Reading Update: Page 1

 

Heading into the weekend with a story about three friends! 

Heather feels content but is shocked to be crushed when her ex gets serious about someone new. This sets her off to contact a stranger who just might be her dad. 

Daphne's husband thinks she's having an emotional affair. When he said he wasn't ready for a baby, it caused a crack in their relationship. These two need to find their way back to each other. 

Tori has a crush on Daphne's brother-in-law and has been trying to hide it. But when her apt. floods, she'll really be put to the test with the dog-loving doctor. 

Three stories of hope, heartache, and love 

The Happiness Plan by Susan Mallery purchase link

Spicy Buffalo Shrimp Bowls with lime ranch recipe

Review: How to Kill Men and Get Away with It

How to Kill Men and Get Away with It by Katy Brent
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2.5 stars 

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review 

The colour palette of death is really rather pretty. 

With a little bit of Dexter and Promising Young Woman, How to Kill Men and Get Away with It was a pop culture filled fictional tale of an Instagram influencer murdering men who sexually assault women as a cathartic release. Kitty Collins is the heiress of her family's slaughterhouse business but shuns that legacy as she makes money from posting about her brunches, traveling, and vegan lifestyle on Instagram. The beginning has her commenting on brands and how many followers her friends have, setting her up to appear vacuous. Told all from her point-of-view, there's a definite tint of cynicism and bubbling anger and hurt underneath it all and when a creep follows her home from the bar and winds up dead, her reaction makes it obvious the title isn't just click bait. 

Perfect boobs. Perfect life. I guess that's my 'brand'. 

The beginning of this kept me locked in as I was trying to figure Kitty out, was she a Dexter like character that had been warped and shaped by her trauma, an unreliable narrator, or a simple sociopath that reveled in their means and opportunity? The story leads you a couple ways and used certain characters, like a love interest named Charlie that comes in around midway and not revealing an obvious more to the story about Kitty's missing father, to keep the reader never quite certain about some things. It was a little after the halfway mark and ending that I thought the wheels kind of came off and I thought the story lost the plot of what it might have been trying. 

He cannot know that I'm the hunter here. He needs to believe he's in control.

Bringing Charlie in, did bring out a different layer of Kitty and I think probably humanized her to readers that were less willing to go along with the macabre farce of Kitty's extracurricular activities but I think he ultimately ended up falling flat after a couple late ending reveals. There was also a later sexual scene that had him questioning if they got hot over some sexual assault stories that didn't land right for me, not hitting the mark of early dark humor that worked. I also thought the stalker messaging Kitty throughout the story had a very wheels fell off reveal and ending. Sexual assault is a tough one to approach with dark humor and while I thought the beginning got it, the ending went south (what was with having a late, quick, oh the character lied about her assault??). 

There's an unspoken rule between us that we don't talk about The Thing. Talking could crack the veneer. 

This took place in London and had a ton of pop culture references, as an American I still understood the majority but there were a few that went on by me; the contemporary additives feel like this story is going to get dated very quickly. You'll also have to go along with the supposed to be dark humor and not question how things like cellphone GPS doesn't apparently exist in this world and Kitty has been able to get away with her side gig. I liked the first half with it's ghoulish poking humor but the second half's tone didn't land right and some of the reveals had the plot's wheels falling off.

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Reading Update: Page 1

 

Little late afternoon goodies! 

I may watch and read too much true crime because when my partner saw what I was reading, he asked "Is that a how-to?" 🤣 

Totally fictional fun! 

Kitty Collins may have accidentally killed the creep from a nightclub that wouldn't leave her alone. Oops. 

And may now have accidentally got a taste for revenge. Double oops. 

This sounds darkly fun, compared to My Sister the Serial Killer! I wonder if there will be some movie Promising Young Woman to it too? 

How to Kill Men and Get Away with It by Katy Brent purchase link

Peppermint Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake recipe

I loved the brownie bottom on this!

Review: The Evergreen Heir

The Evergreen Heir by A.K. Mulford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars 

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review 

They couldn't marry him. 

Picking up right were The Rogue Crown left off, we have Talhan Catullus winning the hand of Neelo Emberspear after a duel set up by Neelo's mother, the Queen of the Southern Court. This series is set in a fantasy world where fae, witches, and humans live in five kingdoms. Each book stars a different main couple but also continues the storyline of the battles and politics happening in the fictional Okrith, with a progressive plot of some mysterious enemy behind all the disruption in each kingdom. While I thought it would be challenging but possible to jump into the series like I did with book three, I think this fourth addition would have a lot of newcomers too lost to start here. 

A faceless storm was coming for their court, and they needed to unmask it before the South befell the same fate as the assassinated Western Court Queen. 

Growing up in the pleasure seeking Southern court, Neelo, who is nonbinary and has social anxiety, never felt comfortable with the sexual pleasure seeking and free use of drugs society their mother encouraged and actively participates in. They dress in black baggy clothes to try and not be defined by their body and always carries a book/s with them to be able to disappear in when they get overwhelmed. With their mother fading even faster because of a new tea brew that seems laced with an even more powerful drug than usual, the time for them to take the crown and rule is here but they don't want it. Their solution is to try and find out who is supplying the tea and get deliveries stopped to save their mother, but this leads to them uncovering a plot that ties into the book series continuing plot of kingdoms being upheaved and finally uncovering who is behind it all.

Neelo immediately relaxed their jaw. “Maybe you just make me nervous,” they muttered. 

“Maybe.” Laughter tinged Talhan's voice. “Maybe being nervous in this case is a good thing. Maybe you make me nervous too.” 

