Sunday Skim

Week of 3/24/2024:

Finished:

Currently Reading:

Looking Forward To:

If you haven't read Ms. Garvis, then I suggest you grab her latest to get you started, you won't regret it. The audiobook of The Princess of Las Vegas was superbly done and definitely recommend it. 

Jenn's Review: Tryptich

Author: Karin Slaughter
Series: Will Trent #1
Publication Date:  July 26, 2006
Publisher: Dell
Pages: 480
Obtained: Amazon First
Genre:  Mystery, Crime
Rating: 4/5
Bottom Line: Solid start to a long standing series
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab

Summary: From Atlanta's wealthiest suburbs to its stark inner-city housing projects, a killer has crossed the boundaries of wealth and race. And the people who are chasing him must cross those boundaries, too. Among them is Michael Ormewood, a veteran detective whose marriage is hanging by a thread and whose arrogance and explosive temper are threatening his career. And Angie Polaski, a beautiful vice cop who was once Michael's lover before she became his enemy. But unbeknownst to both of them, another player has entered the game: a loser ex-con who has stumbled upon the killer's trail in the most coincidental of ways and who may be the key to breaking the case wide open. In this gritty, gripping firecracker of a novel, the author of the best-selling Grant County, Georgia, series breaks thrilling new ground, weaving together the threads of a complex, multilayered story with the skill of a master craftsman. Packed with body-bending switchbacks, searing psychological suspense and human emotions, Triptych ratchets up the tension one revelation at a time as it races to a shattering and unforgettable climax.

Review:  I wanted to read this because I recently stumbled across the show "Will Trent" and I have been loving it. It didn’t take me too long to remember I am not a fan of Karin Slaughter’s prose. Her metaphor-mania is enough to make me manic, but she has something with Will Trent. After I got past the few chapters of descriptive hyperbole, I found the thread of the show I’ve been enjoying so much. I do not enjoy switching points of view or knowing the killer before the characters do, so I’m hoping that won’t be a theme in this series.

I will give this series a chance because, although the TV show has taken liberties with the characters, I do like the premise. Will and Angie are fascinating studies of foster care at its worst growing into broken but functional adults. Would I have liked Angie as much if I hadn’t seen the show? Maybe not, but I have a feeling she would grow on me across the course of the series.

Sunday Skim

Week of 3/10/2024 and 3/17/2024:

Finished:

Currently Reading:

Looking Forward To:

I know it's only March but my book of the year will most likely be The Women by Kristin Hannah. Ms. Hannah continues to amaze with her research and storytelling ability continues to amaze me. This story will stay with me for a long time. 

Julie's Review: Take Two, Birdie Maxwell

Author: Allison Winn Scotch
Series: None
Publication Date: March 5, 2024
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 367
Obtained: Purchased
Genre:  Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Communication is key
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab

Summary: Birdie Robinson thought she’d gotten everything she wanted out of life: fame, adoration, and an A-list Hollywood career. But after an on-set feud goes viral, she leaves L.A. for the one place where no one would think to find her: her hometown. She’s startled to stumble upon a love letter from a former boyfriend asking for a second chance. And there’s just one issue: the letter was unsigned and she’s not sure which ex sent it. Still, a public reunion with an ex-boyfriend could turn the wave of public opinion back in her favor. Life imitating art. What could go wrong? Elliot O’Brien, star reporter, knows that life isn’t an actual rom-com. Case in point, he’s spent two decades repressing his long-simmering feelings for his twin sister’s best friend, Birdie. But with his journalism career cratering and Birdie back in their hometown at the same time he is, he realizes that chronicling her search for her long-ago ex may be his opportunity to right some wrongs. As they hit the road in an ancient RV, Birdie and Elliot retrace her romantic history for clues to who wrote the letter and come face to face with their own romantic missteps, all while grappling with whether happy endings are found only on the big screen—or whether their own happier ever after could be closer than they both ever imagined. ~amazon.com

Review: If you've been reading this blog for any period of time, you know I've been a big Allison fan for a long time. Her latest, Take Two, Birdie Maxwell is wonderful. Not only is it heartfelt, humorous but it's about self-discovery and being honest with those around you. How misunderstands left cleared up end up festering for years. Birdie is at the height of her career as the darling of film, when she lays into a beloved director and it's caught on film. Except instead of the public backing her up, it goes against her even though she is in the right. So, Birdie goes home with her tail between her legs only to find things are exactly great there either. As she goes through boxes of her stuff from her room, she runs across a letter that she's never seen and it turns out to be someone declaring their undying love for her. Birdie figures what better way to get back into the good graces of the public than to find who wrote her the letter. 

