February Reading Wrap Up

 February Reading Wrap Up

Happy Sunday! Hard to believe tomorrow is March already. 

Here’s my reading wrap up for the month. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Rose Code

Concrete Rose

A Very Punchable Face 🎧

Smoke 🎧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Holdout 🎧

Layla

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder 🎧

Strangers on a Train

Trail of Echoes 🎧

An American Marriage

The Family Upstairs

Upright Women Wanted 🎧

The Lions of Fifth Avenue 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Every Vow You Take

The Ensemble 

There’s a little more contemporary fiction than I usually read with The Ensemble, An American Marriage, and Concrete Rose. The Ensemble was my book club’s read for the month. We’re discussing it tonight. An American Marriage is my book club pick for March. I wanted to read it so I can book talk it on tonight’s book club zoom. I love Angie Thomas’s work so Concrete Rose was an automatic read for me. 

Mysteries and thrillers are my main jam, so no surprise they dominate the list. Smoke is the latest in Joe Ide’s IQ series. IQ is a modern day take off of Sherlock Holmes and I’m enjoying watching the characters grow and change over time. I read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder for the #buddyreadstodiefor group read. Layla was for the #betweenfriendsbookclub group read. Both group reads had lively discussions and it was fun to read everyone’s thoughts on the books. The real outlier for me this month was the novella Upright Women Wanted. I needed an audiobook and was available from the library. Couldn’t resist a story about badass librarians. It was a fun, quick listen.

Not a bad reading month for me. 😀 

Speedy Internet?

 

Happy Saturday! 

I’m #currentlylistening to Smoke by Joe Ide. It’s number five in the IQ series. 

I live in a little rural corner of the world. It is beautiful, but good internet is hard to find. For years the only internet available was through a regional telephone provider and it’s slow. And goes out frequently. And is very slow and just generally sucks. And yet we put up with it because it was really the only option. But now the technology gods have given me an option. We’ve switched over to a cellular internet provider and life is good! Netflix isn’t pixelated. It doesn’t take forever to text a pic of the dogs to my daughter. Everything loads faster. Yippee! But I’ve been spending the morning switching my email account that was with my old internet provider over to gmail. I have to go through every app and every online account I have and make the change. But it’s so worth it when I finally kick my old internet provider to the curb this week. 

My next change will probably be to get rid of our expensive satellite tv provider and switch to a live tv streaming service. Any recommendations? Hope you all are having a delightful Saturday! 

#currentlyreading #smoke #joeide #audiobook #alwaysreading #iq #readwithmyears #audiobookstagram #audiobooksisreading #readreadread #changes #internet #theneedforspeed 

The Family Upstairs

 The Family Upstairs

Author: Lisa Jewel

Publisher: Altria Books

Year: 2019

Happy Friday friends! 

Lisa Jewel’s books always have what looks like different threads of stories and then she weaves all the threads together into a twisted narrative. 

The Family Upstairs tells the story of a posh, well off family who falls victim to a ruthless con man and his family. 

When Libby turns 25 years old, she inherits a large but decrepit house in in a tony section of London. When Libby was a baby she was found safe and healthy in the house where three adults were found dead. Libby teams up with a newspaper reporter to unravel the the mystery of what exactly happened in that house and what happened to the other children who lived there. 

The story is told from three different perspectives and bounces back and forth between past and present. The format kept me reading and guessing to see how everything fit together. It all adds up to an engrossing story. CW: child abuse, sexual abuse, physical and emotional abuse. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What’s on everyone’s agenda for the weekend? Not much going on in my little corner of the world. 

#thefamilyupstairs #lisajewell #atriabooks #bookreview #ebookreview #kindle #conman  #familydrama #thrillerbooks #thrillerreads #inheiritance #mysterybooks #suicidepact #herbgarden 

A Very Punchable Face

 A Very Punchable Face 

Author: Colin Jost

Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio

Year: 2020

Sometimes you just need a laugh. 

