Many thanks to my friends at @prhaudio for the #gifted copy.

 

👌🏻 Chef’s kiss!  Completely enchanting and brimming with heart.  

"It's never a matter of time, but a matter of timing."

 

This book was such a surprise.  I enjoyed The Dead Romantics, so I expected to enjoy this one.  But no… I didn’t just enjoy this book…  I LOVED this book.  

 

The banter.  The swoon-worthy moments.  The LONGING.    I fell hard and swift, completely consumed by this story in the best possible way.  

 

There’s a certain magic to Poston’s storytelling, beyond the magical elements she utilizes. I found myself fully immersed, easily endeared to Clementine and suddenly smitten by Iwan.  

 

This uniquely crafted world, with a magical apartment and shifting time, explored the idea of perfect timing, creating a deep sense of yearning while allowing the characters simultaneous journeys of self-discovery.  

 

And while I longed for time to bring these two together, that journey created an authentic portrayal of emotion that resonated, in both grief and love.  That growth and maturity allowed a full circle experience that deeply satisfied.   

 

The author’s note is a must.  This book has a beautiful rawness to it that can only be found when the author has a deep personal connection.  After reading the note, it became apparent as to how this book elicited such a deep emotional response for me.  

 

This unique love story is one of the sweetest!  It’s a total gem that filled my heart, and I’ll be swooning over it for a long time to come.  

 

🎧 Brittany Pressley is one of my favorite narrators.  And this book showcases exactly why!  She encapsulated the broad range of emotion and had me hanging on every word.  

 

 

 

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

 

See’s latest novel, inspired by a 15th century female “ming yi”-- famous doctor—and her compendium of medical research titled, “Miscellaneous Records of a Female Doctor, is an intriguing look at women in the Ming Dynasty.

 

Meticulously researched, this novel compels as it educates.  Well written and with a strong sense of time and place, I was transported to when women broke the bones in their feet for beauty and considered purchasing a concubine for their husbands. 

 

This is a slow paced read, packed with historical detail.  And though I was often appalled by those details, particularly the rules dictating class and gender, I was also fascinated that Yunxian was able to negotiate her world to garner unheard of respect.  

 

The bond of female friendship, with its ameliorating effects, truly stood out.  While relationships were not generally allowed cross-class, the one between Yunxian and Meileing allowed See to give perspective to the lifestyles of both the elite and lower class, creating a full picture of life and culture in the Ming society.  

 

The Postscript to the Reprint of “Miscellaneous Records of a Female Doctor” written by Lady Tan Yunxian’s great nephew, included at the end, provides extraordinary factual insight, as does the author’s note.  

 

🎧 Jennifer Lim is a new-to-me narrator. Her portrayal of Lady Tan drew me in and kept me engaged, even amongst the depth of historical detail.  I’d highly recommend the audiobook.

Many thanks to my friends at @macmillan.audio for the #gifted audiobook.

 

Darkly compelling.  Gritty and complex. Cosby’s emotionally charged fourth novel proves he is the future of crime thrillers.  

 

Whether writing about the outlaw (in his previous works) or lawman (in this latest), Cosby enthralls.  This is a “one sitting” book.  Provocative and page turning, it was just the explosive thrill ride I’ve come to expect of Cosby.  

 

“Charon County was founded in bloodshed and darkness.”

 

A small, southern town firm in the clutches of history.  A serial killer targeting Black youth.  Titus Crowne, the first Black sheriff of Charon County, must balance the lines of justice amongst the complexities of race and religion in the American South. 

 

Gritty and raw!  This storyline is exacting and propulsive.  From the adeptly plotted hunt for a serial killer to the cinematic backdrop of the rural south, I was fully absorbed.  Scenes crafted with nuance created the perfect juxtaposition between everyday life and the unfolding horror.  The sense that danger lurked among the mundane parts of normalcy created an unnerving scene, rife with complexity and terror.  

 

Cosby’s writing is hard-edged and highly skilled.  It’s smart and textured.  It’s full of emotion yet loaded with action.  It’s expertly balanced between poetry and structure with significance embedded in both.  

 

Though captivating, this isn’t a comfortable read.  It’s dark and gory.  Violence is on full display.  

 

But maybe most provocative is the examination of the misuse of religion and politics.  This story begs the questions we need to be asking.  An unflinching look at hard things done with a soft touch, allowing a timely and thorough examination that creates a platform for discussion.

 

Did I cheer at that ending?  YES, I did.  👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻   Meticulously crafted and full of verve, All the Sinner’s Bleed is a tour de force!

 

🎧  @realadamlw has given voice to all of Cobsy’s novels.  Each time, he creates the perfect execution, especially for the main character.  And this time is no different.  His deep and gravely voice has such nuance, allowing him to shift tone and create a full emotional experience pertinent to the scenes.  Lazarre-White is one of my favorites and a truly talented voice artists.  

 

 

Many thanks to my friends at @simonbooks and @librofm for the #gifted copies of this book.  

 

Raw and vulnerable.  Heartbreaking yet laced with dark humor.  This is a story of resiliency and overcoming.

