bookishaddictions's Reviews (310)

Since #bookstagram kept posting about this one, I had to give it a read. I will agree with the widespread opinion that the book is fairly sad, but I wouldn’t say that this is the most heartbreaking story I’ve read by Hoover. You’re likely familiar with someone of the basic components of the novel- girl has too much to drink, makes a bad decision, and she’s left to pay for costing her lover his life. However most stories don’t normally include the Ledgers and Diems of their stories. We get to follow Kenna as she attempts to rebuild the burned bridges to get the chance to reunite with her young daughter. Romance is in the air with the attractive bartender (and basically bonus relative for Diem) comes into the picture. People will be forced to make tough choices, choose sides, as tension rises. Readers would do well to consider what they would do to be with their daughter- or what they would do to protect a loved child from being around a potentially dangerous mother.

Kenna is ultimately the first drunk driver I have ever been able to empathize with. I had never found myself rooting for the driver to be able to move on with their lives, as I’ve always felt they deserved to essentially be shunned by the remaining relatives of the deceased. I definitely wouldn’t have felt bad that their kid was kept away if they did not even seem to shed a tear for the life they ended. However, Hoover left me hoping that Kenna would have the opportunity to reunite with her daughter and potentially find new love. Although I won’t spoil the ending, I will say that it has led me to reconsider what I would do in their shoes. This novel is powerful; it may not have made me cry, but I was made painfully aware of how easily someone I love could be in this position. I am thankful for the thought-provoking questions it raised

This is my third book from Picoult, as I finally got around to reading the title @the_female_demian loaned me. This one smacked me emotionally, as any of us could have ended up in this position as a teenager. As Christopher Harte struggles after the death of Emily Gold, he finds himself being publicly blamed for her death. The Golds are grieving, and Chris is finding himself in the middle of an investigation that has to determine whether Emily’s death is murder or suicide. Like My Sister’s Keeper and 19 Minutes, The Pact is a crime drama that follows the characters from the initial event until just after the results of the trial. Each character’s response to Emily’s death is so authentic it hurts. It’s impossible to imagine what we would do in any of their positions, and yet they each hold an echo of our reactions. The Pact will break your heart and play on parents’ deepest fear in Picoult’s distinct style. 

What is a better time to read about a misunderstood epidemic than during our own pandemic? Follow along with Harper, John (the fireman), and other key characters as they navigate life after the spread of the dragonscale spore. While COVID comes with risks like an inability to breathe, dragonscale can make you suddenly catch fire. Harper and friends are stuck learning how to survive with dragonscale, especially since Harper just wants to survive long enough to deliver her baby. Nurse Harper Willowes will bring you all of the comfort of Mary Poppins, and the Fireman will just in general leave you laughing. This story is full of vulgarity, betrayal, love, and adventure. I absolutely loved every step of the way. It also distinctly reminded me of King’s Cell- both books are 700+ pages, include a spore/virus that leads to a “hive” mentality, and both essentially see the downfall of civilization as we know it. Ultimately, I found I enjoyed The Fireman more than Cell though; the story is exciting, anxiety-inducing, and left me laughing loud enough to concern my family in multiple chapters. If you’re looking to get into Joe Hill’s works, I recommend this one before reading N0S4A2 🔥

This book was just so wholesome, though it was quite steamy at times. This follows the competitors to lovers trope as Dahlia and London find themselves competing on a nationally televised cooking show. London, a cute and proudly queer romantic that I’m thankful for; I’ve read plenty of books from the perspective of cis and queer characters, but I’ve never found one that offered representation through a non-binary main character. Dahlia, likewise, serves as the prime example of how queer women can be overlooked and assumed to be cis because they’ve been with (in this case married to) a man. I loved that both of them just unapologetically enjoyed each other as they are, although they weren’t always able to accept themselves. London and Dahlia each face their own insecurities as they navigate the Chef’s Special’s competition and their relationship with the other contestants. With plenty of delicious food, a few adorable cows, and two people that want to proudly represent the queer community positively with their newfound media attention, this story will leave you giggling and dreaming about your own love life ❣️🍰