Colin Jost, head writer for Saturday Night Live and Weekend Update cohost, recounts his childhood growing up on Staten Island, NY and the path that led his to a career in comedy. 

Jost has lots of stories to tell - about growing up, going to Harvard and writing for the Harvard Lampoon, and his career at SNL. He also has some wild vacation stories that range from ridiculous (falling asleep in a graveyard while drunk) to harrowing (almost drowning while surfing) to gross (legs infected by bugs). The story about his mom, a physician with the NYFD, on 9/11 is incredible. 

Jost’s narration of the audiobook is casual and funny. He sounds like he’s telling you stories over a few beers. His humor is mostly self deprecating like he can’t believe he got into so many weird situations and lived to tell about them. This is a quick and delightful read if you’re looking for something fun to read. It’s a must read for any SNL fans! 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

Any recommendations for humorous books? 

An American Marriage

 An American Marriage 

Author: Tayari Jones

Publisher: Algonquin Books

Year: 2018

Happy Monday! 

I’m in charge of choosing next month’s read for my book club. We usually try to pick books that have been out for awhile instead of brand new releases. It’s just easier to get copies from from our libraries that way. 

One of the books I’m considering is An American Marriage. The story is heartbreaking and features complex characters. The story is told through the first person narration the main characters and through a series of letters between the characters. It really provides a look at both sides of this marriage. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis: Newlyweds Celestial and Roy are the embodiment of both the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive, and she is an artist on the brink of an exciting career. But as they settle into the routine of their life together, they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. Roy is arrested and sentenced to 12 years for a crime Celestial knows he didn't commit. 

Though fiercely independent, Celestial finds herself bereft and unmoored, taking comfort in Andre, her childhood friend, and best man at their wedding. As Roy's time in prison passes, she is unable to hold on to the love that has been her center. After five years, Roy's conviction is suddenly overturned, and he returns to Atlanta ready to resume their life together. 

Have you read it? Do you think this is a good book club selection? 

#anamericanmarriage #tayarijones #algonquinbooks #marriage #criminaljustice #racisminamerica #incarceration #atlanta #bookclub #bookclubdiscussion #oprahsbookclubselection 

Every Vow You Break

 Every Vow You Break 

Author: Peter Swanson

Publisher: William Morrow and Custom House

Publishes: March 23, 2021

This book made me uncomfortable and creeped out - but not in a good way.

Synopsis: Abigail never thought she’d fall in love with a millionaire. Then she met Bruce. He’s a good guy, stable, level-headed, kind—a refreshing twist from her previous relationships.

But right before the wedding, Abigail has a drunken one-night stand on her bachelorette weekend. She puts the incident—and the sexy guy who wouldn’t give her his real name—out of her mind, and now believes she wants to be with Bruce for the rest of her life.

Then the mysterious stranger suddenly appears—and Abigail’s future life and happiness are turned upside down. He insists that their passionate night was the beginning of something much, much more. Something special. Something real—and he’s tracked her down to prove it.

Does she tell Bruce and ruin their idyllic honeymoon—and possibly their marriage? Or should she handle this psychopathic stalker on her own? To make the situation worse, strange things begin to happen. She sees a terrified woman in the night shadows, and no one at the resort seems to believe anything is amiss… including her perfect new husband.

Spoilers ahead.......

As the story unfolded, I thought it might turn out to be some kind of take off on the old short story The Most Dangerous Game (people being hunted like big game for sport). But it wasn’t exactly that. This was about a group of very rich men with fragile egos terrifying women and putting them on trial for their sexual histories. No thank you. 

I felt like there was just this whole underlying sense of misogyny running throughout the book and maybe that was the author’s intent. But do we really need a story of men calling women sluts and whores and getting off on hunting a woman and putting her on trial?  I just found it uncomfortable and exhausting. I really liked Swanson’s other books especially The Kind Worth Killing and Eight Perfect Murders. This one was just a total miss for me. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @netgalley , the author, and William Morrow and Custom House for the  advanced reader copy. This book publishes March 23rd.

