This book is the sequel to K.A. Tucker's novel The Simple Wild. I read The Simple Wild earlier this year (which I rated 5/5 stars) and was really excited to see the continuation of Jonah and Calla's story. I would highly recommend reading the first book in the series before tackling this one so that you can get to know all of the characters and their backgrounds. Wild at Heart is a realistic look as to what life looks like once couples have been together for a longer period of time and move in together. There are arguments, but there is also a deeper sense of love between the two. After some consideration, I do think I enjoyed the first book more, but this story is still fantastic. I especially loved Jonah and Calla's grumpy neighbor, Roy. I tend to be drawn to the odd characters in books and tv shows (think Dwight Shrute from The Office or Charles Boyle from Brooklyn99) and he definitely fits that archetype. I have heard some rumors that another book is on its way in the Wild series. If that is true, I will definitely be reading that one as well.

The best thing that has happened to me this year (reading-wise) is definitely stumbling upon John Marrs and his novels. This is the fourth book of his that I have read and I was not disappointed. While his other titles may have more of a science fiction aspect to them, this story proves that Marrs can write a really great psychological thriller, as well. I am continued to be impressed with his storytelling ability and will read literally anything he puts out in the future. (I know this review is very short, but I can't give much of a summary without giving away essential plot points. Just trust me on this one - you're going to want to read it!)

I think I went into this one with expectations that were too high. I have seen many people compare this book to the television series "Gossip Girl" (which is one of my guilty pleasure shows!), but I just didn't really see the connection. Yes, there is a gossip website for the characters' high school, but it isn't really utilized in the story (due to an event that happens right at the beginning of the book which I can't really write about without spoiling that plotline). With that being said, I did really like the main characters of this story. While the narration switches between chapters, I never found myself favoring one voice over the others. I went back and forth between a three and four-star rating but ultimately went with three stars because of the ending. Honestly, the ending didn't have the shock factor that I think this book deserves. There are many other ways the author could have concluded this story that would have worked better and earned the title a four-star rating from me!

When I was in 5th and 6th grade, I was obsessed with Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series (Percy was actually my first literary crush, haha). I had so much fun revisiting the stories of Greek Mythology with this book. Circe is beautifully written and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. This tale is a reimanging of the classic mythology with adventure, romance, and even feminist undertones. If you are one of the people who has had this title on your list for awhile (like I did), I definitely recommend picking this one up!

I checked out both of the books in the One Of Us Is Lying series from Libby at the same time. Even though I didn't love the plot of the first book, I thought I would still read the sequel because I really liked the characters. However, the characters from the first book definitely took a backseat to their younger siblings and their classmates in this story. If I had known this before starting, I probably would have returned One of Us Is Next without even reading it. This title was just okay. Similarly to the first one, I thought the plot was boring. Younger readers who are in 8th - 12th grade may enjoy it more than I did, as they are the target audience. As someone who has read a lot of adult thrillers and mysteries, I felt like this book was pretty simple and the "big twist" was predictable. With that being said, the writing was concise and McManus crafted a tame, appropriate thriller for YA readers.

As someone who has flirted with the idea of therapy before (and is currently seeing an online therapist), this book helped me see what in-person therapy is really like. Gottlieb, the author, gives readers a peek behind closed doors into her sessions with clients as well as sessions with her own therapist. Even though details were changed for confidentiality, I found myself becoming very invested in her patient's stories. I admit that I cried multiple times reading this title and that it was a very emotionally taxing story. However, it was worth it. Everyone should read this book because it normalizes the idea of seeing a therapist and imparts wisdom about mental health that readers can use in their own lives

I don't think any review that I could write would do this title justice. Abdulali, the author of this book, has dedicated her life to studying all aspects of sexual violence. As a rape survivor herself, her dedication to helping others overcome similar situations is inspiring. What I liked most about this book is that it does not just focus on sexual assault in the United States. Abdulali uses case studies from all over the world and shows how different cultures handle sexual violence. This title was informative and I really enjoyed the writing style the author decided to use. Unlike other books about this topic, Abdulali writes with an informal tone. It is almost like you are sitting and having a conversation with her instead of reading a book. I'm sure you can tell this from the title, but there are descriptive stories of sexual violence in this book. I wanted to mention this in my review in case this topic is triggering for you.

This was my first read from the Hush collection. They are all short stories that fall under the crime fiction genre of writing. Buried manages to touch on a few big topics in such a short number of pages. The "death" of print media, political crimes, and the way a police investigation is handled are all present in this story. I have never read anything by Deaver before, but he did a fantastic job with character development in this one and I would be open to reading more of his work in the future.

This story opens with an incident of "everyday racism". Emira, a young black woman, is questioned by a grocery store security guard about why she is with a young white girl. Emira is the girl's babysitter and is rightfully offended by this inquiry. Tensions rise when the security guard begins to question the validity of Emira's position. The encounter is recorded by a bystander and the conflict does not resolve until the young girl's father comes to the grocery store and confirms that Emira is his daughter's babysitter. Unlike other books I have read, Such A Fun Age showcases acts of discrimination that people of color deal with every day of their lives. The acts are not violent in a traditional sense but do have harmful consequences. Kiley Reid, a black woman herself, creates the character of Emira to show what it is like to be a young black woman at this time. She also skillfully addresses the harmfulness of the "white savior complex" with multiple characters in this story. Overall, I enjoyed the message of the story more than I did the story itself. It was a quick, easy read, but I was left wanting more of a conclusion when the book ended, hence the three-star rating.

This was my second read from the Hush collection. They are all short stories that fall under the crime fiction genre of writing. The Gift focuses on a famous husband and wife and how they react to a family crisis. This story turned dark very quickly (a little too quickly for my liking). If this title had been longer, Gaylin, the author, could have worked on building up to the dark climax. The plot lacked fluidity and ultimately took away from how great this story could have been.