The Collective

 I did not like the main character. I started to get bored. Then there was a twist at the end I didn't see coming. Amazon writes, "Camille Gardener is a grieving - and angry - mother who, five years after her daughter’s death, is still obsessed with the privileged young man she believes to be responsible.

When her rash actions draw the attention of a secret group of women - the collective - Camille is drawn into a dark web where these mothers share their wildly different stories of loss as well as their desire for justice in a world where privilege denies accountability. Fueled by mutual rage, the collective members devise and act out retribution fantasies via precise, anonymous, highly coordinated revenge killings.

As Camille struggles to comprehend whether this is a role-playing exercise or terrifying reality, she must decide if these women are truly avenging angels or monsters. Becoming more deeply enmeshed in the group, Camille learns truths about the collective - and about herself - that she may not be able to survive.". All in all, I say: READ IT

Skull-face Bookseller

 

I don't know why the masks like the skull. This is pretty accurate as far as what it is like to work at a book store. All in all, I say: READ IT if you like comics/manga/graphic novels.

The Wife Upstairs

 

Don't listen to anyone. This is Jane Eyre and a horrible version. Amazon writes, "Meet Jane. Newly arrived to Birmingham, Alabama, Jane is a broke dog-walker in Thornfield Estates - a gated community full of McMansions, shiny SUVs, and bored housewives. The kind of place where no one will notice if Jane lifts the discarded tchotchkes and jewelry off the side tables of her well-heeled clients. Where no one will think to ask if Jane is her real name.

But her luck changes when she meets Eddie Rochester. Recently widowed, Eddie is Thornfield Estates’ most mysterious resident. His wife, Bea, drowned in a boating accident with her best friend, their bodies lost to the deep. Jane can’t help but see an opportunity in Eddie - not only is he rich, brooding, and handsome, he could also offer her the kind of protection she’s always yearned for.

Yet as Jane and Eddie fall for each other, Jane is increasingly haunted by the legend of Bea, an ambitious beauty with a rags-to-riches origin story, who launched a wildly successful Southern lifestyle brand. How can she, plain Jane, ever measure up? And can she win Eddie’s heart before her past - or his - catches up to her?

With delicious suspense, incisive wit, and a fresh, feminist sensibility, The Wife Upstairs flips the script on a timeless tale of forbidden romance, ill-advised attraction, and a wife who just won’t stay buried. In this vivid reimagining of one of literature’s most twisted love triangles, which Mrs. Rochester will get her happy ending? ". All in all, I say: SKIP IT - read Jane Eyre and be happy.

Not a Happy Family

 

It's supposed to be a mystery - who killed them. Tons of secrets, they all lie to the police, and SPOILER - the BRAT did it. Surprise - not. Amazon writes, "Brecken Hill in upstate New York is an expensive place to live. You have to be rich to have a house there, and Fred and Sheila Merton certainly are rich. But even all their money can't protect them when a killer comes to call. The Mertons are brutally murdered after a fraught Easter dinner with their three adult kids. Who, of course, are devastated.

Or are they? They each stand to inherit millions. They were never a happy family, thanks to their vindictive father and neglectful mother, but perhaps one of the siblings is more disturbed than anyone knew. Did someone snap after that dreadful evening? Or did another person appear later that night with the worst of intentions? That must be what happened. After all, if one of the family were capable of something as gruesome as this, you'd know.

Wouldn't you?". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Holiday Swap

 Spoiler - they never needed to swap - they both needed to grow a pair. Amazon writes, "When chef Charlie Goodwin gets hit on the head on the LA set of her reality baking show, she loses a lot more than consciousness; she also loses her ability to taste and smell — both critical to her success as show judge. Meanwhile, Charlie's identical twin, Cass, is frantically trying to hold her own life together back in their quaint mountain hometown while running the family's bustling bakery and dealing with her ex, who won't get the memo that they're over. 

