Review: Between the Lines by Olivia Hayle

Between the Lines by Olivia Hayle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

This book is a complete standalone and doesn't tie into any of the author's previous series.  I love a good series, but I find it refreshing to read a standalone from time to time.

This follows Charlotte and Aiden as they both face traumatic events in their past so they can move on with their futures.  Charlotte is a ghostwriter, who travels around the country shadowing her subjects while she helps craft their memoirs.  Her next book is about the CEO of a multibillion dollar media company.  The catch is she has signed and NDA and doesn't know who her next client is until she gets to his office on her first day on the job.  She and Aiden have met before during a spontaneous one night stand when she stopped to hike in Utah on her way to LA to write his book.  He loves to get away and spend time outdoors when he isn't being a CEO.

Aiden and Charlotte were surprised when they are reunited in LA, especially when he has no desire to reveal his secrets about the most painful time in his life.  Charlotte was once on a reality show that Aiden's company produces, and from her perspective ruined her life.  She doesn't like talking about that time, just like Aiden doesn't doesn't like to talk about himself and his father.  They both eventually have to face those times and do alot of healing, but it is well worth it once they figure things out.  They both have alot riding on the memoir from a professional stance and a personal one.  Charlotte is especially good at her job, and he slowly begins to open up to her in exchange for her telling him her own dark secrets.  If the book turns out well, she get to pitch her own investigative nonfiction idea to her publisher and Aiden's board will approve his next strategic move at the company.  Not to mention they have undeniable chemistry and they have grown close as they uncover each other secrets.

I really liked getting to know Aiden and Charlotte.  They both have overcome alot and have trust issues because of things in their past.  Charlotte has become a successful writer, but she likes being hidden as a ghostwriter where no one knows her.  Aiden and his company are still recovering from a scandal caused by his father and he works everyday to protect the company and the people that rely on him.  They both work too hard, but find comfort in each other when they finally take a moment to relax.  I appreciate that Charlotte calls him out when he does something that he thinks will help without asking first, and that her friend tells in turn that her that she needs to stop running from her past.  Trauma is hard to overcome, and we are always our own worst critic when it comes to overthinking decisions that we've made especially when other people are weighing in.  I thought this had a great take on that.  I don't really watch reality TV, mainly because I don't like how you don't get the full story.  Things brings to light some of the things I don't like about those shows, but that's why other people love them and are hooked.

Overall this was a great read whether you like reality TV or not, that isn't really the focus here.  I really loved getting to know the main characters as they get to know one another.  There is a good level of spice mixed in as their relationship develops.  They had good chemistry and communication.  My only complaint is that felt it was a bit on the long side.  

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Review: The Fate of Magic by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis

The Fate of Magic by Sara Raasch and Beth Revis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, however I did listen to the final published version of the audiobook. As always all opinions are my own.

As with the first book I really enjoyed this.  You really cannot read this as a standalone as the first book really sets up the events that take place in this book and introduces all of the characters and their relationships.  This picks up where book 1 leaves off with Fritzi and Otto taking their place among the witches in the Black Forest to serve Holda, the goddess that has chosen them.  As a bonded pair they learn how to work together to fight against religious persecution and protect their beliefs.  Unfortunately for them, Fritzi's brother Dieter is not done with them and he is not ready to give up his hold on her.  

I really enjoyed Fritzi and Otto's relationship.  They work really well together as partners both in a relationship sense and as battle partners.  They are supportive and neither one wants to cause harm to the other which is a real possibility through their bond.  They deal with high stakes situations throughout the book as they race to out maneuver Dieter with the help of the other witches and the goddess.  I really enjoyed the scenes with the goddesses.  

I thought the pacing was really well done.  It starts out slow as the storyline is set up, but picks up as we understand the plotline.  I was worried as the ending approached as it didn't appear there was enough time to end things neatly in the amount of time left in the book, but I was pleasantly surprised and satisfied with the ending.  If you enjoyed book 1, I think you are really going to enjoy the conclusion to the series.  

