Happy Pride Month friends! I am so happy to have been able to read this wonderful debut this month. I read it in a day, and thought it was powerful anHappy Pride Month friends! I am so happy to have been able to read this wonderful debut this month. I read it in a day, and thought it was powerful and addressed important issues like class, power dynamics, and victimhood. The book is about Jonah, a man who moves from rural Illinois to New York City to pursue his dreams of becoming a playwright. He is barely scraping by and decides to orchestrate a meeting between himself and the famous playwright Richard Shriver when he sees a picture of Richard and a much younger man at an event. He wants to be that man, and everything is going great until Richard invites Jonah to the Hamptons for the weekend. While everything seems fine at first, Jonah realizes he’s walking a fine line and things can, and do, go wrong.
Thoughts: I thought this book was poignant and powerful- a stunning debut. The writing was fantastic and moving. There was a lot of important social commentary mixed in with a thrilling contemporary fiction. It wasn’t necessarily a thriller, but more of a coming of age social commentary. I felt for Jonah so much while also realizing his story is a common one. I rooted for him and against others so hard and felt connected to the story right away. This story is extremely dark and talks about sexuality and religion and how they can intersect.
I really liked the way the book portrayed the other side of the #metoo movement, showing older men preying on younger men. I thought the description of the complex dynamics between older and more powerful gay men and younger gay men looking for a way out of their situation was poignant and well explained. I felt so many emotions and feelings and think this book will spark great conversation. It did take a turn I didn’t expect, and felt the story flipped and flopped around a lot the last 25% of the book. There were lots of trigger warnings, so be aware of that, but this was a wonderful book and I really enjoyed it- 4.5 stars! ...more
First of all thank you so much to Random House and Libro.fm for my copy of Malibu Rising. It was such a fun and entertaining book to read with a greatFirst of all thank you so much to Random House and Libro.fm for my copy of Malibu Rising. It was such a fun and entertaining book to read with a great subject. It was about four siblings, Nina, Jay, Hud, and Kit, who live in Malibu. Nina is a surfer and model, Jay is a championship surfer, Hud is a talented photographer, and Kit is their adored baby sister. Each character is unique and interesting, and the story surrounds the sibling’s annual beach party and the fire that destroyed their home.
Thoughts: This book made me want to go to the beach! I love living in Southern California and this makes me remember why. This is my first book by Taylor Jenkins Reid and it did not disappoint! She is a fantastic writer and really transports you to the places she writes about. This was a multi-generational character driven family drama that made me feel all the feelings. It was about the importance of family and relationships mixed with the drama of a rich and lavish lifestyle.
This book was full of heartbreaking moments and real feelings and emotions. The characters were so dynamic that I felt like I knew them and enjoyed hearing from different points of view during the story. I loved this story and how fun and heartbreaking and emotional and real it was. The shifts in viewpoint were effortless and easy to follow, the storyline was compelling and keeps your attention, and the setting was stunning and unique. I’d love to read more about this spectacular family and will definitely be reading more of Tayler Jenkins Reid- 5 stars for this contemporary fiction. ...more
Well thank you so much to Macmillan Audio, Henry Holt, and Chris Whitaker for my ARC and ALC of We Begin at the End! This book was so well reviewed anWell thank you so much to Macmillan Audio, Henry Holt, and Chris Whitaker for my ARC and ALC of We Begin at the End! This book was so well reviewed and loved that I was extra excited to get a copy! It switched between the physical copy and audiobook, but especially loved the audio for this.
This book is about the 13 year old firecracker and outlaw Duchess Day Radley. She has had a rough childhood and tries her best to look after her mother Star and brother Robin. She protects Robin fiercely and will do anything to stay with him after she loses her mother. She is tough and strong and ready to attack anyone who wronged her.
30 years ago, Vincent King was put in prison for killing Star’s sister Sissy. He was recently released, and goes to find his old friend, Walker the sheriff. Walker has never stopped believing in him and knows he can do better. When there is another murder in town, King is once again accused of murder- will Walker stick up for him this time?
Thoughts: This book is beautifully written. Each and every character makes a last impression, and none can be better than the outlaw Duchess Day Radley. She takes over the story in the best way and is funny, strong, and relatable. The characters in this book are tough and broken; human in every way. This book is completely character driven and I loved every second of it.