Trail of Echoes

 Trail of Echoes 

Author: Rachel Howzell Hall 

Publisher: Macmillan Audio

Year: 2019

A serial killer is snatching young Black girls and leaving their bodies on a hiking trail in a public park.

Trail of Echoes is the third book in @rhowzellhall’s Det. Elouise (Lou) Norton series. This time around Lou and her partner discover a killer has been kidnapping and killing a series of artistic and talented middle school girls. The victims were all from the school and all lived in the same housing project where Lou grew up. As the investigation unfolds, the killer begins taunting Lou with coded messages and emails. Can Lou and her team find the killer before the next girl dies? 

Even though this is the third book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone. Lou is smart, strong, caring, and down to earth. She’s dealing with the breakup of her marriage and the reappearance of her father back in her life after a long absence. Je Nie Fleming’s audiobook narration sounds like you’re listening to your sassy best friend tell you the story over a couple glasses of wine. 

If you liked Hall’s latest bestseller And Now She’s Gone, make sure you check out this smart, intricately plotted, and fast paced backlist series. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#audiobook #audiobookreview #backlistbooks #rachelhowzellhall #jeneifleming #macmillianaudio #policprocedural #detective #detectivelounorton #lapd #losangeles #serialkiller #readwithmyears #audible #audiblebooks 

Strangers on a Train

 Strangers on a Train

Author: Patricia Highsmith

Publisher: W.W. Norton and Co. 

Year: 2021

Does everyone have the capacity for murder hidden somewhere inside them? 

Patricia Highsmith’s dark classic Strangers on a Train is the story of a chance meeting that leads to murder. Guy Haines, an up and coming architect, is on his way to Texas to meet his estranged wife & talk about finally divorcing. Guy would then be free to marry his girlfriend Anne. On the train trip, Guy meets Charles Anthony Bruno a rich, spoiled, and drunk young man. During a night of heavy drinking, Bruno tells Guy about how much he hates his father and proposes his idea for a perfect murder. Bruno will kill Guy’s wife so she can’t ruin his career. In return, Guy will kill Bruno’s father. Perfect crimes because there’s no connection to each victim. Guy dismisses Bruno’s proposal as the ramblings of a drunken deranged mind. Soon after that meeting, Guy’s wife is murdered & Guy knows Bruno did it. Guy feels guilty. He starts to sabotage his own career and his relationship with Anne. Bruno can’t leave Guy alone & pressures him to hold up his part of the deal. What can drive a seemingly good man to commit murder? 

There’s a lot going on in this book - alcoholism, depression, greed, guilt, Bruno’s relationship with his mother, blackmail, Bruno’s obsession with Guy. Originally published in 1950, this psychological thriller still holds up today. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read this for the group read & movie watch party over on Instagram. Will be interesting to see how the book compares to Alfred Hitchcock’s movie version. 

Do you like to read the book before watching the movie version? 

#strangersonatrain #patriciahighsmith #nortonandcompany #alfredhitchcock #hitchcockzone #murdermystery #psychologicalthriller #perfectcrime #thrillerreads #train #trains #charlesbruno #architect #murderpact #classiccrimefiction 

A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

 A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

Author: Holly Jackson

Narrator: Bailey Carr and full cast

Publisher: Listening Library 

Year: 2020

In A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, a high school senior investigates a five year old murder/suicide for her senior project.

Andie Bell, a beautiful and popular high school student, disappeared five years ago. Her body was never found. Soon after the police begin to investigate her disappearance, Sal Singh, Andie’s boyfriend, is found dead. The police rule it was a murder/suicide and close the case. Five years later, Pip begins asking questions about the case as part of her senior project. She discovers a dark side to Andie. She teams up with Sal’s brother Ravi to discover what really happened. 

Pip is a smart, dedicated student and a likable main character. She’s not the most popular girl in school, but she’s not portrayed as a nerdy outsider. I liked her. I generally liked most of the story and Pip’s investigation. I don’t want to give away the ending, but one part of it left me thinking wtf. It was just weird and, to me, unbelievable. 

