Bite-Sized Reviews :: Edition Fifty-Three

The Words Between Us By Erin Bartels
This is very much a gripping read! I was pulled into Robin's world from the first few paragraphs and stayed glued to the pages. As her past is slowly revealed and we discover just what has made her into the person she is today, I was thoroughly intrigued. However, I have to say that while I was very much invested in where her journey would take her, there were several moments that jarred me out of the story. The overall flow just wasn't as smooth as I wanted. And the ending...well, it simply fell a little flat for me. I was expecting more of something during the final pages and never found it. Things finished up a little too cleanly and quickly for me. So while I was captivated by the storyline, I closed the book feeling disappointed. But overall, still a wonderfully told story!

Letters From Paris by Juliet Blackwell
The idea of death masks fascinates me! I'd never heard of them until reading this story. Clair's journey to discover the history behind a particular death mask and the slow unfolding of what really happened years ago kept me turning page after page. Plus the romance bits were pretty cute. :) Overall an intriguing story that I'm glad I read.



The Only Thing Worse Than Me is You 
by Lily Anderson
When a favorite reviewer highly recommended this teenage take on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, I knew I'd have to try it. And I wasn't disappointed! It translated into modern times very well (as I figured) and was just a whole lot of fun. Mostly the bits between Trixie and Ben. Those two characters never failed to make me laugh and shake my head at their determination to not admit their feelings and then be unable to deny them. :D Super fun with adorable romantic bits, if you like Much Ado, I think you'd enjoy this one.

The Last Drop by Erynn Mangum
I love Erynn Mangum stories, especially her Maya Davis series. This is a wonderful continuation of them! Presley is so much fun, Maya is as awesome as always, and the romance...well! I loved every cute and adorable moment! Definitely you should start with book one of the series if you haven't read it yet, but each successive book is loads of fun and this one is a perfect ending. (Only I wouldn't be opposed to more Maya books! Just saying. :)

Bite-Sized Reviews :: Edition Forty-Seven

More reviews coming your way! And how's your reading life going these days? I've slowed down a bit from May and June where it felt like I reading all the time. I did have a Saturday a couple weeks ago where I basically read all day. But the last few days or so, I haven't done a lot of reading. I've been writing instead! Go me. :)

Anyhoo! On to the fun stuff...

I Owe you One by Sophie Kinsella
This was cute. Sort of forgettable once I was finished, but cute while reading. I liked Fixie, yet she kind of drove me nuts a few times. Which necessitated me skimming quickly through a scene or two more than once. I just didn't love this one as much I'd hoped I would, but I did enjoy the romantic bits with Seb! He, too, made a couple decisions that made me wonder what in the world, but I liked him fairly well overall. So! If you're in the mood for an entertaining story to forget the world for a tiny slice of time, this may be the one for you! Especially the middle to latter half which had the best moments in my humble opinion...

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan
A delightful story about a bookish Nina who I loved from the first pages! This book was just a whole lot of fun and it made me want to completely overhaul my life and go run a bookmobile in the UK somewhere. :D I did love Nina a lot. I wanted her to choose this new life for herself so badly and so once she did, I was quite happy to travel alongside her as she figures this new chapter out. She is simply the endearing sort of bookish person who I could totally picture myself having lovely bookish convos with while we sat sipping our hot drinks in her bookmobile. Of course, her romantic prospects were an enjoyable diversion as well! This was simply a charming story that I want to reread again right now...

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
This went in a very different direction than I expected from the synopsis, I admit. But that is not a complaint! I really enjoyed the world-building as the first few chapters sets up how everything works and just what sort of sword's edge Isobel is balancing on. It's a fascinating atmosphere that Ms. Rogerson creates around her characters and I loved getting all these tension-filled glimpses of things going on underneath the surface. The romance bits were pretty adorable, I wasn't sure what sort Rook would be. But I liked him! He and Isobel have great chemistry, especially in the beginning stages where I could so easily picture the both of them falling in love almost unknowingly. The story isn't perfect, but overall quite enjoyable! Enough that I hope to read Ms. Rogerson's next book sometime soonish. :)

The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman
A bookish Nina (yes, another one! :) whom I loved to bits! I loved her passion for trivia and how it was such an unconscious fascination for her. I loved her bookishness and love of stories. And I loved her way of pushing through all the new family who find her and bring her into their drama. How she basically finds her people (more than she had before now, I mean, because the girl has quite the awesome tribe around her already) and finally allows who she truly is to settle more firmly inside her. I related so much to her, even if my life is so completely different! I just got all her introverted uncertainties and how she was just fine as she was thank you very much. But being pushed out of her comfort zone is good for our Nina and her subsequent journey of discovery is simply delightful. Reading this story just made me want to go hug all my books in my personal library and if that doesn't convince you to read it I don't know what will. ;)

Bite-Sized Reviews :: Edition Forty-Five

More reviews! I told you I've been doing a lot of reading. I guess if you go eight months with very little reading for pleasure, once you get to do it again that literally becomes your life. Not a bad life either, let me just say. :) I hope all is well for my lovely reader friends!

