“Paulo Coelho's masterpiece tells the mystical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure. His quest will lead him to riches far different—and far more satisfying—than he ever imagined. Santiago's journey teaches us about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, of recognizing opportunity and learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, most importantly, to follow our dreams.”

I really liked that this is a short read. It at times is thought provoking. I did at times felt like it could get too religious at times. But, if you want an easy read that is just story telling, then you will like this.

“Looking at real estate isn’t usually a life-or-death situation, but an apartment open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes a group of strangers hostage. The captives include a recently retired couple who relentlessly hunt down fixer-uppers to avoid the painful truth that they can’t fix their own marriage. There’s a wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else and a young couple who are about to have their first child but can’t seem to agree on anything. Add to the mix an eighty-seven-year-old woman who has lived long enough not to be afraid of someone waving a gun in her face, a flustered but still-ready-to-make-a-deal real estate agent, and a mystery man who has locked himself in the apartment’s only bathroom, and you’ve got the worst group of hostages in the world.

Each of them carries a lifetime of grievances, hurts, secrets, and passions that are ready to boil over. None of them is entirely who they appear to be. And all of them—the bank robber included—desperately crave some sort of rescue. As the authorities and the media surround the premises, these reluctant allies will reveal surprising truths about themselves and set in motion a chain of events so unexpected that even they can hardly explain what happens next.”

I really liked this book a lot and I thought there was a chance I couldn’t. When this was a book of month pick a few months ago, I passed on it because I thought this probably isn’t for me. I decided I’ll pick it up because I see there is a ton of hype on it. Well, it lives up to the hype. I really enjoyed the characters and loved how real they felt. My favorite character was the old woman. I found nothing wrong with this book for me at least.

“Journey through the woods in this sinister, compellingly spooky collection that features four brand-new stories and one phenomenally popular tale in print for the first time. These are fairy tales gone seriously wrong, where you can travel to “Our Neighbor’s House”—though coming back might be a problem. Or find yourself a young bride in a house that holds a terrible secret in “A Lady’s Hands Are Cold.” You might try to figure out what is haunting “My Friend Janna,” or discover that your brother’s fiancée may not be what she seems in “The Nesting Place.” And of course you must revisit the horror of “His Face All Red,” the breakout webcomic hit that has been gorgeously translated to the printed page.”

I read this for the Trick or Treat Readathon for the prompt Trick or Treaters, which is to read a graphic novel. I wasn’t sure what to read, but I browsed the online library catalog and stumbled across this book and thought this book would be great for Spooky Season. This stories are a little gory and a bit creepy. It was perfect for this time of year. The art work was absolutely beautiful. I did find that the stories endings were abrupt and I wish they told you what actually happened. But, overall this was great and I would recommend it.

“Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians is the first action-packed fantasy adventure in the Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians series for young readers by the #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson. These fast-paced and funny novels are now available in deluxe hardcover editions illustrated by Hayley Lazo.

On his thirteenth birthday, foster child Alcatraz Smedry gets a bag of sand in the mail-his only inheritance from his father and mother. He soon learns that this is no ordinary bag of sand. It is quickly stolen by the cult of evil Librarians who are taking over the world by spreading misinformation and suppressing truth. Alcatraz must stop them, using the only weapon he has: an incredible talent for breaking things.”

I read this for the Trick or Treat Readathon for the prompt where I had to read a middle grade book. Before this readathon I wanted to read more Brandon Sanderson because he is so dang amazing and I just need to read everything by him since he is now my ultimate favorite author ever. So, I placed a hold for this and it happen to come in a few days prior to the readathon and then I noticed it was middle grade, so it worked out perfectly. I really enjoy Brandon’s world building and characters in this book and in his YA books as well as his Cosmere books. My favorite thing about this book and about his books is that he always makes me laugh. This was definitely fast paced and engaging and just fun. You all need to pick this up!

Rating: ⭐️ (DNF)
“Danica Waterhouse is a fully modern witch--daughter, granddaughter, cousin, and co-owner of the Fix-It Witches, a magical tech repair shop. After a messy breakup that included way too much family feedback, Danica made a pact with her cousin: they'll keep their hearts protected and have fun, without involving any of the overly opinionated Waterhouse matriarchs. Danica is more than a little exhausted navigating a long-standing family feud where Gram thinks the only good mundane is a dead one and Danica's mother weaves floral crowns for anyone who crosses her path.

Three blocks down from the Fix-It Witches, Titus Winnaker, owner of Sugar Daddy's bakery, has family trouble of his own. After a tragic loss, all he's got left is his sister, the bakery, and a lifetime of terrible luck in love. Sure, business is sweet, but he can't seem to shake the romantic curse that's left him past thirty and still a virgin. He's decided he's doomed to be forever alone.

Until he meets Danica Waterhouse. The sparks are instant, their attraction irresistible. For him, she's the one. To her, he's a firebomb thrown in the middle of a family war. Can a modern witch find love with an old-fashioned mundane who refuses to settle for anything less than forever?”
I was going to read this for my Jokester prompt for the Trick or Treat Readathon, but I just had to DNF this. This book was so bad. If I did push on, then it would have been 2 stars due to wanting to dnf. But, instead of myself torturing myself I decided let’s just dnf and move on. I even was buddy reading this and they gave it 2 stars. I didn’t feel like it wouldn’t meet the prompt because it really isn’t funny, just bad writing and awkwardness. There is no chemistry between the characters and it’s instant love. Danica is like I can’t be with him because I’m a witch, but I NEED him and then Titus is like I’m bad at relationships, but I want her and things can be too soon. There was way to much telling instead of showing. This is something I don’t recommend to anyone. I do like the cover though.