If you've read the previous books, the name Talhan Catullus “The Golden Eagle” will sound familiar. He's the fae's best warrior and fought in a big previous battle that almost left him dead. He's the twin brother of one of the female lead characters in book three and he was childhood friends with Neelo before they were separated by the wars starting. It's pretty obvious from the beginning that he loves Neelo and is just gently but stoutly never going to leave their side and simply waiting until they trust in his feelings and work through their emotional issues of self-worth. This is a slow burn romance that I could see some tapping their watch for Neelo to finally relent but there were enough cracking scenes from Neelo that I thought there was enough burn scenes to carry it to the finally giving in end. I mean, we get a library desk scene, steamy bath house, and others to tide readers over. 

“You know I'm not here for a crown or a title,” he whispered. 

While the first half had me highlighting passage after passage and I loved how Neelo and Talhan's relationship was developing, you're going to have to want to focus on that romantic plot pretty fully for some duration. I know some fantasy readers want action but that doesn't come until the latter end of the book. I did find the story slowing some in the second half with the slow part of the burning dragging out for some pages too many and the tie-in continuing plot of discovering who is behind the disruption of kingdoms also taking one too many scenes to finally get to. 

They dropped their eyes and Talhan reached out to bracket their cheek with his hand. His thumb slid under Neelo's jaw and tipped their chin up to look him in the eyes. “I'm not going anywhere,” he said. “Not even if you tell me to leave. That's just one more thing we'd have to disagree about. If I have to chain myself to a bookshelf to prove that, I will.” He lifted Neelo's chin higher and they smirked. “That's how much I belong with you.” Neelo shuddered and Talhan hummed. “Keep reading.” 

The latter second half brought in almost all the previous characters from the earlier books and we get a few action scenes. Since I haven't read the first two books in the series yet, I'm not sure if they were more action heavy and these middle two books have slowed down before the series ramps back up again with a last big battle but if you're looking for less battle heavy fantasy with a starring main romance couple, this would definitely be for you. I liked the interaction and relationships all the characters seem to have and while I enjoyed how much we got of Neelo and Talhan, I would have liked to have these previous characters show up more because of how well they work as an ensemble. 

“You are mischief, Neelo Emberspear, and I love it. No one else gets to see it: the boat-commandeering, book-stealing mischief-maker you are. But that's who you've always been around me and you never have to change.” 

His footsteps didn't pause as if he was just casually chatting, but his words made Neelo feel like they were free-falling. They were mischief...and he loved it. There was something about them that Talhan Catullus loved. 

This was told all from Neelo's point of view but, like I said, Talhan's feelings were obvious from the beginning. I loved how quiet, reserved, kind of grumpy Neelo paired with outgoing, gregarious Talhan and how Talhan especially saw Neelo for who they were and liked them because of it and treated them the way they wanted to be treated, all while just waiting for Neelo to finally be able to grow to a place that they could accept Talhan's love. There were times of frustration by Talhan, but he was always there in the ways Neelo needed him to be. 

“There is only one person who can wield this magic over me.” His eyes pinned Neelo with a heated look. “You are a magic all your own, Neelo Emberspear. I've known it my whole life.” 

Along with Neelo finally accepting the love from Talhan and taking their rightful place in the Southern Court, the ending names the villain and gives the reason for why they're doing what they're doing. It's clear that the battle for the Eastern Court is next and I have a feeling Talhan's sister Carys and a certain Southern Court Lord of Arboa, Ersan, who once broke Carys' heart might be the main couple of that story. I'll be curious about that second chance love story, if a reappearing past villain will become King of the Fae, and if a violet witch will make do on her revenge.

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Review: Mrs. Martin’s Incomparable Adventure

Mrs. Martin’s Incomparable Adventure by Courtney Milan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

4.3 stars 

*This is a TBRChallenge review, there will be spoilers, I don't spoil everything but enough, because I treat these reviews as a bookclub discussion. 

(also, a tv show Succession spoiler!) 

“They've had seventy-five years to defeat you,” Violetta said, turning to her. Her eyes were wide and dark, and she was almost certainly the dearest thing that Bertrice had seen in years. “What do you think it means that they've yet to accomplish it?” 

As with most Milan stories I read, this had some light and deep. The kind of quotes that make my eyes water out of nowhere, introspect, cheer, and rage with. A novella that read super quick but left me satisfied. I can just about guarantee I'll always recommend a Milan. 

Violetta has just been let go from her job of overseeing the accounts and running of a tenant building right before she is about to turn seventy, a move by her boss to stop from having to pay her a pension. Having funds that could see her through a few years, Violetta knows she has to plan for the later years of her life. She comes up with the scheme to go to the aunt of one of the tenants who hasn't paid his rent in two years, claiming to be the owner of the building, getting the aunt to pay the back rent and then disappearing with her ill gotten gains. 

Bertrice surprises Violetta, though, when she refuses to pay for her “Terrible Nephew” and instead comes up with her own scheme of “helping” Violetta evict the T.N. This, of course, won't help Violetta but she gets wrapped up into it all with a contract drawn up of Bertrice saying she'll pay the back rent if T.N. can't be kicked out. This kicks off some goofy schemes (a choir waking up T.N. in the morning, attacking fowl) and some “do you see what I'm trying to get you to think about” schemes (paying off sex workers to not sleep with T.N.). 

While Violetta and Bertrice get together to enact these schemes we get a budding friend and romantic relationship building. Both women in their late sixties, Bertrice forced to marry for security but having that money now and Violetta growing up without much security, they both represent the trials and tribulations women face/d in a society that works to disenfranchise and take their power from them. Their bonding, connecting, and friction from their two different lived experiences was felt. 

