Cameron

Wow. I genuinely have no words for how amazingly well written this novel is, but i'm going to try getting my thoughts out.

This is a story about Jonah, and aspiring playwright in NYC. The story is over the course of multiple years as he is emerged into high society life after meeting famous playwright, Richard. Over the course of their relationship, Jonah experiences horrible, traumatic things at the hands of Richard and his friends.

This book encompasses so many topics that may be triggering to some, especially LGBTQIA+ individuals.

This was absolutely heartbreaking, yet eye opening. I wish I could form words for what I experienced while reading but I genuinely cannot because this was so well written. I want to shout from a rooftop that everyone should read this book.

I wish I could say more but I think this book should be experienced with not much knowledge going into it (but please check trigger warnings if necessary). Please. please, please pick this up.

I received an e-arc from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

3.5/5 Stars

This short story collection was fun! As it is with other short stories, I preferred some over others. Some of my favorites included “Twenty Questions” by Jennifer Brozek and “The Haunting of Mrs. Poole” by Angel Leigh McCoy.

I appreciated how some stories had ambiguous endings. It made the stories more thrilling not knowing how they could have resolved. I also felt like the stories fit together very well. Despite the different writing styles and plots, each story was complimentary to one another. It is obvious all the authors are talented writers and are exceptional at descriptive imagery.

Overall, I would recommend this book to those who want a light horror read. These stories were quick and well-crafted and I am interested in looking at other works by some of the authors.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

“The Only Child” is a story that evoked some heart wrenching emotions. It follows a dual timeline of 1949 and 2013. In 1949, a sixteen-year-old pregnant girl is sent off to live in a “fallen women” home, Fairmile. Here, she is expected to birth her child, give the child up for adoption, then will return home. However, the horrors of the time are revealed, causing a turn of events.

In 2013, a police deputy, Frankie, has moved into Fairmile as her mom remodels it to turn it into a hotel. Her daughter, Izzy, is visiting for the summer, and the mother is grappling with motherhood after spending years apart from her child.

The death of a nun who was formally employed at Fairmile stirs up the community, and Frankie goes on a whirlwind of events to figure out who killed her.

This book was such a great thriller while also exposing the horrors young mothers faced in the past and are still facing today. It was heartbreaking at times reading the events that happened at Fairmile and I felt connected to the characters. I also appreciated the comments the author included regarding misogyny both in the past and today. It's unfortunate what women have to face while men are awarded a “get out of jail free card” of sorts.

I especially loved that the dual timelines are interconnected, as it really made the book come to a satisfying close. I felt that the author tied up all the loose ends. I also greatly enjoyed the atmosphere and setting which heightened the somber tone of the book.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone. Although the outcome was what I suspected, I enjoyed the way the book turned out and was not let down at all. I can't wait to pick up more books by Kayte Nunn in the future!

This one was not for me. The characters were two dimensional and it felt like it was all over the course of one long day, not months.

This man is a board certified OBGYN... why tf is he not using protection and claiming “I just wanted you so bad” BRO YOUR JOB IS TEACHING SAFE SEX.

2/5 stars. I was so bored by the 60% mark that I sped the audiobook up to 3x speed to get through it.

If this was my first introduction to thrillers, I'm sure it would have been mind blowing but I just found this to be so... unthrilling.

Synopsis:

Claire's sister went missing 20 years ago and her family never received any answers. Now, another girl disappeared and Claire notices similarities to her sisters case. The more she digs into the case, the more she realizes the situation is far more sinister than she could have ever imagined.

Review:

Was the writing phenomenal? Absolutely. Karin Slaughter is one of the best in the game and has been for years. I won't let this deter me from reading more of her work. I just found the characters in this book and their development to be one dimensional. The “twists” were barely even twists and I thought the ending felt like a cop out. I think because this book was so highly praised, I went in with too high of expectations. I wish there was more to say but I honestly feel like this:

Who doesn't love a reboot of their favorite childhood tv show?

This novel portrays just that. We follow Liv, an actress who is reunited with her co-star and unrequited love, Ransom, as they film their show's reboot. Ransom made it clear back then that they were nothing more than best friends. Will filming together again be the push they need to fall head over heels in love or will it prove to them their relationship was nothing more than an on-screen romance?

I love the plot and their shared history. It allows the reader a glimpse into their past and what could have been. It helps make the relationship more believable.

However, I still had a hard time connecting to their romance since we didn't see much of it on page. There was more of a focal point of filming the reboot, but since the readers don't know anything about the show in the first place, it seemed like too much filler information.

I did find the characters to be extremely well written and had a great time seeing all their personalities shine. If there was a bit more romance and less behind the scenes of a show I didn't know much about, this had the potential of being a favorite. Thus, I think this book is a solid 3 stars and would recommend it if you're new to the romance genre or just want a book with solid character dynamics.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

If you're a fan of Schitt's Creek, this is the story for you!