Tom comes home and his wife is missing. He finds out his wife has been in a crash and is charged with reckless driving. However, she is placed at a murder scene. Did she kill the man? Does she really have amnesia like she says she does?
I really enjoy books by Shari Lapena. They never disappoint. I figured some of the twists, but I didn’t see the twist at the ending. This was engrossing and hard to put down. I had to know how this ended. You didn’t know who you could actually trust. Pick this up!

“The year is 1926, and Shanghai hums to the tune of debauchery.

A blood feud between two gangs runs the streets red, leaving the city helpless in the grip of chaos. At the heart of it all is eighteen-year-old Juliette Cai, a former flapper who has returned to assume her role as the proud heir of the Scarlet Gang—a network of criminals far above the law. Their only rivals in power are the White Flowers, who have fought the Scarlets for generations. And behind every move is their heir, Roma Montagov, Juliette’s first love...and first betrayal.

But when gangsters on both sides show signs of instability culminating in clawing their own throats out, the people start to whisper. Of a contagion, a madness. Of a monster in the shadows. As the deaths stack up, Juliette and Roma must set their guns—and grudges—aside and work together, for if they can’t stop this mayhem, then there will be no city left for either to rule.”

Would I say this is a true Romeo and Juliet retelling? No, no I wouldn’t. They have similar names and a family rivalry that has lasted ages, but that’s as far as it goes. Spoiler alert, Romeo or Juliet does not die in this book. However, there are rival gangs and this book is dark and gritty. I loved it. I loved how they teamed up to see what was causing the madness. The madness and them saying “get vaccinated” really reminded me of COVID. Not going to lie. Anyway, I really regret waiting to read this book and making it sit on my bookshelf for almost a year. You all need to read this. It’s so good and the ending is heart pounding.

“Enemies turn to lovers in YA author Park’s punchy adult debut set in the world of video game design. Melody Joo, a newly hired production assistant at Seventeen Studios, is determined to fight the “unescapable bro culture” within the gaming industry. But this proves nearly impossible while surrounded by cardboard cutouts of the studios’ scantily clad, anatomically impossible heroines. When her misogynistic boss, Ian MacKenzie, overhears her joking about a gender-swapped version of their popular games, which would follow male strippers fighting off the apocalypse, he tasks her with launching it as a mobile app to prove that the company is, in his words, “menstrual friendly.” But it was never meant to be a serious idea and Ian only gives her six months to achieve the impossible. If Melody’s going to prove herself, she can’t have any distractions. But Nolan MacKenzie, the handsome, infuriating intern who also happens to be Ian’s nephew, is a distraction too tempting to resist. Though they initially butt heads, Melody can’t deny the butterflies that follow when he smiles at her.”

Sigh, if you want romance to be the main focus for this book like I did and thought it would, well you won’t get it. This book highly focuses on a video game that Mel is producing and how she is being harassed about it. She does spend time with Nolan, but it didn’t feel like they had much page time together. I did enjoy the humor in the book. I did find that Mel hated like everyone in this book. I did like that the ending ended in romance, but I wish this book that was marketed as romance would have been more romance. I did like the feminism in this book and that Mel produces video and mobile games.

“Finlay Donovan is killing it . . . except, she’s really not. She’s a stressed-out single-mom of two and struggling novelist, Finlay’s life is in chaos: the new book she promised her literary agent isn’t written, her ex-husband fired the nanny without telling her, and this morning she had to send her four-year-old to school with hair duct-taped to her head after an incident with scissors.

When Finlay is overheard discussing the plot of her new suspense novel with her agent over lunch, she’s mistaken for a contract killer, and inadvertently accepts an offer to dispose of a problem husband in order to make ends meet . . . Soon, Finlay discovers that crime in real life is a lot more difficult than its fictional counterpart, as she becomes tangled in a real-life murder investigation.

Fast-paced, deliciously witty, and wholeheartedly authentic in depicting the frustrations and triumphs of motherhood in all its messiness, hilarity, and heartfelt moment, Finlay Donovan Is Killing It is the first in a brilliant new series from YA Edgar Award nominee Elle Cosimano.”

I’ve been meaning to read this for a while and I finally got the audiobook for it on Libby! I actually got the sequel to this off of Netgalley and I was thinking I need to read this so I can read my Netgalley arc of the sequel. Also, I used this as the Joke prompt for the trick or treat readathon! Anyway, this book is a mystery, but it’s really funny. Life doesn’t go well for Finlay and she is not that mature. For example, prior to the start of the book, Finlay stuffs play dough in her ex-husband’s girlfriend’s exhaust pipe and was arrested for it. Plus, she is mistaken as a hit man when discussing a book in a Panera. Just how all the events unfold is fun and sometimes funny. I really enjoyed this and couldn’t put it down.

“Delve into the thrilling, epic tale of the young and arrogant prince Maxim Maresh, long before he became the king of Red London and adoptive father to Kell, the lead of A Darker Shade of Magic!

The youthful Maresh is sent to a violent and unmanageable port city on the Blood Coast of Verose, on strict orders from his father, King Nokil Maresh, to cut his military teeth in this lawless landscape.

There, he encounters an unruly band of soldiers, a lawless landscape, and the intoxicatingly deadly presence of the newly returned pirate queen, Arisa...”

I really liked the battle scenes in this book. The illustrations were well done. I did not feel like there was much plot in away with this story. I do wish there was more things going on in this story, but I still did enjoy it. I look forward to reading the rest of the volumes.