When the T.N. catches on, he starts to threaten Bertrice with having her declared mentally unstable and while Bertrice acknowledges the danger, she still pushes on, Violetta is beside her alternating worrying, cheering on, and helping. One of the aspects of Bertrice I loved, was the inclusion and discussing how present death can be later in life. She's been depressed as she's had people in her life pass on at greater numbers in the last two years. I haven't been able to shake a comment I saw about the tv show Succession, when Logan Roy's brother gave a brief eulogy I saw a comment discussing what it would feel like to have the only other person who shared memories and moments with you pass on. The lonely feeling that would give to not be able to laugh, cry, discuss, or have that understanding of those things with people who shared that with you. I thought that was touched on here wonderfully. 

With the shorter page count, the problem with the T.N. wraps up fairly quickly with Bertrice going for it and the third act breakup of Violetta's lie looming over them but actually brought more lightness than dark drama when readers find out what Bertrice actually knew. 

The epilogue was short but sweet and had me cheering for how it wrapped up. I found this a little lighter in tone than other Milan's, even with some of the deeper stop and make you think moments of social commentary. I often bemoan the shorter page count of novellas, but this was just about perfect (and an added bonus saying that I'd never heard about, how eating toasted cheese at night can have you dreaming about Lucifer!). Violetta and Bertrice had a sweet romance, there was bonding over shared experiences, depth, and a man got shown what was up, what more could you ask for?

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50%

Neelo huffed, nuzzling their face deeper into Talhan's jacket. "Well, at least on that we can agree."

"We can agree on a lot of things," Talhan mumbled to himself.

Silence hung between them for a moment, and they knew it was true. Neelo and Talhan had always gotten along. During all the parties and weddings and celebrations of their childhood, the unlikely friends always seemed to end up in a corner somewhere. The Golden Eagle would bring Neelo a tray of food he'd stolen from the banquet and Neelo would sit beside him, dancing and reveling. The life of every party. 

But there would always be that moment between them. Always. Where it was just the two of them tucked in a corner, sitting quietly enjoying each other's company. Neelo could never admit how much they cherished those quiet moments together, nor admit how they regretted how often they'd push him away.

He was just a friendly person. Just pitied them. He was just that nice to everyone.

Just. 

They had a million reasons for it, excuses they could use to deny what they felt, but there was a little spark, a little question that lit within Neelo every time Talhan sat beside them:  Maybe he likes me. Maybe he really does just want to be here. With me.

And...

"I could like dancing," Neelo hedged. "If people weren't watching me, maybe."

"We need to find a dark corner some time to test out that theory," Talhan said with a grin. He swirled his bread in his stew again, before adding more quietly, "I like being touched."

Neelo frowned, staring straight down at their bowl and they knew Talhan's statement was, in fact, a question. A thought popped into their mind and before they could think better of it, the words came spilling out. "I don't like being touched...by most people." Neelo's hands stilled and they whispered, "But...I think I'd like it if you touched me."

Talhan paused for so long that Neelo's stomach sank and embarrassment burned through them. But Talhan finally flashed a shy smirk and bit into his bread. "I think so too."

Neelo's toes curled in their boots.

The underlining emotion in the scenes between these two, HELP MEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

25%

"You fit so well in the Southern Court." Neelo frowned, walking off at full speed, uncaring of Talhan followed. "Everything is just fun and games with you all, isn't it?"

"Not everything." Talhan easily fell into stride, his long legs eating up the distance between them. "There are some things I take seriously. My oaths and duties, protecting my friends, keeping my promises."

"Don't make any promises to me, then."

"I already have," Talhan murmured, "you just don't know about them yet."

Gah! I can't handle the sunshine Talhan calmly, lightly being there and just waiting for grumpy Neelo to notice. Driving me crazy in the best way.

Reading Update: Page 1

 

The fourth in The Five Crowns of Okrith series! 

We got glimpses of Neelo in the fourth and I can't wait to dive into their story. 

Neelo doesn't want to take the throne even though their mother's health is fading and they would love to get out of their arranged marriage. But their duty can't be put off forever. 

Struggling to keep it all together, Neelo is surprised to grow close to their husband to be. Witch uprisings, growing affections, and a court to keep together, this non-binary heir has a lot to contend with.  

The Evergreen Heir by A.K. Mulford (June 13th) purchase link

Chili-Honey Chicken and sweet potatoes with cilantro yogurt recipe

I made two separate batches of the sauce to coat the chicken and sweet potatoes for more taste. 

Review: Ellie Is Cool Now

Ellie Is Cool Now by Victoria Fulton
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review 

I hated high school. 

Getting the opportunity to write for what has become a popular tv show right out of college has been great for Ellie. Not so great, it's a tv show about highschool, something Ellie doesn't want to remember. When her ten year high school reunion invitation gets fished out of the trash at work and her boss is dangling a promotion to co-executive producer if Ellie goes to the reunion, she's trapped. Armed with a bucket list drawn up by her two LA bestfriends, Ellie's reluctantly ready to take on high school again. 

“We'll call it Ellie Is Cool Now,” Vic says. 

Told all from Ellie's point-of-view, Ellie is Cool Now was a chik-lit easy read that had a cynical, leaning mean tone as Ellie goes back home and judges the hell out of everyone and everything. I found myself glad that she was never one of the popular kids in school because she would have been an absolute monster. Ellie recognizes that she's judgmental, admitting it over and over, and while she had flashes of maybe she's going to grow from this, the ending pretty much left her the same as when she started, except she got a happily for now. 

This is why I didn't want to be reunited with my past. 