We follow Jillian Moorewood after she goes to prison for her family's cons. After 3 years locked away, she is ready to turn the family business around and do things the right way. With the help of some trustworthy relatives and a handsome bodyguard, she is ready to kick the Moorewood's to the curb and take back what is legally hers.

This book is filled with insane family members and drama which was fun. Think Moira Rose from Schitt's Creek times 3. It definitely made the story interesting but unfortunately did not save the story for me.

I was under the impression that this story is a mystery/thriller based off the synopsis and marketing but that is not the case. It is more of a romance with some family drama subplot. I couldn't tell where the story was headed the entire time and didn't believe the romance, which was a big part of the story. He was so serious about his job that we didn't even get a glimpse into his feelings. This was also a closed-door romance, so we did not get to see any relationship progression.

I think this would be a good book for you if you love a good family drama plot, but don't expect there to be any thrilling or mysterious elements. Unfortunately, this fell flat for me and I wouldn't recommend it otherwise.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a free eARC of this story in exchange for my honest review.

Going on a writing retreat hosted by your favorite author with your ex best friend... what could possibly go wrong?

Alex and five other women attend a month-long writer's retreat hosted by bestselling author Roza Vallo in her secluded mansion. They're told they must complete an entire novel for the chance to win a million dollars and publishing deal. It's every writer's dream. Quickly, things begin to turn sour, and Alex begins to wonder if this retreat is as good as it seemed.

I enjoyed this story's overall setting, atmosphere, and characters. It was all extremely well done and captivating. The only issue I had was I wish the book summary didn't give away what would eventually happen. If that was left out, it would have had more shock factor and had a higher rating from me. I wish I didn't spend most of the book wondering when the big event would happen. Thus, I will only be giving this book a 3.5/5 stars rounded up to a 4.

I'm honestly floored that this is a debut novel. It was so well written, and I loved the mystery. I found myself still thinking about the book the next day. I was so impressed. I would recommend this novel if you enjoy reading suspenseful books with isolation. I would also recommend to not read the synopsis of the book since it ruins the reading experience.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a free eARC of this story in exchange for my honest review!

“The Neighbors” started off strong. The premise was intriguing and the characters were fleshed out and interesting. That's as far as the praise goes unfortunately.

Over the course of the book, there is a jumble of timelines and perspectives without any indication, making the story choppy and hard to understand. It was as if the author attempted to give us back story without knowing where they wanted the book to lead. Most of it was unnecessary. Then at around the 80% mark, all the action happened so quickly that I got whiplash. It barely even made sense. Overall, this book was boring with an anticlimactic ending.

2.5/5 stars.

This was a fast paced sapphic romance with great characters.

Something about it didn't sit right with me though. Scottie, trying to get back at her ex girlfriend propositions Irene to fake date her. Despite saying she doesn't want to out Irene, she still gives her a proposition she can't refuse. Thus, forcing her to come out even though she didn't want to.

Over the course of the relationship, Scottie was so confused about her feelings that it didn't make the relationship believable. She didn't even treat Irene like a human being. Just a trophy to make her ex jealous.

The writing itself was good, I just felt a little icky by the way things played out between them. Not sure I would recommend this one since it made me mad but if you like a cutesy sapphic YA romance and can look over those details, it's well done.

I had the audiobook version of this from Hoopla and that is genuinely the only reason why I didn't DNF.

The dirty talk was beyond cringe and there was barely a plot. When there was plot, it didn't lead anywhere remotely interesting. Then, the ending was abrupt and left so much to be desired.

If you want to read it for the memes like I did, its a quick read but don't expect anything remotely great.

High school sweethearts to strangers to lovers? Sign me up.

Lana does not know life outside of a relationship. After each long-term relationship ends, she jumps into the next one. Her high school ex, Seth, is the complete opposite. He runs from commitment and never gets into anything long term.

Then Seth shows up at Lana's job and is pitted in a competition against her. Lana must stay single for the duration of the ten-week assignment, and Seth must commit to dating someone seriously and setting down. Will the competition bring them together, or pull them further apart?

I really enjoyed this book. The writing style and characters were so engaging. I loved Lana's development over the course of the story as she struggles with being alone for the first time in over a decade. I wish there was a bit more pining in between the bickering and the love. If the story was in dual POV so we could get to see Seth's emotions, it would have made this book go the extra mile. The story still worked well in the end though. Despite never reading Falon Ballard's debut novel, I was totally hooked by this book and will be going back to read it! I would recommend this book as a quick romance read that focuses more on the competition than the relationship.

I received this book as a free eARC from the publishers in exchange for my honest review but I'm way behind in my reads. SO SORRY!

