Many thanks to my partners at @macmillan.audio and minotaur_books for the #gifted copies.  

 

Pop that corn and get ready to be entertained. The past seeks its revenge in Finlay’s newest thriller. 

 

Years ago, friends at an orphanage did the unthinkable  Now, all this time later, a contract killer is hunting each one down.  But who hired the hitman?  And who, if any, will survive?

 

There’s no doubt Finlay can pen a binge-worthy popcorn thriller.  I was captivated from the beginning and couldn’t stop reading until I knew!  His writing is faced paced and electrifying.  

 

Out of all the characters, Jenna was my favorite.  I loved the juxtaposition between her past and present.  I found myself racing through other POVs to get back to hers.  I’d have loved an entire story based off of her alone. 

 

As the tension builds, so does the need to suspend belief.  And as action packed as the book is, the ending fell a bit flat to me.  

 

Because of that, I didn’t love this one as much as I have Finlay’s previous works.  But I’ll still be the first to grab his next release.  

 

🎧 I love a good full cast narration, and this one did not disappoint!  Brittany Pressley (a fav), James Patrick Cronin, Jon Lindstrom, and Maggie Thomas made this already explosive storyline even more dynamic.  Definitely grab the audio for this one.  

 

Many thanks to my partners @graydonhouse and @librofm for the #gifted copies.  

There are some books that sit so deeply in my soul that I struggle to encapsulate them with words.

This is one of those books. I’ve read this book twice. And I had the privilege of discussing it with Onyi (an amazing experience).  But truly, my words do not do justice to this beautiful experience of a book. 

There are so many things to say about this book, as you’ll see below.  But I’ll summarize by saying: you will be enriched by reading this book. 

“There is no need to ask how I am feeling; it is etched into the fabric of my person.”

Breathtakingly beautiful.  Stunning.  The most insightful observations of love and loss.  

Eve had found luminescent joy and a deep love.  It turns out that her husband had only found deep love.  And that wasn’t enough to hold him to life.  So, as a new year dawns without her husband, Eve becomes lost in the mires of grief.

This striking debut completely captivated me.  I expected to savor this book, slowly finding catharsis in Eve’s story.  But I quickly found myself lost in the power of the prose and the beauty of the storytelling, wholly unable to put the book down.    

Nwabanelli paints the most raw and heartbreaking portrayal of loss.  I was completely immersed  in Eve’s eviscerating pain.  Hers is an astute look into the nonlinear stages of grief, a scaffolding of experiences that are searing and profoundly impactful.  

Yet even in the utter heartbreak, Nwabanelli offsets the dredges of grief with buoyancy and humor.  There was wit.  There was laughter.  And in time, there was hope.

At its core, Someday Maybe is a love story.  Love of partner.  Love of family.  Love of friends.  The way that love enriches and alters.  The way that love devastates and uplifts.  Nwabanelli beautifully portrays the all-encompassing nature of love.  And though love was the starting point of Eve’s grief, it was also her healing force as well.   

Through the laughter and tears.  Through seething anger.  Through glimpses of hope. I felt honored to bear witness to Eve’s arc.  I was wholly devoted to her, and she is a character that will stay with me.  

🎧 I read the audiobook and physical book in tandem.  I found the need to have the physical copy close by.  There was a power in the prose that demanded my eyes.  And yet, the nuance of the narration was also excellent and demanded my ears.  Narrator Adjoa Andoh perfectly depicts the voices, intonation, tone, and the emotion.  It is a “chef’s kiss” performance.


The things I couldn't leave out even though my review was already excessively long:

Rich in culture, Nwabanelli writes with boldness and pride for her Nigerian roots.  From the food to the traditions to the representation of the close knit family unit.  It added a depth to the storytelling.  But for me, it was the seamless use of Igbo language that painted the most beautiful picture of this culture’s understanding of love and grief.  

“Ndo… sorry is a poor translation…it means I am feeling with you.”

In this visceral examination of grief, we find societal expectations of grief and the body/mind’s need for healing at odds.  Whereas society demands a tucking in of feelings, we find Eve unapologetically moving through the process at her own pace.  That dichotomy left me with much to ponder regarding grief’s trajectory.