Too busy judging everyone, Ellie never let herself fit in, except with her childhood bestfriend Roxy. As they get older, though, and home issues with a sick and mean mom, Roxy starts to become self-destructive and turns to alcohol, eventually sleeping with a lot of classmates, earning her the Most Likely to Brighten Your Day yearbook crown. Teens can be fairly self-centered, so I didn't blame Ellie for being too wrapped up in her own head to really be there for Roxy but when they meet up again as adults, Ellie still thinks and says some pretty mean things to Roxy. This is partly from the hurt Ellie is still carrying around after seeing Roxy make-out with who Ellie thought she knew was her big high school crush, Mark. Ellie had chances with Mark senior year but when she likes someone, she treats them like dirt, due to insecurities and fear. Her attitude toward him in high school had adult Mark claiming he never even knew Ellie liked him. 

“I liked you,” he says softly. 

When Ellie gets back home to small-town Midwest for the reunion, she runs into Mark and Roxy fairly quickly and the reunion actually happens in the first half. Her bucket list consists of ten objectives, make-out with the Prom King, create art with Most Artistic, get your high school crush to help with at least one of objectives, etc. We get introductions to old classmate secondary characters and just about everyone is described as an alcoholic or BLW (Boring Life Wife) with one or two exceptions. I think Ellie's inner thoughts and observations were supposed to come off snarky funny but cynical and judgy bleed through it all with plain meanness. 

The fantasy was always so easy. Real is so much harder. 

The second half was Ellie and Mark flirting and connecting, while Ellie tries to get over the fact that only a week ago Mark broke off his engagement and is still living with his ex-fiancee and trying to reconnect with Roxy. Mark seemed nice but when his ex-fiancee referred to him as spineless, it was hard not to agree from his background story. There's some help from Mark with a couple of the bucket list items but it's mostly Mark and Roxy drama. The ending had Ellie showing no growth and going back to LA and we get a couple pages of “Three Months Later” that wrap up what's going on with Roxy and a reveal that leads to the happily for now. 

I've gotten myself tangled up in the middle of an unexpected, unpredictable mess. 

And I think I like it. 

I don't always have to like the characters I'm reading about but when the story is told all from one character and it's a mixture of genre chik-lit and romance, I usually like to see growth in the main character and leave with a feel good feeling. How Ellie acted in the end, in regards to Mark and how she was still seeing and talking about people, I don't think she did change from that cynical first page character. There were a handful of moments throughout the story that she had self-awareness thoughts but her actions and thoughts at the end made those seem like not sticking flashes in the pan. Ellie might not have been popular but she had “mean girl” down pat. If you're someone who has to like the characters they're reading about or want to see character growth, this would be a tough read but if you like pretty constant mean snark (the only showing up two times very quickly pizza delivery guy couldn't even escape with being referred too both times as “pimply”) this had that in spades.

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Reading Update: Page 1

 

🎉Friday🎉

Looking forward to doing nothing but reading (and trying to clear out my email, pinky promise!) this weekend. 

Ellie's worked to put her past nerdy teenage years behind her as she's now a TV writer for a popular show about high school. She's been offered a promotion but, wait for it, has to attend her hs reunion. HORRORS 

But the reunion isn't quite going the way she thought it would, an ex-bestfriend that maybe still knows her the best and a former crush that's only gotten more kissable is making things complicated. 

This sounds messy with fun shenanigans! 

Ellie is Cool Now by Victoria Fulton and Faith McClaren purchase link

Honey BBQ Chicken Strips recipe

This hit the spot, I used Stubb's Stick Sweet BBQ sauce

Review: Capture the Sun

Capture the Sun by Jessie Mihalik
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars 

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review 

The man in front of me tilted his head, and I caught a glimpse of a familiar one-sided smile. My breath caught. It couldn't be. 

The third and conclusion to the Starlight's Shadow series, Capture the Sun gives us the ship's wild card recovery specialist Lexi and the Valoff that once betrayed her, Nilo. This would be much better read as a series instead of standalone, book 1 (Hunt the Stars) lays the foundation for the space opera world. Heavy on the politics of the world, you'd be pretty lost, especially in the second half, as all the plot threads laid through out the first two come to a conclusion here. The first half focused more on the relationship between Lexi and Nilo, they get to spend a good amount of time alone without the distraction of all the other crew members and Valoffs. Book one alluded to Lexi and Nilo having previously met and we get the full background story here where Lexi feels Nilo only flirted with her to take a job from her and while accurate, there was truth behind Nilo's attraction. I missed seeing these two in book 2 (Eclipse the Moon) and I think that would have helped me have more of feeling an emotional connection between these two. While they spent good alone time together, I'm not sure I felt all those emotions that has me loving a couple. 

“Starlight's Shadow disappeared.” 

While some of the emotional foundation and depth was missing for me between Lexi and Nilo, I did think this third installment married the blend and pace of romance and space opera together the best of the series. It gave us a first half of romance, where I could spend time with Lexi and Nilo and then a second half of space adventure and bringing in all those characters the worldbuilding had previously got me to care about; this author is really great at managing a bigger character list. If you've read the first two, you'll know about how the Starlight's Shadow crew had fought in the previous big war between the Federated Human Plants and the Valoffs, leading to some initial distrust between our humans and Valoffs but oops, they're falling in love with them and uncovering what looks like some chaos agents trying to destabilize the fragile peace between the FHP and Valovian Empire. At the end of book two, there's strong hints as to the whos and whys but they need the proof. So our crew sets out to rescue a Commodore Morten from the Empress of Valovia and bring him back to an Admiral they know they can trust. This will hopefully lead to a trial with Morten and out who's trying to start the war. Lexi and Nilo are a little outside this but they come in when the Empress makes a play for Lexi to use her for leverage and Nilo rescues her. As they get reacquainted for some romance in the first half, it becomes apparent that something has happened to the Starlight's Shadow and her crew. 

