DNF @ 33%.

Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin for the copy of this book!

I loved Katy Birchall's last two books and was very excited to read this book based on "The Hating Game" x "Beach Read" vibes... but I think that what I didn't have in mind and what I forgot to adjust my expectations to is that Katy Birchall writes contemporary fiction with a side of romance, meaning there's not going to be as much interaction with the couple and as much tension and love in her books. That being said, I think the comparisons put in the description hurt my experience of this book, because I was bored and wanting more from the characters together.

Thanks so much to Berkley and Let's Talk Books Promo for the copy of this book.

I am LOVING the reunion-show trope and 90s/00s references in a few books I've read lately, and The Daydreams has both of these.

The messy, off-the-wall cast from The Daydreams comes back together for a live reunion show years after their first live show totally imploded. I absolutely loved watching this drama play out in the past and present timelines, and then having each character give a soliloquy thoughout the story to explain their POV. This story is so engrossing I finished it in a day - all the scandal and secrets made it move so fast I didn't want to stop! I love where the characters ended up and thought that while this was a messy drama, it was also a great narrative on the expectations of teen stars and women in the TV/film industry.

Read if you:
- watched the Disney Channel
- ever imagined yourself in the TRL audience
- had a teen magazine with celebrity stickers in it
- love lots of drama

Thanks so much to Atria Books for the copy of this book!

Hazel and Flora Lea are evacuated from London into the English countryside during WWII. Hazel begins telling her younger sister fairy tales about a magical place called Whisperwood to distract and comfort her from the hardship of the War. One day as they’re picnicking by the River Thames, Flora Lea goes missing and is still lost 20 years later when Hazel comes across a book about Whisperwood in a rare book shop. Can it mean that Flora Lea is still alive…?

I really enjoyed this story. While it dealt with WWII, it wasn’t super heavy on historical information and could make a great read even for someone who loves mystery but not typically historical fiction. I really love how Patti played off of the story of the pied piper in Flora’s disappearance, since the Operation to evacuate people out of urban areas was called Operation Pied Piper. I loved the sister story in this book, the way their mother and the woman who took care of them during the War acted in support of each other, the perseverance, and the backseat love story. This is a great read for book lovers, since it’s a book about books and includes a rare bookshop. It’s also such a wonderful picture of the power of storytelling and magical lands and how we can create these and how they can shape us.

Read if you:
- love the magic of storytelling
- enjoy stories about sisters
- are a fan of books about books
- like historical mysteries

3.5 stars

Thanks to Zibby Books for the copy of this ARC!

Massage therapist Joan is still grieving the death of her boyfriend two years later. She's grouchy, doesn't love her job as a massage therapist, and is trying to keep it together. She's given one last chance in her position at Apex Spa with a notoriously difficult client - romance author Carmen Bronze. While it doesn't go exactly the way she planned, something new unfolds out of the experience.

This is a great book about self-growth, pursuing your passions and opening yourself up. Joan goes through a transformative process through her interactions with Carmen, and it was great to see her slowly moving forward after heartbreak. The Vermont spa setting is definitely a fun one, and her "Rescue Squad" was really wonderful. While the content may seem heavy, I definitely found myself laughing and relating some elements to the Finlay Donovan series.

Thanks to Atria for the copy of this ARC!

What a great psychological thriller!!! This one was fast-paced and left me saying "WTF is going on" pretty much every chapter... Definitely give yourself a chunk of time to just sit down and read this.

Alix is a popular podcaster who meets a drab, unassuming, all-denim-wearing woman named Josie when they discover they're both celebrating their 45th birthday - they're birthday twins! From there, we find out that Josie is a little... unusual.

Told in a date/time format interspersed with Alix's podcast recordings and Netflix documentary content, this book slowly reveals the story of Josie and her family and you'll quickly become very unsettled. I loved how unique this book was and really enjoyed the ride, but absolutely check trigger warnings before diving in.

Read if you:
- want to binge a book
- like when you can't tell who's telling the truth
- love a mix of formats in a book
- enjoy psychological thrillers

Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin for the copy of this ARC!

Margo and Jo run a viral podcast about hooking up without catching feelings, but when Jo gets engaged, Margo is left wondering what will happen next for her.

This was a fun and entertaining romance featuring Margo and the groom's best man, Declan, who is Margo's old high school nemesis. I really enjoyed Declan's redhead relatability, the setting and wedding activities, and how Declan and Margo ended up compromising for each other. I do struggle a bit with influencer main characters and felt like parts were repetitive, but overall this is a good debut and beach read candidate.

Read if you:
- are looking for a beach read
- like influencer MCs
- enjoy wedding events in books