stephsbooktalk's Reviews (915)

Mini Audiobook Review: Wow! I had no clue what to expect from this book and this exceeding them.  I had never heard of this book prior to it being picked as a bonus book for my one book club but it looked like it would be an enjoyable read! 

At first it started off a little slow and I was nervous that I wasn't going to like it but I ended up becoming super invested in the storylines and wanted to keep on listening. I also was nervous because there were 4 POV with 1 narrator and I was hoping I would be able to follow along. 

As I mentioned above, this is told from 4 POV - Hattie, Ana, Claudia and Erica. Hattie is the owner of the hotel that the 3 women are staying at for their yearly bookclub trip. Each woman has their own thing going on and an arc throughout the book. 

It's hard to say whose storyline pulled me in more but I think it was Ana. I just felt for her as her children are getting older and her feeling like she was no longer needed in their life. Claudia is having her own life changing week. Coming out of a long term relationship, losing her job and not knowing what she wants to do with her life and figuring out if she wants to still be a chef. Erica doesn't show a lot of emotion and puts up such a front for her friends. Erica has a personal revelation that she hasn't told her friends and it all unravels while on this trip. Hattie is trying to figure out how to run the hotel while keeping her late husband's legacy & traditional legacy. 

The way the author was able to weave all the storylines together was so good! It was just enough of each and it all just comes together so beautifully. This is such a great book for bookclubs especially those that are women focused. This takes place in December and talks about Christmas but I wouldn't say it's a Christmas book more of a winter book. With the snow falling and this gorgeous cover, it just makes you feel cozy and feels good. 

The chapters are on the longer side but honestly while listening, I felt like it went by fast! I highly recommend either by reading with your eyes or your ears. 

Mini Audiobook Review: This has been one popular book over the last month! I had been wanting to read it for awhile and was happy when one of my bookclubs picked it as the December read. I am very conflicted on how I feel about the book. In some way, I really enjoyed it but then in another I found some of it cringey and then confusing.

Ethan's constant "Wanna make out?" was so cringey!! Maggie just let it roll off her back but he was coming on a little too strong for me especially when she didn't even seem interest. Now as the book went on my ick towards Ethan soften and I ended up liking him. By the end I thought their relationship was very cute and I was happy for them two!

I did like the author's way of mixing the two genres of a cozy mystery and romance! Even though I was left feeling confused by the end, it doesn't reflect on the tone and the fun I had while reading. Plus this had one of my favorite tropes in a mystery - locked room! I think I was most confused with the ending. So I think I may go back and reread with my eyes to see how it all wrapped up since it just didn't sit well with my brain by just listening.

During our discussion it seem like those around felt the same. It was just okay. I'm happy I read it and I really enjoyed the mix of the two genres. I also liked that the chapters were short and made you feel like you were cruising along.

I recommend giving this book a read if you are looking for a cozy mystery with romance set in a mansion of a famous author ala Agatha Christie like!

**I do not rate NF books**

Mini Audiobook Review: In the last 4 months I have taken charge of my health and have falling back in love with walking. But you know sometimes the right song comes on and walking just doesn't hit the mark so I started to run. And then realized I love the feeling that it gave me. I started doing my own pacing and deciding to start small with running to the choruses of songs and then eventually extending my time. 

I remember seeing this book pop up on the PRH Audio website but at that time of release, it wasn't something that was on my radar but I never forgot it. 

I will say this book is geared more towards marathon running whereas I just plan on being a casual runner with maybe no more than a 5k. WIth that being said, I still found a lot of what he provided in the book very useful. I did have the physical book next to me to reference certain lists and Evans would mention the website to obtain the coursebook with bonus material. 

I liked how honest Evans was in his approach to running and the mistakes he made along the way. He also would remind the listener/reader that he is not a doctor or licensed in any way but merely talked about what has worked for him and what could work for the new runner. I felt he provided a lot of insight and knowledge on running. It also doesn't help hearing it from someone who has a bigger body.  Like if he said it, believed it as opposed to someone who is all muscle and the size of my arm. 

I recommend this book if you are looking to run your first marathon or just want to start running in general! 

Mini Audiobook Review -  Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster for the gifted copy of the book! 

I have never read wife duo Rachael Lippincott & Alyson Derrick before but I knew they were beloved in the sapphic YA space plus they are Pennsylvanians so I had to read them! 