Nilo had somehow wormed his way into my heart, and I wasn't above trying to steal his in return. The second half was full of planning, rescuing, and battles, bringing in all those humans and Valoffs we have grown to care about throughout the series and their antagonists, Morten, Sura Fev the Sun Guardian (Special Forces, elite soldier for the Valoffs) herself, and other Valoff fodder soldiers. The battle and danger scenes, for the most part, kept up the pace (I feel like one or two could have been cut or shortened) and tense tone to leave me fearing for the characters and wondering how it was going to wrap-up. 

“What do you want, Lexi?” he murmured. 

You, just you. 

Like I said, I did think this one blended the romance and space opera elements the best out of the series but I just couldn't feel the depth of emotion between Lexi and Nilo. Told all in Lexi's point-of-view, I enjoyed her character, but with the romance, Nilo came off feeling flat to me; I just didn't feel the vibrancy from him the way the other aspects of the story hit. They were just kind of attracted to each other without the emotions and Nilo seemed all in from the beginning, what they had to work through was Lexi's PTSD from the war (not trusting/fearful of Valoff's and their powers) and her not feeling good enough, always ruining relationships. I will say it did have some hit nice steamy open door scenes, especially towards the end. If you're looking for a space opera with some romance and manageable at only three books to the series, this was a fun one. Each character was memorable some way to me and the space world captured my interest and was plain fun to get involved with, can't wait for the next world and adventure the author has planned.

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40%

"Then I'd say today was a success." I glanced up at him through my eyelashes and decided to play with fire. "How should we celebrate?"

He stilled, his muscles taut, and the gold in his eyes expanded. A groan tore itself free from somewhere deep in his chest. "Ask for what you want, taro, and I will give it to you."

My fingers tightened around the edge of the counter. 

Reading Update: Page 1

 

It's Lexi and Nilo's book!!! 

Lexi is the queen of trickery and thievery, but a certain Valovian teleporter (it's Nilo!) is the one who may have stolen her heart. 

When Lexi's latest contract takes her to Valovia, she only wants to get in and out. But when Lexi's former crew goes missing, she's going to have to work with Nilo to find them and stop two galaxy superpowers from going to war. 

Y'all, I'm so ready for this space opera romance! 

Capture the Sun by Jessie Mihalik preorder (June 20th) link

Thai Chicken Coconut Curry recipe

Pretty easy to make, not wowing but good

Review: Georgie, All Along

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars 

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review 

When Georgie's boss decides she's going to take a different direction in life and slow down, it leaves Georgie at a loss as to what to do. For years she's been a Personal Assistant, but when her boss tells her to go enjoy all the things she's wanted to do for years, Georgie draws a blank. So when her childhood bestfriend, Bel, tells her to come back to their hometown and help her get settled into her new house and help her prepare for her new baby, Georgie agrees. But Bel seems to have things under control and her flighty parents forgot they double booked housesitters and now Georgie has a quiet, hot roommate who she can't help wanting to get to know more. 

That's how Georgie Mulcahy becomes, for now at least, both my roommate and my dog sitter. 

Georgie, All Along was a sweet Chik-lit story told in alternating first person povs from Georgie and her now roommate Levi. Levi was a couple years older than Georgie so she never really knew him, only of him and his black sheep reputation, however, she had a big crush on his younger brother. Georgie comes off a little chaotic and flighty herself but as the story goes on, it's clear that she dances just fine, it's just to the beat of her own drum. Pairing her with Levi, a character who is quiet, keeps to himself, and likes order, delivered a sweet opposites attract feel. The povs were close to stream of conscious (they did go off on tangents that felt a little pointless at times and ruined the flow of the story for me) and you're going to have to like characters who are in their heads a lot because the vast majority of the story is told that way. I can struggle with those two things but I did round up my 3.5 rating because of Levi's dog Hank, he made the story irresistibly cute to me.

I hadn't been thinking. 

I'd been feeling. Feeling like someone finally understood me and feeling strangely thrilled it was him. Feeling like he was strong and sensitive and sweeter than I expected. I'd been feeling, for once, like I was full of wanting. 

With Georgie in town to figure out what she wants out of life, she decides to use an old fic book full of stories she and Bel wrote in eighth grade about dream scenarios they were going to have in high school. Dates, getting asked to prom, jumping from docks, hanging out at popular spots, etc. has Georgie seeing she did have personal dreams and goals at one time and yet in high school, they never did the things they wrote about, so Georgie sees it as a good jumping off point. Bel, being at the end of her pregnancy, can't do some of the things, and that has Levi coming into the picture. Levi now owns a dock building and repair business but still keeps to himself in the small town because of how people still see him as the troublemaker he was in highschool. It takes until the second half to be let in on fully what happened between Levi and his father that caused his father to forbid him to be around Levi's brother and sister. There's some tension there when Levi and Georgie start to build their friendship and start acknowledging their attraction when Georgie ends up working at Levi's family business and readers knowing Georgie had a big crush on Levi's brother and we all know that's going to come into the picture as a some kind of dark moment. 

I like the way we fit. 

I really liked Georgie and Levi's characters and all the side characters that helped fill them out, Bel, Georgie's parents, Levi's professor and work friends, but, as I mentioned, the first person povs had Georgie and Levi in their heads a lot. They were both characters that took their time working through and resolving their issues and this had the second half feeling a little slow at times. 

Georgie Mulcahy, making he mark on me. 

