but not my last!

#netgalley #arc #romance

A pretty light-hearted family drama about three sisters who own a wedding planning business and discover love around the same time. The two main characters are Marisol and Pearl, the oldest and younger sisters respectively. There‘s family conflict and a little bit of drama but overall it displays the closeness sisters share even when they‘re fighting.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

#netgalley #arc

About time I read this one. Northrop‘s story is sad and infuriating.

A happy ending to an at times saddening tale. The science behind the notes being sent back in time isn‘t really explained, but the great portrayal of friendship and love make up for it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

#manga

I struggled a bit w/the alternating story lines at the beginning of the story as it was hard to get invested in either story line. However, once we got to the meat of both stories, I became immersed in them.

Alternating between WWII &present day, we read of Ada, a talented violinist &German Jew, &the latest case of Liam &Cat-a land dispute in Italy.

Balson does a great job at slowly unraveling both stories &then bringing them together.

#arc

I struggled a little with this a little. The story started out slow for me and a lot of the time Olive annoyed me. It was clear that her strong dislike of Ethan (and his apparent reciprocation of the feeling) came from misunderstandings and lack of communication.

However, with the bright cover and enemies-to-lovers trope (one of my favorite), this is a good beach read that you can escape into for a little while.

#netgalley #arc #romance

3.5 Stars

The Rook blends fantasy, sci-fi, action, and more into an exciting novel about Myfanwy, a woman who wakes up with no memory of her past self. Through letters her previous self wrote (knowing this was to come) and through her own investigation, Myfanwy works to figure out who wiped her memories and tried to kill her. It‘s not an easy task considering she works for an elite government agency that deals with the paranormal.

Backman‘s foray into non-fiction show a more humorous and light side to him than I‘m use to with his fiction books I‘ve read. He perfectly balances humor and heartfelt moments. It‘s cute and funny with moments of poignancy. The love Backman feels for his son (and wife) is evidently clear and his passion for life shines through as well. I loved his vignettes about life, love, and everything in between. A great, short read.

#netgalley #arc

Between visiting my grandpa, starting a new job, and going back to school, April was an abysmal reading month for me. I‘m hoping now that I‘ve settled some I‘ll be able to get back on track with my reading goal.

#aprilstats

The Trial is Lizzie Borden is literally that: an almost ad nauseam account of her trial. At first it was interesting but after a while it became a bit cumbersome. I found many of the details, evidence, and trial oration a sign of the times.

In the end, I can‘t say whether or not Borden was actually innocent of these crimes. Everything was so skewed one way or the other that it was difficult to see the truth in it all.

⭐️⭐️💫

#netgalley #arc

Burton has been on my to read list for years. Hide and Seek was a great introduction to her. The start of a new series, this book centers on Macy, an FBI agent coming off of a life-threatening injury, & a case of a serial rapist/murderer in a small town. Sheriff Nevada heads up the investigation &Mary is brought in to assist. She &Nevada have a history &I‘m glad that while it was explored, it took the back burner to the crimes &mystery.

#arc

I‘m learning that I really like memoirs in essay form, or maybe just essays in general. Philpott fills hers with relatable anecdotes and a great mixture of humor and authenticity.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

#netgalley #arc #memoir #essays

A powerful book about a young woman with anorexia. Anna develops anorexia after moving to the States with her husband from Paris. When her husband and family finally step in, Anna is admitted to a residential treatment center on Swann Street. There she meets a group of girls suffering from various types of eating disorders and forms bonds with them while struggling to accept and fight her disease.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

#netgalley #arc #anorexia

This was so over the top with calamities and dramatics. Voltaire shines a light on human nature and all its fallacies in this satire. At first it was enjoyable and funny but near the end I grew annoyed.

⭐️⭐️

#classic #LetterV #LitsyAtoZ

“Where one burns books, one will, in the end, burn people.” By Heinrich heine, German-Jewish poet, 1821

I went to the LA Museum of the Holocaust yesterday and they had this quote in multiple places. Incredibly apt and scary how it predicted the future.

#WWII #Holocaust

An eye-opening and informative book about addiction and neuroscience. Written by an addict turned PhD recipient, there were great insights along with well-researched data.

This is the perfect blend of science and memoir (leaning more toward the former) and I‘d recommend to anyone interested in learning more about addiction or drugs in general.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

#netgalley #arc #addiction #science

Even though this book is very readable (I flew threw the pages), I felt the emotions and connection to the characters were missing. While Michael‘s story was tragic you never really get to connect to it because it‘s told so fleetingly. Mallory irritated me some and parts of her story felt so pointless. I enjoyed Stephens‘ Thoughtless series and had high hopes for this one, but unfortunately it fell short for me.

#netgalley #arc

It‘s been a while since I‘ve enjoyed a fantasy novel, particularly a YA one. But then this came along &made me remember why I fell in love w/ the genre in the first place.

This dark, gritty novel seems heavily inspired by Russia &Poland, a trend I enjoy seeing. And the alternating third person POV keeps you on your toes, wondering what will happen next. It portrays a darker side of YA fantasy than we normally see & I was all for
it.

#netgalley

The first third of the book was basically a normal girl w/ normal problems lives a normal life. It dragged a bit for me. Once Rawson got to the part where her dad was arrested, things picked up. It was sad to see how affected she was by what her father did and I think it‘s important to remember that the family of these killers are also victims.