On to the reviews then...

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine 
by Gail Honeyman
So different than what I was expecting, but wow. This is an excellent read! I was pretty blown away by how very much I loved Eleanor and her quirkiness. I admit, she had to grow on me, I didn't totally love her at first. But it wasn't long until she had found her way into my heart and there she stayed until the final pages. Such a wonderfully written story about brokenness and how Eleanor claws her way out into light and life again. And Raymond? That man is just an incredible friend. Definitely planning to read this one again soon!

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
So much cute! I loved Olive. I really did. She and Ethan have fabulous chemistry right from the start. Even if that start is pretty "hate-filled". From the memories of their unfun meet cute to the natural feel of their slow build up to romance, I laughed so many times. And simply enjoyed their journey to finding the love of their lives in each other. A quirky set up to get them in the same place at the same time (Maui for the win!), I so completely adored watching these two fall in love.

Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen
This is so quintessentially Sarah Dessen and I cannot believe it took me so long to finally read it! I love Ms. Dessen's way of writing characters who I connect with and relate to. I understood Sydney's grief and uncertainty, even if she didn't fully understand herself. Her journey to finding who she is, without constantly being in the shadow of her older brother, while simultaneously learning to stand on her own two feet...ah I just got her. I loved all the side characters too, especially the Chatham's. Another wonderfully imperfect family that I fell in love with! And Mac? Yeah, I'll just go swoon a bit over him, shall I? Such a wonderful story! :)

Interlude by Chantele Sedgwick
Characters who are dealing with grief are ones who I understand so well these days. I loved Mia and the way she chose to do all she could for her sister while she is still living, even though she knows that Maddy could very well die soon. Along her journey, a boy enters her pathway and yes, the cute inevitably follows. :) But this isn't just a story with a sweet romance, this is all about Mia figuring out her own strength. As well as proving just how amazing she is to everyone around her! I loved her journey and am definitely planning to read more of Ms. Sedgwick's stories!

The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
I went into this one expecting a cute romance, but I found so much more depth and sweetness than I expected! I mean, yes, the romance between Tiffy and Leon is super adorable, don't get me wrong. But there is much going on underneath the surface of these characters and one must be willing to see beyond the sweetness into their hearts. Hearts that are broken and uncertain and on a journey to discovering their own tenacity. I loved it! I loved Tiffy and Leon's notes and texts. And the slow build up over the course of their story. And I loved watching as their individual trajectories bring them into each other's orbit until they become so sweetly entwined in each other's lives. Very worth reading, friends!

Waiting for Tom Hanks by Kerry Winfrey
This was fun! It wasn't perfect, but it was certainly a lot of fun to read. I enjoyed all the references to romcoms because I recognized so many of them! :D I do admit that Annie wasn't my favorite character ever, but I definitely got invested enough in her journey that I wanted her to find her happy ever after. Drew was pretty adorable! I also wasn't a fan of the way the author chose to break up the cute couple towards the end, but okay. I rolled with it and enjoyed the story overall! It certainly made me want to go on a romcom-watching-binge soon. I shall have to get on that.

Act Like It by Lucy Parker
I've had this one on my radar for quite some time, but had forgotten about it until the Modern Mrs. Darcy blog reminded me. I'm so glad I tried it! Lainie and Richard and their adventures together make for fabulous chemistry. But I loved the natural way their romance developed. They began to see beyond the initial facade each wears in public and then proceeded to fall in love. Cuteness galore! Now I am off to see if I will enjoy the rest of the books in the series...see you when I see you! ;)

The Kiss of a Stranger by Sarah M. Eden
This had just the right amount of sweetness to keep me in enthralled. Catherine and Crispin were pretty adorable together. Yet, there were times I also felt I got a little whiplash as Catherine seemed a bit inconsistent. I didn't always understand her reactions and that frustrated me. But overall I could overlook it and just enjoy the journey of these two characters finding all they could ever want in each other. A sweet and charming read.

