As a 21-year-old, sometimes I read books from the Adult fiction genre that I just can't relate to. Most of the stories that fall into this category are about parenting and/or have protagonists in later stages of their lives. The latter was my issue with It's Been a Pleasure, Noni Blake. I believe that older readers will enjoy this title more than I did and I just wasn't the target audience. Hopefully, this book will find its way to the correct audience and get the appreciation it deserves. 

The Best of Friends is a short suspense novel that takes place after a tragic incident. The story is told through three narratives, each POV coming from the mother of one of the boys involved in the accident. The quality of writing in this story was not the best. I found it difficult to follow along with the plot and remember all of the characters' names. However, I did enjoy reading this title so I bumped up my rating from two to three stars. 
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(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

I really did not know if I was going to like this story. I truly borrowed it solely because of the cover, which is absolutely stunning. However, Vengeance Road surprised me in the best way possible. With a female protagonist, the plot had strong feminist themes - which is uncommon in the Western genre. I fell in love with Kate and was rooting for her to avenge her father's death and maybe find love with a certain squinty-eyed cowboy throughout the entire story. After finishing this title, I was so excited to find out that Bowman wrote a sequel. I have already put it on hold and can only hope it is as good as this one!

As someone who doesn’t read a ton of Fantasy novels (YA or Adult), I always struggle to review them when I do. Daughter of the Pirate King was an adventurous, fast-paced read. The plot was a little predictable at times (especially the romance), but overall I enjoyed reading this title. I look forward to seeing how Alosa’s story plays out in the sequel!

Fever 1793 was almost like an American Girl doll book for older readers. Mattie Cook is a young teenager when the Yellow Fever hits Philadelphia. She survives hardships such as losing those closest to her, not having enough food to eat, and "adopting" a child whose family has died from the disease. Honestly, it made me think about how easy I have had it while living through a different pandemic. Overall, I didn't love this story. The plot was very predictable and I only read it to fulfill a reading challenge (read a book published in your birth year) for a book group I am in

Home Is Not A Country is a short novel told in verse which features some heavy magical realism elements. I worked through Elhillo's writing in a single day and despite my original doubts, I loved it. The central message of this story - to be proud of yourself and embrace your family roots - is an important one. Get to your nearest library/bookstore as soon as possible and pick up this title! You will not regret it.

Daughter of the Siren Queen was a fantastic ending to this duology. Alosa, the protagonist, shows serious emotional growth in this novel and starts to question the things that her father, the Pirate King, has told her. This questioning incites the trickery and combat found in this title. I will definitely be looking into reading more from Tricia Levenseller. Her writing is both accessible to the most inexperienced fantasy readers (like me!) and clever. 

I was hesitant to jump into The Perfect Family because I have not really enjoyed Robyn Harding's writing in the past. However, I did request this ARC through Netgalley because I wanted to give her work a second chance. While I liked The Perfect Family more than her previous books, I still was not a huge fan of this story. I found all the characters extremely annoying and their individual problems over the top. Also, as a mystery thriller, the plot was lackluster. Certain readers, especially those who enjoy Harding's other books will enjoy this title, but I think I am just not a good fit for her writing style. 
(PUB DATE: 08/10/2021)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

After reading The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes, I was not surprised to learn that Axelrod, the author had grown up in the music industry. There is so much knowledge about music tucked away in this fictional story about a female guitarist and her time in an all-girl rock band. I loved the female empowerment that Axelrod brought to her novel and really enjoyed the strong protagonist she created. If you are a fan of music, this title is an absolute must-read!
(PUB DATE: 05/04/2021)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)