Tag: non-fiction

The Summer Pact by Emily Giffin

☕☕☕☕ / 5

Thank you, Netgalley and Random House Publishing, for the advanced copy. 

The Summer Pact opened with a storyline that drew me in. I was excited to read on and discover what happened to the characters. And then it happened. One of the main female characters found out her fiance was cheating on her. I almost threw my Kindle across the room. I was this close to marking it “did not finish” and moving on to another book.

I’m glad I decided to keep reading, although I still hate that the catalyst for growth was because of cheating. I’m very much over female main characters finding happiness or changing because their significant other was cheating. 

The events of the book start when the three main characters, Lainey, Tyson, and Hannah, are in college and fast-forward to their early thirties. The point of view shifts between each of the three, but it is easy to follow and interesting to see the same events through different eyes. The characters each have great arcs throughout and change over the course of the story. I also enjoyed the dynamics between the three of them. I wish there had been more to show the dynamic between Tyson and Hannah. It was there but didn’t feel as fleshed out as Lainey and Hannah or Lainey and Tyson.

The book was easy to read and understand. The sentences flowed well, and the dialogue was relatable. Giffin also did a great job setting the scene and describing the various settings. I could picture them in my mind and could see this making a cute movie. 

Overall, I enjoyed this book, and it probably would have had five stars if cheating hadn’t been involved. For me, it’s become a lazy plot point to spur a woman to “find herself”! I would have preferred that Hannah’s jumping-off point have something to do with her relationship with her mother instead. It would have been something different and more intriguing. 

The plot around death and grief was well-written and made me reflect. Each character reacted differently, making for an interesting read. Much of the storyline also revolved around family and what that means, blood and found. I really feel these plotlines were stronger and more relatable than the cheating.

If you enjoy found family and friends who will be there for you no matter what, The Summer Pact may be for you.

Booked for Murder by PJ Nelson

☕☕☕☕ / 5

Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the advanced copy for review. 

Are you ready to be transported to a small town in Georgia? 

Then you need to read Booked for Murder by PJ Nelson. Nelson captures the feel of a small town and builds up the history around the Old Juniper Book Store and its characters. It reminded me of Cabot Cove of Murder, She Wrote fame.

Who is threatening the bookstore and the church down the street? You will want to keep reading to find out! There is good pacing and tension throughout, and the resolution felt satisfactory but left enough open for future books in the series. There were a couple of twists I didn’t see coming, but the main one was predictable. It didn’t affect my enjoyment of the book, though.

This book hooked me from the start, and I did not want to put it down. It definitely fits the cozy mystery genre right down to the cat trope! I enjoyed a couple of themes, which mostly revolved around ghosts of the past and what makes a place home. Is it where you were born, or is it more about the people? 

Booked for Murder is definitely setting up for a series, and you got an excellent introduction to the cast of characters and their dynamics. There is limited development because the author wants to save some of that for future books. The main female character had more chemistry with the fire chief over the gardener, but it feels like the author will push her to the gardener. They had too much in common and were too similar of characters to make a good match. I look forward to seeing if I’m wrong about future love interests! Overall, the main characters had some change and were likable. 

Nelson’s writing was straightforward to read and follow. The main female character’s point of view helped maintain consistency throughout and limited us to only what she knew and felt. I did feel some of the dialogue wasn’t as relatable. The characters sometimes spoke in depth and quoted things off the top of their head, which felt a bit pretentious. I don’t believe every character would have such a great memory!

If you are a cozy mystery lover, definitely check out Booked for Murder!

All Systems Red by Martha Wells

☕☕☕☕ / 5

It felt like we jumped into the middle of a world, and it took a little bit to build up the lore and worldbuilding. It started to come together in the second half. I thought the plot started a little slow, but it was needed to build the background information. I thought it resolved a little too quickly and easily, but it did leave room for future books.

The main character, a self-proclaimed murderbot, did change, and I liked the dynamics between the murder bot and humans. The murderbot’s motivation and wants were a little harder to figure out. I expect it in a series because we should learn a little more about the murderbot as the series goes on.

