My May TBR is ready to go!! Bring on the reading! #bookspinbingo

This was amazing! Gone with the Wind was a favorite movie of mine when I was younger and I always thought Hattie McDaniel was excellent in it. Learning about her real life and all of the turmoil and backlash she suffered due to the roles she played was so sad. She was hardworking and dynamic and witty and smart and it really is horrific that she just wanted to do the thing she loved the most - act - and find a love that was true and lasting and ⬇️

This was sort of the definition of “meh” 🤷‍♀️. There were some stories that were kind of creepy but most of them were too short to develop enough for me to find them much of anything. They did help me get out of a bit of a reading slump as they were all short and easy to digest. I do like this author, I just think I might prefer her novels to short stories. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a solid domestic mystery/thriller. Most of it was pretty easy to figure out but there were still some surprises to be had. Theo was a great main character, being somewhat of an unreliable narrator but also warm and funny. I really wanted her to figure out her past! Will definitely read more by this author! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Is it just me or are these dystopian science fiction stories starting to seem a little too real?! It‘s not much of a leap to see our government detaining those that they believe might commit a crime based on data points they establish and using them for labor or experiments or anything else. Holding them for whatever extraneous reasons they want. It‘s truly terrifying! But you know what also comes of this? Resistance! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

There was A LOT going on here: is our main character a little too obsessed with the husband of the person whose heart she now has? Did that husband have anything to do with his wife‘s death? Is there something else entirely different going on? This book will give you whiplash, but if you just go with it it‘s quite entertaining. Worth a listen! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This SEEMS like it should be a story right up my alley - zombies, a groundhog‘s day scenario, and a mystery at its heart - but I just couldn‘t get through it! It‘s supposed to be short but I‘ve been trying to read it for weeks now and I‘m only at 35% 😭. It just doesn‘t seem to go anywhere. I‘ve read and enjoyed this author before, so I‘m just going to chalk it up to wrong book at the wrong time.

Loved the movies and wanted to see how the books compare. Great first book! Really solidifies the characters and sets us up for a great storyline. It was a little darker than I was expecting - the cutting out people‘s tongues, yikes! - but that just really drives home the fact that this world is brutal! So excited for the rest of the series! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

I love WWII historical fiction, especially if it highlights an area I haven‘t read about before. This novel focuses on both the women of the WAAF, especially those manning barrage balloons, and the bespoke fashion industry of London. The characters are great, although Izzy did get on my nerves a little bit (that girl can hold a grudge!). I also love that the novel doesn‘t concentrate on romance but has it as a little extra thrown in. 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

I swear, reading a Jenny Colgan novel is a balm to my very soul! I love how her novels, filled with lovely, funny characters and so much heart it could burst, draw me in and make me want to stay in that world forever. I‘m so sad when they‘re over! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was bonkers in the best possible way! I love having a nasty character to hate and you‘ll get that in this book. There are ghosts and revenge and all sorts of goodies here. Not overly spooky and more funny scary, I‘d definitely recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

My April #bookspinbingo #tbr is ready to go! I have high hopes for next month 🤞🙏📚📖

I really wanted to like this short novel as I‘ve not had the best time with physical reading lately (killing the audiobooks though!). Unfortunately this just didn‘t do it for me. The writing was a little sloppy and there honestly wasn‘t much character development to be had. The ending was also just sort of 🤷🏼‍♀️. Good premise without much follow through. 🌟🌟

I loved this! I mean give me all the ghosts in an isolated place (like a ship) and I‘m a happy camper 😆. The first book in the series was really good too and I loved finding out what the characters have been up to. There‘s nothing overly serious here or necessarily spooky but it was a fun listen and I‘ll definitely read anything else that comes out in this series. 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

I enjoyed this book…and I can‘t even tell you why 🤣! It‘s really weird and raw and full of grit but somehow also wholly relatable. Any mom has had that moment when you are so tired you can‘t think straight and begin questioning everything about your life. Just most of us don‘t grow hair in weird places and start thinking we become a dog at night 😳. I can‘t even properly describe this book…just read it if you want something different. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was super twisty! I didn‘t realize this was part of a series, and wish I had read the previous books first, but the author does a pretty good job of filling the new reader in on what came before. I love a solid murder mystery and this one definitely fits the bill. Excited to go back and read more in this series! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

While this was an ok mystery, there were just too many varying characters and storylines to keep up with as an audiobook. I kept getting pulled out of the story by trying to figure out what was really going on. I did read all the way to the end, however, so the overall story did hold my general attention. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another great listen! A modern take on vampire lore, it drew me in and kept my attention rapt. There isn‘t a lot of mystery or shock value here - it‘s easy to connect all the pieces and figure out what‘s happening - but it was dark and emotional and very different than I was expecting. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

