I just knew that I would love Taylor's story!

I love the fake dating, I love how funny and genuine Taylor is, and I love how humble Jamar is!

I laughed my way through this and I was subdued by some hard things both Jamar and Taylor are dealing with. I thought that the author handled them both well. There is a scene with Jamar and his parents that just had me cracking up!

I love that there wasn't some HUGE blow-up (misunderstanding) between the two that tears them apart for so long and had so many miscommunicated feelings.... The relationship isn't without some hardships but nothing major and that's a relief.

This was so sweet. Could you love someone so much that after you lost them, you can still love them 27 years later?

Peter is an American soldier in the first world war. He is injured and sent to a military hospital to get well. There he's tended to by an English nurse, Elizabeth, and they forge a bond and fall in love. Then Peter is suddenly sent back home without being able to tell Elizabeth.

Peter starts working at his parents store and is tricked into marriage by the conniving Emma. I did not like her at all. Peter was such a sweet guy and she takes advantage of him.
When Peter's son, Carey, is sent over to England in WW2..... This might finally be the chance Peter has to find Elizabeth again.

They get to meet again and it's a sweet reunion! I love that Elizabeth continues to be a nurse. I love that they were able to find each other again!

Rani is an Indian-American in her last year of high school. While at an art gallery where she is displaying some photos, she meets Oliver. Oliver is a quintessential American "bad boy" and she knows her parents wouldn't approve.

Her parents traditional upbringing doesn't allow her to date. She becomes so enamored with Oliver that she sneaks behind her parent's backs to see him.

I wish Rani had learned to stand up for herself and her beliefs a little sooner than she had. Oliver starts out pretty sweet but slowly started letting out microaggresions against her culture and when he's called out on them, he doesn't think he's being racist.
This story also deals with some sexism.

I'm glad that Rani was able to realize Oliver just wasn't the guy for her.
I love her friend Kate and the loyalty her and Rani have.

This was fascinating read because I hadn't heard of these events before. (Read the author's note at the end to know the real timeline of things and what was just a work of fiction)

Italian prisoners sent to a tiny island off of Scotland to build a causeway/barrier to protect against enemies during WW2.
Twins, Dorothy and Constance are living together on the "haunted" part of Orkney after their parents have disappeared. They volunteer to work at the infirmary for the prisoners and there Dot falls in love with one prisoner, Caesar.
Constance is dealing with the consequences of ill fated night with a horrible man from the island.

This is a beautiful story of the love of sisters and what they will do for one another. A beautiful story of first love in a time of war.

I read this in 2 sittings and it was so great.

Angrboda is a witch that has been burned and come back 3 times. She decides to change her name and hide on the outskirts of the world where Odin can't find her. Loki (yes, I heard Tom Hiddleston in my head when Loki talked) finds her and they fall in love and have 3 children- a human girl with dead legs, a wolf and a snake. Ang sees all that will come to pass when Ragnarok brings the end of the existence of the gods and all that live in the 9 realms.

I enjoyed this retelling of the Norse gods "real" story (not what I know from Marvel).
I didn't like that there weren't chapters... It was 2 big acts and a small 3rd act. It was as little weird that way.

So this was fun and I like Mickey. He's a bit of a smart ass but I love it. He's so like his Uncle Myron.

I really like how friendly Mickey is and that he becomes friends with Ema -the outcast to everyone else and "Spoon"- who's a different sort of guy. I like how he knew something was wrong when his first friend/maybe girlfriend from school disappears without a trace.

I loved what his mom and dad actually did (before his dad died and mom had to go to rehab) for their work that took them all over the place.

I really liked "Bat Lady".

The one issue I had was with the Nazi "Butcher" being alive and doing work that a man of his age would just not be able to do and what he had to do with Mickey's dad dying.

I should not have taken so long to read this, I absolutely loved it!

Peter is such a swoony leading man. Amelia is such a fun woman when she opens up.

Both Peter and Amelia have been invited with others to Lakeshire Park- family home of Peter's friend, Ronald for a small house party.
Both have sisters that met Ronald during the season in London previously. Both are going for a match between the two.

I love the reasons for Amelia wanting to see her sister married.... They do not deserve the horribleness of their stepfather. What an irritating man!

I think Peter was very witty and I loved his interactions with Amelia from their very first funny meeting to much more at the end of the party. Peter's sister, Georgiana however, is a little manipulative girl who was just plain frustrating.

I finished this book in 2 days. It's very sweet and fun.

Lady Sunshine is a story of a coming of age, musicians, family ties and secrets. We see between the years of 1979 and 1999 at Jackie's Uncle Graham's house Sandcastle.

In '79, Jackie is there to visit her uncle for the summer. From bonding with her cousin, Willa, to bonfire nights where people perform and bask in Graham's glow.

In '99, Jackie has been gifted Sandcastle. Being back brings up happy and painful memories, painful where her cousin Willa is concerned. Her cousin left that summer 20 years ago and has left a major hole in Jackie's life. Jackie is letting some musicians make a tribute album of Graham's songs in his studio before selling the house and property, but a mystery and memories might derail those plans.

This is so powerful and lyrical in description. My heart broke at the end in a few different ways and was mended up in some more. Great summer read (which I don't need to be all fluffy and fun.. Serious ones are good too)

What a fast paced second installment to this series!

The action is there for most of the book as our group that escaped the Demon King travels to other clans to build an army against him. This book has a lot of bloodshed.

I still love how good and kind Lei is. I love how she "stands up for the little guy".
I admit to not liking some of the choices that Wren makes in this book. She basically is told by her father and feels she needs to do anything to ensure victory for the Hannos.

There is some loss of characters that I was not ok with! They were one of the best parts is this book and without them, the group will not be the same!

3.5

Professor Connor Nye steals a manuscript a student was working on when that student disappears. Then the book gets published and the girl reappears to claim it. When he refuses because he could lose his job and tenure, the police are on him... Not for stealing the story but because OF the story and the murder inside that's very like a murder of a woman 2 years ago.

I felt a bit bad for Connor because of the loss of his family and his lost way, but I don't feel bad for what he goes through all because he won't admit to stealing the story. A lot could have been avoided (of course then no real book here either). This turns out to be nothing more than a "boys club" of jealousy, betrayed, murder and cover up. I didn't feel bad for how it all turned out.