With only days until Christmas, a desperate Charlie asks Cass to do something they haven't done since they were kids: Switch places. Looking for her own escape from reality, Cass agrees. But temporarily trading lives proves more complicated than they imagined, especially when rugged firefighter Jake Greenman and gorgeous physician assistant Miguel Rodriguez are thrown into the mix. Will the twins' identity swap be a recipe for disaster, or does it have all the right ingredients for getting their lives back on track?". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Night She Disappeared

 

Characters in this didn't need to exist, some scenes in the book didn't need to exist, the ending was pulled quickly out of someone's ass. Amazon writes, "On a beautiful summer night in a charming English suburb, a young woman and her boyfriend disappear after partying at the massive country estate of a new college friend.

One year later, a writer moves into a cottage on the edge of the woods that border the same estate. Known locally as the Dark Place, the dense forest is the writer’s favorite area for long walks and it’s on one such walk that she stumbles upon a mysterious note that simply reads, “Dig here.”

Could this be a clue towards what has happened to the missing young couple? And what exactly is buried in this haunted ground?

With her signature “rich, dark, and intricately twisted” (Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author) prose, Lisa Jewell has crafted a dazzling work of suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final chapter.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Chicken Sisters

 

What happens when people assume a rumor, don't talk to each other, and treat each other like shit - you you let them walk all over you and treat you like shit. Amazon writes, "In tiny Merinac, Kansas, Chicken Mimi's and Chicken Frannie's have spent a century vying to serve up the best fried chicken in the state - and the legendary feud between their respective owners, the Moores and the Pogociellos, has lasted just as long. No one feels the impact more than 35-year-old widow Amanda Moore, who grew up working for her mom at Mimi's before scandalously marrying Frank Pogociello and changing sides to work at Frannie's. Tired of being caught in the middle, Amanda sends an SOS to Food Wars, the reality TV restaurant competition that promises $100,000 to the winner. But in doing so, she launches both families out of the frying pan and directly into the fire....

The last thing Brooklyn-based organizational guru Mae Moore, Amanda's sister, wants is to go home to Kansas. But when her career implodes, helping the fading Mimi's look good on Food Wars becomes Mae's best chance to reclaim the limelight - even if doing so pits her against Amanda and Frannie's. Yet when family secrets become public knowledge, the sisters must choose: Will they fight with each other, or for their heritage?". All in all, I say: SKIP IT - I would NEVER have forgiven my sister or mother if I had been the main character. That was some bullshit.

A Rogue of One's Own

 

Part 2 in the League of Extraordinary Women. It was better than the first. Amazon writes, "Lady Lucie is fuming. She and her band of Oxford suffragists have finally scraped together enough capital to control one of London’s major publishing houses, with one purpose: To use it in a coup against Parliament. But who could have predicted that the one person standing between her and success is her old nemesis and London’s undisputed lord of sin, Lord Ballentine? Or that he would be willing to hand over the reins for an outrageous price - a night in her bed?

Lucie tempts Tristan like no other woman, burning him up with her fierceness and determination every time they clash. But as their battle of wills and words fans the flames of long-smoldering devotion, the silver-tongued seducer runs the risk of becoming caught in his own snare. 

As Lucie tries to out-maneuver Tristan in the boardroom and the bedchamber, she soon discovers there’s truth in what the poets say: All is fair in love and war....". All in all, I say: READ IT

Things You Save in a Fire

 

Cute, quick, predictable read. A strong female character though. Amazon writes, "Cassie Hanwell was born for emergencies. As one of the only female firefighters in her Texas firehouse, she's seen her fair share of them, and she's a total pro at other people's tragedies. But when her estranged and ailing mother asks her to give up her whole life and move to Boston, Cassie suddenly has an emergency of her own. 