I loved this! It‘s funny and vicious and violent and so tongue in cheek that I couldn‘t stop listening to the audiobook. The author names all the characters the funniest names - Ms. Manners, Mr. Pounds, etc - and it just felt very Dickensian. It‘s also really short and definitely could be read/listened to in a day. Highly recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was nothing like I was expecting! I thought it was going to be a motherhood gone wrong sort of story - which it was in a way - but it was so much more! There are ongoing mother/daughter issues, generational trauma, and the supernatural! Just a really twisty tale that I couldn‘t stop listening to. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

I‘ve not been getting very much reading done this last week as this little love muffin has joined our family! Meet Poppy! She‘s the sweetest little chihuahua and just wants to play and snuggle all day 🥰. I can‘t wait for her to be my little reading buddy!!!

I‘ve loved Greer Macallister‘s previous novels so I had high hopes for this one. It wasn‘t bad but it definitely wasn‘t my favorite. The story is set up as our main character recounting her life with her many husbands and lovers and the many ways she transformed over the years. Told by a psychic that her 13th husband would be the death of her she recounts how she got to 13 and a “shocking” revelation about the 13th. Just ok. 🌟🌟🌟

Giving up on this one at 13%. It‘s not horrible, it‘s just meh. This is another that I might try again as an audiobook if my library gets a copy. I just need a little more to keep my attention at the moment.

I finished this last week and have been so busy I forgot to post 🤦🏼. I love this as a spinoff of the Tradd Street series (which is great) and am looking forward to more in the series! Moving to New Orleans, the perfect places for spirits and those sensitive to them, we see a young woman grappling with making her own way in the world while coming to terms with the gifts of those close to her. Definitely recommend! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My March #bookspinbingo is ready to go! Bring on the reading!!

This book isn‘t in the system so I‘m reviewing it here. This is the 2nd book in the Haunted series and in it we go back to when the parents of our two sisters from book 1 first went to the house and nearly lost their lives there. We learn a pretty big revelation about one of the sisters and see some truly sinister stuff happen to those staying at the hotel the parents are helping start at the house. So excited to continue this series! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Not bad for a short story but didn‘t really develop the characters enough to make me care what happened. A bunch of people in this small seaside town died during a hurricane and the survivors begin to be able to speak to them through a phone booth that hasn‘t worked in years. But are they speaking to those that are lost? Or is it something more sinister? Quick read but kind of forgettable. 🌟🌟🌟

Captivating, if complex, story with more twists than I can count! There are serial killers, multiple personalities, cults, murder, kidnapping, and more! It can be kind of hard to keep track of all of the characters but other than that it‘s thrilling and kept my listening. Creepy in the best possible way! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

I tried…I REALLY tried with this one but I just couldn‘t get through it. It started out great and then became a slow slog through the indoctrination/brainwashing of a family and I just couldn‘t make it through to the other side. I might try this again as audiobook but, as a physical book, it just isn‘t keeping my attention. And I‘m trying to get better at DNF‘ing books that I‘m not really enjoying.

Ya know what…I feel seen 🤣!!

Type “Literally my character” into your Pinterest search bar and see what you get!

#literallymycharacter @TheBookHippie

Are you looking for an intriguing mix of sci-fi, horror, and coming-of-age teen drama? Well look no further! I was so impressed with how the author both touched my heart and disgusted me at the same time. Taking place over 24 hours, we get to see a girl on the cusp of adulthood search for her missing best friend and find something she never could have expected. So good! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I thought this was a great debut! Seeing one women‘s life through the eyes of those who influenced her, those she influenced, and her own, we are drawn along on a heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting, story of love, loss, and expression. There is also a story within the story and I‘ve got to tell you, I wish I could read that book because it sounds amazing! Definitely recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

Preordered this one! I could have sworn the sprayed edges were supposed to be colorful and it looks a little lackluster in person, but I‘m excited to see what the story is like inside. I love Pam Jenoff‘s writing!