Bailey Carr leads a full cast narration of the audiobook and it was a fun and enjoyable listening experience. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the February #buddyreadstodiefor group read over on Instagram and I’m looking forward to our discussion! 

Do you like audiobooks? If you’re an audiobook reader, do you like full cast narrations? 

#bookreview #buddyreadstodiefor #agoodgirlsguidetomurder #hollyjackson #audiobook #audiobookreview #soraapp #mysteryfiction #thrillerbooks #ireadya #murderinvestigation #teenreads #readwithmyears #audiobooksofinstagram #librarybook #libraryaudiobook 

The Ensemble

 The Ensemble 

Author: Aja Gabel

Publisher: Riverhead Books

Year: 2018

My book club’s pick for this month didn’t hit the right note for me. (Sorry for the bad pun. I couldn’t help myself!)

The Ensemble follows four young musicians as they embark on their career as a quartet playing chamber music. I never played an instrument and know next to nothing about classical music, so this book didn’t really click with me. I also didn’t connect with any of the characters. I do think this was a well written novel and the authors is very talented. This just wasn’t for me. I’m sure some of the members of my book club love this one. I’m sure we’ll having an interesting discussion on this one at the end of the month. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Synopsis: Jana. Brit. Daniel. Henry. They would never have been friends if they hadn't needed each other. They would never have found each other except for the art which drew them together. They would never have become family without their love for the music, for each other.

Brit is the second violinist, a beautiful and quiet orphan; on the viola is Henry, a prodigy who's always had it easy; the cellist is Daniel, the oldest and an angry skeptic who sleeps around; and on first violin is Jana, their flinty, resilient leader. Together, they are the Van Ness Quartet. After the group's youthful, rocky start, they experience devastating failure and wild success, heartbreak and marriage, triumph and loss, betrayal and enduring loyalty. They are always tied to each other - by career, by the intensity of their art, by the secrets they carry, by choosing each other over and over again.

#theensemble #bookreview #bookclubbook #didntloveit #librarybook #libbyapp #librarylove #kindle #chambermusic #quartet #stringquartet #bookstagram #bibliophile #clasdicalmusic #chambermusicfestivals 

Last, Current, Next

 Last, Current, Next Reads

Happy Saturday! 

I had to take my Gracie pup to the groomer yesterday and that meant getting to spend time at the bookstore. I picked up my next read while I was there. So here’s my #lastcurrentnext

Last read: Concrete Rose- the prequel to The Hate U Give is a powerful and compelling story of a young man deciding how he wants to live his life and embracing fatherhood. 

Current read: Strangers on a Train- Patricia Highsmith’s classic novel of two strangers who make a deadly pact. I’m reading this for the #thehitchcockzone read and movie watch party hosted by @lindsays_books this month. 

Next read: The Paris Library by Janet Skeslien  Charles. A young librarian fights to save the American Library in Paris during WWII. How could I not buy this book? 😀 

Hope everyone stays safe and warm this weekend. 

#lastcurrentnext #concreterose #angiethomas #strangersonatrain #patriciahighsmith #thehitchcockzone #theparislibrary #janetskesliencharles #myweekendisbooked #alwaysreading #bibliophile #kindlepaperwhite #bookstagram 

Concrete Rose

 Concrete Rose

Author: Angie Thomas

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Year: 2021

I’m pretty sure whatever I say about this book is not going to do it justice. 

Concrete Rose is the prequel to Angie Thomas’s mega hit The Hate U Give and tells the story of teenage Maverick Carter. 

At first glance, Maverick is the stereotype of the Black teenage boy we’ve seen for far too long. He’s in a gang, sells drugs, doesn’t really have a clue about what he wants to do after high school, his father’s in jail, his mom is always working, and he has a baby. But Maverick is so much more than what’s on the surface. He’s caring and thoughtful. He embraces fatherhood and learns to make difficult choices that go against the rules of the street. He starts to grow into the man he will become. 