The tough, old-school Boston firehouse is as different from Cassie's old job as it could possibly be. Hazing, a lack of funding, and poor facilities mean that the firemen aren't exactly thrilled to have a "lady" on the crew - even one as competent and smart as Cassie. Except for the infatuation-inspiring rookie, who doesn't seem to mind having Cassie around. But she can't think about that. Because love is girly, and it’s not her thing. And don’t forget the advice her old captain gave her: Never date firefighters. Cassie can feel her resolve slipping...and it means risking it all - the only job she’s ever loved, and the hero she’s worked like hell to become. 

Katherine Center's Things You Save in a Fire is a heartfelt and healing tour de force about the strength of vulnerability, the nourishing magic of forgiveness, and the life-changing power of defining courage, at last, for yourself.". All in all, I say: READ IT

The Keeper of Night

 

I know what the author was trying to do - it had so much potential. It fell short - tragic and boring. I can't believe I read the entire thing. Amazon writes, "Half British Reaper, half Japanese Shinigami, Ren Scarborough has been collecting souls in the London streets for centuries. Expected to obey the harsh hierarchy of the Reapers who despise her, Ren conceals her emotions and avoids her tormentors as best she can. When her failure to control her Shinigami abilities drives Ren out of London, she flees to Japan to seek the acceptance she’s never gotten from her fellow Reapers. 

Accompanied by her younger brother, the only being on earth who cares for her, Ren enters the Japanese underworld to serve the Goddess of Death...only to learn that here, too, she must prove herself worthy. Determined to earn respect, Ren accepts an impossible task - find and eliminate three dangerous Yokai demons - and learns how far she’ll go to claim her place at Death’s side.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Love Hypothesis

 

It's not bad, but I am getting so sick of the "I'm so ugly" coming from super models. They both love each other but no one says anything out loud. It's predictable. It was well written and cute though. Amazon writes, "As a third-year PhD candidate, Olive Smith doesn't believe in lasting romantic relationships - but her best friend does, and that's what got her into this situation. Convincing Anh that Olive is dating and well on her way to a happily ever after was always going to take more than hand-wavy Jedi mind tricks: Scientists require proof. So, like any self-respecting biologist, Olive panics and kisses the first man she sees.

That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor - and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford's reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding...six-pack abs.

Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.". All in all, I say: READ IT

The Impossible Fortress

 

Kind of cute I guess - 2 kids fall in love over trying to get a nudie magazine and win a game competition. I got bored and didn't really care. Amazon writes, "Do you remember your first love?

The Impossible Fortress begins with a magazine. The year is 1987, and Playboy has just published scandalous photographs of Vanna White, from the popular TV game show Wheel of Fortune. For three teenage boys - Billy, Alf, and Clark - who are desperately uneducated in the ways of women, the magazine is somewhat of a Holy Grail: priceless beyond measure and impossible to attain. So, they hatch a plan to steal it.

The heist will be fraught with peril: a locked building, intrepid police officers, rusty fire escapes, leaps across rooftops, electronic alarm systems, and a hyperactive Shih Tzu named Arnold Schwarzenegger. Failed attempt after failed attempt leads them to a genius master plan - they'll swipe the security code to Zelinsky's convenience store by seducing the owner's daughter, Mary Zelinsky. It becomes Billy's mission to befriend her and get the information by any means necessary. But Mary isn't your average teenage girl. She's a computer loving expert coder, already strides ahead of Billy in ability, with a wry sense of humor and a hidden big heart. But what starts as a game to win Mary's affection leaves Billy with a gut-wrenching choice: deceive the girl who may well be his first love or break a promise to his best friends.

At its heart, The Impossible Fortress is a tender exploration of young love, true friends, and the confusing realities of male adolescence - with a dash of old-school computer programming.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

People We Meet on Vacation

 

2 friends who realize much later in life that they are in love. Problem with the book- because it is well written and had some funny scenes - the couple has some serious issues to overcome and they are not resolved by the end of the book. I don't see the relationship lasting. Amazon writes, "Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart - she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown - but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together. 

Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven't spoken since. 

Poppy has everything she should want, but she’s stuck in a rut. When someone asks when she was last truly happy, she knows, without a doubt, it was on that ill-fated, final trip with Alex. And so, she decides to convince her best friend to take one more vacation together - lay everything on the table, make it all right. Miraculously, he agrees. 