This was such a good audiobook! The narrator was amazing and really brought home the horror and the heart at the center of this story. This is more than just a story about young witches, it‘s a look at the terrible way society has treated young women, pregnancy out of wedlock, and motherhood in general throughout the years. The depictions of childbirth were raw and real and just so gross! It‘s amazing a man wrote this story! Loved it! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This isn‘t in the database but it‘s a novella about a sister, brother and two of the brother‘s friends on a trip to visit the siblings‘ other sister. On the way they decide to stop at this abandoned “test town” where nuclear tests were run and the buildings and mannequin residents have been left to rot for decades. Needless to say terror ensues! It‘s quick and creepy and I definitely won‘t look at mannequins the same way again 😐. 🌟🌟🌟💫

I‘m starting to think Freida McFadden might not be for me. Her stories aren‘t bad, there‘s just ok. I really enjoyed The Boyfriend but the rest have been predictable. This is no different. I kept waiting for the big shocks, and there was one toward the end, but by that point I didn‘t care. I found the main characters annoying and kind of dumb and was kind of disappointed when it was over. Will that keep me from reading more? Probably not 🤣 🌟🌟🌟

One thing I know when reading a C.J. Cooke novel is that it‘s going to be unique and it‘s going to be mysterious. This is no exception, weaving together two timelines of motherly love and devotion, magic and witchcraft, and finding your place in a world that doesn‘t always make room for you. Definitely recommend!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

If I had to describe this book in 3 words it would be: devastating, horrifying, and important. Using time travel to show slavery through the eyes of a modern (for the time at least - I believe this was written in the 70‘s) black woman really drove home just how strong the characters had to be to simply survive in the past and kept me hanging on to see if Dana would be able to do it and somehow settle back into her life in the present. I can‘t ⬇️

When I think of middle of the road mystery/thrillers Freida McFadden books come to mind. Why, then, can I not stop reading them?! Molly, the protagonist of the Housemaid stories, is somehow both resourceful and incredibly trusting and flighty (to her downfall). The twists are EPIC and really bonkers and while not very realistic they are oh so juicy and exciting! Just fun popcorn thrillers! Nothing revolutionary here but entertaining! 🌟🌟🌟

This was quite the story! Somewhat hard to follow as an audiobook given all the characters and the back and forth timelines, nevertheless it kept my attention and made me need to know what really happened with all these characters. You‘ve got two children, years apart, going missing at the same camp…what could have happened? I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this story! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

My February TBR is ready to go!! I‘ve done great this month so I‘m really going to try to keep up the momentum. Here‘s to trying!! #bookspinbingo

I loved this story! The way it handled not only how the individual characters dealt with who had a short string vs. a long string but how society as a whole and politics were shaped by the revelations felt very real and very timely given the world we live in 😳. There are a lot of characters to keep up with but I didn‘t even care - I just couldn‘t stop listening! So good! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I‘ve never read a Kate Quinn book I didn‘t like! This was a unique setting and time period to her other books and I enjoyed reading more about the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. I also enjoyed how Quinn and Chang wrote two different perspectives, better filling out the multiple facets of this time and place. Definitely recommend! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was sooo much fun! It‘s a choose-your-own-adventure horror book!! I wasn‘t sure how this would work as an ebook but it was perfect. You get links when it‘s time to choose the next move and, if you choose incorrectly and die (which I did A LOT 🤣), it just tells you to go back and try again and gives you the link. The writing is just ok but I didn‘t care…I was having too much fun! I‘ll definitely read more of these as it‘s a series! 🌟🌟🌟🌟💫

This has all the trademark Feeney vagueness, twists, and misdirection that I, personally, have come to love. I never truly know what is happening when reading her books and just love going along for the ride until all the pennies drop. This isn‘t my favorite of her books (Rock, Paper, Scissors holds that spot) but I did enjoy the ride. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Ahhh this was so good! A sweet, short tale of a man working hard to take care of his family and trying to pay it forward when others want him to look the other way. I know they‘ve made a movie based on this and now I really want to watch it! Might be my favorite of the month so far! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I know social media can be scary but this takes it to a whole new level! Just imagine if a psychopath became a big social media influencer and utilized that power to manipulate and ruin people? Well here ya go! Sadly I‘m sure this is already happening but hopefully not to THIS level 😳. Thrilling pace, great characters, and a new spin on horror for a modern audience. Definitely recommend it was a great listen! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

This was short but oh so scary to me! An old woman obsessively locks her doors and windows every night to keep out the mysterious thing that tries to get in every night, tempting her to open the door in her dead husband‘s voice. She‘s diligent, until her mind begins to go and she can‘t quite remember why she‘s been doing this ritual every night. So good! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Creeper is the perfect name for this story because it…is…CREEPY! Is it just superstition or is the “monster” real? I will say the audiobook didn‘t hold my attention as much as I would have liked - it didn‘t feel like a thrilling page-turner sort of story - but I did find it unsettling and worth a read. 🌟🌟🌟🌟

I love the idea of reading a made up book mentioned within another novel! This is meant to be the paranormal history of the manor written by a character and mentioned in the 1st book in the series. It gives a great background for the 1st story and I assume future installments as well. It‘s quick and interesting and I definitely recommend it if you decide to read the series, which I‘m definitely continuing! 🌟🌟🌟🌟