The ending gave us a third act break-up that lead to a really cute romantic moment. It was feel good the way Georgie realized, admitted, and accepted what type of person she is and knows she can live her in the moment way and Levi worked through stop letting past hurts interfere in his present life and getting some family resolution. This had a few steamy open door moments but the overall tone was overall sweet. If you like introspective characters in their heads a lot, opposites attract, and adorable pitties, you'll want to pick this one up.

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Reading Update: Page 1

Tuesday goodies! 

🎉📖🎉 

I've heard so many good things about this book and I can't wait to get hit in the feels. 

Georgie is back in her hometown and with some time to breathe, realizes she doesn't even know what her own wants and needs are. 

When she comes across her old diary, she decides to use it as a guidebook to help her out. 

With an unexpected roommate, Levi, the past town troublemaker and now hermit, with his quiet and grouchy ways, Georgie gets help on her quest. 

Can they both let go of the past that holds them back? 

Clayborn's Love at First quietly destroyed my feels and I have a feeling this one will be no different. 

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn purchase link

Monster Cookie Dough Cupcakes recipe

How could these be anything but amazing? The frosting was a little too sweet for me but when I said I would not add the brown sugar next time, my partner looked at me like I was the monster. So, your taste buds may vary.

Review: Breath and Starshine: Medicus Corpus Book Two

Breath and Starshine: Medicus Corpus Book Two by Kami King Larsen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

2.5 stars 

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review 

Breath and Starshine is second in the Medicus Corpus series and while I saw some mentioning you could start the series here, it was better to read book one first. I'm here to say it is better, BETTER to start with book one and not two like I did. This one seems to pick up right after the first ended and I was totally lost and struggled to connect with the characters and world; y'all, I was downright wishing for an info-dump. Told in three alternating povs from characters Aurelia, Roe, and Hale, it probably took until around forty percent before I felt like I could understand some whos, whys, whats, and hows and then try and get into the story. 

Medicus Corpus was my new family. Devil's Meadows my new home. 

This seems to be set in a post-apocalyptic world with the settlement of Devil's Meadows being somewhere around the Hoover Dam (I'm guessing that was the big dam they visited in the story). I feel like it was the current contemporary world when wars started and then a veering into fiction when the author writes that The Grand Divagation happened. The Divagation was when some form of leaders got together and decided to shut-off modern conveniences (electricity, travel, plumbing, wifi (HORRORS), etc.) and cut-off, stop distribution of medicines. After the chaos and numerous deaths this causes, a new group of leaders create the Medicus Corpus, an institution that seems to run how hospitals, medicine, and healthcare are run and provided. This story is pretty focused on the hospital and healthcare aspect of this world and we don't get much outside of it as our three pov characters all work in the hospital. Maybe more of background world setting was giving in the first but after I got to the halfway point I thought I had enough to have a good enough understanding of the setting I was in. 

This had a YA feel to it, unless I missed it, our main characters ages were never given. Book one obviously had them going through an adventure that started with Aurelia and Roe, paired to work together by the Medicus Corpus and became bestfriends, and then brought in Roe's brother Hale, who has a very barely there romance with Aurelia in this one, and other side characters like Holdan, who has a mysterious magical(?) healing gift like Aurelia that he has been helping her learn to control but must be kept secret because the Medicus Corpus would jail(?) them for it, and a married couple who seem to be protectors/guards for the hospital workers, Geneva and Asher. Their friend and relationship dynamics are already set in this one and I missed some of that development. 

I would call this mostly a slice of life story as it seems done with the first book's adventure, they start on a new one with mysterious deaths of young women are happening in their settlement and a new character, Campbell, comes into the picture alluding that he is from a not well known other settlement and is on the trail of an almost, energy vampire illness struck person, an illness that befalls men at random from where he comes from. There's a lot of following our characters to the hospital and back, with Aurelia getting attacked and then having to be protected, and an ending bait set-up that ended that storyline pretty abruptly. 

That was the first night I slept on the ground outside Aurelia's door. 

I did have problems at times trying to distinguish the different voices of our povs and for Hale supposed to be a big part of Aurelia's life, he was very absent. The end did give a scene where, I guess, they decide they're dating and have a couple kisses that leads to a firmly shut-door scene. The magic aspect of Aurelia's “wonder-working” is the obvious thread that will keep going (the ending definitely alludes to at least a book three) and while I can see the path of keeping it going through the serious, I would have liked more of it worked into the world-building, again, could have been developed more in the first. This did read quick but not having read the first in the series had me lost for most of the first half and the second half fell a little short in the plot momentum, somewhat stagnated and time jumping abrupt at that same time and fell a lot short in the romance aspect. 

This did read quick and if looking for a post apocalyptic slice of life this is the adventure they have to get through in this book, some medical jargon, and with a YA tone, this maybe is one of the few out there to fit that particular bill.

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Sunday Soup (In the summer?!)

 

It's reaching 90s here today and yet, I can't let go of my Sunday Soup! 

I also haven't read the first in this series but going to go ahead and jump into book 2 

🤪 

A group of friends that have survived a trek across a desert and now throwing themselves into service as practitioners of medicine for Medicus Corpus. 

One of the friends, Aurelia is trying to learn how to wield the miracle and wonder working she possesses while also keeping it a secret But danger is lurking everywhere. 

A world of magic, medicine, and miracles. 

Breath and Starshine by Kami King Larsen purchase link

Thai Chicken Soup recipe

Maybe the hot weather, buuuuuut I've had more fulfilling soup before

Review: The Comeback Cowboy

The Comeback Cowboy by Maisey Yates
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars 

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review 

They'd come from places where people didn't care, not on the regular, and Camp Phoenix had shown them they were worth something. 