Hailey Sharp, owner of an up-and-coming salad shop, wants to leave men in the past to better her business. Wes Jansen will do anything to avoid relationships due to his parents' rough past. After their not-so-meet cute, Hailey and Was slowly grow as friends and have to decide if they will remain just that or go against everything they wanted to commit to love.

I personally didn't read the first few books in the series and was still able to follow along. These can definitely be treated as stand alones but you will get more out of the character dynamics if you read them in order. Despite that, I really enjoyed Hailey's character. It was refreshing to see a character that was quirky but not totally spaced out of reality. She had her life together and genuinely loved her business.

Wes on the other hand made me angry. He clearly led her on even though he knew he didn't want things to go further, and he has big commitment issues that made me not root for him or them getting together. By the end, I didn't believe any feelings between them and weirdly preferred them as just friends. Because of that I give it a 2.5/5 stars but will round it up to 3 stars.

I personally do not enjoy closed door romances but in this case, it worked well for their dynamic. It would have fully taken me out of the story.

Overall, the writing is so well done, I just didn't personally like Wes. I would still recommend this book to people who enjoy closed door romances with a tight knit family dynamic and lovable fmc.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A beautifully written story of grief and learning how to move on.

Two and a half years ago, Natalie suddenly lost her husband, and she has been overwhelmed with grief since. Despite her friends meaning well, they constantly try to set her up with men and rush her to moving on. On one of these nights out, Natalie runs into Tom, a cheeky photographer who is sweet and charismatic.

There is also an underlying mystery to figure out who is leaving her sheet music in the piano bench where she plays.

I found the characters and their development so well done. The writing was witty and fun while also focusing on the hard topic of grief and moving on after a loss. Writing about this topic is not easy but I felt it was captured well in this novel. However, I did not love the romance aspect of it. I was not sold on the relationship and that they felt anything more than friendly. I was almost rooting for the other man in the story... whoops. Overall, it was very well done but I just wish the relationship was drawn out a bit more to show that they shared stronger feelings of love.

***I received a free eARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Didn't know we were romanticizing men who can't take no for an answer, manipulate women with sex, throw a temper tantrum when they don't get their way, and flat out say “You're shit at your job”

Oh but don't get me wrong the FMC is just as bad. The biggest hypocrite who can't make up her mind and jumps to conclusions.

This whole book is a walking red flag.

The way this book has an absolute chokehold on my mind! I'm still thinking about it MONTHS after reading it.

Synopsis:
Back in 1978, Dr. Helen Hildreth is a well known psychiatrist in Vermont who is praised for her work with her patients. When she's at home with her grand kids, Violet and Eric, she's the typical grandmother. One day she brings home a little girl named Iris. She's skittish and shy, but Vi takes her under her wing and lets her join their Monster Club where they document different monsters in their special book.

In 2019, Lizzy Shelley, a popular monster podcast host travels to that town in Vermont where a girl has recently gone missing in the hoped of solving the question of what happened to this girl. The people of the town claim it was a monster that abducted her, but Lizzy isn't so sure. She knows better than anyone people can be monsters. Especially since her very own sister is one.

Review:
When I tell you I was in my own little world, staying up until 3am to finish this... I was FULLY immersed. Something about the writing style, the characters, and the interesting plot was so unlike anything I've read. I didn't see the twists coming AT ALL and my jaw was on the floor for the last 20ish pages. I loved the ending and the message shared. Not to mention the gothic vibes I was getting. That could just be me but I honestly imagined a creepy mansion and it did not disappoint. If you're looking for a read that's a great time with an empowering message, I highly recommend. I honestly wish I remember more. Even though this is 5 stars, I read it in June and already don't remember much because I flew through it. I seriously went into another world with this one.

“When in doubt, frolic”

When I saw this was supposed to be an Alice in Wonderland x Midsommer mashup, I was stoked. I was expecting unhinged with insane creativity. Unfortunately, besides the rabbits and weird sacrifices, the similarities ended there.

Three college roommates go to a farm in the middle of nowhere to participate in The Frolicking- an Easter-themed event. Upon arriving, their worlds are turned upside down and they must individually face internal battles to escape. 

I found the beginning to be extremely descriptive, almost to a fault. Unfortunately, it started to fall off and there would be virtually no world descriptions. We would get vivid images of a pet rabbit's habitat/cage, but not for the actual Frolicking world. Amid all the action and terror, we lose those descriptors that would have made the scenes impactful. I genuinely could not picture this world at all because the only comparison we were getting was... yams. 

Like Alice in Wonderland and even Bunny by Mona Awad, you need to suspend your beliefs for this one. The conversations were over the top and cringy- not like a typical college-age person would speak. However, I don't necessarily mean that as a bad thing. I think that ends up playing a large role in the eventual character development. 

I ultimately wish there was more background on The Frolicking as a whole. It felt like we were just thrust into the event, so the scenes that were supposed to be wild and out there were underwhelming. 