This book makes you feel all the feelings. It’s a story about loyalty and friendship and love and greed. It talks about good vs. evil and the importance of family. It’s not really a mystery or thriller, but I loved it anyway. The pacing was the only issue for me, but I definitely recommend picking up a copy! 4.5 stars! ...more
Hi, I’m Chelsea and I am obsessed with the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise!
When I heard this book was similar to the show I HAD TO HAVE IT! This book Hi, I’m Chelsea and I am obsessed with the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise!
When I heard this book was similar to the show I HAD TO HAVE IT! This book literally felt like watching the bachelorette and I was here for it. The book follows plus-size fashion blogger, Bea, and her search to find love and herself on reality tv. Bea is very unsure, but wants to prove to the world that she deserves to be the Main Squeeze.
Thoughts: I loved that this book was so relevant and explored themes of self-doubt, racial diversity, gender/sexual identity, and body image. The story of Bea was relatable and easy to follow. As a fan of The Bachelor, I loved how you could picture everything happening in this book so clearly. I had a lot of emotions during this book and even though I never read romance, I enjoyed Bea’s journey. It was heartbreaking to see the reality of how people are fat shamed and the way social media plays into bullying and public perception.
I liked all the formats used in this book- it broke up the chapters and mimicked the experience of real life. Bea was witty and charming, but very unconfident and unsure. She put on her “armor of fashion” but you could see how other people had broken her down. I wasn’t bored for even a second of this book and though it was obvious where it was going, I enjoyed it all the same. I am so happy I went outside my normal genre and gave this book a chance- 4 stars! ...more
What to say about Addie Larue? Can I be honest? I almost exclusively read thrillers. When this book was chosen for my book club I was apathetic at besWhat to say about Addie Larue? Can I be honest? I almost exclusively read thrillers. When this book was chosen for my book club I was apathetic at best, but BOY WAS I WRONG. The Invisible Life of Addie Larue is stunning, heartbreaking, thrilling, emotional, and everything in between.
This book gave me warm fuzzy feelings down in my heart.
This book had me rooting for the evil side.
This book truly takes you on a journey through time and lives and history. I instantly loved the character of Addie and her sense of adventure. I loved the 300 year time gap and all the things that happened throughout the book. This book is about loneliness and adventure and dreams and spirit. It also follows Addie’s struggle in reconciling if she made the right choice and all the good and bad that came with it. Regardless, she is determined to live the life she dreamed of for herself.
After years of being forgotten, not leaving her mark on the world, she hears the three words that will change her existence. I remember you.
The writing is stunning, the characters complex. The story is captivating and I can’t recommend it enough. 5 stars for this incredible journey. ...more
What a wonderful and weird book about friendship, family, and the strange process of growing up. Thank you so much to Cicily von Ziegesar and Atria BoWhat a wonderful and weird book about friendship, family, and the strange process of growing up. Thank you so much to Cicily von Ziegesar and Atria Books for my advance reader’s copy of this lovely book. Knowing her as the author of the Gossip Girl series, I didn’t expect this at all from von Ziegesar and was very surprised. This story is about a few families in Brooklyn that all have their own unique lives and secrets.
Thoughts: I enjoyed how quirky and unique this story was. I felt that it captured the feel of Brooklyn and the characters were so WEIRD and unusual and I loved it. This is not normally the type of book I read or enjoy, and I heard mixed reviews so I wasn’t sure what I was getting myself into. It was hard at the beginning but it was strangely addicting, like I wanted to know what happened in each odd character’s life. The thing I liked most was that it captured the human essence and the strange and individual nature of each character.
This book was about everything and also nothing at all. There wasn’t really a premise or storyline, but instead was full of meandering thoughts that showed the day to day life of the quirky and unique people in the story. If you like a neat and tidy ending or a story with a clear plot, this one isn’t for you. I both hated and loved the characters, but either way they were deeply flawed and unremorseful. 3.5 stars, but I really enjoyed the journey of this wandering story. ...more
Katherine Center always captures human emotion so well and you truly feel like you are part of her stories. I feel connected to all of her characters Katherine Center always captures human emotion so well and you truly feel like you are part of her stories. I feel connected to all of her characters and find myself rooting for them from the very first page. This time I got to page 34 before I started tearing up, so you could say I did my best. Thank you SO MUCH to Katherine Center and St. Martin’s Press for this stunning advanced review copy!
Thoughts: I love the way Katherine Center writes. She completely draws you into the story and makes you empathize with the characters. I loved the premise of this book and especially liked that this book included a librarian. I loved the small details in this book and the way that the characters felt like friends. Even the supporting characters felt real, and I love that she shows character development and growth.
