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Showing posts from April, 2022

Review: When You Get the Chance

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When You Get the Chance by Emma Lord My rating: 4 of 5 stars Loved this YA story of a theater girl looking for her mom Mamma Mia style. A lot of goodness in this story around friendship, family, belonging. Really enjoyed it. View all my reviews

Review: Below Zero

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Below Zero by Ali Hazelwood My rating: 4 of 5 stars I love these short novellas from Ali Hazelwood and look forward to all of them. I love the scientist women. such fun. View all my reviews

Review: Cover Story

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Cover Story by Susan Rigetti My rating: 3 of 5 stars 3.5 stars I would say this was a 3 star read all the way through for me but there's a completely unexpected ending that meant I had to add at least a half star more. Well, done, Rigetti, well done. View all my reviews

Review: Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance

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Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance by Alison Espach My rating: 4 of 5 stars This is a beautiful story Sally, her sister Kathy and Kathy's boyfriend Billy. When Kathy has a terrible tragedy, it changes the trajectory of the lives of her parents, Sally and Billy. The story of how grief affects each person so differently and how it can get under your skin and never ever leave you. And how some people grow closer as a result while others are torn apart. There's no right way to grieve and no ways to choose what comes next. It's a beautiful coming of age story in the middle of unspeakable grief. With gratitude to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. View all my reviews

Review: The Story of You Workbook: An Enneagram Guide to Becoming Your True Self

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The Story of You Workbook: An Enneagram Guide to Becoming Your True Self by Ian Morgan Cron My rating: 4 of 5 stars I loved the Story of You when I read it last year and I have found the Enneagram to be an interesting lens to look through. I firmly believe in the idea that we write stories for ourselves and then spend the rest of our time looking for ways to prove that story and build on it so this guide which helps unravel our stories and creates space for us to build new stories was profoundly useful to me. I will keep coming back to it again and again. with gratitude to edelweiss and HarperCollins for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. View all my reviews

Review: Calm Your Anxiety Journal: Guided, Gentle Prompts for Soothing Stress and Quieting Your Anxiety

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Calm Your Anxiety Journal: Guided, Gentle Prompts for Soothing Stress and Quieting Your Anxiety by Ms. Liza Kindred My rating: 4 of 5 stars I loved this excellent book around diving deeper into how to work with your anxiety. It's a combination of concepts, exercises and reflection. You can do some of it in one sitting but there are also several exercises to help you ongoingly and to reflect as you do them over time. I found it to be very useful. with gratitude to edelweiss and quarto group for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. View all my reviews

Review: Things to Look Forward To

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Things to Look Forward To by Sophie Blackall My rating: 4 of 5 stars A sweet, beautiful book of lovely things to look forward to. Little joys of ordinary everyday life and much to be grateful for. I loved the illustrations and this quiet, beautiful book. with gratitude to edelweiss for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. View all my reviews

Review: For You & No One Else

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For You & No One Else by Roni Loren My rating: 5 of 5 stars Roni Loren's Say Everything series is my favorite of all romance series. I love every single character in her stories and I love the way they talk to each other and the way they care for each other. And this one is no exception. Eliza and Beck make the most lovely couple. Each struggling with their own journeys and each reserved and scared and closed off for different reasons. And yet they find each other and can't help but love each other even if they don't want to admit it to themselves. I love these imperfect and yet deeply kind characters who understand that the world is not perfect and that we can love and care for each other just the way we are. Love everything about this series. with gratitude to netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. View all my reviews

Review: Recitatif

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Recitatif by Toni Morrison My rating: 5 of 5 stars Every single thing about this short story is excellent. I read the version with Zadie Smith's foreword and it was absolutely excellent as well. View all my reviews

Review: In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss

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In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss by Amy Bloom My rating: 4 of 5 stars What a beautiful story about love, loss, grief and living life on your own terms. Loving someone enough to walk alongside them in their journey and choosing them over your own self. I loved every moment with this book. View all my reviews

Review: Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman

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Required Reading for the Disenfranchised Freshman by Kristen R. Lee My rating: 3 of 5 stars 3.5 stars. I really enjoyed this story. Eye opening, funny, thought-provoking, distressing and real all in one. View all my reviews

Review: Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience

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Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience by Brené Brown My rating: 5 of 5 stars I have savored this book over the course of many weeks. I have binged her TV show and I will have to watch it and read this again several times before i can fully internalize it. The concept of near enemy is something that will stay with me forever now that I know it and as with all of Brene's books, my life will not be the same now that I know what I know. View all my reviews

Review: Radically Content: Being Satisfied in an Endlessly Dissatisfied World

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Radically Content: Being Satisfied in an Endlessly Dissatisfied World by Jamie Varon My rating: 4 of 5 stars Jamie Varon's book is beautiful inside out. The book contains sections that start with her own journey and how she moved from a life full of discontent and striving to a life of radical contentment. Pointing out shifts and perspective changes along the way. It is like a kind friend who sits alongside you and cheers you on to live your best life and be authentically who you are. It's not empty platitudes and it's not copying what's worked for her. It's inspiring and uplifting in all the right ways. with gratitude to edelweiss for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. View all my reviews

Review: I Kissed Shara Wheeler

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I Kissed Shara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston My rating: 4 of 5 stars I enjoyed Casey McQuiston's previous two novels and I had high hopes for this one. It did not disappoint! This is the story of Chloe, Smith and Rory who have all kissed Shara right before she disappears. So even though they have nothing else in common, they band together to find and decipher the clues Shara has left behind so they can find her. There's so much more to the story, of course. It's about the religious town/school they attend, how most of the kids (and adults) do not have the freedom to be who they are. How things are not what they seem. How when we look at the world, we make assumptions about others and how easy their lives must be. It's a fun and poignant story. I loved it. With gratitude to netgalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. View all my reviews

Review: One Italian Summer

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One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle My rating: 4 of 5 stars Poignant and beautiful book about mother-daughter relationships. Relationships in general and about motherhood. Loved it. View all my reviews

Review: Under Lock & Skeleton Key

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Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian My rating: 3 of 5 stars 3.5 stars. A really fun locked-room mystery. Not the kind of story I usually would pick up but it was fun and interesting with memorable and well-developed characters. View all my reviews

Review: The Last Confessions of Sylvia P.

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The Last Confessions of Sylvia P. by Lee Kravetz My rating: 3 of 5 stars Really enjoyed this sad and interesting story. Amazingly I have never read the Bell Jar but now it's on my list. View all my reviews

Review: The Book of Cold Cases

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The Book of Cold Cases by Simone St. James My rating: 4 of 5 stars I like Simone St. James' stories. Her books are character-driven and the stories are always engaging. If character-driven mystery novels are your thing, I highly recommend. View all my reviews