After reading and loving this book twice, I wasn’t sure I could find a deeper appreciation for it.  And yet, @bookmarked.by.becky and I, along with friends, had the opportunity to chat with Onyi.  That only exemplified my devotion to this story and her masterful writing.  I can’t wait to see what she does next!

Many thanks to my partner @prhaudio for the #gifted audiobook.  

I went into this one with high expectations, and it seemed as though it would be the perfect fit because:
- I was in the mood for a flirty and spicy romance 
- The heroine loves books and is a book influencer (same!).
- The hero was a grumpy, hot firefighter (kryptonite!).  
- It was set around Valentine’s Day.  

Unfortunately, the overall execution was a miss for me:
- I found Tara, our heroine, to be frustrating and hard to like.  
- I’m a fool for good banter, but it didn’t really get good until the halfway mark.
- The ex-hunt didn’t hold my attention, and I found myself wanting to FF through those sections.
- The romance itself was longsuffering, not finding its footing until the last quarter of the book AND that still included a hiccup.
- Not enough spice.  Not nearly enough.  I don’t even read a huge amount of spice.  But given the title for the book, it fell <far> short of what I had expected.  

Even though this wasn’t the home run (pun intended) that I expected, it wasn’t a total loss either.  It’s an easy, quick read.  And Trevor is the stuff of book boyfriend dreams!  

🎧 This was an audiobook only read for me.  I didn’t have a physical copy, but I also didn’t feel like I missed putting my eyes on the print.  The narrator, Natalie Naudus, gives yet another spectacular performance.  I’ve listened to her several times, and she never disappoints.  

Many thanks to my partners @celadonbooks and @macmillan.audio for the #gifted copies of this book.  

 

An affluent neighborhood.  A teen party.  One partygoer is found dead the next day.  The other three are thrown into the spotlight.  Secrets and lies muddle the investigation, as do the parents of the teens, whose POVs tell this story.   

 

The plot was intriguing, the drama entertaining, and the pacing was fast.  Yet the characters, while distinct and adeptly executed, were largely unlikable. I finished this one quickly.  But the ending left me OUTRAGED, which unfortunately, sealed the fate of this book for me.  

 

This is a look at power, privilege, and corruption that is sure to make your blood boil, no matter how true to life it might be.  

 

And maybe, while that didn’t work for me, it is actually a sign of masterful execution and messaging. 

 

🎧 Narrated by Cassandra Campbell, I was immediately drawn in to the audiobook.  With a tense and suspenseful portrayal, she made me want to keep reading. But with so many different POVs, I found myself reaching for the physical copy of the book.  I’d recommend partnering the two modes for this read.  

 

 

Emotional, riveting, and formidable.  

 

This is a powerfully rendered look at the atrocities of slavery and the indelible will of those forced to live through it.  

 

“Member now, even in the big house you’s still Pheby Delores Brown, born on Christmas Day.  You the grand-daudder of Vinnie Brown, who was the gran-daudder of a Mandara queen.  You a slave in name, but never in your mind, chile.”

 

Pheby Delores Brown was promised freedom on her 18th birthday.  It was a declaration her mother claimed for her with great hope.  But in a cruel twist of fate, Pheby instead found herself the mistress of the “Devil’s Half Acre,” one of the most brutal slave trading posts in Virginia.  

 

Johnson’s adept writing style allows the perfect execution of this kind of harrowing tale.  Inspired by the true events of Mary Lumpkin and the Lumpkin’s Jail, Johnson doesn’t sugar coat the realities of the time.  With the relationship between owned and owner never romanticized, Johnson paints a vivid picture of the psychological (on top of the physical) trauma experienced by the owned.  

 

With a depth of research and vibrant storytelling, Johnson lays bare the heinousness of slavery while separating out the brave inner spirit of those tortured, never allowing the person to get lost in the atrocities.   That look at the slave soul is what often gets lost in history itself.  It’s also what captivated me most in this read.

 

Pheby’s story took hold of my heart.  As a mother willing to sacrifice everything for her offspring.  As a woman bearing witness to other’s pain.  As a warrior never willing to give up and fighting for better.  Pheby represents beauty in stark contrast to the evil she endured.    