Now she has a week to fix everything. If only she can get around the one big truth that has always stood quietly in the middle of their seemingly perfect relationship. What could possibly go wrong?". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Heiress Gets a Duke

 

It had some potential - the story line as some weaknesses. It gets a little frustrating and you wish it wasn't so long. Could have been written better. Amazon writes, "American heiress August Crenshaw has aspirations. But unlike her peers, it isn't some stuffy British lord she wants wrapped around her finger - it's Crenshaw Iron Works, the family business. When it's clear that August's outrageously progressive ways render her unsuitable for a respectable match, her parents offer up her younger sister to the highest entitled bidder instead. This simply will not do. August refuses to leave her sister to the mercy of a loveless marriage.

Evan Sterling, the duke of Rothschild, has no intention of walking away from the marriage. He's recently inherited the title only to find his coffers empty, and with countless lives depending on him, he can't walk away from the fortune a Crenshaw heiress would bring him. But after meeting her fiery sister, he realizes Violet isn't the heiress he wants. He wants August, and he always gets what he wants.

But August won't go peacefully to her fate. She decides to show Rothschild that she's no typical London wallflower. Little does she realize that every stunt she pulls to make him call off the wedding only makes him like her even more.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Jane Austen in Scarsdale or Love, Death, and the SATs

 

It's a modern take on Persuasion with some interesting school counselor stuff. Not great, but didn't suck. Amazon writes, "Anne Ehrlich is a dedicated guidance counselor steering her high-school charges through the perils of college admission. Thirteen years ago, when she was graduating from Columbia University, her wealthy family---especially her dear grandmother Winnie---persuaded her to give up the love of her life, Ben Cutler, a penniless boy from Queens College. Anne has never married and hasn't seen Ben since---until his nephew turns up in her high school and starts applying to college.

Now Ben is a successful writer, a world traveler, and a soon-to-be married man; and Winnie's health is beginning to fail. All of these changes have Anne beginning to wonder…Can old love be rekindled, or are past mistakes too painful to forget?

With all the wit and perceptiveness of Jane Austen's Persuasion, Jane Austen in Scarsdale is a fresh and romantic new comedy from a novelist with "a knack for making modern life reflect literature in the most engaging manner" (Library Journal).". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Antiques Carry On

 

Book 15 felt rushed and boring. There wasn't anything really good about it. Amazon writes, "Vivian Borne - true-crime author, antiques dealer and ex-sheriff of Serenity, Iowa - is looking forward to meeting her new editor in London. Flying first class, rooms at the Savoy . . . Her long-suffering co-author, daughter Brandy, worries the trip will bankrupt them both, but the alternative - Mother travelling alone - is unthinkable. Brandy's almost tempted to make her fiance, Tony - Serenity's Chief of Police - call Scotland Yard and warn them Vivian's coming.But even Brandy doesn't predict their vacation will end in murder . . . or that she and Mother will be unceremoniously ejected from the country, with an order to leave things well alone.Vivian and Brandy need a case to write about, and Mother doesn't care which one. But as the intrepid sleuths - ably supported by doggy detective Sushi - investigate a promising local prospect, they're plunged into a complex mystery that stretches right back to London . . . with no choice but to carry on.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Ex Hex

 The talking cat and the fact that it is set in Georgia are the only good things about this. It had so much potential, but fell short. Amazon writes, "Nine years ago, Vivienne Jones nursed her broken heart like any young witch would: vodka, weepy music, bubble baths…and a curse on the horrible boyfriend. Sure, Vivi knows she shouldn’t use her magic this way, but with only an “orchard hayride” scented candle on hand, she isn’t worried it will cause him anything more than a bad hair day or two.

