Review: 107 Days

107 Days
107 Days by Kamala Harris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Read this for an assignment. It was interesting but not as deeply interesting as I was hoping it would be. Fast read and some thought-provoking bits.

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Review: That Night

That Night
That Night by Gillian McAllister
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love reading McAllister’s books. Once I pick them up, I always know I will not be able to put them down. This was no exception. I was reading another story during vacation where I noticed that my attention kept wandering so I switched to this story and within seconds I was hooked and didn’t want to stop reading until I was done.

This is the story of what it means to be a family. A dysfunctional family that has become enmeshed through an early loss and now doesn’t know how to untangle themselves. Then the unthinkable happens and they show up for each other. Of course, they show up for each other.

But then. Then, they can’t let it go. They start unraveling one by one, bit by bit. Their worst enemy is coming from within. The guilt eats at them. It colors everything and everyone they look at. And then they start questioning each other.

And then it unravels even further. Until there’s no way to make it right ever again.

Great story about the narrow narrow line between being loyal and being dysfunctional.

with gratitude to netgalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: We Burned So Bright

We Burned So Bright
We Burned So Bright by T.J. Klune
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This little book has so much packed in it. It’s sad and hopeful and so thought-provoking. It’s what we’ve come to love from T.J. Klune about how it feels to be different humans in the world, what struggle looks like and the different shapes and forms it can take. And how we can love endlessly and still not always be able to help in the right ways. How we can’t really help those who don’t want to be helped and how it’s tricky to be a human on this earth. This book will break your heart over and over again and then really break it before it’s over.

And it will stay with you a long time, like all Klune’s stories do.

with gratitude to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The Exes

The Exes
The Exes by Leodora Darlington
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Meh this one dragged on forever and by the time the twists came, i couldn’t care less.

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Review: The Astral Library

The Astral Library
The Astral Library by Kate Quinn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

A lovely story that was joyful to read. Books about books, taking place in libraries is my happy place.

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Review: Winter’s Curse

Winter's Curse
Winter’s Curse by Mary Stone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

#2 was a little less interesting for me for some reason but still enough for me to keep reading more! 🙂

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Review: Winter’s Mourn

Winter's Mourn
Winter’s Mourn by Mary Stone
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars.

this series is new to me and i discovered it from an email recommendation. i liked the main character and the pacing, will keep reading them!

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Review: Good People

Good People
Good People by Patmeena Sabit
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

What an unusual way to tell a story. This was a very thought-provoking story. Even though in its root I don’t think the story was really novel, the way the author told the story was really compelling and kept me interested. I did have to give up worrying about keeping track since that was really hard in the beginning. Totally worth the read and would make a great discussion.

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Review: The Top of the World

The Top of the World
The Top of the World by Ethan Joella
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Ethan Joella writes the exact kind of stories that I love to read. His stories are character-driven, quiet and deep. I always end up falling in love with his characters and thinking about them well after I’m done with the book because they are so real and so well developed.

This is the story of Maggie and Chip who work at the same hotel for a summer a year apart. Maggie’s brother Chip has since died from cancer and she’s trying to learn about Chip and how he spent his last summer. The chapters alternate between Maggie and Chip at the same place, a year apart.

It’s wonderful, life-affirming and exactly the type of stories I want to be reading right now. Thank you Ethan Joella for making life more beautiful with your stories.

with gratitude to netgalley and Scribner for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: The Midnight Train

The Midnight Train
The Midnight Train by Matt Haig
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The thing with Matt Haig is that he knows how to weave a story that gets to the heart of the matter and knows how to remind us what actually matters. In this story of Wilbur getting to visit the major moments of his life after he passes away, he (and we) gets to see where he made the wrong choices that lead to outcome of a life he wasn’t happy with in the end. A reminder that we can say what we value but unless we actively choose what we value and make those choices intentional, what we say doesn’t matter. And next thing we know, we’ve lost the thing we value the most and end up with a life we didn’t actually want.

Alas.

For those of us who are still living, it’s not too late to change the choices we make.

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

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Review: It Should Have Been You

It Should Have Been You
It Should Have Been You by Andrea Mara
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

i liked this one, it’s a bit of a different story in that it shows you how something seemingly inconsequential can cause unexpected amounts of harm

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Review: What Happened to Nina?

What Happened to Nina?
What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

interesting story where it’s less about who did it but more about the impact on the two families.

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