The book was very easy to read. I did feel like I was shoved off a cliff at first, and it took me a bit to understand. I enjoyed the point of view of the murderbot. It could also allow access to others so you can see some of their thoughts. I was very engaged and wanted to keep reading. I thought it fit the genre tropes well. 

The YouTube Formula by Derral Eves

☕☕ / 5

This book was very dry, despite listening to the audio version. It made sense and was easy to digest, but he used only the same two or three stories as examples. I thought having a new example each time would be better rather than going back over the same few. It got old fast.

It was too redundant, and I have no desire to re-read or reference it. Using the same stories over and over did not keep my attention. I felt the author didn’t bring anything new to the topic and only knew what he was doing three times in his career. It wasn’t a broad enough range.

It was easy to understand and follow. I got a couple of ideas I could implement. 

The Creative Act by Rick Rubin

☕☕☕☕☕ / 5

The Creative Act’s text flows well, makes a lot of sense, and is easy to read. The sentences and chapters are short and digestible, and the writing flows well from chapter to chapter. I liked the little snippets between some of the chapters. I highlighted a lot of good tidbits throughout.

Most of the examples were focused on music, which doesn’t surprise me, but I would have liked some other examples of different creative outlets. For the most part, Rubin knows what he’s talking about. I would not take his medical advice, which he did touch on in this book.

I liked that the concepts and chapters were short and sweet. You wouldn’t think it was a 400+ page book. The items here could be easily implemented; I started some of them while reading the book! I really enjoyed this book and took a lot away from it. It was useful, enriched my understanding, and will have a lasting impact. 

What have you read recently? Any five-star reads?

Financial Feminist: Overcome the Patriarchy’s Bullsh*t to Master Your Money and Build a Life You Love by Tori Dunlap

☕☕☕☕/5

Tori Dunlap seemed to speak with authority and knew what she was talking about throughout Financial Feminist, but I didn’t feel she brought anything new to the table. Maybe because I have studied finance and read several books on personal finance and budgeting, I learned nothing from this book. 

It was still an enjoyable read. It flowed well, made sense, and was easy to read. It wasn’t dry like many financial books can be. This book would be good for someone early on in their budgeting journey. I think they could definitely implement the ideas and concepts in the book. 

The Book Swap by Tessa Bickers

☕☕☕☕☕/5

When I first started The Book Swap, I wasn’t sure it would be the right book for me. I was so wrong! I ended up loving this story about love, loss, and forgiveness. The first few chapters were a bit slow, but the story picked up once I started to get to know Erin and James. Overall, there was good flow throughout the story, easily switching between points of view. We see the story from both James and Erin. 

I thought The Book Swap fits its genre and tropes well without falling into typical cliches. Both Erin and James were relatable, and the dialogue felt natural. Both of them changed from who they were when the book started. The dynamics between the main characters, their friends, and their family were excellent. There was plenty of tension to go around, too, not just between Erin and James. I want to see a sequel starring Cassie and Joel (and maybe a third with Elliot and Carl). 

I thought the messages in the book’s margins were a great way to move the story forward. I could also picture the cute little library! I thought Bickers did a great job painting the locations of the story. I could see this as a cute rom-com. 

The Book Swap was easy to read with relatable dialogue. Overall, the flow of the book was good, but there were a few hiccups at the start. I would recommend this to people who love an enemy-to-lovers book. There are some descriptive scenes involving mental health and bullying that may not be for everyone. 

I was initially drawn to this book because of the title and cover image. Romance isn’t one of my go-to genres, but I was really glad to have read this book! It was enjoyable. 

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for sending me this ARC to review. All opinions are my own. 

I read only ebooks this March because I wanted to hit all 15 Kindle Reading Challenges for the quarter finally. I usually switch between physical and ebooks, so I never hit all the challenges. I feel so accomplished. 😂

What did you read this month?