Thomas crafts Maverick’s character with such nuance and grace. You can’t help but root for this kid. All the characters are so very and compelling as they help Maverick make the decisions of how he will live his life and raise his family. 

Thomas is a master storyteller and she once again has delivered a powerful and thought provoking novel that will stay with you. I just can’t string the right words together to say just how incredible this book is. I can’t recommend this book enough. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 

#concreterose #angiethomas #harpercollins #maverickcarter #bookreview #bookstagram #instanclassic #readthisbook #readersofinstagram #gardenheights #teenfatherhood #kinglords #gangs #booknerd #gardening 

Layla

 Layla 

Author: Colleen Hoover 

Publisher: Montlake

Year: 2020

Good morning! I’m watching some snow fall here in my backyard. 

Singer/songwriter Leeds and free spirit Layla fall madly in when they meet during a wedding at a secluded bed and breakfast. Their loving relationship continues until tragedy strikes and then their relationship seems to change and starts to deteriorate. In an effort to rekindle their romance, Leeds takes Layla back to the now empty bed and breakfast. And that’s when things really start to get.....weird. 

This was my first Colleen Hoover book and I read it for a group read. I don’t want to give anything away, so my quick take: entertaining, not exactly what I expected, and it had a twist that kind of caught me y surprise. The characters are well drawn, likable, and interesting. The story moves along at a good pace. This was a nice change of pace for me from what I usually read. I’m looking forward to the group chat. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Do you participate in book clubs, group reads or buddy reads? I like how they expand my reading and introduce me to new authors. 

#layla #colleenhoover #montlakepublishing #bedandbreakfast #kansas  #romance #romancebooks #lovestory #bookreview #ebookreview #kindle #bookstagram #ebook #speculativefiction #groupread #groupreading #undyinglove #nashville #loveatfirstsight 

The Holdout

 The Holdout 

Author: Graham Moore

Narrator: Abby Craden

Publisher: Random House Audio

Year: 2020

Happy Big Game Day! Are you cheering for KC or TB?

The Holdout Out is about a trial that rocks a city. Bobby Nock, a young Black teacher, is accused of murdering one of his students. Jessica Silver was the teenage daughter of a wealthy real estate developer and her body was never found. The prosecution thinks it has enough evidence to easily convict. The jury is picked and soon sequestered as Booby Nock’s trial begins. 

Maya Seale is one of the jurors and she’s convinced Bobby is innocent. She seems to be the only one who does. But as the jury deliberates, Maya convinces her fellow jurors of Bobby’s innocence. They find him not guilty. It’s a decision that will haunt the jurors and change their lives. 

Ten years after the trial, a true crime docuseries brings the jury together again. When one of her fellow jurors is murdered, Maya must prove her own innocence in that killing as she questions Bobby Nock’s true involvement in Jessica’s murder all those years ago. 

This part legal thriller and part whodunnit is a compelling and entertaining story. The story pulls you right in as it flows back and forth between past and present. It was interesting to see how the trial changed the jurors and set them on different paths. The ending has a twist I did not anticipate at all. The audiobook narration by Abby Craden is spot on and engaging. This is perfect for fans of John Grisham and Michael Connelly’s Lincoln Lawyer books.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#theholdout #grahammoore #abbycraden #randomhouseaudio #trail #jury #notgulity #sequesteredjurors #leagalsystem #legalthriller #mystery #bookreview #audiobookreview #audiobookstagram #audiobooks #audible #audiblebooks #readwithmyears #audiobook 

Meet the Blogger

 Meet the Blogger 

Happy Saturday!

I guess it’s about time I properly introduce myself to the bookstagram community. My name is Kris. I’m a retired high school librarian. I worked at a small rural school serving grades 7 through 12. Best job ever! 