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Review: Heir by Sabaa Tahir

Heir by Sabaa Tahir
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the publisher and Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

If you are a fan of Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes Quartet, you will love this!  This is set in the same world and follows the next generation of the beloved (and hated) characters from that series.  I would say you don't have read that series first as the author does a good job giving enough backstory for you to follow along if you haven't.  I do recommend reading that series first as it was amazing and  it will give you some insight into the empire and into some of the older characters that play supporting roles in this book as they were main characters in the previous series.  It isn't necessary though as this has a fresh new plot and new characters to keep up with.

This is told from the perspective of 3 characters with 2 brief perspectives from additional characters that I expect to play major roles in the next book.  Aiz is on a quest to save her people and seek vengeance for the wrongs done to them, Sirsha has been contracted to find a murderer, and Quil is the crown prince who wants nothing to do with the throne.  They are all connected by by magic and murder.

This was amazing!  This has everything you could want from a fantasy story.  It has action, magic, great world building, great characters, and a little bit of romance.  The pacing starts out slow as we get to know the characters and are introduced to the world, but it picks up as Sirsha and Elias get closer to finding the killer they seek.  I really enjoyed the plotline, and while some of it may have been predictable, I didn't mind.  I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.

In full transparency I also listened to the audiobook (borrowed from my library after publication) while I was reading the ARC.  It was fantastic.  It features a different narrator for each POV, which I always appreciate.  It helps me keep track of which character is telling the story.  All 5 narrators were excellent, and really brought this story to life for me.  If you enjoy a good audiobook, I highly recommend this one!

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Review: All Fired Up by Allie Winters

All Fired Up by Allie Winters
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.

This was a super fun opposites attract, enemies to lovers romance.  As with all of the books in the series this can be read as a complete standalone.  There are some characters present from other books in the series, however you don't need to read those before diving into this one.  

This follows Hunter and Madeline as they train to be volunteer firefighters.  They both have their reasons for signing up, and they both face challenges with the training.  Madeline is book smart, while Hunter excels with the physical challenges.  They went to high school together, and because his family is part of the local biker gang she always thought he was up to no good as well.  Hunter does what he can to stay on the straight and narrow, but Madeline gets under his skin so he decides to knock her down a peg and a prank war ensues.  The fire chief gets wind of their shenanigans and pairs them up for the remainder of the training with the stipulation that both of them pass or they both fail when it comes to test taking time.  Naturally this frustrates both of them, but it forces them to face each other and air their greivances.  In order to pass the exams at the end of training, they both have to help each other with what they are best at.  Because they are spending so much time together, it gives them time to get to know one another and act on the attraction that has been building between them.

I thought Hunter and Madeline had great chemistry and banter.  Hunter had an undiagnosed learning disability, which made him feel inferior and unworthy.  Given his family situation that is understandable, and really unfortunate.  Madeline on the other hand is very stubborn, she has a hard time accepting help and telling people when she needs something.  She learns through training that she can't do everything on her own, and she has to be part of a team to be successful.  It isn't failing if she asks for help or confronts someone.  Both characters show great growth in this story.  This has some great moments of levity mixed with humor from the pranks balanced with the romance.

This is another great addition to the Smartypants catalogue! 

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Review: Past Tents by Stacy Travis

Past Tents by Stacy Travis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.

This was such a fun romance set in my favorite fictional town of Green Valley.  This like the other books in the series can be read as a complete standalone.  There are mentions of other characters that we have met before in previous books set in the series, however you don't have to have read those to understand the storyline in this book.  I do highly recommend them because they are all excellent reads.  

