Tag: book review

This Chick Read: Life’s Too Short by Abby Jimenez

Vanessa’s mom and sister didn’t live to 30 so Vanessa has vowed to live every day like it was her last, traveling around the world and blogging about her life. She didn’t expect people to react so positively having followers in the millions. When her sister drops her baby off and never returns Vanessa has to change her life to fit this new little one. Adrian Copeland is a successful trial lawyer with an impeccable reputation and hard work attitude. When the screaming baby wakes him up, he goes over to his neighbor’s see what’s up and ends up babysitting while Vanessa takes a shower. Enjoying her personality, Adrian ends up spending more and more time with she and Grace until they are almost like their own little family unit. But Vanessa is a lifestyle blogger who is used to living life like there’s no tomorrow.

I have read the other two books in this series and they were cute, which is why I picked up the third. I did not expect this book to be so full of heart, have great characters, and leave me with soggy tissues to clean up when I finished reading. Whew! This novel hooked me in and then took me on a journey that I wasn’t sure I wanted, but definitely didn’t want to stop.

Vanessa was kind of a nut. A free spirit, she really fits that lifestyle blogger persona- or at least she seems to. She really has a hidden agenda, raising money for ALS, the disease that killed her sister and that her mother was also showing symptoms of. Vanessa is terrified that she too will die from this disease. That thought has filled her life and every decision she’s made since she realized it. Adrian is completely thrown by this fascinating creature that lives next door. He has been all about work and as he gets to know her he is realizing that there is so much more to life than being a partner in his firm and working 24/7. I loved seeing him blossom out of his work persona.

I can’t let this review end without saying something about Vanessa’s family who played a huge part in this book. As with most families, her’s had their share of issues. What was so nice about Life’s Too Short was how family was at the heart of the story. The ALS storyline, the baby, her father’s hoarding, her sister’s addiction, her brother’s money making schemes. All integral parts to making Vanessa who she was and why this novel worked so well. Loved! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Life’s Too Short

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This Chick Read: Seven Days in June by Tia Williams

Genevieve and Shane meet when she gets transferred to his high school. She’d always been a bit of an outcast, moving around with her mom a lot and plagued with debilitating migraines. When Eva meets Shane, she is trying to make a friend, but ends up meeting her soul mate. Over seven days they hide away from everyone, getting to know each other, but also self-medicating. Fast forward to 15 years later with they are both best-selling authors and meet by chance at an author event. Each of them carries a lot of baggage from their past, but from that first moment the strands that connect them become concrete. This novel tells their story from their most painful moments to a time where their being together heals their woes and the word family becomes their world.

I have not read any other novels by Tia Williams, and picked this one up because of two reasons. The cover struck me as gorgeous, and the synopsis called out to me. I always love it when the subject revolves around writing, books, libraries, or authors. This story did have that connection for me, but when I started reading, it wasn’t the fact that Eva and Shane were authors that made me stick around, it was their connection. Their story of loss, love, and perseverance. It was the fact that family was something they strove to hang onto, even though they both didn’t have concrete ideas of what would make a good one. Eva is now a mother, her daughter is by far one of my favorite characters in this book, and Eva is raising her like she would’ve wanted to be raised. To be strong, educated, and without fear. To be a leader among her peers. All of the things that she didn’t have from her own mother, who was went from man to man looking for self-validation.

Shane also didn’t have those strong building blocks, growing up in the foster system. A big guy, he easily got into trouble so he self-medicated until not being drunk or on pills was his norm. As an adult, he is now one of the most sought after authors because of his reclusiveness, but what drives him is to go back to schools like where he and Eva met, and connect with young kids and give them hope that they will overcome their own struggles. I loved this part of Shane. A now sober man who wants to give back. It’s an inspiring part of his character that despite his short-comings makes him easy to like.

When Shane and Eva reconnect, Tia Williams does an amazing job of giving their feelings a sense of urgency and chemistry. I wanted the two of them to make each other their person and when it happened, I sighed with relief, eager for them to get that hea they deserved. Of course, things weren’t that simple for the two of them, but gosh this author knows how to write a scene and make me feel. I felt EVERYTHING… and loved it. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book! Seven Days in June

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This Chick Read: The Honey-Don’t List by Christina Lauren

Carey Duncan met Melissa and Rusty Tripp when she was sixteen. She applied for a retail job in their store in her small town. When they were discovered by a home design network, Carey continued to work for Melissa as her assistant. She has helped them build their empire, but just as their launching a book tour, their marriage is on the rocks. James McCann was only recently hired by the Tripp’s as an Engineer on their show but has ended up being Rusty’s executive assistant. His career trajectory is reliant upon the Tripp’s making a success of their book and the second season of their new show. When it all starts to plummet, he and Carey team up to try to hold their bosses relationship together, while at the same time starting their own.