I’ve always been a reader since I was a little. My favorite genre is mystery and thrillers. Sue Grafton, Laura Lippman, and Michael Connelly are three of my favorite authors. And even though I’m retired, I still enjoy reading young adult books. 

My husband and I have been married for 32 years. He’s a retired social studies teacher. We taught at the same school. We have two kids and they’re both teachers now. We have two dogs- Rory and Gracie. We spend part of the year at the Outer Banks, NC. I love the beach! 

I don’t like coffee or tea. Am I even allowed to be a bookstagrammer if I don’t drink coffee or tea? 😀Whenever there’s a mug in one of my pics it’s filled with either chocolate milk or Coca Cola. I love chocolate, pizza, and Bruce Springsteen. 

Once in Barnes & Noble, I noticed a grandmother and grandfather shopping for books to give to their teenage daughter. I asked them if they knew what their granddaughter had read recently. The grandmother mentioned a few titles. I then spent the next 5 minutes giving them an impromptu book talk of some of the books that were on display. The grandmother asked if I worked there. “No. I’m a high school librarian and my talent is matching kids with the right books,” I replied. She ended up buying two books I recommended. 

That’s me in a nutshell. The photo me meeting Diary of a Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney at a book signing a few years ago. 

Have a great weekend! 

The Rose Code

 The Rose Code 

Author: Kate Quinn

Publisher: William Morrow Books

Year: 2021

The Rose Code follows the story of three very different women who work to crack the Enigma codes during World War II. Osla is vivacious debutant out to prove she is more than just a “silly deb” with a pretty face. She has a brain and wants to be taken seriously for a change. Mab is a poor girl with family secrets who wants a stable life with a respectable husband. She’s not a social climber. She just wants a better life than the one she grew up with. Beth is brilliant, quiet, and shy. She’s held under her abusive and domineering mother’s thumb. Beth soon becomes one of the best code breakers at Betchley Park, the secret facility dedicated to decoding and translating German radio transmissions. The three women form an unlikely friendship as Osla and Mab help Beth come out of her shell and stand up to her mother. 

As the war progresses and the women become more immersed in their work at BP, they all experience romance and heartache. Their friendship fractures when Mab suffers a devastating loss and blames Osla and Beth. Just as the Allies begin to launch the D-Day invasion of France, Beth discovers there’s a traitor inside the Bletchley Park. Before she has the chance to crack more code to learn the traitor’s identity, she’s accused of having a breakdown and whisked off to a mental hospital. She spends three and a half years there trying to maintain her sanity and figure out who the traitor was. When the medical staff start discussing a lobotomy for her, Beth is desperate. She reaches out to her old friends Osla and Mad to help get her out, find the traitor, and bring them to justice. 

Quinn crafts a well researched and thrilling story of the women who worked so behind the scenes for their country during the war. The characters are witty, determined, and so very real - especially in their grief and heartache. Osla, Mab, and Beth will stay with you long after you finish reading the book. She does a wonderful job capturing the chaotic energy of Bletchley Park and the brilliant people who worked there. There’s something here for every reader to enjoy from historical fiction, to romance to espionage. This is sure to be another best seller. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley, Kate Quinn, and William Morrow Books for the eARC. Publishes March 9, 2021. 

#therosecode #katequinn #williammorrowbooks #historicalfiction #espionage #codebreaker #enigma #bletchleypark #bookreview #ebookreview #netgalley #netgalleyreview #advancedreaderscopy #wwiii #england #kindle 

Book Mail!

 Book Mail! 

Happy Friday eve! 

I finally got to the post office to pick up our mail the was being held while we were at the beach. And this beauty was in the pile! I will read anything Angie Thomas writes- even her grocery list. 😀 This is my most anticipated read for 2021 and I can’t wait to read it. I have to finish reading Layla for a group read and then I can dive into the world of Garden Heights and meet young Maverick. 

What book are you excited to read? 