Despite everything, I think this story was pretty decent. I typically don't enjoy books with multiple points of view, but this was well done and easy to keep up with. Even the ending felt rushed yet complete, which is hard to find in books not suspended in reality. 

I rate this a 2.5 rounded down to a 2. I would recommend this book if you're into quick reads where you need to suspend your beliefs and just dive in with no expectations. However, I do not think this book would be universally loved because of the aspects mentioned above. 

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

2.5 stars rounded up.

There's no way these characters are in their mid twenties. You can't convince me they aren't 17 with their attitudes

Will forever be chasing the high this book gave me. The butterflies were through the roof. Read this right now and thank me later.

xoxo, girly now in a book slump because this was so good

4.5/5 Stars

WARNING: this book is not for the faint of heart. This is HORROR. Please look up triggers and content warnings.

That being said, I can't in good conscience give this book a rating. Judith Sonnet is known for her extreme body horror and this is no exception. There is a content warning at the 60% mark for a reason. However, the point of a horror is to frighten. It's to be gross. And do the unimaginable. The negative comments are clearly from people who did not read the afterward and Judith's reasoning behind writing this novella the way she did. Despite this being written in just 10 days, the writing was extremely well done. Again, if body horror isn't your cup of tea, I get that, but Judith Sonnet sure knows how to create VIVID imagery. Did I enjoy the book? No, because that's what it was supposed to do. It was meant to leave you with that icky feeling afterward.

If you can stomach extreme horror, this was very well written. It was fast paced, yet still a had a fully fleshed out story and characters. I will continue to read more from this author and recommend if horror is your thing.

The storyline and characters are definitely the best of hers I've read in awhile but Tessa Bailey's smutty scenes are not my cup of tea. It's cringy and takes away from the romance. I was so baffled by some of the quotes that I had to include them:

“Have I told you lately that your tits are insane?”

“I'm not entering your palace without paying homage to the queen”

In reference to her orgasm- “Goodbye reality. She was now a resident of the stars. She rode on a rainbow unicorn over the milky way and waved at an astronaut”

“They just had sex so incredible that he heard Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds by the Beatles when he came”

“Dude was growing like jack's magic bean stalk”

I want to forget that I even read this book and give up on this author all together. I keep reading book after book hoping I will get the same thrill Window Shopping gave me, but at this point I don't think these negative reviews are fair for both Tessa and my sanity.

Loved the epilogue though, I'll give her props for that.

This was HOT y'all

Merged review:

This was HOT y'all

Robin, an artist who specializes in stained glass, is commissioned to repair a window in an abandoned church. The longer she spends on the project, the more she wonders if there's something sinister going on with both the church and the glass itself.

This is a quick, easy novella to pick up if you're interested in paranormal stories. The writing is very well crafted. The descriptive imagery gives life to the story, especially in reference to color. For being a short story, I was surprised to find the writing so captivating. The authors knowledge of glass work shines through and is interesting to see the steps in detail.

The only parts that keep me from giving it a higher rating are the glimpses into the main characters past. It was included to provide background and make the reader empathize with Robin, but I found it to be distracting. The back and forth was jarring and despite the important
commentary, it just felt like irrelevant filler for when she wasn't at the church. If we got less background, with a drawn out ending, this could have potential for being a great read.

I was definitely caught off guard by that ending because it was so abrupt that it left me wanting more. There were no loose ends which is great, I just felt like the story began at a medium pace and flew through the last 10 pages with barely any revelations or importance. Otherwise, this was a story unlike anything I've read before and I would recommend if you enjoy paranormal stories centered on religion.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This short story collection is not for the faint of heart! These stories are vile. disgusting. stomach churning.... And I enjoyed every second of it!

I included rankings for each individual story at the bottom, but overall give this collection a 4.5/5 stars.

This is my first taste of Judith Sonnet and wow!!! She's so damn talented. These stories were short but packed with so much detail.

Would I recommend this collection? Yes. But only to those who can handle extreme horror. Especially body horror. This genre isn't for everyone so please search content warnings before diving in. If horror is your thing though, immediately go support this indie author!!!

Story ratings:

1. 3/5
2. 3.5/5
3. 4/5
4. 2/5
5. 5/5
6. 5/5

Wow. When people were saying this book was eye-opening and extremely well written, they were not lying!

This book follows Jennette McCurdy over the course of her life as a child actor, and the rough relationship she shared with her mother.

I listened to the audiobook version of this, and I highly recommend. Hearing Jennette share her story was so impactful. This was so well written and shows the horrors people can face behind closed doors. It's sad looking back on how much she was going through while acting and yet we couldn't even tell.

If you haven't read this book yet, READ IT! Especially the audiobook. It is almost like being inside her head as she narrates it.

***Just a heads up for those who don't already know, this book can be extremely triggering to some, so please look up the trigger warnings before picking up this book