There was another book that came out that had some similarities to this one and I honestly think this one did it better. I am a sucker for a celebrity and normie relationship and this one was too cute! Them being childhood into teenage friends adds an extra element to their relationship. Caroline had the right to be upset with Arden after all these years of not contacting her after leaving for Hollywood. 

This is dual POV which gave extra insight on what both of them was thinking. Caroline especially since her world is upended with Arden returning to her hometown and back into her life. I like seeing them reconnect again and of course Arden's grandma was a fun side character! 

Since this is dual POV, we are lucky enough to have two narrators Krystal Hammond & Natalie Naudus. Krystal was a new narrator to me but Natalie is a pro and between the two of them I thought they did a fabulous job with the narration.  

This book was a quick and breezy listen that I was able to complete during my workday. 

If you are looking for a sapphic, cozy, friends to lover set in December around the holidays - give this one a try! 

Mini Audiobook Review:  Thank you so much to Gallery books for the free copy of the book! 

Somehow I made it to 2024 without having read a Ruth Ware book?! I have been wanting to read one for awhile now and after meeting her back in 2023 I really was itching to read one. And finally the opportunity came!

I really loved the premise of this book and thought majority of the book was pretty good. I was engaged in the story and love the idea of a reality show being filmed and them being stuck on this island.

But what fell flat for me was leading up to the ending and then the end itself. I did this one via audio but I felt myself having to revert to the physical book (which I kept at my side). I even looked at some reviews to see what I was missing or if others were left confused as well (some were).

I did love the idea of all the females banding together and them working together to survive. There was one death of a character that was kind of brushed over which I was surprised by only because they were featured so heavily and then it was just a sentence and that was it? I thought maybe we get into some of the grief

The narrator Imogen Church took on the role of all the contestants and then some. I thought her narration was great! I sometimes struggle with British narrators but I was good following along with her.

This book had a lot of themes that I loved: remote island/locked door, reality tv, couples, survival. 

Thank you SO much to St Martin's Press & St Martins Romance for the advance copy of this!
Thank you so much to Spotify Audiobooks for the complimentary audio!

This book will be out on Dec 10th.

I have been a fan of Jenny's works since her debut and my love of her work has only increased as each book comes out. This one is now my new favorite!

Haleigh was such a fun character to read throughout the book. I love the relationship between Haleigh and Jack. It was very evident from the beginning how close their and we learn through their friendship rules that something had occurred years ago that changed their relationship. Haleigh just felt so relatable being an adult but not feeling quite like an adult. And by that meaning feeling like she doesn't have things together compared to others. She is feeling the pressure to have a date to her sister's engagement party and one of the rules with Jack is they can't be each other's plus ones.

"You're amazing."
"I'm merely skilled with bath products."
"You're so much more than that, and you know it."

I love Haleigh's idea of having those closest to her pick her dates! It makes me wonder for myself who would my family and friends pick for me if I would be single. As much as I love Jack for Haleigh, I also really enjoyed seeing her interaction with Brian. He just seemed like such a great guy!! But it was just so hard to imagine Haleigh with anyone other than Jack. The way that Jack went about this was both cute and also annoying (not for readers but for Haleigh). "I hope it would help you see me. As an actual option, I mean."

I paired my reading with the audiobook and I thought Billie Bryant did a great job with the characters! She is a new narrator to me and I would listen to more from her.

Was this a little predictable? Of course but that is a romance book for you!
I still love the ride that romance puts us through to get to the happily ever after.

I cannot wait for her young adult book coming out in 2025 and of course her next adult book!

If you love a second chance, friends to lover, plus size romance - give this one a chance!

PS - We need a book about Brian! I feel like I need to see him get his happily ever after - please!

Mini Book Review: Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for the free copy of the book!
Thank you so much to PRH Audio for the complimentary copy of the audio!

This book will be released on December 31st, 2024.

This was so cute! I don't normally read synopsis when I read book but I did read this one and I thought it sounded like a fun YA read. And it was!

Gemma was raised by a single mother with no connection to any of her family members. But Gemma learns that her grandfather died and left her a treasure to find. She is hoping to find inheritance at the end.

I love seeing Gemma explore Taiwan and learn about her culture! Her grandfather led her on such maze through the country! So many family secrets are unlocked and I felt bad because her mom kept him from her all her life. Gemma paired up with her middle school boyfriend Xander on the trip to help since his family was also involved in the hunt.