Bite-Sized Reviews :: Edition Forty-Three

Hello, my lovelies! So I've been reading up a storm since I've been home from Thailand...but you know what I haven't done? Gotten many reviews written about all the books I've been reading. Yikes! So not cool, right? (Okay, so y'all probably don't care either way. But I do! So there. ;)

Anyhoo! Here there be reviews. And lots more probably coming soon! Be on the lookout, friends.

36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You 
by Vicki Grant
I read this when I was in need of some mindless and cute romance to distract me from all the stress of my homework and studies. And I totally got what I wanted! This isn't a perfect story by any means, but it does have a pretty adorable romance once you get past the first not-meet-cute. It made me laugh, roll my eyes a few times, as well as swoon over the sweetness by the time I got to the end. A quick and easy read that's entertaining and perfect for the summertime! :)

Match Me If You Can by Krista Phillips
Ms. Phillips is an author that is guaranteed to make me laugh as well as swoon! She just knows how to write humor that I totally get. :) Plus her characters are always put into situations that are either a) hilarious or b) relatable or both! In this case, I've never been to a matchmaking resort, so chalk this one up to being hilarious. And sweet! Ava and Sean are simply adorable together. Which means you should read this one and see for yourself. Trust me.

After the Tide by Lindsay Harrel
This one is super short, but also super adorable!! If you're in need of a really quick reason to smile, then I highly recommend it. Ms. Harrel clearly knows how to write an engaging romance that'll only make you wish it were a whole lot longer.

Sanditon by Jane Austen 
& Juliette Shapiro
Y'all know I am always a sucker for another Jane Austen story. I've read a couple other Sanditon stories and was curious where Ms. Shapiro would take these characters. The results? Not bad, but not perfect either. Still. I enjoyed it anyway! I just love Charlotte Heywood. I really do. She and Sydney Parker are quite fascinating characters. And I will read just about any story that puts them together in the end! (Also, I truly wish Austen had been able to finish this one herself because I would dearly love to know how she would've ended it. Alas...)

Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore
I knew going into this book that things were going to be a bit different, whatwith the "choose your own adventure" premise. But it was certainly a whole lot more imaginative and interesting than I was expecting! The set up is intriguing and then we get to the pivotal moment which hinges on Jane's decision. Each option that comes next is fascinating, especially when we go into each one with information that Jane doesn't have about other characters thanks to the previous choice. I confess there were a lot of weird moments that I skimmed through pretty quickly, but it was awfully unputdownable at the same time. A fun ride while I was on it, but sort of forgettable once I was finished...

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Fun! But crazy. But fun! That was my exact thoughts when I finished this story late into the night. I could not put it down once I began. Ms. Thorne most certainly knows how to write pretty unforgettable characters! Lucy and Joshua and their hate-to-love romance are just....yeah. Delightful! I laughed at their silly office games of one-upping each other. But I seriously adored their inability to not be aware of the other at all times. Swoony and fun. And crazy. But fun! :)

Lies Jane Austen Told Me by Julie Wright
Of course, Ms. Wright had me at Jane Austen in her title. I loved Emma! I was a bit afraid when I started it that she might become a cliched type of heroine in stories like these, especially when the love triangle begins. But I was pleasantly surprised to realize that Emma knows her own heart pretty well, which made the love triangle not much of a triangle. (Hallelujah!) She knows pretty quickly on which guy she chooses, as do we. And the journey to getting both of them on the same path at the same time is a lot of fun! There were a few moments that made me grimace, but overall a very enjoyable story.

The Lost Letter by Mimi Matthews
While I have a couple blogging friends who have gushed over Ms. Matthews stories for a good while now, I confess to having tried a couple and not really been able to get into them. Except for A Holiday by Gaslight which is just DELIGHTFUL. And I finally found another that I loved! Yay! With a bit of Beauty and the Beast vibes going on, Sylvia and Sebastian's romance is awfully adorable. Even when Sebastian is being an idiot. :) Sweet and fun, this is one you need in your life, reader friends. Especially if you adore reunited lovers tropes.

Review: To Best the Boys by Mary Weber

Well. What a wild ride! From start to finish Ms. Weber certainly kept me on my toes. And I am not complaining either. Adventure, romance, and awesome characters, what's not to like?! :) I was swept up from the first pages until the last and am only just now catching my breath.

I will say that there were some slow spots. Times that I sort of skimmed my way through until things got a little more interesting. But that didn't take away from my overall enjoyment. Ms. Weber just knows how to create a world that will catch my attention. She did it with her Storm Siren series and she did it here. Now I just need to get to her other books! Because I am certain I will enjoy them likewise.