#concreterose🌹 #angiethomas #maverick #gardenheights #nextread #alwaysreading #ireadya #mostanticipatedread #bookstagram #bookworm #booklover  #balzerbray 

Leave the World Behind

 Leave the World Behind 

Author: Rumaan Alam

Publisher: Ecco

Year: 2020

Happy Wednesday! There’s still snow falling in my little corner of the world. 

Amanda, Clay, and their two kids head out on vacation to a remote part of Long Island. It should be an idyllic week in a luxurious rental house. Not long after their vacation is under way, an older Black couple knocks on the door late one night. Ruth and G.H. were heading home from a concert in NYC when a blackout suddenly occurred. They decided the safest thing to do would be to wait out the back out at their vacation house even though it was rented. Amanda and Clay have now way to check the other couple’s story. The vacation house still has electricity but the internet and television is out and there’s no cell signal in the area. Seemingly cut off from the rest of the world, Amanda and Clay wrestle with how to keep their family safe and the rising panic of the unknown. 

I almost abandoned this book at the very beginning, but little by little it kept pulling me in. What caused the blackout? Why is the internet and television out? What’s happening? The discomfort, fear, and panic rises as information is cut off and some inexplicable things happen. 

Like the characters, the reader is pretty much kept in the dark too. The author gives the reader some hints at what’s happening in the world, but never the full picture. We’re left to our imaginations to fill in the blanks.  And that might be the scariest thing of all. 

This is a thought provoking look at fear, trust, and panic at the unknown. With information at our fingertips, how do we react when we’re cut off from everything we know? 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#bookreview #librarybook #ebook #ebookreview #leaverheworldbehind #rumaanalam #ecco #fear #longisland #vacation #kindle #libbyapp #bookstagram #vacationrental #vacationnightmare #booklover #bookworm #blackout #nointernet #readmorebooks 

Beach Read

 Beach Read 

Author: Emily Henry

Publisher: Berkeley 

Year: 2020

Opposites attract in this sweet and smart lstory about two authors who end up as neighbors for the summer.

January, a romance writer who lost her mojo, is grieving the death of her father and the breakup of her relationship with her long time boyfriend. She decides to move into her father’s cottage on the shore of Lake Michigan for the summer. January is heartbroken after learning her parents’ fairy tale love story wasn’t perfect. Her father had shared the cottage with his mistress. January plans empty the cottage out and sell it. She’s also under pressure to deliver a new manuscript but she too depressed and heartsick to write about love. 

She quickly discovers her new next door neighbor is Gus Everett, author of literary fiction and her old college nemesis and crush. Gus is dealing with his own trauma and grief. January and Gus make a bet to jumpstart their writing. She’ll try her hand at writing the great American novel and he will write a romance. 

They decide to give each other tutorials to help their writing processes. January takes Gus on “romantic dates” to a country fair and a night of line dancing. Gus takes January to interview survivors of a local cult. The more time they spend together, the more their friendship and then romance grows. 

This is a fun, but not overly saccharine, read! The characters are interesting and likable. They pull you right in. The dialogue is snappy and smart. The story is not just a cute romance. There’s some very poignant scenes packed inside. It all adds up to a delightful and tender love story. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#beachread #emilyhenry #romaneread #lovestory #bookreview  #oppositesattract #authors #printbook #paperbacks #booklover #bibliophile #booksandromance #readreadread #neighborstolovers 

Currently Reading

 Currently Reading 

Happy snowy Monday from my little corner of the world! 

I’m doing some NetGalley reading today as the snow falls. This book publishes on March 9th and I’m sure it’s going to be a huge hit just like The Alice Network. Is it possible that @andrea.c.lowry.reads is influencing my reading choices and I’m adding more historical fiction into the mix? 😀

And I’ve been tasked with choosing my book club’s read for March. So I’m looking for recommendations- just no new publications. It’s easier to get books from the library if they’ve been out for a little while. Have a great day! 

#katequinn #therosecode #netgalley #historicalfiction #advancedreaderscopy  #ebook #arc #kindle #currentlyreading #readreadread #bookworm #readinglife #readingislife #williammorrow