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The No Spend Challenge Guide by Jen Smith
☕☕

This felt like a long, drawn-out blog post from someone who thinks they know more than you because they got out of debt! Many of us have gotten out of debt but don’t immediately tell people to “cut out coffee shop trips.” I will not re-read or reference this book in the future; most is common sense and nothing to really help do a no-spend challenge.

I was also turned off by the author offering no concrete examples of what she said she did to become debt-free. She claims she can’t show us her budget or rules because it’s not helpful, and we are all unique! Like, no shit, but some of us like to see a visual representation to get an idea of how to frame our own. 

It makes it harder to implement her ideas because there are no real examples, just a list of items you could try. It also undermines her credibility because she lists items anyone could give without showing anything to back up that these have worked or how she implemented them.

I would not recommend this to anyone. Do a Google search, and you’ll get much better ideas. 

Tokyo Tarareba Girls, Vol 1 by Akiko Higasgumura
☕☕☕☕

This was my first manga, and I really enjoyed it! The drawings worked well to help set the scene and tell the story. There was good pacing and enough tension to move the story forward. I wanted to hang around with the main characters at the bar. It would be a fun evening, and it would make a cute TV show. 

Ankle Snatcher by Grady Hendrix
☕☕☕☕

I struggle with short story reviews. I liked this one, but I always want more from short stories. Hendrix did a nice job setting the scene and building the atmosphere. There was really only one character, and I felt he had a decent arc, but something was missing. Maybe I want to get to know the characters better.

ADHD For Smartass Women by Tracy Otsuka
☕☕☕☕☕

Tracy Otsuka was someone I found when I was first diagnosed with ADHD. I joined her Facebook group, listened to her podcast, and tried her planning system. I’m still a member of her Facebook group, but I no longer feel the need to listen to her podcasts, and her planning system did not work for me. I was interested in reading her book when it came out.

Overall, I liked ADHD for Smartass Women. I thought it was well-written and easy to read. Because Otsuka isn’t a doctor or scientist, her dialogue is very relatable. She shared many personal stories of her life and those of her listeners/group members. 

It kept my attention because it was fairly short and to the point. It is also a book you could skip around and read what applies to you. You don’t miss anything by skipping the chapters or sections that don’t apply. 

The Mystery Writer by Sulari Gentill
☕☕☕☕

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

The Mystery Writer is set in Laurence, Kansas, but it could have been set in a small suburb of any town in the USA. Overall, I thought the story had good tension and resolution but did drag in some parts. There were definitely twists I did not see coming, which is rare. 

I didn’t like or dislike the characters. A few felt too flat and one-dimensional, while others were too over-the-top and unbelievable. I thought Theo came across as very naive for someone who was in law school, and Gus fell into the stereotypical “big brother” trope. 

I thought using Theo’s point of view was good; we only know what she knows. In the beginning, I was thrown by the conspiracist forum chats. I didn’t quite get what they were there for, and there wasn’t any differentiation between the chats and the start of the chapter. It was a bit jarring in the first few chapters until you got the flow. I would have liked to have seen these as a page between the chapters. 

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It hits a lot of genre tropes. I could see some filmmaker trying to make this into a movie (and it could be either really good or really bad, lol).

Murder Road by Simone St. James
☕☕☕☕☕

The setting for Murder Road was well-described, and St. James made sure to build an atmosphere. The lore was literally given to the reader in the book (and it worked well). The book had great pacing and decent tension, although some of the tension felt forced/fake. The ending wrapped up all questions.

I thought all of the main characters had a nice story arc and changed appropriately for the story. Some of the dynamics between characters felt a little forced. I felt the main characters changed from the story’s start to end.

I finished this book in only a couple of days. I didn’t want to put it down. It followed genre tropes, and although I was pretty sure I saw the twists coming, there was enough there (or not there) to have me second-guessing. It was easy to read, with a consistent point of view, flow, and relatable dialogue. 

I would love to see this done as a movie!

Another month in which I surpassed my goal! Only one book was a short read. The other four were average length for their genres. Two took me a little longer to read because I wasn’t as into them, while I read quickly for the other two because I wanted to know what had happened!