 

As a mom, I consider motherhood a sacred calling.  I also consider life to be sacred.  

 

But WOW.  I think… dare I even say… I’m glad her mom died too.  Yikes.  It sounds so wrong.  And yet, the manipulation… the generational trauma…  the downright abuse… 

 

Freedom from that was a gift.  Is a gift.  One that this brutally honest memoir proves is not wasted.  

 

McCurdy candidly recounts her story with boldness and a raw vulnerability.  Thrust into fame at an early age, Jennette lived out her mother’s dream.  But while her mother thrived in the spotlight, Jennette fell into a dark spiral.  

 

Only after her mother’s death was Jennette released from the years of abuse and able to embark on healing.   

 

While this is McCurdy’s first foray into writing, it’s apparent that she has a love of it and the chops to back it up.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see her story of healing continued in a further memoir.  Or to see other works writing from her in the future.   

 

In total honesty, I didn’t know anything about Jennette prior to this book, but her story will stick with me long after iCarly reruns are forgotten.  

 

🎧 I partnered my physical and audiobook copies for this read.  Memoirs are truly best when narrated by the author, and that is absolutely true of this one.  If you can only grab one format, go for the audiobook.  

 

 

Many thanks to my friends at @putnam and @prhaudio for the #gifted copies of this book.  

 

ALL the STARS.  @mrstevenrowley has done it again!  He’s created another *must read* that’s equal parts heartwarming, heartbreaking, and hysterical.  

 

If I’m honest, I went into this book feeling hopeful yet anxious. The Guncle was my favorite read of 2021.  Rowley penned the perfect book for me at that perfect time.  Could he do it again?  A lot has changed in the last 2 years.  I’ve changed. 

 

But as I settled into this new narrative…  one focused on friendship, found family, and mortality… I realized that Rowley’s ability to connect has a universality to it and is as strong as ever.  Maybe even stronger.    <Shocked gasp>

It’s important to note: this is no Guncle.  This is a CELEBRATION.  And in as many ways as it’s different from Rowley’s 2021 bestseller, it’s also equally brilliant, poignant, and transforming. 

 

When tragedy strikes just before college graduation, a group of friends make a pact to come together in their most trying times to celebrate one another.  Twenty-eight years and a slew of “living funerals” later, the friends come together once again.   But this time might be a bit different.  

 

Likened to The Big Chill, Rowley celebrates the bonds of friendship and love through keen observations of living, aging, and dying.  Brimming with sentiment and steeped in wit, this is a feel-good romp that is wildly entertaining yet deeply heartfelt.  

 

Rowley wields a special kind of magic that allows a reader to simultaneously ponder their own mortality while laughing out loud.  There’s a warmth to his writing, one that supported me as I pondered and reflected.   And yet, the wit and snark enhanced my reflections in a manner that made the overall experience vividly real and wholly authentic. 

 

Bringing this full circle:  Could Rowley pen the perfect book for me a second time? Unequivocally, as though he knows my very soul…. YES!

 

Thought provoking, disturbing, and compulsively readable. 

 

This book is the perfect example of “too many great books, not enough time.”  I remember seeing the buzz for it last year but never had a chance to pick it up.  

 

So when my buddy read pals decided it would make a great #pridemonthread I excitedly grabbed this #backlist title.  (Spoiler:  It was indeed a great pride month read!)

 

Jonah’s story held me enrapt from the very first line. His experiences.  His hopes.  His need to be seen and loved.  This is a formidable addition to the #metoo sub-genre where Parks-Ramage explores themes of abuse, toxicity, and power through a gay man’s experience. 

 

I can’t say what I expected from this read, but what I got was SO much more. Tragically twisted, this story was deeply uncomfortable yet wholly unputdownable.  The emotion it evoked ran the gamut, and the themes it explored were powerful and provocative.

 

If you’re looking for a book with truly great discussion potential:  Look no further.  THIS is it.  From processing emotion to unpacking the trauma, this is a book that begs to be read alongside a buddy.  Thanks to my buddies for encouraging me to read this backlist title now: 

 

This is the kind of shocking yet tender story that will stay with me.  I won’t soon forget Jonah.  And I’ll be watching to see what Parks-Ramage does next! 

Many thanks to @kwharvey and @simon.audio for the #gifted books.  

 

Full of nostalgia and completely heartwarming.  

 

Some books just ooze summer… that “surrounded by your favorite people, porch sitting, sweet tea drinking, watching the fireflies dance in the yard” kind of feeling… and KWH’s newest book does exactly that while reminding me why I long for summer all year long.

 

I never went to camp.  To be honest, I’ve never been a “bunkbed, sleep in nature” kind of gal.  The mosquitos.  The inescapable heat and humidity.  Blah.  

 

Yet Harvey painted a picture of sun kissed days full of friendship and comradery that I wanted to be a part of, mosquitoes and bunkbeds be damned!  How is it that I felt such a deep longing for a time/place I never experience?  It’s safe to say that Harvey wields quite the book magic!