I really connected with this story and loved the island setting. This book explores grief, loss, change, and choosing joy. It is a story everyone can enjoy and learn from. The witty prose and the engaging plot had me flying through the 400 pages of this book like it was a short story. This book was neatly wrapped up with a bow in the end, and I can’t imagine it ending any other way. I love this story, this writer, and the journey this book took me on. 5-stars! ...more
I have honestly been putting Verity off because I wasn’t sure if it would live up to all the hype, but it did.Oh my gosh. THE HYPE IS REAL. (SPOILERS)
I have honestly been putting Verity off because I wasn’t sure if it would live up to all the hype, but it did. It was crazy and spooky and thrilling and romantic and insane.
Verity is about the author Verity Crawford who is involved in an accident. Her husband Jeremy is looking for someone to continue and finish her book series, and decides on Lowen Ashleigh. Lowen hates publicity and hasn’t worked in a while, but decides to take on the task. To help her with her writing process, Jeremy invites Lowen to come stay at his house with him, his son Crew, and Verity. Verity is confined to her bed and considered to be permanently disabled.
Jeremy mentions that he and Verity are Chronics, or people that repeatedly are involved with tragedy. They had twins, Chastin and Harper, but Chastin died after having an allergic reaction and a few months later, Harper drowned in a canoeing accident. After this, Verity was found driven into a tree.
Lowen only wants to stay for a few nights, but she ends up finding an autobiography written by Verity that contains terrible things. Come to find out that Verity never wanted children and tried to abort them before they were born (this book has a lot of child abuse triggers). She only cares about how she looks for Jeremy and all the sex they’re having and thinks that the children will get in the way. Once they’re born, she neglects and hates them, eventually having a dream that Harper would try to kill Chasten, which makes her warm up to Chasten, but not Harper.
As Lowen is reading this, she struggles with if she should tell Jeremy or not. She is also dealing with the fact that strange things are happening at the house. Crew says he still talks to his mom, and Lowen thinks that sometimes Verity is looking at her. She starts to believe that maybe Verity isn’t as she seems, and as Lowen starts to develop feelings for Jeremy, she starts fearing for her own safety.
Verity is a masterpiece full of complex details and an inspired storyline. Colleen Hoover is an amazing writer and I would say this book is a romantic thriller. 10/10 for me. All I could ask for is 10 more books just like Verity. ...more
I will admit that when I heard the title I thought The Confession Club would be about some deep dark secret keeping a group of friends together. MaybeI will admit that when I heard the title I thought The Confession Club would be about some deep dark secret keeping a group of friends together. Maybe murder, intrigue, and thrills would surround some crazy act that is told in a hushed whisper after too much to drink. Then, I read the synopsis.
The Confession Club was nothing like I thought but still everything that you could want in a book. A heartwarming story about lovely women in Mason, Missouri who start a dinner club, that turns into a confession club when one of the women shares an intimate confession. The women are empathetic and supportive and quickly realize their group is a safe place to talk. As I read about the confession club, I was jealous that I didn’t have one in real life. The community and friendship the women shared was lovely and heartwarming. Hearing what each woman was going through made me connect with the characters and invest in their stories.
Elizabeth Berg is a fantastic writer and her characters worm their way into your heart. The story is really about the characters, and the part of life they are in and what they are dealing with. There are so many important points brought up, especially thoughts on forgiveness, friendship, and taking chances in life.
This book was a great break from the thrilling type of book I thought it was, and I’m so happy I gave it a chance. Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this lovely book. ...more
What can I say about The Bookish Life of Nina Hill that hasn’t already been said? I haven’t fallen in love with a book in a long time, and with Nina, What can I say about The Bookish Life of Nina Hill that hasn’t already been said? I haven’t fallen in love with a book in a long time, and with Nina, it was love at first sight. I truly can’t explain the joy and anticipation I felt every night as I read this book. As a millennial, I identified with the book and the writing and felt like I was talking to an old friend.
This book is full of amazing reference and written in a tone of witty banter. Nina is a dynamic redhead who works at a bookstore around the thing she loves most- books. She loves books almost as much as I do and has a complicated “origin story”. One day Nina finds out she does in fact have a father, a family, and a desire for a boyfriend.
Nina’s anxiety is described perfectly. I am a mental health counselor and hearing about how she gets anxious was masterfully written. The struggles she goes through when she finds out she has a family are personal and relatable. I found myself laughing, crying, smiling, and loving right along with Nina and her chatty cat Phil.
