Thanks to my friends at @berkleypub and @prhaudio for the free #gifted copies of this book.  

 

Gory.  Dark.  Twisted.  Harrison’s foray into the world of vampires was easy to drink up! 

 

Sloane lived on autopilot.  Married and settled, but happy?  Not really.  So, when a weekend away with her best friend pushed her completely out of her comfort zone, it proved to be exactly what was needed.  

 

The first half of the book was slower paced and introspective as it ventured into relatable themes—aging, self-worth.  I loved how Harrison had me deep in thought as she turned up the tension.  

 

Then suddenly the storyline careened into a new, shocking direction, and the pace jolted to life.  Introspection took a backseat to the WILD narrative, proving that sometimes life needs to be lived rather than pondered.  

 

I appreciated the way Harrison blended horror, humor, and heart.  There was a balance to these elements that created a fresh perspective and kept the narrative engaging and entertaining.

 

This is not the vampire novel of our youth.  It is a fiercely feminist WILD ride brimming with wit. 

 

🎧Brittany Pressley nailed this narration.  Not only did she create unique voices for our main character and her best friend, but she also brought the accents and quirkiness of the side characters to life.  This almost read like a full cast production and exemplifies why Pressley is one of the best in the industry.  The audiobook is the way to go for this read!

Thanks to my friends at @scoutpress and @simon.audio for the free #gifted copies of this book.  

 

Drama filled and full of suspense.  Ware delivered a fun, escapist read that entertained!

 

Against her better judgment, Lyla agreed to go on a couples themed reality show with her boyfriend.  But before any TV drama could begin, real life drama ensued.  Marooned on a deserted island with a dead body, Lyla and the other contestants immediately found themselves in a fight for survival. 

 

Initially, the setting was cast as a picturesque paradise, the likes of which I often dream... sandy beaches, crystal-clear water, abundant sunshine.  

 

But Ware quickly and adeptly threw the everything into chaos- a devastating storm, a dead body, dwindling supplies- and that place of beauty turned ominously claustrophobic.  

 

The sense of dread became palpable.  The looming danger had a pulse.  

 

Brimming with both tension and drama, the storyline was easy to escape within, and just when I thought I knew where the plot was heading, Ware surprised me.  I cheered for that ending! 

 

🎧 Imogen Church smoothly delivered a one-woman, full cast narration here, and with such a large cast of characters, that was no easy feat.  Listening to her depiction- from accents to emotion to tension- Church’s skill came across as effortless.  A brilliant production.

Many thanks to my friends at @celadonbooks and @macmillan.audio for the free #gifted books

 

“A podcaster has decided to ruin my life, so I’m buying a chicken.

 

Sarcasm and thrills.  Tintera sure knows the way to my heart.  

 

I thought I was done with the amnesia trope and the podcast format, and then this thriller came along and proved me wrong.

 

Fast paced and binge-worthy.  This isn’t a completely original plotline, but the way Tintera unpacked it was highly entertaining and propulsive.  I turned the pages with abandon even though I didn’t want to rush the experience (all those laughs!).  

 

The snarky female lead (heroine? villain?).  The smug podcaster.  Grandma Beverly’s wild antics.  I’m a sucker for sharply drawn characters with fiery personalities, and Tintera delivered with these.  

 

Dark and twisted, this new take on an overused trope was wickedly funny and endlessly entertaining.  A stellar debut.  

 

🎧 Grab this one on audio.  It’s a full production with some of my favorite artists.  Co-narrators (and real-life couple), January LaVoy and Will Damron, captivated, both in their separate sections AND when they narrated scenes together.  (I particularly loved hearing them together!) The podcast elements (with sound effects) added that extra authenticity to the storyline and had me eager for any new tidbits of information.  This is a buzz worthy audiobook, and, in my opinion, the best format for this read.    

 

 

Many thanks to my friends at @librofm for the #gifted copy of this audiobook.  

Laugh out loud funny.  Sharply observed.  This is one of the most surprising books I’ve ever read.  

Honestly, I wasn’t sure about this storyline based off the synopsis.  But nothing delights me more than finding a book that is different than it seems... and this book is SO MUCH more.    

It’s clever and endearing.  It’s quirky and emotional.  With witty storytelling and sharp writing skills, Thorpe had me deeply invested from the start.  And more than that, she had me checking any preconceived notions and fully embracing the creative and unconventional.  

Oh, how I adored Margo! So smart but so young and naïve.  Motivated by unconditional love, her unwavering determination led her down an eccentric path.  A path I questioned at first.  But the more I got to know Margo, the more I came to really see her and understand her... dare I say, even relate to her.  Not only did I want her to succeed, but I also became her biggest cheerleader.   

What a book!  It challenged me and delighted me. It pushed me out of my comfort zone, entertained me, and made me a better human.  It is a true gem, and, in my opinion, an absolute must read.  