The Comeback Cowboy was an anthology with a cool concept of having four different authors continue the story of the same characters, giving each couple a starring role. I thought this would give four different perspectives and vibes to each couple but set in the same world, instead it delivered a whole lot of sameness. The men are all tall with “barely reaching” shoulder height women and except for one couple where it was reversed, the guys are the ones wanting to keep it to just open door bedroom scenes and fearing love. All of the men work/ed in law enforcement, along with one woman, but the stories were too short to really delve into that, they are all just “protective”. The setting is a camp that they all spent time at as teenagers, it's a juvenile retreat to try and help teens change their life path, and after the death of their mentor, Bill McClain, one of the former campers buys it and asks/guilt trips for volunteers to get it back running. Until the last story though, the camp setting wasn't really felt by me and I was kind of disappointed in that aspect. If you were looking for a certain kind of vibe, short, not deep, men scared of love, teenage crushes finally getting fulfilled, then each story had these notes. I was looking for different perspectives and instead got same one after the other. 

The One With the Hat by Jackie Ashenden 2 stars 

Flint Decker. Sheriff Flint Decker and his stupid hat. 

This story had the added responsibility of introducing all the characters, setting, and the whos and whys of everyone. When Bree was fourteen, Officer Flint Decker took her in for stealing food, she says arrested but he really took her to Sheriff Bill McClain, who sent her to Camp Phoenix. Flint was twenty at the time and while Bree had a crush on him, he obviously never felt anything. I started to get a little “ok, enough” over how many times it was brought up how she was fourteen and his “arresting” her, it started to feel a little nothankyou, I wanted a focus on here and now. He remembers her and when Bree moved back to town (Jasper Creek, this is #4 in the city named series) he gets up in his feels how she ignores him. All our characters, well, except for one, come from families of neglect or crooks, providing the issues our characters have to work to deal with or overcome. Bree has worked to become a real estate agent and distant herself from her no account brothers but still has some problem with authority and feeling ashamed of how Flint first met her. Flint is the new Sheriff and feels he has to always be setting an example, his self-righteousness ruffles Bree's feathers. 

“Am I getting to you, wildcat?” he murmured as she got in, his deep voice sending the most delicious chills right down her spine. 

With the crushes going on, there was also our four heroines bunking in a cabin together and starting off a bit cool and adversarial to each other. They start to bond as they come up with the plan for Bree to steal Flint's hat to teach him a lesson. It's a theme that runs through the whole book, each heroine trying to steal something from their hero. It was at turns cute and immature, most of the heroines had an immature feel to them while most of the heroes were production line tough, stoic. When Bree goes to steal Flint's hat the attraction flairs and it kicks off a bedroom relationship. We seem to miss all the good bonding as it's said weeks go by of them continuing their bedroom antics. It comes to ahead as Bree wants more and Flint has to get over his issues for the eventual happily ever after. 

The One With the Locket by Caitlin Crews 2.5 stars 

Lincoln Traeger was not easily riled. 

As Bree and Flint's relationship is getting settled, Violet and Lincoln move into frame. Lincoln is a calm, cool, U.S. Marshal and Violet an argumentative lawyer. As with the other couples, for forced proximity trope, they get paired up and are supposed to clean up the campgrounds chapel. Violet had a crush on Lincoln when they were at camp, she, 15 and he 19, and now grown up, she's still annoyed that she can't wind him around her little finger like she does all other men. It forces her to want to be seen for other than looks but also be scared to be liked or disliked for who she really is. Lincoln catches on to this about her and after he kisses her when she says she only thinks of him as a brother, he then ignores her. This prompts Violet to want to steal a locket of his to prove that she really does hate him to her bunkmates, who she's growing closer to. 

This man was trouble. There was no getting around it. 

As with the first, Violet gets caught stealing and it ends with Lincoln and her hitting the bedroom scenes. This did the same thing where all the time they spend together is basically skipped and I was left not seeing or feeling the emotional developments between these two. These two had logistics issues with some of Violet's emotional (Lincoln seemed to just accept the seriousness between them right away??), Violet lives across the country. This has Lincoln just boldly stating that Violet needs to quit her job and move to him. There's a tiny little background on Violet wanting a change in life but it was side-eyeing how comfortable Lincoln was with only saying she should move to him and not ever a consideration for the reverse. This one had a little more enjoyable heat to it for me but, again, lacked the emotional depth and Violet just expected to upheaval her life was meh. 

The One With the Bullhorn by Nicole Helm 2 stars 

Because Kinley was not a rash, belligerent person. She was shy. She liked to hide and be left to her own devices. 

But when she was mad...well. 

Jackson Hart better watch out. 

Jackson is the leader of the camp and putting his whole energy behind it because he's been forced to retire from the DEA, he has leg damage after being shot and trying to run into a burning building to save his partner. Kinley has always been a wallflower and after only feeling like she could belong at camp, she moved to Jasper Creek years ago but has felt stagnated. Jackson hires her on as the camp's cook but his militant attitude has her destructive tendencies flaring, she used to act out to try and get attention from her parents, and mixed with the crush she's had on him, it has her agreeing to steal his beloved bullhorn. Except he catches her and she blindly snatches up his cane he sometimes uses for his limp. Jackson decides to teach her a teasing lesson and, you guessed it, it leads to them starting up the bedroom antics. 

 No one had ever treated her like this. Like she might be precious, or someone to be careful with. She found herself wanting to cry and hold on to him forever. 