This follows two teachers at Green Valley high who have known each other since they were teenagers.  Clay teaches English and coaches the track team and has been Ally's older brother's best friend since high school.  Ally teaches Art, runs the yearbook, and is the backup nurse now that she took a first aid course in an attempt to be more self-sufficient.  With a stomach bug taking out half of the staff, Ally has been asked to co-chaperone the annual senior camping trip with Clay.    No big deal right?  Well...Ally is terrified of the woods despite being surrounded by them in their small town.  Clay camps regularly and offers to take her on a trial run in his back yard to get her comfortable before going out with the kids.  Their trial run goes swimmingly as Ally realizes the outdoors and camping can be a great escape and she gets to know Clay, who she has had a crush on for ages much better.  They both are able to open up with each other about their vulnerabilities and some baggage they carry around which only makes their mutual attraction to one another deepen.  

This was filled with humor, awkward moments, great banter, great discussions about mental health and having a healthy relationship, and great characters.  Both of our main characters are hesitant to enter into a committed relationship for different reasons, and they both put that out there at the beginning.  They have some stumbling blocks along the way but they have support to help them figure things out and eventually have mature conversations instead of letting miscommunication reign supreme.  I loved getting to know Clay and Ally.

This was a fun read and another great addition to the Pennyverse.

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Review: The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society by C.M. Waggoner
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and the Berkley Besties program, all opinions are my own.  This was published about a month ago, so in an attempt to get my review out a bit quicker (I'm a bit behind) I did borrow the audiobook from my library.

The audiobook was great.  The narrator did a great job with the characters, which only added to the humor of this cozy mystery.

I'll admit I was a bit confused at first when this book starts out with no demon hunting or paranormal aspect.  I was wondering how the author was going to smoothly transition that into the story, but I was pleasantly surprised with the way it was added into the storyline.  Sherry Pinkwhistle is a local librarian in a small town of Winesap, NY.  She lives alone, has a cat, has a few good friends, and often helps the local Sherriff's department solve crimes.  Their small town seems to have a murder problem and Sherry is always there to lend a hand.  Her character reminded me a lot of Jessica Fletcher from Murder She Wrote, but with more humor.  

When her gentleman friend Alan is murdered, and strange things start happening around her insisting she investigate she calls on her friends, the new priest in town, and forms the Demon Hunting Society.  She is sure there is something otherworldly going on in Winesap and she must use her investigative talents to figure out what is going on or determine if she is losing her mind.  Her list of suspects keeps growing to include Alan's family, his colleagues in the antiques business, and some local townsfolk.  With the help of her friends and her cat she is able to piece together what happened.

Overall this was a fun cozy mystery.  It doesn't take itself too seriously and has some laugh out loud moments.  It is silly at times, but sometimes you need a fun book.  I thought this was a great fall read with Halloween approaching and the leaves beginning to turn.  There was a hint of this becoming a series and I would happily read more about Sherry and her sleuthing in the future with a cup of tea snuggled under a blanket.

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Review: If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens

If I Stopped Haunting You by Colby Wilkens
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both a print and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed the narrators.  The dual narration worked really well here, as the book alternated between Pen and Neil's points of view and I thought both narrators did a great job telling their story and capturing the emotions as they move from enemies to writing partners to something more,

This was a fun enemies to lovers, romcom with a paranormal twist.  Pen and Neil are both horror writers.  Neil is well known, but Penelope takes issue with some of the stereotypes he uses in his books.  When they are on a panel together she loses her temper and calls him out and throws a book at his head sending both of their careers into a tailspin.  Fast forward to Scotland several months later, when their mutual friend invites them both to a writing retreat to mend fences and get everyone out out their writing funk.  The four friends are to spend a week in a haunted castle in remote Scotland to get some inspiration for their books.  The forces proximity in the spooky setting make Neil and Pen face some truths about each other and their writing in a long overdue conversation.  Once that is out of the way they realize there is more to the castle and the stories the locals tell about it.  Not only do they begin exploring the castle for ghosts and mysterious entities, they also start exploring their feelings for each other leading to a fun and steamy time.

This was a really fun book.  The banter between the characters was funny but balanced out with some very real conversations about the publishing industry as a BIPOC writer.  The characters had good chemistry and once things heat up between them things have a nice amount of spice.  The plot was engaging, and while I didn't find it scary it was spooky.  The author did keep me guessing as to whether or not the castle was truly haunted or if it was a hoax until the end, I was pleasantly surprised by the resolution.