 

At its heart, this is a tale of sisterhood.  Daphne, Lanier, and Mary Stuart have one of those tried-and-true bonds forged through years of seeing each other through their best and worst.  They are the embodiment of chosen family.  

 

Harvey created this triumvirate fully authentic and so genuine that I struggled to decide if I wanted to be a part of their circle or reach out to my own “framily” (family + friend).  Honestly, the answer is both.  

 

While the friendship bond takes centerstage, the romance isn’t to be missed.  Second chance isn’t normally my favorite trope, but I was fully on board with Daphne and Huff finding their way back together.  It was a wholly unique family dynamic (Daphne, baby-daddy, son + Huff) that I didn’t know I needed.  

 

The theme of forgiveness runs throughout the story.  From broken family dynamics to lies and deceit to meddling in other people’s business (Lanier!!!) to past failures.  This book reminds that there’s no great gift to others or self than true forgiveness.   

 

This book was just the feel good read I need.  It tugged at my heartstrings and left me uplifted.  Throw this one in your pool bag for the perfect light summer read.  

 

🎧 This was a book I want to lose myself in, and the cast narration by Jennifer Jill Araya, Reena Dutt, and Jackie Sanders made that easy to do.  The three distinct voices amplified the three points of views, and accentuated that southern dynamic running through the pages.  

 

“For the ones who dream of stranger worlds.”

 

Four Londons + a mysterious magician + a female pirate + sadistic sovereigns = an enchanting journey where the battle between good and evil isn’t always cut and dry.  

 

Quite honestly, this series had not been on my radar… mostly due to the “shiny, new” reads always being pushed to the front of my radar.  But all that changed when Schwab hosted a reread with weekly YouTube book discussions.  

 

With full bodied characters and an easy to access fantasy world, this made for a fun read.  Kell was a formidable hero rife with complexity and easy to root for, even in those gray area decisions.  Lila was bold and fierce, and I couldn’t have loved her brazen spirit more.  The storytelling was intricate yet not confusing.  The pace started out fast, but it lagged a bit towards the middle. Nonetheless the end had me cheering and ready for book 2.   

 

What really accentuated this read:  Schwab’s weekly recap videos where she shared snippets regarding plot and characters along with her overall zeal for the book.  There’s an excitement that oozes out of Schwab when she talks about this beloved book, and it made me appreciate this read all the more.  

 

The Shades of Magic spinoff series, Threads of Power, hits shelves with book one, The Fragile Threads of Power, on September 26, 2023.

 

Many thanks to my friends at @prhaudio for the #gifted copy of this book.  

 

Impactful.  Necessary. Urgent.  #ownvoices author, Nick Medina, shines a much needed spotlight on the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous females in this compelling debut.  

 

Anna is haunted… by the mythical story of the rolling head, by the bullies at school, and by the growing number of missing Indigenous females on her reservation.  When her sister joins the ranks of those missing, Anna will stop at nothing to get to the truth.    

 

This story takes place over 36 days with flashbacks to the past (both near and distant) to create the full scope of this novel.  At times, the structure made the story feel fractured and hard to follow, interrupting its pace.  

 

Even so, the narrative shines.  Medina deftly weaves myth with mystery, creating an ominous and horrifying premise. This atmospheric setting adds a layer of intrigue while the storyline is steeped in emotion.  Our main character, Anna, grows into a fully 3-dimensional character, and I rooted for her as she embraced her true self while fighting the forces of evil.  

 
This story has lingered with me.  It’s an impressive and entertaining debut with important social commentary.  I will be very interested to see what Medina does next.  

 

Don’t miss the author’s note at the end of this story.  

 

🎧 The narration by Elva Guerra gave a distinct voice to Anna.  But the nonlinear timeline made the audiobook difficult to follow.  Pairing the audiobook with my print copy allowed an immersive experience without the confusion.  

 

Haunting.  Powerful.  

 

“Bury me, before I bury you.  Please.”

“No one will remember our names.  No one will know our story.”

 

This might be the hardest and saddest book I’ve read all year.  It also happens to be one of the most necessary.  

 

Salama’s life is thrown into chaos… Once a student learning to become a pharmacist.  Now a surgeon in a war zone, with only on-the-job training.  Her world has changed… is changing… amidst this fight for freedom.  

 

Katouh paints a rich and moving picture of life in the times of revolution through her portrayal of Salama and Kenan.   

 

This book provides what the news (with its focus on politics) does not:  a firsthand look at how the world is changed, one person at a time, and a reminder that the brutality of war is always overcome by resilience and hope.

 

Salama and Kenan… their story is now a part of my heart and soul.  It warmed me.  It made me sob buckets of tears.  It taught me.  It broke me.  Most importantly, it rebuilt me in hope and left me inspired. 

 

Don’t miss the full author’s note at the end.  Excerpt: “This book comes from my pain, my guilt, my love, my sorrows, my dreams, and my hopes. In short, this book comes from the raw parts of my heart. “

 

For the brave people of Syria, this book is a must read.