Thanks to Minotaur Books for the copy of this ARC!

I really enjoyed Nora's debut, The Favor, last year and am happy to report that her sophomore novel was also great!

While this is classified as a "thriller," I'd say to adjust expectations, it's more contemporary fiction with a slow-burn thriller element, as the first 40% is exclusively a look at a woman's postpartum experience. This hit sooooo close to home in the beginning - watching the ceiling fan with the baby, seeing work as a “break”, the feeling of dread when your partner leaves… whew. I thought that Nora Murphy did an incredible job of writing this - having a new baby is HARD and it's easy to want relief and some extra help and to just be able to depend on a friendly neighbor. Props to her for turning that neighbor nefarious and letting us watch it all play out!

Thanks to Suzy Approved Book Tours and Lake Union Publishing for the copy of this book!

Ashlyn Greer has the ability to feel the echoes of a book's previous owners, and when two mysterious books come into her posession, she begins unraveling a "his & hers" scorned lovers story from the past.

I enjoyed how the dual timelines were done in this book, with Ashlyn in the present going through the books and the past told through passages of the old books. Barbara Davis does such a great job of connecting the timelines and details, and I was totally engrossed in finding out who the authors were and how these books would impact Ashlyn's life.

Read if you:
⁃ like books about books
⁃ enjoy piecing together an old love story
⁃ think books can hold memories
⁃ always make sure to read a book’s inscriptions and dedications

Thanks to Thomas Nelson for the copy of this ARC!

Cat Cranwell is a well-known social media star, and when one of her partnerships goes south, she takes a position at a small national park in Montana to lie low and try to help her image. There, she takes over social media for the park and meets Zaiah, a bearded, flannel-wearing nature social-media-hating ranger. This is a quick and light closed-door romance amidst beautiful scenery and lots of small-town charm. I often struggle with social media influencer MCs, but I loved how Cat had a really positive growth journey in this one to make her and Zaiah a good match.

Read if you like:
- flannel-wearing, nature-loving men
- closed-door romance
- social media star MCs
- small town settings

Thanks so much to Sourcebooks Landmark for the copy of this ARC!

"There is nothing more powerful than a strong-willed woman."

WOW - after a couple of Greek retelling flops, this was incredible! So much drama and a storyline featuring amazing strong women... I'm totally here for it. I absolutely fell in love with Clytemnestra's character and can see myself rereading this book again. This is at the top of my Greek retellings list!

Thanks to Gallery Books for this ARC!

Immortal Longings is Chloe Gong's adult fantasy debut and WHEW - it is incredible!

In the kingdom of San-Er, the palace hosts a competition - a fight to the death - for money and glory. The thing is, in San-Er, many have the ability to jump between bodies, meaning that physical appearances change often. Princess Calla Tuoleimi plans to use this competition to get her revenge on King Kasa... and she has a major advantage because she's a trained fighter and everyone thinks she's dead. But then she meets Anton Makusa, an exiled aristocrat who also plans to win the games. The rivals team up, but everything will come down to the question of which comes first: love or kingdom?

I absolutely loved this action-packed adventure. It's a Shakespeare retelling of Antony and Cleopatra, but in a uniquely crafted world where people can jump bodies, there's devastation and poverty, tyranny, and lots of bloodshed. The last 40% of the book had so many good twists and turns and then THAT ENDING...!!! I need book two immediately.

Read if you:
- like The Hunger Games, Shakespeare retellings, and The Keeper of Night
- are looking for an adult and more detailed fantasy read
- love a lot of action in your books
- are okay with a CRAZY ENDING knowing book two isn't out yet

DNF

3.5 ⭐️

Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for the copy of this ARC!

I absolutely adored Elissa Sussman's first book, Funny You Should Ask, so Once More with Feeling was a much-anticipated read for me. It's a second-chance romance between former pop stars who reunite to put on a Broadway show.

I loved the premise and enjoyed the read, but it wasn't what I expected at all, which was angst, high emotions and top-notch tension, which were all present in Funny You Should Ask. This book was much more surface level and lighthearted while maintaining the celebrity romance and past/present timelines like her last book. We get to watch Kathleen and Cal fall for each other in both timelines, one as friends-to-lovers and one as enemies-to-lovers, but there's a lot of focus on other detail in the book instead of digging into the emotions of the characters. Overall an enjoyable read, and I think if you were iffy about Sussman's first book, this one is worth a shot because it's so much different!

Read if you:
- love second chance romance
- are a Broadway fan
- want a book with Jewish rep
- were obsessed with Justin & Britney in the 90s

DNF @ 40%