This novel came out a couple of years ago and has say on my library wishlist ever since. I’m not sure why I pressed pause because it was such a great romance. OK, yeah, Melissa and Rusty’s relationship was definitely on the skids, but when James and Carey banded together the became each others support system and their own story was sweet and funny. This story was a perfect example of using two relationships to show the contrast in healthy vs unhealthy which skewed the reader to loving James and Carey event more. Boy those Tripp’s were a mess!

I really enjoyed learning about Carey’s disability and how it made her life challenging. Especially when trying to keep designing furniture and other ideas for the Tripp’s. He story especially tugged on your heartstrings. I’ll admit to using Google to learn a little more. One of my favorite moments was James suggestion of using his engineering skills to design her a tool to use to make it easier for her to use her tablet. So sweet! This was a couple that I really rooted for from the start.

There were a lot of hijinks in this novel, just as there are in many of Christina Lauren’s novels. I’m not really fond of watching a marriage implode but I think the contrast of watching a new relationship being built helped provide the positive feeling the reader was left with at the end of the story. Well done! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* The Honey Don’t List

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This Chick Read: The Happy Ever After Playlist (The Friend Zone #2) by Abby Jimenez

Two years after the sudden death of her fiancé and Sloan Monroe can’t seem to get her life back on track. Once a talented budding artist she is barely making ends meet working for a mass production company painting cat astronaut paintings. On the anniversary of her fiancé’s death she is driving down the road when she finds a stray dog. She takes him home and calls the name and number on his tags. She leaves messages for over two weeks, but in the interim she keeps feeding the dog and taking him out on walks which help her come out of her funk. When the owner finally calls back and says he’s out of the country, she offers to keep watching him, sending him texts and pictures daily. As those texts with Jason turn flirty she finds herself looking forward to the time when they can meet face to face, while at the same time feeling guilty for moving on. When she finds out he’s a famous musician she wonders if she can survive another heartbreak.

I read The Friend Zone when it first came out and even though I liked it I sat on this second novel. Who knows why, because as soon as I started reading it I knew that I was going to love it. It was so easy to read and I really loved both Sloan and Jason. Jason, despite his superstar status was so down to earth, calm, and charming. He knew that what he found in Sloan was something special and he pursued her with a steadiness that was sweet and smooth. Sloan was a bit more of a mess because of her fiancé’s sudden death but then who wouldn’t be? I loved how it was Jason’s dog, Tucker who brought her out of her slump, playing a great wingman for his missing owner. By the time Jason arrived on the scene Sloan’s heart was on the mend and she was more open to a new relationship. Was this book perfect? No. I had issues with the conflict that arose when Sloan joined Jason on tour. It was pretty manufactured but I had trust in the author to get us back on the trail to our happily ever after, and she did.

I seem to be drawn towards books that have solid friendships, and Sloan’s and Kristen’s was pretty much perfect. I can’t say I remember Kristen too much from The Friend Zone since I read it quite a few years ago, but she was a pretty funny foil to Sloan’s more subdued demeanor. Her antics created the perfect comedic foil to push Sloan into action on a few pivotal scenes. I smiled through her craziness and enjoyed their friendship. Every Thelma needs a Louise and that was who Kristen was for Sloan.

If you are in the mood for a quick romance that is surprisingly sweet with characters who have quite a bit of depth, this may be the perfect book for you! I am still wondering why I waited so long to read it, but hey, the third in the series is out already and now I don’t have to wait at all before diving in to another book that I know is going to bring me pleasure. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book! The Happy Ever After Playlist

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It’s Monday, what are you reading? (12/26/22)

For all of you who celebrate, Merry Christmas! I hope everyone got a little “me time” in the craziness of the holiday. I got a couple of Colleen Hoover books for Christmas and believe it or not, I’ve never read one of her books before and am looking forward to seeing what all of the hoopla is all about. Yesterday afternoon while my husband was watching football, I finished a book and read a short novella. So I successfully carved that “me time” and let my mind decompress from the holiday madness. Here is what’s on my shelf.

JUST FINISHED

Ilona Andrews releases chapters from the Innkeep series in real time and it is so hard to NOT read it as they write it. FINALLY the entire book was released and I purchased my kindle copy and dug in this weekend. It was sooo good! It moves us closer to finding out what happened to Dina’s parents but the mystery is not yet solved. Whew! I don’t want this series to end!