Abbi Waxman is a new favorite, capturing the anatomy of a bookworm intertwined with a dynamic person. I felt like I knew Nina, Tom, and the other characters as personal friends, and dreaded the book coming to an end. I am immediately going to pick up every book ever written by Waxman, and can’t wait to see what else she has in store. Though it is not nearly enough, this book was a 10/10 for me.
What a freakin' masterpiece. The Gifted School was an amazing book and had a great group of characters. Bruce Holsinger wove a twisted and intricate tWhat a freakin' masterpiece. The Gifted School was an amazing book and had a great group of characters. Bruce Holsinger wove a twisted and intricate tale of personal drama and how four families are connected. This story reminded me of Big Little Lies in the best way, and I truly enjoyed reading it.
The Gifted School is about four families in the fictional city of Crystal, Colorado. There is a new public school for gifted students opening, and the story revolves around what the parents and children would do to get in. Each chapter from a different point of view, the story combines a rich backstory with the current drama.
I work in education and noticed many true aspects of the book. Namely, the lengths parents would go for their children. Parents always want what is best for their children, and do a lot to make sure they get what they think they deserve. In the wake of the recent USC scandal, I don't think this book could have come out at a better time.
I was engaged and excited throughout the whole book. Each chapter left me wanting more, and the story captured my attention from the beginning. The ending specifically left me SHOOK. I love the way everything culminated and would definitely recommend this book! 10/10 ...more
You know the type of book you can’t put down? The ending of each chapter leads you right into the next, and before you know it you’ve read the entire You know the type of book you can’t put down? The ending of each chapter leads you right into the next, and before you know it you’ve read the entire book and it’s 3 am?
As someone who works in higher education the theme of this book caught my eye right away. A scandal where everyone’s email gets hacked and they’re out there for the world to see? That is a nightmare, and in this book, that nightmare leads to a murder.
This book has so many different characters and they are all interesting and leave you wanting more. Unlike Shepard’s other books, Reputation is full of adult protagonists and has more adult themes than the Pretty Little Liars series. It follows Kit Manning-Strasser, a givings manager at Aldrich University. Once the email hack takes place, Kit and others are thrown into chaos and Kit’s husband is found dead.
Sara Shepard is a goddess. Ever since her very first book I have been hooked. I love the way she leads you in one direction but in the end, your mouth is hanging open and you’re wondering if you were part of the story the entire time. ...more
What can I say about The Bookish Life of Nina Hill that hasn’t already been said? I haven’t fallen in love with a book in a long time, and with Nina, What can I say about The Bookish Life of Nina Hill that hasn’t already been said? I haven’t fallen in love with a book in a long time, and with Nina, it was love at first sight. I truly can’t explain the joy and anticipation I felt every night as I read this book. As a millennial, I identified with the book and the writing and felt like I was talking to an old friend.
This book is full of amazing reference and written in a tone of witty banter. Nina is a dynamic redhead who works at a bookstore around the thing she loves most- books. She loves books almost as much as I do and has a complicated “origin story”. One day Nina finds out she does in fact have a father, a family, and a desire for a boyfriend.
Nina’s anxiety is described perfectly. I am a mental health counselor and hearing about how she gets anxious was masterfully written. The struggles she goes through when she finds out she has a family are personal and relatable. I found myself laughing, crying, smiling, and loving right along with Nina and her chatty cat Phil.
Abbi Waxman is a new favorite, capturing the anatomy of a bookworm intertwined with a dynamic person. I felt like I knew Nina, Tom, and the other characters as personal friends, and dreaded the book coming to an end. I am immediately going to pick up every book ever written by Waxman, and can’t wait to see what else she has in store. Though it is not nearly enough, this book was a 10/10 for me.
Fantastic writing of a great story! Thank you so much to Random House and Netgalley for allowing me to reach such a phenomenal book!
The premise was sFantastic writing of a great story! Thank you so much to Random House and Netgalley for allowing me to reach such a phenomenal book!
The premise was so interesting- 191 people on a plane that ends up crashing, leaving 10-year old Edward as the lone survivor. Much like the show “Manifest”, the fact that Edward survived leads the public to believe that he has special gifts or is saved by God.