That is until Rhys Penhallow, descendent of the town’s ancestors, breaker of hearts, and annoyingly just as gorgeous as he always was, returns to Graves Glen, Georgia. What should be a quick trip to recharge the town’s ley lines and make an appearance at the annual fall festival turns disastrously wrong. With one calamity after another striking Rhys, Vivi realizes her silly little Ex Hex may not have been so harmless after all.

Suddenly, Graves Glen is under attack from murderous wind-up toys, a pissed off ghost, and a talking cat with some interesting things to say. Vivi and Rhys have to ignore their off the charts chemistry to work together to save the town and find a way to break the break-up curse before it’s too late.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Last Time I Lied

 

At first it seemed like a creepy mystery. I didn't guess ALL the murderous plot, but because it was ridiculous and filled with so many plot holes. Amazon writes, "Two Truths and a Lie. The girls played it all the time in their cabin at Camp Nightingale. Vivian, Natalie, Allison, and first-time camper Emma Davis, the youngest of the group. But the games ended the night Emma sleepily watched the others sneak out of the cabin into the darkness. The last she - or anyone - saw of them was Vivian closing the cabin door behind her, hushing Emma with a finger pressed to her lips.

Now a rising star in the New York art scene, Emma turns her past into paintings - massive canvases filled with dark leaves and gnarled branches that cover ghostly shapes in white dresses. When the paintings catch the attention of Francesca Harris-White, the wealthy owner of Camp Nightingale, she implores Emma to return to the newly reopened camp as a painting instructor. Seeing an opportunity to find out what really happened to her friends all those years ago, Emma agrees.

Familiar faces, unchanged cabins, and the same dark lake haunt Nightingale, even though the camp is opening its doors for the first time since the disappearances. Emma is even assigned to the same cabin she slept in as a teenager, but soon discovers a security camera - the only one on the property - pointed directly at its door. Then cryptic clues that Vivian left behind about the camp's twisted origins begin surfacing. As she digs deeper, Emma finds herself sorting through lies from the past while facing mysterious threats in the present. And the closer she gets to the truth about Camp Nightingale and what really happened to those girls, the more she realizes that closure could come at a deadly price.  ". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Overbite

 

Part 2 to Cabot's Dracula book. Even more disappointing than the first. Amazon writes, "Meena Harper has a special gift, but it’s only now that anyone’s ever appreciated it. The Palatine Guard—a powerful secret demon-hunting unit of the Vatican—has hired her to work at their new branch in Lower Manhattan. With Meena’s ability to predict how everyone she meets will die, the Palatine finally has a chance against the undead.

Sure, her ex-boyfriend was Lucien Anton­escu, son of Dracula, the prince of darkness. But that was before he (and their relationship) went up in flames. Now Meena’s sworn off vampires for good... at least until she can prove her theory that just because they’ve lost their souls doesn’t mean demons have lost the ability to love.

Meena knows convincing her co-workers—including her partner, Über-demon-hunter Alaric Wulf—that vampires can be redeemed won’t be easy.... especially when a deadly new threat seems to be endangering not just lives of the Palatine, but Meena’s friends and family as well.

But Meena isn’t the Palatine’s only hope. Father Henrique—aka Padre Caliente—New York City’s youngest, most charming priest, has also been assigned to the case. So why doesn’t Meena—or Alaric—trust him?

As she begins unraveling the truth, Meena finds her loyalties tested, her true feelings laid bare - and temptations she never even imagined existed impossible to resist. This time, Meena may finally have bitten off more than she can chew.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Fighting Destiny

 

A strong woman gets forced into a relationship -- political and social. Rape overtones to the relationship between the 2 main characters. None of them likeable. Amazon writes, "What started out as a strange assignment leads to one of the most gruesome murder mysteries of our time, and my friends and I are set and determined to find out who is killing off Fae and Witches alike.

