When Leena is forced to take a two-month sabbatical from work she head's to her grandmother, Eileen's house in the country for some rest and relaxation. Eileen is 79 and recently divorced. She wants to find love, but doesn't think she can in her small town. Leena and Eileen decide to swap houses for the two months so Eileen has a chance at love and Leena has a chance at some down time.

I always like stories that include swapping houses, and I thought this one was done really well. The fact that it was a grandmother/granddaughter swap is original to me. I loved how feisty Eileen is, and at 79 starting a new dating life was definitely an adventure. She was definitely my favorite character. I liked how both Leena and Eileen interacted with the people in each other's lives in totally different ways and created something out of their living situation.

I listened to the audiobook which I would highly recommend. Both narrators did and excellent job. This is set in England so they do have British accents in case that is something that you don't like, but I really enjoyed it.

If you're looking for a cute read that isn't too serious, you should check this one out. There are some serious parts, but mostly, it was a fun story.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up

A life no one will remember. A story you will never forget.

France, 1714, Addie LaRue makes a deal with the devil to live forever, but is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. When a door closes, people forget ever meeting her. Addie does not even tell people her name since they will never remember it. The story is told over centuries and set in different countries as we learn what Addie will do to leave her mark on the world. In 2014, when she meets Henry, and he actually remembers her and her name, her real story begins.

I was really excited about this book, but honestly it took me a really long time to read it. I started it in November and finished it in more than a month. It was beautifully written almost poetic, but I struggled at times to get through it. I found some parts a bit slow and repetitive, but overall I did enjoy the story. To me the best part was when Henry was introduced. I really loved his story and felt the book picked up more at this point. I found Luc to be an interesting character as well, but felt that him and Addie played the same game in every scene they were in together.

My rating might have been a bit lower, but the ending really made all the difference. I loved it so much, but of course will not give it away. I know everyone raves about this book so I hope my review does not dissuade anyone from reading it.

I really don’t know how to rate this book.

Ten years ago, Hannah’s husband, Graham, was murdered, but she can’t remember what happened. Someone else was convicted for the murder, and it’s considered a burglary gone wrong.

Present day, Hannah and her daughter have moved on and have a new life. When a true crime podcast called Conviction, decides they think the person convicted for Graham’s murder is innocent, they will stop at nothing to prove Hannah is the one guilty of murdering her husband.

True crime podcast mysteries seem to be all the rage lately. I thought this one had great potential, but sadly it just didn’t work for me. The story moves from present day to many different timelines which I found rather confusing. There were a lot of plot holes and unanswered questions that maybe weren’t pertinent to the ending, but still should have been answered for the story to make complete sense.

Hannah is an unreliable narrator, and I honestly had no clue if she killed her husband or not. This book is definitely a slow burn, but I kept pushing through the first 60% because I really needed to know who murdered Graham. There are definitely some twists and turns throughout the last few chapters that I did not see coming.

Throughout the story, there are a lot of minor characters to keep track of, but these characters may actually be more important to the storyline than you’d think so I recommend you keep that in mind when reading this.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was always a fan of Anthony Bourdain and have wanted to read Kitchen Confidential for a while. I worked in the industry in the past so definitely could relate to some of his stories. It’s such a shame he passed away because he was a truly talented chef.

Bourdain is very open and honest about what goes on behind the scenes in restaurants. If you’re looking for a romanticized or idealistic version of this career, than this is not the book for you. There is a lot of of swearing and bad language so if that bothers you, than once again this is not the book for you. However, if your looking for an entertaining and realistic look at what it’s like to work in a kitchen, than I highly recommend this book.

I definitely recommend the audiobook because Bourdain narrates it. He transports you to the kitchens and settings that he worked in, and you can hear his passion for the culinary world in his voice.

Happy Publication Day!

Jane is a dog walker in a wealthy community. She notices that there’s a single man with a dog in the development who she decides to meet so she can hopefully change her life. Once she starts walking Eddie’s dog they click and start dating, but in a small community rumors are always going around. She starts hearing whispers about Eddie’s deceased wife and decides to figure out what happened to Bea and her friend.

Not to give spoilers, but this is a modern day retelling of Jane Eyre. I thought I had read Jane Eyre in high school, but after reading this book I didn’t remember it at all. That was a good thing! I was glad I didn’t see the twists coming!

I thought the author did a great job with this story. I really enjoyed it and honestly didn’t know how it was going to end. The big twist did take me by surprise. I look forward to reading more books by Rachel Hawkins.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. I enjoyed the audiobook and though the narrators did a great job.

This is such a strange book, but I love Lewis Carroll's imagination and creativity. He created so many unique characters that make this book such a fun read. Looking forward to reading Through the Looking Glass next.