I know this is a young adult book but I was hoping for a wee bit more swooniness between Xander and Gemma. I did like that they talked about what cause their breakup 4 years prior and how it all pretty much ended over miscommunication. I like how they reconnected though over this treasure hunt.

I read half of this book in tandem with the text and then the last half with audio only. I thought the narrator Yu-Li Alice Shen did a good job portraying Gemma and all the characters. Her tone and inflection came across as a teenage girl.

If you are looking for an adventure YA through Taiwan filled with riddles and reconnections!

**I do not rate NF books**

I do not read many memoirs so I cannot compare this to others but this was excellent! 

Cher is such a force to be reckoned with! And it's amazing how much she was able to remember from her early childhood. I love that it also sounded as if she interviewed her mother to learn about her upbringing. I felt that it was important to Cher's story as it impacted her childhood. 

I felt like I knew a lot of about Cher from her 90s Behind the Music and other shows like it but that only skimmed the surface. Cher did a great job with details of her family life and the dreams of her mother. Hearing her mom's struggles and strength, makes so much sense for why Cher is the way she is. 

One thing I always loved about Cher is how much she will stick to her guns. She knows when things don't feel right and will fight for what is right. She just has led this most amazing life and I am so glad to be living in a world where we have her. And if you think you know the story, I can guarantee you haven't. I love learning about her relationships with those that cross her path including some well known celebs. And the way she does it, doesn't feel name dropy. She herself cannot believe her life especially in her early 20s. 

I really appreciated her openness talking about her miscarriages. I had not realize she had 3 miscarriages before having her child Chasity/Chaz. 

Cher did do some of the narration but she tagged team with her friend, Broadway actress Stephanie J. Block (who also played Cher in the The Cher Show musical). Their voices were so close that sometimes I wouldn't even realize that the narration switch (which it will do mid chapter). 

This is only part one and this ends what I consider still pretty early in her career! The book covered a lot but there is still a whole lot more ahead. This one ended at the tail end of the 70s and we are gearing up to head into a big decade for her in the 80s.  

Highly recommend the audio! 

Mini Book Review: Thank you so much to Wattpad for the gifted copy of this book!

This book is totally not something I would have picked up on my own. But I am <i>trying</i> to incorporate more graphic novels into my reading. I am thankful that this was gifted to me as I do not think I would have picked this up on my own. 

The book read so quickly! I know it shows I took a while to read it due to just making time but I have read this in two chunks between the dates. 

This was a really cute book about a witch who does not have the best control of her powers. It has been fun to see how she navigates trying to turn a vampire Oz from a cat back into human form. The family dynamic have also been fun (and is it weird to say how cute the dad is?! He seems so young in the illustrations) and the whole witches vs vampires war played out on page. 

If you are interested in dabbling into the graphic novel world but unsure, this would be a great starting point! It is fun, easy, beautiful illustrations and the next volume will be out in March 2025! 

Mini Audiobook Review: 4.5 -This was my first Rainbow Rowell book and I will say I really enjoyed it!!! At first I wasn't sure what to expect from the book but I was genuinely surprised. I will say I was getting nervous as to where the book was heading but to my surprise it didn't go the way I thought it was. 

The title of this book is very accurate. If you are a fan of slow burns, this could be a good one for you. But if you are not a fan of miscommunication, you may want to sit this one out as I feel like this book was a whole bunch of miscommunications. Shiloh and Cary have been playing this flirtatious dance from high school until their adult lives. Never figuring out the best timing that worked for them and if they even wanted to be with one another. 

I was very frustrated with Shiloh throughout most of it because Cary was so certain of his feelings (perhaps he did not communicate clear enough) but she insists that he wasn't telling the truth. I think this was partially her not thinking she was good enough for him in their younger days and then thinking her children & baggage was just too much for him. 

This book is told from two timelines - the past and current. We got to see them as they interacted in high school as well as in college. You can't help but root for them the entire time. I thought Rowell was able to showcase how complicated relationships can be. This was also my first book that had one of the love interest in the military. 

I took off half a point because as Shiloh alluded, they didn't really date before jumping ahead. I would have loved to have seen what dating would have been like between the two of them. 

I felt like that audiobook was well done and quick listen even though it is over 11 hours. Rebecca Lowman did a great job portraying all the characters but especially to Shiloh. 

I read this one for a book club and I'm anxious to hear what the others think about this one.