🎧 Elle Fanning.  ELLE FANNING!!!!  To say she hit a homerun with this audiobook narration would be a vast understatement.  Impeccable.  Perfect.  Deserving of all the accolades.  I bought a hardcover for my shelves, but truly, this book is meant for audio. 

Many thanks to my friends at @simon.audio for the free #gifted copy of this read. 

Layne’s newest is a sweet, closed-door romance. It’s laced with easy banter and a smidge of tension as the characters get to know each other and learn to navigate the close quarters on the rooftop terrace where they both go to escape. 

The romance slowly builds between these 2 opposites, and I found myself desperate for the relationship to take a faster track. But the easy pace gave this story a lighter feel, almost as though a comfort read. 

Layne nails the ending. But I found the storyline meandered a bit too much before getting to that point. As someone who knows nothing about astrology, I was very interested in seeing Miranda expand her horizon from rigidity (as a scientist) into something more unpredictable. (Maybe even I would be inspired!) But I was never truly convinced of the unconventional path dictated by the stars for Miranda (or myself) and found myself stuck in the repetitiveness within her astrological journey.

Still, I found this to be a cute, opposites attract romance. 

🎧 Jennifer Jill Araya was a new narrator for me. She easily breathed life into Miranda and accentuated the banter and angst between her and Archer. Araya kept me engaged in the story even when I longed for more spice or a little less astrology. Definitely consider this one in audio format. 

Many thanks to my friends at @marysueruccibooks and @simon.audio for the #gifted copies of this book.  

Slow burn suspense + evocative family drama.  Dave has taken one of my favorite combinations and created a storyline I found easy to dive into.  (You see what I did there? 😂)

Nora’s dad somehow fell of the cliff where he lived.  Gone in an instant.  Nora’s grief was immense, but then it was thrown into chaos when her estranged brother, Sam, confided that he didn’t believe their dad’s death was an accident.  

➡️ I think it’s important to note: This is not a fast paced, edge of your seat thriller.  

Instead, it is a sharply written story of a family in grief trying to unravel long held secrets and possibly uncover what happened the night they lost their father.  

The characters were intricately layered and richly drawn in a way that I needed to know them fully, even the ones I didn’t particularly like.  

The atmosphere was effortlessly set and made me feel as though I was holding my breath in fear that I was too close to the cliff myself.  

But ultimately, it was the relationships that made this read a winner for me.  There was a realistic complexity to the way the characters connected and interacted.  

Estranged siblings... needing each other but holding each other at arm’s length.  Could they work together?  Could they reconnect?  I found myself fully engaged with the dynamics between Nora and Sam, and that drove the plot for me.    

Truth be told... I didn’t find the epic love story to be, well, epic.  But the rest of the storyline more than overcame that one aspect for me.  

There’s something about the way Dave tells a story that always draws me in.  And this one is worth a read!

🎧 This one is impeccably narrated by the great Julia Wheelan.  What more can I say?  You already know that she becomes the very essence of the storyline, honing in on every emotion with depth and nuance, and exposes the core of each character with aplomb.  And she does that in spades, yet again, in this audiobook.  

Many thanks to my friends at @gallerybooks and @simon.audio for the free #gifted copies of these books.  

Years ago, my first read by CLo was The Unhoneymooners, which I adored.  And this felt very reminiscent of that experience.  The luscious setting, the one bed, the angsty buildup of tension, the hijinks and hilarity!

That book was SO GOOD.  Why would they try to recreate that magic when it might not measure up?  Well, because... apparently... they have a wealth of magic, and they’re only getting better and better with each new release.  

And with Paradise Problem, CLo has produced yet another winning read.  But dare I say... they have OUTDONE themselves with this one.  

I laughed out loud, and I blushed like a schoolgirl.  I was desperate for a good summer romance.  And BOY did this deliver!

Anna—with her pink hair and bold “I know myself” personality combined with “I’ve got your back” energy—was a heroine I couldn’t resist.  I loved that she was eccentric and relatable in equal portions.  And I needed to see her get a HEA.

Paradise Problem turned out to be the absolute PERFECT summer read.  A fast-paced binge read full of swoony banter and super SPICY romance.  This book hit ALL the right spots.  

It’s also worth noting that this book came at the exact right time and uplifted me even in the hardest of circumstances.  Thank you, C and Lo for helping me get through something unimaginable.  💗

This is another CLo WIN!  I’m already eager for what they’ll do next!

🎧 Patti Murin and Jon Root brought the characters and chemistry to life.  Murin is always a favorite narrator.  But this was my first experience with Root, and boy did he have me like putty in his hands.  SWOON.  

Many thanks to my friends at @atriabooks and @simon.audio for the free #gifted copies of this book. 

Gripping.  Terrifying.  WHAT DID I JUST READ???!!!  