Thank you to @netgalley for my ARC of The Fashion Orphans. This work of contemporary fiction provides some valuable life lessons as half-sisters Gabrielle and Lulu work together to navigate the instructions left in their mother’s will. Their mother, Bette, was a dedicated fashion enthusiast, had an unthinkable love for Chanel. However, the siblings find themselves at a loss when it’s time to confront just how much she loved her- and the question of why- as it may finally answer some questions they have about Bette. As the sisters learn lessons in love, fashion, and their way of living, they have the opportunity to meet new people and try new things. The authors’ writing will compel you to follow along with the sisters’ luxury fashion-filled journey from start to finish. The characters are believable, the fashion ins and outs that are referenced are understandable for fashion rookies and experts alike, and it is a smooth read in Kindle format. This title is worth checking out on publishing day 💍

Sunday Brennan finds herself finally returning home to her smaller Irish town in New York after getting a DUI in Los Angelos. Denny, Jackie, Shane, and Mickey Brennan welcome her home, but Sunday is still forced to confront everything (and everyone) she ran away from- including a fiancé, Kale Collins. An old fiancé would be easy to avoid if he wasn’t your brother’s best friend and essentially adopted into your family. Follow along as each of the Brennans and Collinses as they face their past and determine the best ways to correct their paths for the future. If you come from a family that holds the tight-knit clan mentality of “family is always first and strongest together,” then this is a book that will likely resonate with you. I know I found so much of my own family in the Brennans, even if we have not encountered the exact problems discussed. There is a certain respect to be owed to their loyalty and love for one another, and yet each character is still distinctly their own person

This enchanting story switches between the perspective of two university students, Vivi and Scarlett, in a small Georgia town. Both characters are at a different point in their education (freshman vs junior), although fate ensures they will cross each other’s paths. As Vivi learns about the reality of witchcraft’s secret existence through the exclusive (and actually magical) sorority, The Ravens, Scarlett is finding herself one step closer to her darkest secrets being exposed. The sisters are forced to rely on one another, and the story is ultimately one of strength and love. Morgan and Paige remind readers of the importance of sisterhood, as well as some of the risks of isolation and betrayal. The Ravens are smart, beautiful, and strangely charming. The novel will suck you in and allow you to almost forget that magic doesn’t exist (or does it?)

I received this one as an ARC from Netgalley, and just….wow. Park explores the life of Lily Armstrong and her chaotic upbringing. The first chunk of the novel follows Lily’s life from childhood until it’s almost time for her to leave for college; don’t worry about timeline confusion, each shift is clearly marked. Lily’s life then alternates between her current time (the late 80s), as well as the perspective of her mother via her writing. Her mom, Daisy, is a one-of-a-kind class-A bitch, and she’s known primarily for being the town whore. Lily is not only left to deal with the consequences of her mother’s reputation, but also how Daisy treats her directly. Their relationship is saddening, and their overall life experiences are disturbing. The writing flows smoothly, and this is a fairly quick read. Overall, I found myself growing from unimpressed (the first 20%) to totally hooked to find out how it ends. Although the reader does not get to know Lily herself very well, you’ll definitely get to know Daisy

I finally did it guys…. I found a holiday book that I didn’t want to put down! The Matzah Ball got me hooked. Rachel is sweet and funny, although she doesn’t always have the energy to show that side of her due to her Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (myalgic encephalomyelitis). She secretly LOVES Christmas, including her career as a Christmas novelist. However, this get interesting when the publishing house asks their top holiday writer (who’s actually Jewish) to write a book focused on Hanukkah. Rachel is so unsure of this, so she ends up trying to attend Jacob’s (her childhood enemy) Matzah Ball Max for some good ole’ Jewish inspiration. The events of this book leaving me in hysterics at some points, both of laughter and sadness. I even felt some second hand embarrassment. Most notably, I love Rachel and Jacob (along with a soft spot for Bubbe Toby). I didn’t know much about Judaism or Hanukkah prior to this, so I’m thankful Meltzer gave me an opportunity to learn a bit about the holiday and traditions. Now I just want all of the snacks and dishes described. Overall, I’m quite happy I read this one and would highly recommend it 🕎

I’ve had this cute little novella on my Kindle since before last Christmas. It was time to finally read this short (109 page) book, and it flew by. Garner creates the warm fuzzy feeling of Christmas in the Timberton hotel, and the main character, Mist, distinctly gives me Luna Lovegood vibes. My biggest complaint for the whole story is that there isn’t really much going on. There is no problem to solve or romance to be found; it literally just tells the story of Mist preparing for Christmas and Christmas Eve meals as the café Moonglow manager. Garner does make up for the lack of plot with some tasty sounding recipes at the end, as she provides the recipes for all cookies mentioned during the story. If you’re looking for something simple and sweet, this is it 🎄