• book review,  Books

    Book Review: Morning in This Broken World by Katrina Kittle

    I read Morning in This Broken World by Katrina Kittle a few months ago. It was a book I’d been awaiting, as I’m a huge fan of Kittle’s novels. It was well worth the wait. And needless to say, a review here is more than overdue here. To be clear: the delay is more a factor of life getting in the way than any reflection of my opinion on the novel – because I loved it. Synopsis My Thoughts At this moment, I’m sitting in my bedroom, currently isolating with Covid. The irony of this is not lost on me, but it feels all the more relevant to write the…

  • Cover image for post about two christmas romances travel
    book review,  Books

    Two Christmas Romances (That Will Scratch Your Travel Itch)

      Now that November and NaNoWriMo are behind me, I’m playing catchup on the backlog of AMAZING book ARCs I have.  I really struggled this fall reading Christmas stories before the Christmas season, but now that I’m digging into them, I’m sorry I waited. I’ve got two Christmas romances for you that have the comforting, heartwarming feeling of a Hallmark move AND, with their travel themes, just may scratch that travel itch you’ve got. Sarah Morgan’s One More for Christmas takes us to Scotland, and Sandy Barker’s The Christmas Swap main characters travel to Melbourne, Australia, to Penham, England, AND Breckenridge, Colorado. Many thanks to the publishers for providing me advance…

  • Cover image for The Book Charmer
    book review,  Books

    The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins – A Belated Book Review

    What happens when someone asks you for a book recommendation, and you when youearch for your review on a particular book, you discover you only raved about it on social media? (Apparently, you only wrote the review in your head and on NetGalley…) You write a belated book review to make up for it! In this instance, the book in question is the very magical novel The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins. I received an advanced copy of the book from Gallery Books via NetGalley; all opinions are my own. This post contains some affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them. My Thoughts The…

  • Cover image of My Life in the Fish Tank
    book review,  Books

    My Life In The Fish Tank by Barbara Dee

    The more books I read by Barbara Dee, the more of a treasure I think she is. She tackles difficult social topics in a way that is engaging and relatable! I am excited to share My Life In The Fish Tank, her wonderful new book. Read on to see why I love this story. I received an advanced copy of the book from the publisher via Media Masters Publicity; all opinions are my own. This post contains some affiliate links that may earn me a commission if you purchase through them. The Book My Thoughts The more I read of Barbara Dee’s Middle Grade books, the bigger fan I become…

  • book review,  Books

    Book Review: The Sweeney Sisters by Lian Dolan

    I adored Lian Dolan’s first two books. They were smart, funny, light, and warm – and the kind you want to reread. When I saw that she had a new book out, I jumped on the chance to read it. The Sweeney Sisters was everything I’d hoped for, with the strong character development I appreciate from Lian Dolan. I received an advance copy of the book from William Morrow Books via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.  All opinions are my own. The Book My Take The Sweeney Sisters did not disappoint. Compared to her other stories, I felt this story dug deeper and was more complex when it…

  • book cover image for list of things that will not change
    book review,  Books

    Book Review: The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead

    Warm-hearted and relatable, Rebecca Stead’s middle-grade novel The List of Things That Will Not Change is simply wonderful. Read on to learn more about this lovely book. I received an advance copy of the book from Random House Children’s Books via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.  All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links. The Book My Take Straight up – I absolutely adored this book. The writing is warm and funny, and the characters are relatable and REAL. The voice of this book is spot on for middle-grade readers, and the author tackles some tough subjects head on. She really understands anxiety and guilt…

  • Finding Esme
    book review,  Books

    Review: Finding Esme by Suzanne Crowley

    I’m delighted to share the Middle-Grade book FINDING ESME. From the pretty cover design on the outside to the engaging, warm-hearted (and sometimes heart-tugging) story on the inside, this was a book that I wasn’t ready to put down. Read on to find out what about this book reeled me in and enter the giveaway for a chance of one of two prize packs which include a copy of the book, candle, pen, and more!Many thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of the book. FINDING ESMEbySUZANNE CROWLEY Genre: Middle Grade (3-7) / Magical Realism / Family & LossPublisher: Greenwillow BooksDate of Publication: August 14, 2018Number of…

  • book review,  Books

    The Fifteen Wonders of Daniel Green by Erica Boyce

    Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advance copy of The Fifteen Wonders of Daniel Green, which is a wonderful read for lovers of literary fiction. This one caused all the feels, so grab your tissues when you pick up your own copy of this story. Initially, this is a story about crop circles – yes, those otherworldly designs that appear in fields of corn or wheat. This plot line provides the basis for multiple storylines involving both Daniel Green, the crop circler, and the family he creates it for. Ultimately, this a story about family and forgiveness. There’s a bit of symbolism in the design that…

  • book review,  Books

    Book Review: I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella

    Fans of Sophie Kinsella will be excited to learn she is back with another book chock full of quirky characters, eye-rolling situations and snappy dialogue. I Owe You One hits the shelves today, the perfect escape read! I must make note that there are affiliate links in this post, and if you click one, it just may contribute to my coffee fund. NetGalley kindly gave me an advanced reader copy for review purposes, but all thoughts and typos are my own. Read on to learn more about her newest release, I Owe You One! I Owe You One was delightful. Sophie Kinsella brings us another great character, and as someone…

  • Lemonade-Year
    book review,  Books

    Book Review: The Lemonade Year

    Looking for a change of pace from my recent reads, the gift of book mail in the form of  The Lemonade Year by Amy Willoughby-Burle filled the bill nicely.  This book was emotional, complex, and beautifully written. Check it out:   The Lemonade Year by Amy Willoughby-Burle is a wonderfully written story about family and forgiveness.  It is not, at times, a happy story. This is not a light read – Nina’s family puts the “d” in “dysfunctional”, and the characters are all, in their own way, a bit broken. It is this brokenness, however, that fascinated me, as well as the secret the family kept (which you will likely…