Review: Bright Side

Bright Side
Bright Side by Kim Holden
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fun book with dramatic and over the top moments. I think I am likely too old for these types of books at this point.

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Review: Pink Whales

Pink Whales
Pink Whales by Sara Shukla
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had a lot of fun with this light read about a family that moves to a beach town where many rich folks summer and while the mom, Charlie, gets to know all the wealthy women and their secrets and gossip, her husband who works at a local medical center is struggling and they are talking to each other less and less.

There are a lot of funny moments in this book, and a lot of not-so-funny moments too. It is told with humor and doesn’t take itself too seriously but there are some serious topics tackled in this book. Some of the characters are over the top and not as three-dimensional as they could have been.

But I still found this book to be very enjoyable and read it all in one sitting. I think it will be a lovely and fun beach read!

with gratitude to netgalley and Little A for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

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Review: The Gathering

The Gathering
The Gathering by C.J. Tudor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ok this book was creepy. I had no idea it was going to have vampires or I might not have requested it but I had read C.J. Tudor’s books before and I knew they were slow burn mystery that I liked and this one was no exception. A kid is dead. Everyone assumes it must be the vampires because, come on, they are vampires! Right? Well, of course not right because if it was that obvious, it wouldn’t be a novel. At least not a good one, and she writes good novels. This is creepy, and fun, and interesting. I wasn’t crazy about the vampire bits but I loved the book.

with gratitude to netgalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

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Review: This Strange Eventful History

This Strange Eventful History
This Strange Eventful History by Claire Messud
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

It is very rare for me not to finish a book. In fact in the last three years, I’ve probably DNF’ed 2 books. And I’ve loved Messud’s other novels. But this one was just not what I expected and even at the 40% mark I was still struggling to focus. At that point, I decided to call it and not continue with reading the book. I am confident there will be others who love it and her writing, as always, is beautiful but this was just not the right book for me. Since I didn’t finish I will not rate it. Please read other reviews and I will absolutely look forward to and read Messud’s next book.

with gratitude to W. W. Norton & Company and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: Watercolor Textures for Artists: Explore Simple Techniques to Create Amazing Works of Art

Watercolor Textures for Artists: Explore Simple Techniques to Create Amazing Works of Art
Watercolor Textures for Artists: Explore Simple Techniques to Create Amazing Works of Art by Ana Victoria Calderón
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What an awesome idea for a book! This book works for anyone who’s a beginner or intermediate who would like to have some fun with patterns. Even though it’s simple, she has some lovely ideas of how to combine all the simple patterns she teaches to make some really beautiful pages. I loved reading these and am really looking forward to practicing them.

with gratitude to edelweiss and Quarto Group for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Worry Lines: You’re Doing Really Well Given the Circumstances

Worry Lines: You're Doing Really Well Given the Circumstances
Worry Lines: You’re Doing Really Well Given the Circumstances by Worry Lines
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Even though I’ve never followed this account on any social platform, I really loved reading these comics. It’s amazing how some relatively simple drawings can have such profound messages/impact. This, to me, is the real power of art: to be able to say so much with so little. I highly recommend these.

with gratitude to edelweiss and Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The 30-Day Embroidery Challenge: A Day-by-Day Guide to Learn New Stitches and Create Beautiful Designs

The 30-Day Embroidery Challenge: A Day-by-Day Guide to Learn New Stitches and Create Beautiful Designs
The 30-Day Embroidery Challenge: A Day-by-Day Guide to Learn New Stitches and Create Beautiful Designs by Jessica Anderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you want a gentle and really beautiful book on how to learn embroidery and commit to practicing regularly, this book is a fun way to learn and make a project out of it so you can learn all the different stitches and create some simple and beautiful patters. I loved it.

with gratitude to Quarry Books, Quarto and edelweiss for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

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Review: One of the Good Guys

One of the Good Guys
One of the Good Guys by Araminta Hall
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was an interesting read. I liked the premise of the book and I certainly agree that women deal with so much bullshit even from men who think they are “not that kind of men” and yet the book was neither enjoyable nor very interesting to read for me. The characters weren’t likable, which, fair, maybe was the point but I also had a hard time engaging with the story. I did listen to it on audio and maybe that impacted my experience. I will think about it for some time which in its own way is the sign of a good book…

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Review: Thirteen

Thirteen
Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Despite feeling so-so about his first book, I picked this up anyway because the reviews were so strong and I liked this one way way more than the others so far. Clever and well plotted.

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Review: First Lie Wins

First Lie Wins
First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

this was fast-paced, twisty, fun and a solid thriller.

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Review: The Live Your Values Deck: Sort Out, Honor, and Practice What Matters Most to You

The Live Your Values Deck: Sort Out, Honor, and Practice What Matters Most to You
The Live Your Values Deck: Sort Out, Honor, and Practice What Matters Most to You by Lisa Congdon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love Lisa Congdon, love this set, love her artwork. love love love.

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Review: Heartstopper: Volume Five

Heartstopper: Volume Five
Heartstopper: Volume Five by Alice Oseman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

it looks like this series will end with the next book. I love these books and how sweet they are, i am looking forward to what Oseman creates next too!

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