 

Her story is one of tenacity and survival.  It rocked me to my core and has stayed with me since closing the last pages of this book. 

 

This book well honors the tortured souls of this heinous piece of history and is a must read.

 

I read this one with my buddies @biblioreviews and @darciahelle.  This is a book that begs to be discussed, and I found that our chats heightened my book experience.  

 

 

 

Thank you to my friends at @prhaudio for the #gifted audiobook.  

 

Raucous. Cheeky.  Delicious.  This was a total binge read, helluva good time!

 

Born with various silver spoons, the Stocktons have never not known wealth.  From over-the-top themed parties to prestigious antique (albeit itchy) décor previously owned by a governor, this is a family well established in the trappings of wealth.  

 

But when (middle class) Sasha marries into this family, it sets in motion an insightful examination of class and wealth.  

 

Jackson’s debut is hugely entertaining.  It’s cleverly written and full of hilarious one liners.  I binged this one in less than 24 hours and was sad to see the fun end.  Jackson’s sharp and witty style completely took hold of me, allowing me to laugh while also examining truths about society and the upper echelon.  

 

🎧Marin Ireland is one of my favorite narrators.  Her portrayal of the three POVs in Pineapple Street was spot on for each distinct personality.  She created meaning while giving plenty of space for the wit.  

 

This is one of my favorite escapist reads.  Add it to your list.  Full of humor and heart, it’s going to be the perfect book to throw in your bag for spring break!

 

 

Needing a light and cute read?  Look no further.  

 

Farley is taking her comedy show on the road!  But to do so, she needs to drum up some social media buzz.  And to do that means she needs a fake boyfriend.  Meyer has been her manager and best friend for 3 years.  Their lives are already completely interwoven considering how attached Farley is to his daughter, Hazel.  Queue the fake dating trope!  

 

This was a fun read, although not quite a homerun for me.  It had a lot of things I enjoyed:

💘Friends to lovers

💘No 3rd quarter breakup

💘Hazel! Meyer’s daughter was the BEST part of this book.

💘Deaf representation

 

But there were a few things that didn’t quite jive for me.  I didn’t find the comedy all that funny.  In fact, it was my least favorite part of the book.  The actual laughter came from the everyday life scenes: a certain hairy bathing suit, a naked old man in the gym, and Hazel’s stone cold one liners.  I also found Farley to be unbearably immature in the beginning.  This seemed to work itself out as the story flowed, but it still made me wonder if the ten year age gap was really workable.  

 

Overall, this was a fun read and a great discussion with the It’s Most Likely Spicy Book Club.  

 

*Funny Feelings is available on Kindle Unlimited.  

 

Many thanks to my partner @simon.audio for the #gifted audiobook.  

 

“Life is long and full of an infinite number of decisions. I have to think that the small ones don’t matter, that I’ll end up where I need to end up no matter what I do.”

 

Hannah’s life is in total disarray.  She’s hopped from city to city and job to job.  Nowhere seems just right.  Now back in her hometown surrounded by friends, chosen family, and a certain old flame, Hannah hopes to finally feel at home.  On the first night out in her hometown, she’s met with a choice: leave with her best friend or stick around with an old flame.  

 

In Sliding Doors fashion, TJR explores both paths through concurrent storylines.  While this is an intimate look at fate, choices, and finding happiness, it’s also an all-around fun story, full of heart. 

 

I started this one in an in-between moment.  I knew I’d like it  But I didn’t expect to find myself lost in it as completely and wholly as I did.  I found ways to keep myself busy just so that I could listen a little longer… until I had finished the book completely.  This was an easy, fast binge.

 

But what made it so bingeable?  Was it the nostalgia over Sliding Doors?  Was it the lighthearted storytelling with a deeper message?  I love ponderances over fate and choice.  “What if” might be my favorite conundrum.  And the way TJR presents it in this tale was satisfying and unputdownable.  

This isn’t my favorite by Reid.  (There were some hiccups, particularly with Hannah.)  However, it’s obvious Reid had writing chops from the beginning.  And this earlier work of hers proved to be a fast paced, entertaining read.