This is where Elliot enters the story. As a journalist, Birdie feels he is the right person to join her on this journey because he'll make her look good but also she just wants some company. One has to ask though, is this the best decision given their history? 

I loved how the POVs were from both Birdie and Elliot; it was important to get their perspectives on their connected history. One of the best things I think for Birdie was that things weren't exactly how she always remembered them; that the other person might have experienced things a little differently than her. Unfortunately, all of this is front and center and it doesn't make Birdie look good all the time. 

I did love seeing how Birdie was able to reflect on her past and have some revelations about her behavior. I absolutely loved the ending and what led to the big reveal. There are a lot of laugh out loud parts in the book as well. 

Ms. Scotch will continue to be an auto-buy author for me and I look forward to reading what she writes next. 

Jenn's Review: Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore

Author: Matthew Sullivan
Series: None
Publication Date:  June 13, 2017
Publisher: Scribner
Pages: 338
Obtained: purchased
Genre:  Contemporary Fiction, Mystery
Rating: 3/5
Bottom Line: Ultimately, didn't work for me
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Library

Summary: Lydia Smith lives her life hiding in plain sight. A clerk at the Bright Ideas bookstore, she keeps a meticulously crafted existence among her beloved books, eccentric colleagues, and the BookFrogs — the lost and lonely regulars who spend every day marauding the store's overwhelmed shelves. But when Joey Molina, a young, beguiling BookFrog, kills himself in the bookstore's upper room, Lydia's life comes unglued. Always Joey's favorite bookseller, Lydia has been bequeathed his meager worldly possessions. Trinkets and books; the detritus of a lonely, uncared for man. But when Lydia flips through his books she finds them defaced in ways both disturbing and inexplicable. They reveal the psyche of a young man on the verge of an emotional reckoning. And they seem to contain a hidden message. What did Joey know? And what does it have to do with Lydia? As Lydia untangles the mystery of Joey's suicide, she unearths a long buried memory from her own violent childhood. Details from that one bloody night begin to circle back. Her distant father returns to the fold, along with an obsessive local cop, and the Hammerman, a murderer who came into Lydia's life long ago and, as she soon discovers, never completely left. ~amazon.com

Review: This is not my usual read and I’m honestly not sure how I feel about the novel. It’s a novel about secrets and their destructive nature set in a book store, how could it go wrong?

I’m still trying to put my finger on it. While the mystery was intriguing and unfolded nicely, the novel just didn’t grab me. There are shifting story tellers, a technique I generally find off putting, but it was well done; one person’s perspective dovetailed into another so it was not confusing or jarring.

I guess my biggest complaint is that I never connected with any of the characters. While I found myself empathetic many times, none of the characters drew me in. In fact, some characters seemed more like a plot devices than true characters in that they were abandoned once they had served their plot advancement. While most brought about their own destruction or pushed their destruction on others.

Did I appreciate the twisty intrigue? Yes, it’s what kept me reading. Did I feel satisfaction upon completion? Not really. It won’t be a read I recommend.

Julie's Review: In a Not So Perfect World

Author: Neely Tubati Alexander
Series: None
Publication Date:  March 19, 2024
Publisher: Harper Perennial 
Pages: 328
Obtained: publisher via NetGalley
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Rating: 5/5
Bottom Line: Find someone who pushes you
Grab, Just get it at the library, or Remove from your TBR list? Grab