How was your February? What book(s) was your favorite? Least favorite? Let me know in the comments!

Norse Magic for Beginners by Frank Bawdoe

☕☕☕

The book was well-written, and the sentences were short and easy to digest. It was easy to understand and follow, and I could easily implement some ideas. Most of the ideas were very surface-level, and I feel like I need to read more books to dig into the topic. 

I feel like the author has a very superficial understanding of Norse magic and may not actually practice it. It felt like a book anyone with the internet could have put together. I was hoping for something a little deeper on the topic.

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan

☕☕☕☕

When I started this book, I wasn’t sure I would like it or want to keep reading. It wasn’t bad; it just didn’t seem like a genre I liked. But I was wrong. After the first couple of chapters, I really got into it!

There wasn’t a strong description of place or world-building. It could have been set anywhere (I think it was London). The homes it was set in weren’t really described either. It’s not necessarily a bad thing. I just prefer more details about the houses, at least since they are characters in the book. 

The character arcs were slow but made sense as the book takes place over many years. The pacing was too slow for the first half and rushed in the second. I liked all of the characters and their relationships with each other. They had good dynamics and motivation and cared what happened to them. 

The point of view switched throughout the book but it worked well and was easy to follow. 

The Broken Girls by Simone St James

☕☕☕☕☕

Simone St James does an excellent job of creating a spooky atmosphere. I could picture the town and run-down school. The past and present locations were compared and contrasted well. I felt immersed in the story and wanted to keep reading. I thought it followed the tropes for the genre, and I really wanted to figure out the story. I did figure out the twist early, but I was kept guessing if I was right up until the reveal. 

I loved all of the characters and could see their development and growth over the course of the book. The dialogue felt realistic and relatable. I could see this as a limited series or movie.

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

☕☕☕

Despite the title, this didn’t feel like it was Paris. It could have been any insular apartment building in any large city, such as London, New York, or LA. There were little bits of French dialogue that were immediately translated into English by the character, which kept taking me out of the story. I’d have preferred no French or leave the simple phrases as is. 

The only character that seemed to have any real growth was Jess. The rest were insufferable and not in a way that I wanted to read more about them. I had hoped the other characters had gotten what they deserved.

There was good tension throughout, but the resolution felt rushed, and the twists cliched. The pacing seemed off; some were great, but other parts were either too slow or too fast. The switching point of view switched too often, and the flow between the past and present was jilted and hard to follow at times. 

Horror Movie by Paul Tremblay

☕☕☕☕☕

Are monsters born or created?

In Horror Movie, Paul Tremblay explores the idea of creating monsters. He sets up the world of 1993, a low-budget horror movie set, and contrasts it with the present time when the movie is being rebooted. The tension builds throughout, and I kept checking doorways for the Thin Kid as I read.

The structure of Horror Movie is more unique than most horror books. It flashes between the past and present, using chapters titled Then or Now, making it easy to follow. What makes it unique is the screenplay interspersed throughout the book to help tell the story. 

Horror Movie was an enjoyable, easy read. The dialogue was relatable, and I could imagine the early 90s and how the movie could achieve cult status without ever being released. The characters were flawed from beginning to end but still seemed to have some growth. You don’t necessarily like these characters, but you like reading about them.

The biggest downfall was the ending. It didn’t feel like it fit the build-up of tension and the climax. It seemed… too easy of an ending for what felt like a complicated theme. I thought there would be a less obvious ending, for lack of a better word. 

Horror Movie fit the genre and tropes of horror but not in a cliched way. I wanted to keep reading to discover what would happen to the characters. I could see a couple of the arcs but wasn’t sure how they would end. It was the perfect mix of familiar yet different.

If you like horror that makes you think, this might be the book for you!

Thank you, NetGalley and William Morrow, for sending me an ARC of Horror Movie. All opinions are my own. 

Wow! Five books in December to get to 42 books for 2023! It’s not my goal of 52,  but I think it’s pretty good, especially since I went through a several-month reading slump. I read three Christmas fiction books and two non-fiction books this month. 

