In all honesty, Dearest Josephine took some time to get going. It is a slow-paced read, which isn't necessarily bad, but I put it down a lot and elected to read other books instead of continuing with this story. That being said, when the plot picked up, I was hooked. Dearest Josephine may be the most romantic book that I have ever read. George, the author, writes in certain styles depending on which character is narrating, and it just comes together so perfectly. I highly recommend checking out this recently published title. 
(PUB DATE: AVAILABLE NOW)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

The main issue I had with this title is how it was organized. Chapters alternate between the present and flashbacks of the past that explain the events of the present. While necessary, it made the plot feel disjointed. Admittedly, I am not sure how Urban, the author, could have better organized this novel and included all the information, but it was annoying. All Your Twisted Secrets is a suspenseful, action-packed title, but between bad plot organization and the odd ending (I can't elaborate on that without spoiling anything, but I did not like it), I can only give it three-stars. 

I flew through this novel in less than 24 hours. The Serial Killer's Wife is an engaging crime thriller that follows Beth Hardcastle after her husband, Tom, is taken into police custody for a suspected violent crime. Beth struggles to continue to run her business, take care of their young daughter, and navigate the media attention her husband's case has attracted throughout the story. Just when you think you understand what is happening, there is a new development in the case against Tom. The plot will keep you on your toes up until the very last page and thriller fiction lovers will enjoy reading this one.
(PUB DATE: 05/27/2021)
(I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed above are my own.)

I don't even know where to begin with reviewing this novel. Its Goodreads page is full of five-star reviews and the book itself has an average rating of 4.24 stars. I almost feel like I read a completely different book than everyone else did. I found both of the main characters, Morgan and Clara, to be annoying, selfish, and just genuinely unlikable. The only characters I didn't dislike in this story were Clara's boyfriend, Miller, and his grandfather. (Sidenote: I would have much rather read a book about them!) I understand that both of the protagonists are dealing with grief, but I could not find one redeeming quality for either of them in the entire story. I cannot recommend this title because of my extreme dislike of the main characters.

Love, a lesser-known title from Toni Morrison, is a complex story that is made up of many different narratives. I am sure that I did not catch all the literary elements that she slipped into this title, but I did understand the storyline better than I have in other novels of hers. As always, Morrison does not shy away from taboo topics and there were a few scenes that were uncomfortable to read. The two main characters, Heed and Christine, have a unique relationship that is revealed in pieces, and ultimately I did enjoy the story. However, I am not sure I would recommend this title unless someone was specifically looking to read a Toni Morrison novel as it a very slow read.

I had high expectations going into this book but was ultimately let down by its dragging storyline. Young, the author, is talented and her writing is very lyrical. Her descriptions are fantastic and I could really visualize the characters and the settings they found themselves in. However, as a story about pirates, there just wasn't enough action for me! Will I probably read the sequel? Yes. I am hoping that this book served more as an introduction to the rest of the story and the second book has a more engaging storyline.

Jared Dixon, the author of this book, reached out to me to review this title through Instagram. I was more than happy to read his book, especially because it focuses on the lasting implications of LGBTQ+ conversion therapy, a topic I have not read much about in fiction writing. Dixon is open about his own experience with conversion therapy and I think it was incredible that he was able to take that dark part of his life and write this novel. Overall, Corrupted is a solid story. The characters (there are a lot of them!) were difficult to keep track of, but the plot was really well thought out. I went back and forth on whether I should give a 3 or 4-star rating for this title, but ultimately the confusion with characters held it to 3-stars. This rating is based on my reading experience only so I still want to encourage others to check out Dixon's Instagram page (@dijared13) and book!

My So-Called Bollywood Life was a cute, YA novel. Winnie Mehta, the protagonist, is feeling disconnected from her astrological prophecy after a breakup with her "supposed soulmate". She distracts herself from this disappointment by rewatching Bollywood movies, helping run her school's film club, and surviving her senior year of high school. While I loved the characters in this novel, the storyline was a little too predictable for me! (Sidenote: If you liked this title, check out "Indian Matchmaking" a tv series on Netflix - it further explores how astrology is used for romantic relationships in Indian culture)

Yes, this is the sequel to Dumplin'. It features important characters from the first novel and continues their storylines. However, if you were to judge this novel as a stand-alone, it's a pretty fantastic piece of YA literature as well. I just adored the main characters, Millie and Callie, and their unique journey to becoming friends. I am already excited for Murphy's third novel in this series which is due to come out this summer! If you haven't already read the books featuring the teens of Clover City, what are you waiting for? Put Puddin' and Dumplin' on your reading lists ASAP!

The Emancipation of Evan Walls is a culturally immersive book. Blount, the author, writes the story of Evan, a black boy, growing up in a rural Virginia town in the 1960s. With the encouragement of two adults in his life, Evan strives to succeed academically and overcome the race and class barriers he grew up with. Both the white and black population of his town, torment him, as he refuses to stick to the status quo. Blount's writing is sharp and the story of Evan's life unfolds beautifully. I highly recommend this title to fans of the historical fiction genre and hope to read more from this author in the future.