Summary: Sloane Cooper is up for her dream job as a designer for a top video game company. During the interview, though, she somehow promises the all-male panel that she’ll remain single and fully dedicated to the work. It’s actually fine—after her last boyfriend cheated on her, she vowed to focus on her career anyway. Enter Charlie, aka Hot Neighbor Guy, a near-stranger who shocks her with the offer of an all-inclusive trip to a Turks and Caicos resort. The catch? Charlie originally planned the trip with his ex, and asks Sloane to pose as his new girlfriend to make his old flame come running back. Against her better judgment, Sloane says yes; she can use the time away to develop a game design that will dazzle the Catapult team and get her a job offer. Despite sparks flying in paradise, the trip can’t lead to more. As their connection deepens, Sloane is reminded that she can’t fall for Charlie and get knocked off her professional path. Besides, he’s trying to win back his true love. Can Sloane figure out a way to move past heartbreak, land the job of her dreams, and avoid catching feelings? The zombie apocalypse would be easier to solve—at least she’s prepared for that. ~amazon.com

Review: It is rare that I get time to myself but I had that after dropping my daughter back at college after Spring Break and in that time I finished this absolutely delightful book. Love Buzz was a favorite in 2023 and In a Not So Perfect World is in no way a Sophomore slump by Ms. Alexander. The characters in this book are just delightful but not without their share of foibles. Sloane has always loved playing video games and is now poised to get her big break at the biggest gaming company. Coming off a pretty bad break up, she doesn't even flinch when the 3 men ask her to basically devote herself to the company and stay single. Yes, it's all kind of illegal but I get the feeling this isn't uncommon in these types of companies. Enter, Charlie, the hot neighbor guy she kissed at the bar the other day and his offer for a paid vacation after his horrible break up. 

Sloane thinks that she can use the vacation to work on her game demo for her final interview without interruptions but her best friend, Tess knows that she's going with the biggest distraction there could be, Charlie. While he is a distraction, he's also encouraging to Sloane and understands how much this interview and job mean to her. He even plays her games.

Of course it's not without misunderstandings and wrong turns and silence. Both Charlie and Sloane have baggage and Sloane has some control issues she needs to deal with as well. I did love the ending to this book and hope that they both get their happily ever after. 

Sunday Skim

Week of 2/25/2024 and 3/3/2024:

Finished:

Currently Reading:

Looking Forward To:

Wow, it's amazing what you can read in a couple weeks! It was a great mix of audio and paper/egalley; plus genres! What have you read lately?

Review Quickies

I haven't been the best lately at writing reviews of all the books I've read/listened to, so I decided to do quick reviews for some of them. Let me know if this is something I should do from time to time. 

I do not have any clue about F1 driving, nor is it something I'm likely to start watching. If there was any book that might change my mind it's this one by Carly Robyn. I loved the characters in this book and well the heat/spice is definitely there. It is a slow burn enemies to lovers. I can't wait for the other novels in the series. 

Miscommunication? Enemies to Lovers? Sign me up. I loved the setting of this novel and it made me want to go find a B&B to stay at for a weekend. Emmy is a delight and well who doesn't want to look at a Grayson?! What's a little friends with benefits while filming a movie or what could go wrong with that arrangement?

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book but wow was it an emotional punch. I'm still thinking about it weeks later. Mr. Quick is seemingly a master at shedding light on mental health issues and in We Are the Light he shines it on PTSD. It is also about community and being there to help others after tragedy. This won't be one I will soon forget. Highly recommend. 

This is by far my favorite of Ms. Serle's books. It is my pick for February and I highly recommend it. It's is a big whimsy and magical while dealing with some real life issues. This book broke my heart and then put it back together by the end. It really will make you believe in love. 

No one writes historical fiction like Beatriz Williams and her 2023 release keeps her books being auto buys for me. I loved the espionage storyline and the appearance of Sumner Fox from Our Woman in Moscow. Her books are always woven together either by a place or person. I really liked Cricket and how she was trying to find her own way in the world when it really wasn't what women did. 

There is much more to this book than just a sweet let's get married if we are still single at 35 novel. It's about choosing your own path even if it means leaving something you've always wanted behind. I loved Maggie and had a hard time figuring out if Garrett or Asher was the right choice for her. Or is it neither of them.

I have read all of Ms. Lawhon's books and this is definitely my favorite! It is the perfect read for Women's History Month. Martha Ballard is a woman who didn't back down from her beliefs and convictions. It's an interesting look at the judicial system at the birth of our country.