What did you read in December? Any good Christmas books??

All book links are Amazon Associate links. I may earn a commission.

The Holiday Swap by Maggie Knox

Read by Stephanie Cannon

☕☕☕☕ / 5

The Holiday Swap is a grown-up The Parent Trap meets Hallmark holiday movie. Charlie gets a concussion on the set of her baking show “Sweet & Salty” and can no longer taste or smell. She has the brilliant idea to switch places with her identical twin, Cass, who runs the family bakery.

The Holiday Swap is an easy-to-read book that feels like watching a cheesy movie. The pacing was decent, but it felt like the climax came late. It didn’t drag, but reaching the climax took longer than usual. There was good tension and conflict, but I felt there could have been more pushback from some of the characters once they learned about the switch.

It does use the trope of a twin swap, but I did want to keep reading to see how each twin would handle being their sister. The book is told from two points of view: Cass and Charlie. The flow between points of view was great, and it was easy to tell when we were switching twins. The author also included reminders throughout the chapter as the twins had to remind themselves they were the other. 

I liked all of the characters. They felt relatable and down to earth. Of course, there were a couple of obnoxious people, but they were written that way, which helps move the story forward. I thought Cass and Charlie learned and changed from their experience. 

I recommend this book if you like light romance and Hallmark holiday movies. It is the perfect amount of fun, romance, and holiday hijinks. 

Secret Santa by Andrew Shaffer

☕☕☕ / 5

Lussi needs a job, and she gets the job when an interview goes bad. Her coworkers haze her, and receives an odd Secret Santa gift. Then, bad things start happening to her coworkers.

Although somewhat predictable, I did want to keep reading to see how it all turned out. The workplace was well described, and I could picture the type of New York City home converted into an office/business. I wanted to learn more about the other characters. We only really got a good picture of the main character, Lussi. We got glances of her co-workers but I was left wanting more.

I also wanted a bit more horror. I felt there wasn’t enough tension or scares for a horror book. Overall, it was a decent read. I would recommend it to people who aren’t into gruesome horror but are looking for a little bit of a scare revolving around Christmastime. 

Screenwriting Tricks for Authors by Alexandria Sokoloff

☕☕☕☕ / 5

What can a screenwriter teach authors? How to watch movies and follow scriptwriting to help your book be the best it can be!

Reading this one took me a while, but that is not the author’s fault. At the end of each chapter are assignments, and I was trying to complete the assignments before moving on to the next chapter. I finally realized I can read the book and then go back and work my way through the assignments.

Sokoloff does a great job breaking down movies and books to help writers. I often had ideas while reading and had to email myself so I wouldn’t forget!

I would recommend this book if you are interested in writing fiction.

The Christmas Fix by Lucy Score

☕☕☕ / 5

Reality house flipper Cat is ready to help out the small town of Merry, CT, after a hurricane hits it and get it ready for it’s annual Christmas festival. But city manager Noah stands in her way.

The author does a great job describing the small town of Merry in this enemies-to-lovers Christmas novel. These are all predictable, but I love reading them, knowing it will be a happy ending. This one is no different. The climax was where expected, and there was plenty of tension between Cat and Noah.

I liked Cat and Noah, but the original conflict felt too forced and unnatural. It was as if the author was trying to insert too much conflict. 

The Christmas Fix was an easy read (I finished it in a day) and had good transitions between points of view. After the first third of the book, the dialogue became much more natural and flowed nicely. 

I would recommend this book if you like cheesy Christmas stories. Please note there is some language people may consider inappropriate and some steamy-ish scenes. 

Photo Quest by Rick Sammon

☕☕☕☕ / 5

A photo book without any photos? What?! Rick Sammon writes about art, photography, and all the things that go along with those. He talks about creativity, business and has friends pop in and give their thoughts. He also gives assignments at the end of each chapter. Some are more involved than others. 

I would recommend this book to photographers. I think Rick has a lot of wisdom, and I hope to absorb a fraction of it!