JUST STARTED

I haven’t started this book yet, but I think I might pick it up and give Colleen Hoover a try. This and the second book in this series was given to me for Christmas. I’ll let you know if I give it a try! If you’ve read it let me know what you think.

Happy Monday and happy reading!

Deb

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This Chick Read: The Wedding Crasher by Mia Sosa

Solange Perreira is helping out her wedding planner cousin at an event when she accidently spies the bride in a situation that makes her believe this wedding just isn’t meant to be. When the minister makes the announcement about anyone objecting, Solange finds herself speaking out, saving the groom from a lifetime without love. What she doesn’t know is that Dean Chapman, the groom, didn’t want a loving marriage, he wanted a bride to help him make partner in his law firm. Back at work the next week, Dean finds himself in need of another “partner” and calls on Solange to be his pretend girlfriend. She agree’s, with rules, but those rules are bound for breaking because their chemistry is hard to resist.

I liked this story, but there was something that was holding me back from loving it. I loved Solange, her family, culture, and personality. She was someone who I’d definitely want in my own friend circle and I couldn’t imagine anyone not being bound by her charm. Dean was a little harder to like, which I think was the point of the novel, truthfully. He was driven by his career and wanted a partner in life, but not a love match. Of course, this is a romance novel, so I knew where it would lead me but I got a little frustrated at how hard he fought his feelings for Solange. There was definitely attraction between them, and the book had plenty of heat, but I like a little more buy in from the love interest and I didn’t get that until the end of the book.

I loved, loved, loved Solange’s family and culture. Her Brazilian heritage was warm, wonderful, and family was at the center of her life. I’m not Brazilian but this story and Solange’s character painted such a pretty picture of what family means to that culture, and it made me want to read more. Dean’s white bread lifestyle paled in comparison. That might have been another reason he was harder to warm up to.

The Wedding Crasher had moments of humor and was easy to read but it was the warmth this author brought to Solange’s character and her hilariously vibrant family) are the reasons why I gave this novel a four rating. I was happy that she brought that light to Dean because his character needed a shot of life. ❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book! The Wedding Crasher

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This Chick Read: The American Roommate Experiment by Elena Armas

Rosie Graham wrote a startlingly popular romance novel and quit her full-time job to give focus to writing her second novel. Is it going well? No. She has a horrible case of writer’s block. When her apartment ceiling caves in she packs her bags and heads over to her best friend’s empty apartment (The Spanish Love Deceptions heroine, Lina) and tries to not freak out about her bad luck. That bad luck continues when she calls the cops on her friend’s cousin Lucas, who is also there to take advantage of his newly married cousin’s empty apartment. They decide to share the space while they both try to get their lives back together, Lucas offering to help her out of her writer’s block by setting the stage for some “friendly” experimental dates and the sparks fly. Needless to say, it’s not just her writing that catches fire.

Elena Armas debut novel, The Spanish Love Deception, was one of my favorite romances from last year so I was super excited to finally read The American Roommate Experiment. While the previous novel had my favorite enemies to lovers trope, I was certain this novel would be just as cute. I was right and I was wrong. I really liked both of these characters and enjoyed their story. Lucas was completely adorable and while going through his own identity crisis brought the Latin heat to this story. Rosie, also was sweet and her crush on Lucas was adorable to read so I don’t understand why it didn’t hit the same note as The Spanish Love Deception. Maybe if felt slightly safe and was a story that has been told before and this one didn’t differentiate itself from the pack.

What could’ve helped make this novel great? Both characters didn’t open up to each other until the very end, and there wasn’t enough of a journey towards that moment of realization. Lucas was avoiding his own issues while Rosie was trying to face hers so there was a disparity that held them back and that felt a little disjointed. I know this is totally minor and like I said, I liked them both as well as a lot of moments in the story but with a couple of tweaks, I think this could’ve been as great as her first novel, instead of just good. ❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* The American Roommate Experiment

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*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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It’s Monday, what are you reading? (12/19/22)

It’s only when I’m writing this weekly check-in that I realize that I have or have not been reading. This last week has been a read when you can fit it in kind of week. Yet, I did manage to read. Of course I did! Here is what’s open on my kindle.

JUST FINISHED

I was lucky enough to get an Advanced Reader Copy of this novel. Set on campus at college, our protagonist deals with her past while also figuring out what she wants to do and who she wants to be with. I really enjoyed this novel!

