danadoesbooks's Reviews (954)

Thank you to Poison Pen Press and NetGalley for the gifted ebook of The Woman in the Library!  All opinions in this review are my own.

When I first started reading The Woman in the Library, I was really into it!  I loved the structure of a woman writing a thriller and receiving feedback from her friend in the form of letters at the end of each chapter.

The only two things I didn't like were the mentions of the pandemic and the ending.  The pandemic made the book a little too real, especially since Leo was criticizing the author for not including it, and it's a thriller so the endings are usually not that satisfying.

That being said, overall, I did enjoy the experience of reading this thriller.  If you focus on that and the unique structure, you will enjoy The Woman in the Library!

Thank you to Grand Central Pub for the gifted copy of Truly, Madly!  All opinions in this review are my own.

I wanted this book to be more focused on Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh's relationship, but it read more like a biography of the two at the time of their relationship. There was more written about the movies they starred in rather than their relationship.  "Larry" and Vivien are said to have been very private so Truly, Madly reads like the author didn't have enough to write about and included extra information to fill out the book.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy of Hooked: How Crafting Saved My Life!  All opinions in this review are my own.

I have been a fan of Sutton Foster since seeing her on Broadway in Anything Goes, and on TV in Bunheads and Younger.  I loved learning more about her experiences but also seeing the crafting side to her as well.  I liked how her memoir is organized by the projects she was working on at the time and I felt like her personality really showed through her writing!

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing for the gifted copy of Brat: An 80s Story!  All opinions in this review are my own.

I first fell in love with Andrew McCarthy when I was in high school and saw St. Elmo's Fire for the first time.  Granted it was over 20 years after the movie had been released, but I loved it.  Over the next few years, I consumed every movie that was labelled as a "brat pack" release.

When I saw McCarthy was publishing a book solely focused on this time, I knew I had to read it!  Much to my surprise, I learned that the actors didn't like the moniker and tried as much as possible to distance themselves from it.

Despite this, I loved learning about the filming of Class, Pretty in Pink, St. Elmo's Fire, Mannequin, and Weekend at Bernie's!  However, it was also eye-opening to learn about the struggles McCarthy faced when filming these movies and how distant he was from the rest of the cast.

This short foray into McCarthy's early career is an excellent read for any fan!

Thank you to BiblioLifestyle and Harper Voyager for the gifted copy of God of Neverland!  All opinions in this review are my own.

My advice to someone wanting to pick up this book is to read J. M. Barrie's version first.  While the original tale will provide some context for God of Neverland, I still felt like I was reading the second book in a series.  

God of Neverland is an enjoyable read but I found it difficult to orient myself at first.  Much of Michael's past is hinted at in the beginning but I couldn't tell if I was already supposed to know more about his time of being a Knight or if it would be revealed later.

Overall, this was a quick fantasy based on a classic tale that could benefit from a prequel novel.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing and A. E. Osworth for the gifted copy of We Are Watching Eliza Bright!  All opinions in this review are my own.

In the midst of a reading slump, I picked up We Are Watching Eliza Bright on a whim.  Ignoring the four other books I had temporarily abandoned, I was drawn to the bright cover.  I ended up reading this book in just about one sitting.

Told through a mix of narrative and instant messages, We Are Watching Eliza Bright is the story of a woman working at a video game company who tries to speak up against the harassment she faces for being a woman in her field.  When nothing is done, Eliza goes to a reporter and her story goes viral.

The narration is written in first person plural so I was immediately drawn in by the use of "we".  We are the audience that is watching this drama play out (most likely behind our own screens as we read the viral article).  However, Osworth begins to play with the reader by offering different scenarios at times depending on what "we" really think of Eliza.

We Are Watching Eliza Bright was so captivating to me because it read like a real story.  From people's personal information (like their address) getting shared online to reading one article and assuming you know everything about a person's story, it is all real and has happened.  By including the reader in the "we", they become complicit in Eliza's story too.

I honestly cannot say enough about amazing this book is and I can't wait to read Osworth's next release!

Thank you to Libro.FM through their Educator ALC program for the gifted audiobook of Jennifer Chan is Not Alone!  All opinions in this review are my own.

I think the thing I like the most about this novel was how relatable the main character was for a middle schooler.  She doesn't see herself as a bad person, but as time goes on, Mallory begins to regret some of the choices she has made.  She begins to attempt to right some of her wrongs, especially with Jennifer.  Because the story is told over two timelines, then and now, the reader is able to connect with Mallory before she finally reveals what she thinks made Jennifer run away.

Make sure you read/listen to the author's note at the end!

Thank you to Forever and Dylan Newton for the gifted copy of All Fired Up!  All opinions in this review are my own.

In the sequel to How Sweet It Is, Kate's best friend Imani is trying to forget the amazing nights she had with Zander Matthews.  Enough time has passed that it shouldn't be a problem, but when Imani is staying in town to take care of her grandmother, she is finding it hard to forget him.

First of all, oh my god Zander Matthews!  It is truly a wonder that Imani is able to keep her wits about her around him.  I did like that Zander was the one to truly fall hard first and spent a lot of time trying to convince Imani that he was more than just a go with the flow guy.

I also love how All Fired Up builds on the first book.  Even though Imani and Zander are the focus this time, Kate and Drake are still very much apart of it.  I can't wait to see what is still in store for the final Matthews brother!

Thank you to Libro.FM through their Educator ALC program for the gifted audiobook of Amira and Hamza: The War To Save The Worlds!  All opinions in this review are my own.

Amira & Hamza is an excellent adventure middle grade story!  Told in the traditional fantasy quest format, Amira and Hamza must pass a series of tests before they can truly save the world.  I love how passionate Amira is about science and how she uses her knowledge to solve some of the problems!

Thank you BiblioLifestyle and Harper Perennial for the gifted copy of Birds of California!  All opinions in this review are my own.

I have read some of Katie Cotugno's YA novels so I was excited to see that she was releasing her first adult novel.  Plus, this cover immediately caught my eye!  While I enjoyed this quick read, I felt like there could have been more to the story.  The characters felt two-dimensional and I would have liked them to be more developed.  Although it delves into some deeper topics, Birds of California is great summer read!