The chapters switch to before and after the crash, and you learn about the passengers and their stories, similar to the show LOST. The story is interesting and beautiful and heartbreaking and examines what makes life worth living. The conflicting emotions of struggling to find meaning and reconciling a loss of life is so poignant and real and touched me in many ways.
Edward is taken in by his aunt and uncle and the story of his life begins to unfold. I thought it was so interesting that this horrible tragedy happens right when Edward should be growing and getting to know himself and exploring life. Instead, he is dealing with depression, loss, and survivor's guilt. I love the way the book highlights the little interactions we have with people every day. When the families of the people who died write him letters, Edward examines if he met each one and what their small exchanges meant to him and them as well.
The overarching narrative combines so many interesting stories into one, and I truly can’t think of another book like this one. What do we do when we lose everything? We need to examine who we are and use what we have for good. This heartwarming story will make you cry, smile, and feel for the characters. 5-stars! ...more
From the very first chapter of Things You Save in a Fire, Katherine Center captured my attention and piqued my curiosity. She describes anxiety so welFrom the very first chapter of Things You Save in a Fire, Katherine Center captured my attention and piqued my curiosity. She describes anxiety so well that I began to feel anxious for Cassie without even knowing the reason why. The book begins with Cassie clobbering a guy while on stage getting an award. He turns out to be from her past and definitely deserved what was coming to him.
Cassie a tough and spunky firefighter who lives in Texas. Her estranged mom gets in touch with her and asks her to move to Massachusetts to take care of her because she is going blind. They have a bad relationship and Cassie “doesn’t believe in love” because her mom cheated on her dad. She does not want to go, but because of the backlash of giving someone a concussion on stage, she ends up moving in with her.
There are many challenges to being a woman firefighter which are discussed. I found it very interesting and intriguing. Personally, I related a lot with Cassie because I feel that women have to prove themselves in many situations. When her Fire Chief is giving her tips on how to succeed in a male dominated profession, it was a harsh reality that women do need to deal with.
I loved the character of Cassie. She is bold and and was rooting for her from the very beginning. She is such a badass and is not afraid to be tough. Katherine Center did a great job of capturing the complexity of human emotion and I LOVED the book. I laughed, I cried, and I was rooting for the characters.
Things You Save in a Fire is about love, pain, loss, and forgiveness. It is something many people need to hear and it made me take a look at my own life and those I may need to forgive. Center is an excellent writer and I will definitely pick up more of her books!...more
Dark Matter reminded me of the movie Interstellar and I loved it! This book addressed the question of if we are truly happy with our lives and the mulDark Matter reminded me of the movie Interstellar and I loved it! This book addressed the question of if we are truly happy with our lives and the multiple paths our lives could have taken. This was my first Blake Crouch book and I loved everything about it. I thought the scientific aspect might be confusing, but Crouch does a great job of explaining theories in a relatable and interesting way.
Thoughts: The premise is essentially Schrodinger's cat in book form. It starts out with a bang only gets better from there. I appreciated Jason’s love for his family and the incredible journey he goes on to get them back. This book explores so many things I could never have dreamed up and it kept my attention from the first page to the last. The idea of a multiverse is intriguing and well-written in this book. I found it so interesting to learn about the theoretical process and how it could potentially play out.
This book messes with your mind in the best way possible. I enjoyed the examination of human nature and what really matters to us. It really made me think about my life and where I might be with one different decision. I liked that complex ideas were explained simply and even with all the science, the book was thoughtful and emotional. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to try something new- I’m happy I did! 5-stars! ...more
What a fantastic book! Miracle Creek is one of those books that touches on so many different issues that are important. It was a compelling story fromWhat a fantastic book! Miracle Creek is one of those books that touches on so many different issues that are important. It was a compelling story from the first page and I was immediately drawn to the characters and what they were going through. It was a fascinating topic that made a great courtroom procedural mixed with family drama.
I liked that the story talked about the struggles of parenthood and what it was like to be the parent of a child with a medical condition. I had so many feelings for the moms in the autism group and it made me examine my life and how I would react to having a child that needed extra attention.
There were also important cultural issues in this book. It talked about the challenges immigrants can face and what it is like to move somewhere where you don’t know anything in hopes to change your life. I think the author did an amazing job or describing the feelings from Pak, Young, and Mary, and each of their individual struggles.
I also love books that go through a court case and what that looks like. This story had so many dynamic parts and different and unique characters. I was interested in the story from beginning to end and recommend it to anyone who wants an emotional and impactful read. 5-stars! ...more
Chelsea | thrillerbookbabe
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