Facing many obstacles before her causes our main character, Rhen, to have quite the journey. Watching as she pushes through each one with determination to keep right on going was fun! I think that's one of my favorite things about Ms. Weber's stories, they are just a lot of fun. Rhen will make you laugh and perhaps even cause you a bit of exasperation and, ultimately, be quite unforgettable! Now. Don't mind me as I go back to reread all my favorite parts again. :) Read it when you get the chance, reader friends!

**I received a copy via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Bite-Sized Reviews :: Edition Thirty-Nine

Hello, my lovelies!

So I had a free Saturday (which are incredibly precious these days! Most of my time is CRAMMED with stuff to get done.) and remembered that I needed to get several reviews up. So here I am! With a whole bunch for your reading enjoyment... :)

On to the good stuff!

Once Upon a Laugh by Pepper Basham, Christina Coryell, Mikal Dawn, Heather Gray, Jessica R. Patch, Krista Phillips, Betsy St. Amant, Laurie Tomlinson
Ms. Basham's Titus is definitely a favorite character in this collection of stories! He's quite a terrific fellow. :) But all the stories made me giggle a great deal and swoon a great deal more. Super cute! And super fun.

The Winner's Kiss by Marie Rutkoski
It's terrible to read a series out of order, I know. But I've been so curious about this series and when I found only this one at the library, I grabbed it anyway! It's quite an epically drawn storyline that Ms. Rutkoski has created. I was very impressed with the details and intensity of the plot. And intrigued enough to want to go back and read the first two books someday!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
I LOVED THIS STORY!!!! I have been hearing for years about how special this book is, yet somehow I never got around to picking it up until now. I can't believe I waited so long! Because this story is absolutely delightful from beginning to end. Every character was practically my favorite and now I am ready to go back and reread it for the fourth time since I finished originally... READ IT. You know you should, so just go do it. ;)

Wait For Me by Susan May Warren
I have very much been waiting for Pete and Jess' story! And it was worth it because Pete? And Jess? And Pete and Jess together?? Ah, my heart! I was so ready for them to both be honest and real with each other. Of course, it takes a bit for them to do so and we have lots of mystery and side plots to keep things rolling. An excellent ending to this series! I highly recommend it. And then you should go back and read all the other stories in the series if you haven't yet! (But you might actually want to begin with the first one because it's worth the build up of Jess and Pete...)

**I received a complimentary copy via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Turtles in the Road by Rhonda Rhea and Kaley Rhea
This story made me giggle quite obnoxiously, I admit. And I was reading at night and having to be conscious of how loud I was! Terrible combination! (Except not really. ;) Super cute! Super fun! Worthy of a couple hours entertainment to make you grin and swoon quite a bit at the adorable romance between Piper and Jay. Definitely worth checking this one out, friends!

Review: The Way You Make Me Feel by Maureen Goo

I've had Ms. Goo's books on my radar since the first one came out and was thrilled with the opportunity to try this one. And I am pleased to report that it was a fun, summertime sort of story! It has a breezy quality about it that makes for an easy read. Perfect for the beach or a relaxing afternoon, right? :)

I do confess to that it took a bit for me to get into the story, Clara is quite the unique sort of character at first and not entirely likable. But once I got involved in her food truck adventures she began to grow on me. And can I just say that those adventures made me hungry?! Oh my stars, do not read this book if you're starving, it'll just make it worse! ;)

Yet I definitely loved the family dynamics that began to grow between the characters. Clara and her father started the book in a good relationship and I really liked how that never really changed. It just grew and adjusted to Clara's developing maturity. Her friendship with Rose, on the other hand, was such a push and pull, back and forth type of thing. They both had a great deal of learning to do, but I liked the slow development because it felt true to life.

Of course, the romance bits were pretty cute. Hamlet is just adorable! A true and genuine nice guy, which is just what Clara needs. His dorkiness made me grin several times. Overall, this is simply a quick, easy story filled with a few laughs, a few head-shakes, a few sigh-worthy moments, and just all around sweetness. It has enough charm to make it worth your while, reader friends!

**I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Goodreads :: Amazon :: Barnes & Noble

As I stood there surrounded by three people who had the ability to do just that-crack my chest open to all the disappointment and difficulty and grief-I knew I still wanted it. The risk of the bad stuff was so worth the good stuff. People who would be there for you when you messed up and behaved like a little jerk? They were the good stuff.

Bite-Sized Reviews :: Edition Thirty-Six

More mini reviews for your reading pleasure! :) So I'll just skip all the introduction and get to it, how about it?