There was a part of me that wanted to wait until “spooky season” officially started to read this book.  

But then FOMO took over.  All my friends were raving about this book.  So how could I, in good conscience, continue to put it off?  

➡️THANK GOODNESS I didn’t put it off until the dark and dreary months!

This turned out to be the best horror and psychological thriller combination.  I was on the edge of my seat fully engaged yet horrified at each turn of the page.  

I wanted to look away but couldn’t. I questioned everything.  I’m not even sure I understood all that happened.  

And those tiny details that felt so relatable—Where did I leave my phone? Am I not remembering that correctly?— those bits of everyday life woven in made the story feel so real. TOO REAL. 

Questions intermingled with truth yet brimming with uncertainty... therein lies the unsettling brilliance of this read.

This is a frightening debut reminiscent of the style of one of my favorite horror authors, Cat Ward.  A definitive spooky season must read!

🎧 As soon as I saw that @jercarparvo was the primary narrator for this book, it became necessary for me to grab the audiobook.  And what a treat it was.  Parker exuded the eeriness and uncertainty with every breath of her performance.  She became the very essence of Eve, embodied the complexity of the situation, and heightened the sense of atmosphere and dread that loomed large.  Mixed media sections were narrated by Corey Brill, adding a sinister and unsettling feel in between the primary narrative.  A winning listen all around.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many thanks to my friends at @henryholtbooks and macmillan.audio for the free #gifted copies of this book.  

 

Witty and wise.  Full of heart.  Deeply resonant. 

 

Some books you read.  Others you experience.  

 

I finished this book more than a week ago, and I’m still actively thinking about it.  I don’t call many books perfect... but this one... it was absolutely PERFECT for me.  

 

From the compelling storyline to the inviting setting and the richly drawn characters.  

 

From the deep dive into hard places partnered with the space for growth and laced with abundant humor. 

 

I was immediately immersed in Phoebe’s journey and swept away by Espach’s powerhouse writing.  So tender.  So vital.  So raw.  So relatable.  

 

With each turn of the page, I became more convinced that Espach had intimate knowledge of my soul.  The gut-wrenching pain of infertility and pregnancy loss.  The loneliness and yearning.  The utter heartbreak. 

 

And then slowly, eventually... Learning to hope again.  Opening to connection and life again.  Finding the strength to laugh.  To love.  

 

There is startling beauty within the excavation of emotion in this read.  I laughed.  I cried.  I went through the entire gamut alongside Phoebe only to find myself laughing some more.  

 

But most importantly, as I closed the pages of The Wedding People, I felt seen.   

 

Not many authors have such an innate and easy ability to connect and uplift.  And as I pondered this book’s deep impact, I was reminded of the experience I have when reading Fredrik Backman.  His books are astutely observed, witty, wise, and full of humanity.  

 

So, too, is The Wedding People.  

 

Don’t be surprised when I- the person who has trouble picking favorites- names this book as my BOTY.  

 

🎧 I partnered my print copy with the audio, and Helen Laser nailed the execution of both the heartbreak and humor within this novel.  It’s a fully emotive listen, and Laser well embodies the variety of characters and tone within this read.  

Many thanks to my friends at @flatiron_books and @macmillan.audio for the free #gifted copy of this book.  

 

Bold.  Fierce.  An unapologetic story of revenge worthy of applause.   

 

1985: Up and coming Cuban artist, Anita, falls from the window of her high-rise NYC apartment under suspicious circumstances.

 

1998:  Preparing for her thesis, art history student, Raquel, stumbles upon Anita’s art and the story of her untimely death. 

 

Though decades separate these characters, both must fight to hold space and make their voices heard, amplifying the lack of progress made within the white male dominated space.  

 

Sharply written and full of wit, this is a storyline that grabbed my attention from the onset.  Certain paranormal elements enhanced the darkness within the dark academia backdrop and heightened the overall experience.

 

The characters, vividly depicted and deeply complex, felt fully alive, as though they could come through the pages of the book.  

 

But Anita was my favorite part of this read.  She was bold and fiery. A FORCE.  And I couldn’t have cheered louder when she got her last laugh.  

 

Gonzalez artfully tackles tough topics with ingenuity and humor- lots of humor.  The intensity of female rage is masterfully exhibited, and the examination of spaces marred by racial bias is impeccably exposed.  

 

As always, the author’s note is worth the read, especially in highlighting her own experiences within academia.

 

➡️Worth noting: Anita appears to be based on the true story of Ana Mendieta. Though Mendieta’s family recognizes the uncanny connection between Ana and Anita, the family expressed frustration that the author did not contact the estate before writing and selling the novel.  

 

🎧 Admittedly, it took me a bit to settle into the exuberant audiobook production. But once I did, I greatly appreciated the fieriness with which it was performed.  Emotion oozed through these dynamic performances and amplified the storyline and messaging.