Couple of problems in the way - I hate the Fae, and the Prince of the Dark Fae is bound and determined that I work for him. He’s a rude, overbearing, egotistical ass with a compulsive need to possess, dominate, and control me. Oh - did I mention that he is absolutely sex-on-a-stick gorgeous and he makes me feel things that I never ever wanted to feel for a Fae.... Every time he touches me or looks at me with those golden eyes, he seems to pull me further in under his spell, despite my better judgment.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

We Could be Heroes

 

The plot had such potential...such a great idea. I got SO BORED. Amazon writes, "Jamie woke up in an empty apartment with no memory and only a few clues to his identity, but with the ability to read and erase other people’s memories - a power he uses to hold up banks to buy coffee, cat food and books.

Zoe is also searching for her past, and using her abilities of speed and strength…to deliver fast food. And she’ll occasionally put on a cool suit and beat up bad guys, if she feels like it.

When the archrivals meet in a memory-loss support group, they realize the only way to reveal their hidden pasts might be through each other. As they uncover an ongoing threat, suddenly much more is at stake than their fragile friendship. With countless people at risk, Zoe and Jamie will have to recognize that sometimes being a hero starts with trusting someone else - and yourself.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Heart Principle

 

Book 3 from Hoang. A little better than the last. Again, the characters just aren't as likeable. Amazon writes, "When violinist Anna Sun accidentally achieves career success with a viral YouTube video, she finds herself incapacitated and burned out from her attempts to replicate that moment. And when her longtime boyfriend announces he wants an open relationship before making a final commitment, a hurt and angry Anna decides that if he wants an open relationship, then she does, too. Translation: She's going to embark on a string of one-night stands. The more unacceptable the men, the better. 

That’s where tattooed, motorcycle-riding Quan Diep comes in. Their first attempt at a one-night stand fails, as does their second, and their third, because being with Quan is more than sex - he accepts Anna on an unconditional level that she has just started to understand herself. 

However, when tragedy strikes Anna’s family, she takes on a role that she is ill-suited for, until the burden of expectations threatens to destroy her. 

Anna and Quan have to fight for their chance at love, but to do that, they also have to fight for themselves. ". All in all, I say: SKIP IT unless you read the other 2 and then you might as well.

The Hive

 

A comment on where we are headed with social media - all of ours likes and hearts. Amazon writes, "New York Times bestselling authors Barry Lyga and Morgan Baden have teamed up for the first time to create a novel that's gripping, terrifying and more relevant every day. Cassie McKinney has always believed in the Hive. Social media used to be out of control, after all. People were torn apart by trolls and doxxers. Even hackers --- like Cassie's dad --- were powerless against it. But then the Hive came. A better way to sanction people for what they do online. Cause trouble, get too many "condemns," and a crowd can come after you, teach you a lesson in real life. It's safer, fairer and perfectly legal. Entering her senior year of high school, filled with grief over an unexpected loss, Cassie is primed to lash out. Egged on by new friends, she makes an edgy joke online. Cassie doubts anyone will notice. But the Hive notices everything. And as her viral comment whips an entire country into a frenzy, the Hive demands retribution. One moment Cassie is anonymous; the next, she's infamous. And running for her life. With nowhere to turn, she must learn to rely on herself --- and a group of Hive outcasts who may not be reliable --- as she slowly uncovers the truth about the machine behind the Hive.". It was okay. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Insatiable

 

From author Meg Cabot - so I thought it might be well thought-out and well written. It's a modern day take on Dracula. Amazon writes, "Sick of hearing about vampires? So is Meena Harper. But her bosses are making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn't believe in them.

Not that Meena isn't familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you're going to die. (Not that you're going to believe her. No one ever does.) But not even Meena's precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets - then makes the mistake of falling in love with - Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side. It's a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire hunters, would prefer to see him dead for.

The problem is, Lucien's already dead. Maybe that's why he's the first guy Meena's ever met whom she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena's always been able to see everyone else's future, she's never been able look into her own. And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.

Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future....If she even has one.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Captivated by You

 

Seems like it was a manga series with a bunch of characters from the same school. It made me uncomfortable - not sure why. Didn't enjoy reading it. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Laughing Under the Clouds

 

I tried - I read a book that had several chapters in it. It just didn't make any sort of logical sense to me. All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Rejected

 

Just horrible - borderline rape scenes every few seconds. Not very interesting, original, or likeable. Amazon writes, "My father made a terrible mistake. One I’m left paying for.  

As a wolf shifter growing up in a strong pack, I should be living my best life. But after my father tried to kill our leader, I’m labelled an outcast, traitor, less than dirt. 

When I can't take pack life any longer, I run, but apparently they don't like losing their punching bag. Torin, the leader’s son, drags me back before my first shift...a shift that will reveal my true mate. I never could have predicted who mine would be, but the moment my wolf looks upon him, I’m filled with hope for a brighter future. 

After all, no one ever rejects their true mate, right? 

Wrong. Very wrong. 

When the wolves attack, my soul screams for vengeance, and somehow I touch the shadow world. Somehow I bring him to our lands. 

The Shadow Beast. Our shifter god. The devil himself. 

Turns out being rejected by my mate was only the beginning. ". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Lost Apothecary

 

Readers see a woman's story from the past and present. The past story was more interesting, yet predictable. The book fell a little short of its potential for me. Amazon writes, "Hidden in the depths of 18th-century London, a secret apothecary shop caters to an unusual kind of clientele. Women across the city whisper of a mysterious figure named Nella who sells well-disguised poisons to use against the oppressive men in their lives. But the apothecary’s fate is jeopardized when her newest patron, a precocious 12-year-old, makes a fatal mistake, sparking a string of consequences that echo through the centuries.

Meanwhile in present-day London, aspiring historian Caroline Parcewell spends her tenth wedding anniversary alone, running from her own demons. When she stumbles upon a clue to the unsolved apothecary murders that haunted London 200 years ago, her life collides with the apothecary’s in a stunning twist of fate - and not everyone will survive.

With crackling suspense, unforgettable characters, and searing insight, The Lost Apothecary is a subversive and intoxicating debut novel of secrets, vengeance, and the remarkable ways women can save each other despite the barrier of time.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

Skye Falling

 

Woman who is a mess finds out she has a daughter. Things get more messy. Amazon writes, "When she was 26 and broke, Skye didn’t think twice before selling her eggs and happily pocketing the cash. Now approaching 40, Skye still moves through life entirely - and unrepentantly - on her own terms, living out of a suitcase and avoiding all manner of serious relationships. Maybe her junior high classmates weren’t wrong when they voted her “Most Likely to Be Single” instead of “Most Ride-or-Die Homie,” but at least she’s always been free to do as she pleases.

Then a 12-year-old girl tracks Skye down during one of her brief visits to her hometown of Philadelphia and informs Skye that she’s “her egg”. Skye’s life is thrown into sharp relief, and she decides that it might be time to actually try to have a meaningful relationship with another human being. Spoiler alert: It’s not easy.

Things get even more complicated when Skye realizes that the woman she tried and failed to pick up the other day is the girl’s aunt, and now it’s awkward. All the while, her brother is trying to get in touch, her mother is being bewilderingly kind, and the West Philly pool halls and hoagie shops of her youth have been replaced by hipster cafés.

With its endearingly prickly narrator and a cast of characters willing to both challenge her and catch her when she falls, this novel is a clever moving portrait of a woman and the relationships she thought she could live without.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT - everything is too messy and uninteresting for me. 

The Bride Test

 

Book 2 from Kiss Quotient author. Amazon writes, "Khai Diep has no feelings. Well, he feels irritation when people move his things or contentment when ledgers balance down to the penny‚ but not important emotions, like love. His family knows better - that his autism means he just processes emotions differently. When he steadfastly avoids relationships, his mother takes matters into her own hands and returns to Vietnam to find him the perfect bride. 

As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she can't turn it down. Seducing Khai, however, doesn't go as planned. She's hopelessly smitten with a man who's convinced he can never return her affection.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT. The characters are all unlikeable. The timetable is off. Everything is off with this book.