Overall this was a really fun read and I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

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Review: The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley and Bookish First, all opinions are my own.

This was such a wonderful adventure.  This is perfect for middle grade and YA readers, but as an adult I thoroughly enjoyed it.  This follows brother and sister Jakob and Lizzie, who find themselves at the secretive Bletchley Park during WWII.  Jakob is 19 and as a math student has been recruited to the code breaking division at the park.  Lizzie and Jakob's mother worked for British Embassy, and disappeared while on assignment.  Their grandmother who lives in Ohio has sent for Lizzie to move to  Cleveland, as Lizzie is only 14.  Lizzie is a firecracker and is determined to prove that their mother is still alive and thwarts all attempts to move to America.  She tracks down her brother and gets her own job at Bletchley.  The Secrets Act prevents the siblings from talking too much about their work and what is really going on.  When strange messages show up at their boarding house and an inspector is trying to suggest that their mother was a spy for the wrong side things, the siblings must use their unique talents for puzzles to solve the mystery of their mother's work.  

This was so entertaining!  I've read other fictional books about Bletchley and this is another great one and perfect for readers of all ages.  I loved Lizzie and her determination and Jakob's struggle to keep his sister safe while also trying to do his job.  I was so invested in the characters and their quest to find their mother as well as break the Enigma code.  It is crazy to think that while Jakob and Lizzie are fictional characters young, brilliant minds such as theirs were breaking codes and deciphering messages during that time.  I also love how the authors worked non-fiction elements into the story.  I hope to see this author duo write more in the future, this was such a wonderful read!

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Review: Write or Wrong: A Slow Burn Celebrity Romance by Heidi Hutchinson

Write or Wrong: A Slow Burn Celebrity Romance by Heidi Hutchinson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved this!  

This is the 9th book in the Common Threads series, however you can read it as a complete standalone.  All of the books in the series are standalones, but each of the books written by the same author are companions with characters mentioned in previous books.  The ones by Heidi Hutchinson are all centered around the music industry and are some of my favorites of the Smartypants offerings, I highly recommend all of them.

This book follows Zara and Asa, who we have met as a side characters in previous books.  Zara is a well known artist, but after a huge PR debacle she has decided to take a break.  She finds comfort in music and writing new songs.  Asa on the other hand has sworn off music after his band broke up and never really made it.  Music is a balm to both of their souls and through that connection they find a friendship and a much deeper connection.  They both have some issues and some baggage to work through, but through music and their developing friendship they are able to work through their feelings.  They both have such a great support system in in place to give sound advice when needed.  They also had great conversations, I love good communication between couples in a book!

This has great character development and wonderful main and side characters.  I was immediately invested in Asa and Zara's story and felt the chemistry between the two of them.  They take their time getting to know one another before jumping into anything and don't let drama get in their way.  This had just the right amount of spice and the pacing was perfect!  I loved this book and didn't want to put it down!  

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Review: The Butcher Game by Alaina Urquart

The Butcher Game by Alaina Urquhart
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I was provided an audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This picks up after the first book ends, with Wren dealing with the traumatic events she experienced.  She is taking a break from her duties as a medical examiner, which was a huge part of the first book.  I  enjoyed the first book with the exception of the abrupt cliffhanger ending.  It was suspenseful and I was I was invested in the plot.  I often found myself feeling bored and able to predict what was going to happen.  Jeremy and Wren's stories felt disconnected in this installment whereas in the first book they were more connected.  I still don't feel like I was able to get to know any of the characters and get invested in any of them.  I was looking for more character development.

I found the ending to be lackluster, and again it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger.  I was left feeling as if the solution was anti-climactic and far to easy and convenient.  The ending left me feeling as if there was another book coming with a new villain for Wren to focus on.  I'm not sure if there is another book planned, but given there were 2 years between this book and the prior book, I don't think I'll be rushing to pick it up.  I really wanted to like this series, but it just didn't work for me.