All for Love by Mary Connealy, Kristi Ann Hunter, & Jen Turano
Super, super fun! In fact, after reading Ms. Turano’s novella in this one, I promptly bought and read her newest, Behind the Scenes, because I loved Permilia so much!! But all three authors gave me lots of laughs and swoons during their respective stories. Ms. Connealy never fails to make me enjoy a good western (and a really adorable romance!) and this one was no exception. Ms. Hunter's was a reread, but oh how much I love Amelia's journey! And Ms. Turano? Made me want more time with all the wallflower ladies! I confess to rereading these stories several times (it helps that they're short and sweet!) and most certainly love seeing them on my bookshelf. This is a collection well worth checking out, friends! Believe me.

**I received a complimentary copy via Bethany House. All opinions expressed are my own.

Behind the Scenes by Jen Turano
After getting a small introduction to Permilia and Asher in Ms Turano’s novella At Your Request, I knew I wanted more of those two! So how happy was I that I could download it immediately and begin reading. They are hilariously perfect for each other! And now I’m a new fan of Ms Turano’s. Happy day! :) Permilia is quite the extraordinary young woman and her chemistry with Asher is, shall we say...electric! Watching these two cause consternation and confusion and all manner of emotions in the other was hilarious at times and awfully swoony at others. They are entirely perfect for each other. Add the adorable romance, a mystery or two, and a lot of laughs, and you end up with a load of happy in story form! Now where's book two?

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Wow! Just wow. I am very impressed! I'd seen several great reviews for this one and then a good friend basically demanded that I let her know immediately upon reading it. So of course, I had no other choice, right? And what a story! Very unlike anything I've ever read before, the narrator of this audiobook is excellent! The distinctive voice for Auggie is unforgettable and I can still hear it in my mind, weeks later. One of my favorite bits is the (unexpected!) different points of view. By spending time in different characters' heads, we realize precisely how biased we humans tend to be when we only see one side of a situation. No one else can truly see into my heart, like I can't see into theirs. It requires communication and openness, and this story shines a brilliant light on the intricacies of human beings and how none of us is black or white. And just how beautiful differences can be among us, how they should be celebrated and approachable! How we all need to strive to understand and be open to learning new. That accessibility just might bring the best sorts of friendships into our lives. Well worth reading (or listening to), friends!

A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute
I've had this one on my TBR after watching that old five or six hour movie years ago and I was not disappointed! I was actually thoroughly intrigued by how Mr. Shute wrote this story. The usage of a narrator who is not exactly a main character (although he kind of is?) is quite different. We are told the story through his second hand retelling, since he only hears it from Jean (and most of the second half he is recounting her letters) and doesn't actually experience it himself. It sounds a bit strange, but it totally works! And what an adventure he has to narrate. The epic scale of this entire story is incredible. Yet I can't deny that there are parts of the book that dragged for me and I skimmed through several paragraphs at different points. But my overall enjoyment never faltered! I wanted so badly for Jean to have her happy ending after enduring so much, so I confess the romance bits (small though they were) made me delighted! :) I truly enjoyed this one and anticipate rereading it again someday.

A Corner of White by Jaclyn Moriarty
Color me impressed, I rather enjoyed this! (See what I did there? ;) It’s definitely slower paced, but I didn’t mind that. I knew that all these pieces surely had to come together somehow, yet was happily surprised at how they did! I did like Madeleine a great deal, even if she did make some choices sometimes that frustrated me. And Elliot's mystery to solve had me hooked! I had no idea how things were going to progress at all and it was so fun to journey through this adventure with both characters. A wonderful beginning to this series and now I can't wait to dive into book two!

A (nearly) Normal Nanny by Krista Phillips
Ms. Phillips knows how to make me laugh! And swoon. This is such an adorable little romance and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Mari wasn't prepared for Brandon and neither was he prepared for her. But once they meet? Sparks fly, as they say. :D The sweet little girls just add a cute bit of flavor (and chaperoning) to the romance happening around them. Loads of fun and a quick, easy read! What's not to like? :)

Bookends by Liz Curtis Higgs
It's been so many years since the last time I'd read this one that I'd forgotten how much Ms. Higgs makes me laugh! She is so good at putting her characters in hilarious situations and then sitting back and letting them find their way out. Plus she knows how to write a hero to make you swoon! Jonas and Emily fight hard to deny their attraction, for all of two minutes. And then the rest of the time they fight hard about bringing their two very different lives together! It makes for a really fun ride, I must say. :D Their chemistry is, obviously, wonderful, but it's the growth they both need to work through that really struck me. This isn't just a cute little romance, there is much depth here. Both characters have to work hard to figure out exactly what they really want out of life and that sometimes it requires sacrifice. Yet in the end, sacrifice is usually worth it, right? Adorable romance, lessons to learn, unique characters, what more could a reader ask for?