Would recommend for fans of religious memoirs but not true crime fans.

⭐️⭐️

#netgalley #memoir

Favorite reads this month were Year of Yes, The Boy on the Wooden Box, and of course my reread of HP and the Deathly Hallows. Onward to April. I have a feeling it‘ll be a great month!

#stats #march

A neurologist takes us through multiple cases he‘s dealt with over a short course of time. Some very interesting cases with many diseases I‘d never even heard of. A great read, especially if you enjoy books like The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#science

At almost 500pgs this is one long romantic suspense novel. The thrills were good- a new smallpox virus being sold to the highest bidder &possibly to be released in DC- but the romance left me wanting. For as much introspection that happened in Maddox‘s &Cole‘s head, not a lot went on as far as talking out &resolving their past. There‘s an underlying mystery that doesn‘t get resolved by the end gearing for a good start to the next book.
#netgalley

Full of angst and drama, I can see why so many people like LJ Shen. It was a little melodramatic for my taste and not dark at all for involving the mafia. But it was strangely addicting and kept me turning pages.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

#netgalley #romance

I read and enjoyed Kinsella‘s Finding Audrey, but I couldn‘t get myself to like this one. Fixie annoyed me, I didn‘t like the romance, and the plot was slow going, if at all.

#dnf #netgalley

Another mystery, another unreliable narrator. When the 1st twist came (long into the story) it surprised me. Then the 2nd one came. Again, nice twist. And then they coming, coming, coming &I‘d had enough. I think a good mystery uses twists sparingly &at the right time. When you throw a bunch in at the end of the book it discounts them &makes for some eye-rolling. The whole book leading up the the twists was lackluster as well.

⭐️⭐️

#netgalley

While I enjoyed the abundance of (accurate) sports talk, I didn‘t really care about the two main characters. I wish they would have had more serious and heartfelt moments where I could really see them connect. However, I was excited about reading a sports romance where the author actually knew the sport. Some may find it a little football heavy, but as the characters ran a pro football team, I felt it appropriate to so centered on it.

#netgalley

I liked some stories more than others. The first few were my favorite and then I got bored. Half read, half listened to on audio b/c it seemed every time I picked it up, I fell asleep.

⭐️⭐️💫

#classic #LitsyAtoZ #LetterK

I can see many people loving this book with Jane, our unreliable narrator, weaving tales and creating stories. But I had a hard time with her. She seemed unhinged from the beginning, wild and crazy. I like a more slow build when it comes to unreliable narrators. I don‘t like knowing from the get go that I shouldn‘t trust them. I also didn‘t like how Jane talked directly to the reader. It seemed unnecessary.

#netgalley #arc #suspense

There‘s something to be said for reading the right book at the right time. I‘ve had this book for years and have always put it off. Celebrity memoirs, self-help, and inspirational books just aren‘t my thing. And Year of Yes looked to me like it‘d be all three of those wrapped into one. And it kind of was. But it also spoke to me in ways I didn‘t think it could. I found this to be entertaining, inspiring, and relatable.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

#memoir

An amazing, heartbreaking memoir by the youngest boy on Schindler‘s list. In the same vein as Wiesel‘s Night, it‘ll make you cry more than once. Highly recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#memoir #WWII #holocaust

I love how Kennedy can mix in comedy, romance, sports, and real-life issues so well. Brenna and Jake may be my favorite characters she‘s written.

#romance #na

DNF 60%

Maybe it's me, maybe it's the books I've been reading, but YA no longer holds my attention. This book has gotten a lot of high reviews and love for being fast paced and a thriller, but I didn't get any of that.

⭐️⭐️

#ya

It‘s over! My audio reread of Harry Potter is done and the ending hit me as hard as it always does.

⭐️⭐️⭐️All the stars!⭐️⭐️⭐️

#hpreread

Lots of murder, lies, &misdirection takes place here &it‘ll keep readers guessing. There are multiple crimes committed throughout this book &there are times I felt it was a bit too much, but it does come together at the end.

It read almost like a cozy mystery but maybe a tad darker. I thought the two rape cases would be the focal point, but they weren‘t. While I found the plot compelling, I felt the execution needed some work.

#netgalley #arc

I‘d like to thank Harry Potter for getting my page count up and the Little People, Big Dreams board books for getting my books read count up. February was a brutal month that cut into my reading time so here‘s hoping for a better March!

#februarystats

If it wasn‘t for The Blood Shrike this would have been a so-so or pan. I wasn‘t a fan of Laia in the last book either and I really struggled with hers and Elias‘ POV this time too. Mainly b/c I didn‘t care. But Helene‘s, nay, The Blood Shrike‘s, POV was full of action, emotion, and a tad of fantasy. I would have preferred this wholly in her POV.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

#ya #fantasy #action

Brooke, the new girl in town, moves there to her grandma‘s after her dad is imprisoned and her mom spirals into depression. Jake, captain of the hockey team in a hockey town, suffers an injury after a hazing ritual gone wrong. They meet because of this incident and although first both wary of the other they soon develop a friendship that turns into more. This was more serious than I assumed it‘d be but that wasn‘t a bad thing.

#netgalley #arc #ya

I‘m so sad that I‘m nearing the end of my audio-reread! I feel like I‘ve learned so much more this time around. Jim Dale is such a gifted narrator that he really brings another dimension to the books.

#hpreread