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Review: Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik

Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

This was a lovely collection of short stories some previously published elsewhere and a peek at something new.  Most of the stories are tied to to her other novels.  I haven't read all of Novik's works previously but I didn't find it necessary to follow along with any of these stories.  I found each one captivating.  They vary in length and a perfect for when you don't want to tackle something 300+ pages and only want to sit with something for a short amount of time.  The subject matter varies widely from the Scholomance, the world of Spinning Silver, and a few stories set in the world of Temeraire, the magic and fantasy is delightful.  I can't wait to read more from the new world of Abandon, while one of the longer stories and it sets the stage for the Novik's upcoming novel.  I am hooked and can't wait for more, it was one of my favorite stories from the collection.  

All of the stories had wonderful, rich settings and great characters.  Novik is quickly becoming a favorite author as I'm slowly catching up on her backlog.  I highly recommend this for fans of her work or those wanting to see what her work is all about.  This is a great introduction and a great companion for new and old fans alike.  

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Review: A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang

A Song to Drown Rivers by Ann Liang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both an ebook and audio ARC of this book via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

The audiobook narrator was great and really brought Xishi's story to life.  Her story is an emotional one filled with sacrifice, forbidden love, espionage, and loss.  The narrator does a wonderful job with the various characters and really brings the emotions forward when appropriate and masks them as Xishi would according to her training to carry out her mission.

I'm not familiar with the Legend of Xishi or the Four Beauties of China, but you bet I'll be looking into them after reading this.  For me a good author inspires me to look more into what inspired the writing, and this certainly did.  Our main character Xishi is very beautiful, and she has been selected to infiltrate the enemy kingdom and seduce their king and bring down the kingdom from the inside.  She enters training to be his dedicated concubine and her goal is to pass information back to her people.  She is all to happy to join the cause to avenge the brutal murder of her younger sister.  As she spends time in the enemy court she learns much, but she never expected to gain the kings true affection and get to know him as a person.

This was a beautifully told story.  It is filled with emotional moments as Xishi navigates the dangers and politics of the enemy palace and the enemy kings moods.  She must carefully craft her every movement and everything she says to ensure she is portraying the loyal, faithful concubine while maintaining her double agent role.  Everywhere she turns someone is plotting and she must be careful to not let something slip.  She suffers great losses and must never let any emotions show.  

This is my first book by Ann Liang, but it certainly won't be my last.  It was such a wonderful book an it has such a beautiful cover.  I highly recommend it if you enjoy historical fiction that feels a bit like a fairy tale.  

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Review: Ex Marks the Spot by Hazel James

Ex Marks the Spot by Hazel James
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author and Smartypants Romance, all opinions are my own.

This was so fun. I'm not a big reality TV show watcher, but I can see myself watching something like the Amazing Race or in this case Xtreme Quest where teams fly all over the world to solve puzzles and compete in challenges to get to their next clue. The first team across the finish line during the final leg wins a huge prize. Our main characters are not only a team, but they are exes with unresolved feelings from their bad breakup 6 years ago. Hartley and Court went to the same college, and the theme for this season is college teams. Each team went to the same college and while most of the teams are friends or knew each other, some are strangers. Court didn't know Hartley was going to be his partner, but they both need the prize money and it is about time they come clean about what really happened when they broke up.

As our main characters run all over the world, we get to experience some really cool places and get to know so pretty interesting characters. The other contestants aside all made for great side characters to support the storyline. Not only are the puzzles and challenges interesting and action packed, they force our characters to interact and finally talk about what happened and clear the air. It is clear from the beginning that they still care about each other, even when they didn't like each other making for a really fun second chance romance.

I really loved this. The characters went to some places I've always wanted to go, so I got to live vicariously through them for a little while during their adventure. Their chemistry was good and things get pretty spicy once Hartley and Court figure out that they still have something special between them. This is a great addition to the Teacher's Lounge series, but it is a complete standalone and can be read without having read the prior books in the series.

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