My ex, client

 

A comic on the Manta app that seems like a manga version of Jane Austin's Persuasion. There is some borderline - toxic relationship stuff. A young woman takes a new client and it ends up being her ex. It seems he wants revenge, but maybe he wants to reconnect. All in all, I say: READ IT

Shadowy Horses

 

Oh wow - a historical book about the lost Roman Legion! NOPE Oh wow - a romance about a woman meeting the Scottish man of her dreams! NOPE Oh wow - a story about a young boy that can see ghosts and he is going to help lost souls! NOPE. Well, it's all of those, but when you get to the last chapter you realize it was a murder mystery the entire time. You will be held in suspense for no reason what so ever. You will be disappointed. Amazon writes, "The invincible ninth Roman Legion marches from York to fight the Northern tribes, and then vanishes from the pages of history. When Verity Grey goes looking for them, she may find more than she bargained for.

Archaeologist Verity Grey has been drawn to the dark legends of the Scottish Borderlands in search of the truth buried in a rocky field by the sea.

Her eccentric boss has spent his whole life searching for the resting place of the lost Ninth Roman Legion and is convinced he's finally found it - not because of any scientific evidence, but because a local boy has "seen" a Roman soldier walking in the fields, a ghostly sentinel who guards the bodies of his long-dead comrades.

Here on the windswept shores, Verity may find the answer to one of the great unsolved mysteries of our time. Or she may uncover secrets someone buried for a reason.". All in all, I say: SKIP IT

The Ickabog

 This started online a piece at a time around the start of the pandemic - I think. I lost track and before I knew it...gone. So, when I got a free credit I picked it up again on Audible. Amazon writes, "The Ickabog is coming....

A mythical monster, a kingdom in peril, an adventure that will test two children’s bravery to the limit. Discover a brilliantly original fairy tale about the power of hope and friendship to triumph against all odds, from one of the world’s best storytellers. 

The kingdom of Cornucopia was once the happiest in the world. It had plenty of gold, a king with the finest moustache you could possibly imagine, and butchers, bakers, and cheesemongers whose exquisite foods made a person dance with delight when they ate them. 

Everything was perfect - except for the misty Marshlands to the north, which, according to legend, were home to the monstrous Ickabog. Anyone sensible knew that the Ickabog was just a myth to scare children into behaving. But the funny thing about myths is that sometimes they take on a life of their own. 

Could a myth unseat a beloved king? Could a myth bring a once happy country to its knees? Could a myth thrust two children into an adventure they didn’t ask for and never expected?  ". All in all, I say: SKIP IT - I still haven't been able to finish...so uninterested.

Pretty Little Wife

 

This was a free, quick listen on Audible. Amazon writes, "Darby Kane thrills with this twisty domestic suspense novel that asks one central question: Shouldn’t a dead husband stay dead?

Lila Ridgefield lives in an idyllic college town, but not everything is what it seems. Lila isn’t what she seems. 

A student vanished months ago. Now, Lila’s husband, Aaron, is also missing. At first these cases are treated as horrible coincidences until it’s discovered the student is really the third of three unexplained disappearances over the last few years. The police are desperate to find the connection, if there even is one. Little do they know they might be stumbling over only part of the truth.... With the small town in an uproar, everyone is worried about the whereabouts of their beloved high school teacher. Everyone except Lila, his wife. 

She’s definitely confused about her missing husband but only because she was the last person to see his body, and now it’s gone. ". All in all, I say: READ IT if it's free - otherwise SKIP IT

The Maid and the Vampire

 

Also, from the Manta app, this comic is about a girl who becomes a maid in a vampires household and the 2 find love and friendship. All in all, I say: READ IT

Under the Oak Tree

 

If you like Manga / graphic novels / comics you have got to download this app Manta. There are dozens and dozens of comics of all kinds. I like this tale of 2 misunderstood people who find each other. All in all, I say: READ IT