JUST STARTED

The second novel in the Wild West MC series, this novel so far seems to be a classic Kristen Ashley plot, which I will love. I’m not really into her MC series but did really like the first novel so I’m hoping the magic strikes again.

I hope you all have a great Monday! Happy reading!

Deb

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This Chick’s Audio Review: Secrets Bound by Sand (Dragon Ridden Chronicles #4) by T.A. White

Tate’s dragon goes on an uncontrolled rampage claiming the emperor’s treasury as her horde and get Tate cast out of Aurelia, if only temporarily, sent on a mission to negotiate a treaty. On her way she is kidnapped twice, each time learning more about her past and the people who claim her as savior. Can she find her way to defeat the big bad that’s still trying to kill off everyone she’s grown to love? Only if she opens her mind and heart to the future, learning from what has happened in her past.

After a great second and third novel in the series, I’ll admit that Secrets Bound by Sand was kind of a convoluted mess. While I still love these characters, all narrated by Natasha Soudek, I’m getting a little restless with the author’s inability to reach a conclusion. You know how some longer series have that book that falls in the middle that just moves the character forward but not much else happens? For me, this was that novel. The only thing new we learned was from Tate’s past and while it was revealing it didn’t really help what was happening in her life today, it just explained how she was sent to sleep thousands of years ago. Interesting but not the conclusion I was looking for out of this novel.

We did learn a bit more about Knight (Night? I’m listening, not reading the book remember!) and his bearcat race. On this journey, Tate, Knight, and Dewdrop meet up with the Vela (sp?), a sentient race who can shift from bearcat to a human-like figure on two legs. This interesting development actually provided more for Knight’s character than the entire book did for Tate!

Did my ho-hum attitude keep me from reading the fifth book? No. I immediately got the audiobook. I’m invested in the series and hope that it reaches its conclusion in this fifth book. I’m over the character insight and want a conclusion so I can move on. Not really what you hope to feel after reading five books from an author you love, but there you have it. ❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Secrets Bound by Sand

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This Chick’s Audio Review: Destruction’s Ascent (Dragon Ridden #3) by T.A. White

I went back and read my reviews of books one and two and had to chuckle to myself. I lamented the fact that the author had let so much time go by between writing books one and two, and yet book three came out one year after book two, in 2018, and I let four years go by before picking up the series again. Not for lack of liking it because I love this author and I really did like the first two books, but because time just flew by and I had too many other books step in front of this one. Here are my reviews of the first two books if you, like me, need a catch up.

Dragon Ridden

Of Bone and Ruin

Destruction’s Ascent opens with Tate, now in the dragon corps, and going through training. Of course, Tate is not like other dragon ridden since she and her dragon were asleep for generations, but also because she and her dragon speak to each other, something that the others fear lead to insanity. She may be called insane because of the situations she gets in, but Tate’s sanity is pretty normal. Speaking of situations, one arises when Tate touches a mirror in her dragon mentor’s office and an evil creature comes through it and tries to kill everyone in the room. See what I mean about crazy situations? Dragons are as curious as cats, and Tate wants to explore this world on the other side of the mirror. When she finally walks through one, she finds the children who have gone missing throughout Aurelia, and the big bad who have taken them. Destruction’s Ascent is about solving the mystery as well as figuring out a few things about her past.

With a name like Destruction’s Ascent, you better start the story off fast and never stop and that is what T.A. White delivers to its readers. I listened to this book and found myself putting off the more important things in my life (hello job!) and finding moments to keep listening to this story. The narrator is Natasha Soudek, who also narrates the Aileen Travers series, and does a fine job even if the voices she gives the characters aren’t quite what I’d imagine them to sound like in my head. Her characterization of Tate evolves through the story as Tate finds out things about her past but the snarkiness that I love is voiced spot on, so I’ll give her props. She rocked Tate’s voice.

Four years after reading the last book and I’m reminded why I love this author’s novels so much and this series as well. Her heroine’s are always everywomen. Yes, they do heroic and selfless things, but they don’t typically have magical powers. Yes, Tate can turn into a dragon but that is more species related than it is her being magical. The way she processes what’s going on around her and then takes action gives her character a relatability that makes her an easy character to like and root for. If I had one complaint it would be that the novel needs a little more romance between she and Ryu. He is slowly stalking that relationship when is building the tension nicely but I’m ready for some heat, and not of the dragon fire variety.

If you’re a lover of fantasy like I am, please give this series a try. I think, like me, you’ll get into it and won’t want to put it down. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase this book!* Destruction’s Ascent

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*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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