 

🎧 There are just certain narrators that I’ll listen to without a second thought.  Julia Whelan is at the top of that list.  This story is a perfect example of why:  with 2 different stories yet the same central character, Whelan is able to create a distinction between the worlds while also creating unity between the commonalities.  #masterclass

 

*The new audio release includes a conversation with Julia Whelan & Taylor Jenkins Reid at the end that adds a depth to the read.  A total “chef’s kiss” addition.  

 

 

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

 

My adoration with Prince Harry started years ago.  That red hair.  The tragedy of his youth.  The fearless playboy attitude.  

 

A handsome bad boy with a crown?  Yes, please. 

 

And yet… it’s only fair to note that how enamored I was, was largely dictated by the media portrayal.  But what was passable, even charming, in my eyes was unfavorable to throngs of others, resulting in unabashed criticism, disparagement, and harassment of Harry.  

 

I cannot imagine the glare of the media or the demand of being born into royalty.  I think that’s why the attention Spare has garnered is worthy and needed.    

 

I was drawn into the book from the very first words.  With beautiful writing, it’s compulsively readable.  Suffice it to say that I (ignored all real responsibilities and) finished this 15 ½ hour book within 2 days.  

 

Harry’s words are deeply personal.  Imbued in the trauma of his mother’s death, he recounts her impact and loss with a raw and brave honesty.  His story, at its core, is one of a boy turned man learning to accept this well of grief. And sorrow that languished left a lasting impact, both internal and throughout his external connections.

 

There’s a courageousness that comes from telling such a personal and intimate story.  And I have a deep respect for the spotlight Harry’s story gives to mental health.  

 

It’s not all deep and moving though.  There are bits about frozen todgers and his distaste for beer.  There are continual threads regarding his love of Africa and charity.  And there is a necessary look at the atrocities of the media.  But the highlight of the book for me was him finding love of self and the loves of his life (Meghan and their children).

 

Overall, this felt like sitting down for coffee with an old friend, recounting the highs and lows of life.  And while we like to imagine our princes living an actual fairy tale life of pomp and circumstance, this is proof that they are, in fact, just ordinary people living uniquely messy lives. 

 

Of note:  This isn’t the salacious story the media has portrayed.

 

 

Many thanks to my partner @prhaudio and libro.fm for the #gifted audiobook.

 

Raw. Brutal.  Enthralling.    

 

“This is Kali Yuga, the losing age, the age of vice.”

 

A speeding Mercedes.  An inebriated driver.  Five dead bodies littering the street.  The first scene of this Indian crime thriller/family saga was propulsive, and the drama didn’t let up for another 400ish pages.    

 

Told primarily from three points of view: Sunny (the son of the “mob” boss), Ajay (servant to Sunny), and Nada (journalist and Sunny’s lover).  This narrative, more than anything else, is one of political and moral corruption.

 

I was captivated by this gritty and dark gangster saga.  The level of darkness,  immense as it was, seemed overshadowed by the propulsive storyline.  Teeming with drugs, sex, greed, and violence, the plot was fueled by the dirtiness of wealth and power.  

 

Kapoor writes with skill.  The story unfolds in cinematic detail, vividly depicted as though watching a movie.  And in so, it’s really no surprise that the entire trilogy was opted for screen adaptation even prior to the first book being published.  

 

At over 500 pages, this one didn’t feel daunting.  With constant action and changing POV, the majority of the book was a fast read.  And even when one section slowed to a (literal) snail’s pace, I was so invested I knew I had to see it through. 

 

The longer this book has sat with me, the more I’ve liked it.  And though I closed the book unsure about the ending, I’m looking forward to the next installment.  

 

This made for a great buddy read.  From ongoing contemplations to predictions of what was to come, we were never at a loss for discussion points.  And those discussions truly heightened my enjoyment.  

 

I combined the print and audio for this one.  Narrated by Vidish Athavale, the audio resonated in intensity and gave an authenticity to the culture and setting.  But I also found myself grabbing for my print copy to track the depth in the plot.  I recommend reading this one in tandem.