Kinley was a character that had probably the deepest hurt, she has a burn scar from an ex now in jail, and frequently talked about therapy but the shorter page count had her issues getting rushed through. She's also the one who was afraid and running away when Jackson told her he was all in. Jackson was a pretty stoic guy, some little flashes of lighter personality, I never felt like we got a look behind his brick wall, but he did feel the most mature of all the characters. I would have liked a better look at the guys' friendship in his story as he's the one who brought them all together, we really only get quick mentions of poker night and a few short conversations here and there in the short stories, the women's friendship gave more of a growth thread. Jackson's calm, steadiness eventually has Kinley feeling deserving of his love, but while the words were said on paper, I'm not sure I felt their romance. 

The One With the Trophy by Maisey Yates 3 stars 

He worried about her, and he shouldn't. He worried about her, and it made her feel special. He worried about her, and she wished he wouldn't. 

And she wished he would. 

Forever. 

This was my favorite of the anthology, Clementine, the daughter of Sheriff Bill, she spent her summers at the camp. As she wasn't forced or sent there because she wasn't a juvenile delinquent, she always felt like an outsider and then growing up without a mother, while her father loved her, he never seemed to know what to do with a little girl, she has also always felt like an outsider with women. Working now as a deputy with Flint and Duke, another of her father's proteges, she always tried to hide her feelings for Duke. Being ten years older than Clementine, Duke has always tried to watch out for her as his mentor's daughter but the last few months have had him seeing her in a different light. He's trying to say she's like a sister to him but when he overhears her tell the other women that she's going to lose her virginity tonight, his emotions are all over the place. 

He kept imagining it. Some guy kissing her. Putting his hands on her. 

Clementine was really talking about losing her thief virginity and stealing his MVP football trophy from highschool but when he catches her and alludes to attraction to her, Clementine decides to take her chance. This had more of that emotional feelings I was looking for and had some light laughter with heat. Duke was still missing some fully formed character feel but Clementine came out stronger with working out her issues and growing from someone who felt they had to hide their emotions and feeling like an outsider. I also thought their prior friendship helped me believe in their romance more. This did follow the same old, same old trend of the anthology of having the guy scared to trust in love and move it from casual with the woman declaring her love first and saying she wanted more. Duke does get over his parental hang-ups and they get a happily ever after. 

This also wraps-up the Camp Phoenix setting with the camp welcoming in a new generation of juveniles that need help. This didn't have much of a camp setting and while it seems at least two of the guys wear cowboy hats and own ranch/land, there really wasn't a western feel that the cover looked like to promise. But, again, if you're looking for the particular vibes I mentioned, those pretty much get repeated in all four stories.

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Reading Update: Page 1

 

Friday treats 🥳 

Kicking off the weekend with some smooth talking cowboys 

🤠👢🤠🐴🤠 

This is an anthology with four authors but the stories are all connected and part of the Jasper Creek series. How cool is that?! 

Can't wait to get my yee-haw on 😂 

The Comeback Cowboy by Maisey Yates, Caitlin Crews, Nicole Helm, and Jackie Ashenden purchase link

Cajun Chicken Alfredo Dip recipe

This was yummy, I did add more Cajun seasoning but my taste runs to more spice

Review: A Lady for a Duke

A Lady for a Duke by Alexis Hall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

3.5 stars 

I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review 

She could not abandon him again. 

After left for dead on the battlefield of Waterloo and then rescued by a couple, a chance is seized and Viola Carroll finally gets to live her life in truth. A freedom that comes with cost, while her immediate family of brother and sister-in-law accept and welcome her back into their home, trading Viscount for paid companion, Viola feels she must abandon her previous relationships. But when word reaches Louise (sister-in-law) and she shares with Viola how much the Duke of Gracewood, Viola's past bestfriend, is struggling with not only her loss but the emotional impacts of war, Viola can't help but want to go to him. 

Wanting so terribly to be seen, and terrified of what it might mean if she was. 

At over four hundred pages, A Lady for a Duke was emotionally hitting but kept out of the doldrums with it's touches of love and lightness. The beginning focused on Viola and the emotional journey she had been on since surviving Waterloo. How she knows she made the right decision but also getting hit with the costs. Louise was that romance genre meddling character that would make you want to strangle her in real life but love to see her pushing to get things done in the story. The first half had Viola and then Justin (Duke of Gracewood) a lot in their heads as they're sorting through their emotions. I don't mind some poetic turn of phrases (She would shine like a star in a room full of shadows.) but towards the end of the four hundred pages, I started to even feel there was some overwritten feels to this. 

He wanted to kiss her. 

As I said, the first half is more of Viola's journey, her going to Justin's to try and pull him out of his addiction to laudanum and grief, while also Louise is trying to convince Justin's sister Miranda that it's ok to go have a season in London and not feel responsible for Justin. There's some slow falling in love with Viola from Justin and then we get, probably the most emotional scene, when Viola feels like it's a lie to not reveal to Justin that she is his bestfriend and did survive the war. This is around the halfway point and then reader's get a better look at Justin as we get more into his head and how he's feeling. 

There were moments when he might almost have laughed at the absurdity of it. The absurdity and the impossibility. And the simplicity. Of course she was familiar. She was--- 

She was his oldest friend. 

Who he had never truly known. 

The second half moves to London so Miranda can have her season and we get Justin eventually following and some trying to dance around the attraction from Viola and wanting to meet it head on from Justin. Each of their wants and fears felt real and with the gradual softening and learning to trust that she can have a relationship with Justin, we get some side family focusing. This kind of reminded me of a Grace Burrowes, where the central romance has focus but it's shown in concert with family and friends lives. Viola's brother's family held a lot of focus in the first half and then the second half moves to drama with Miranda and the dangers of being popular on the marriage market, a jealous debutante and bored looking to hurt Duke. 

“But if you think I came here for him, you are wrong. I am here for you. I am here for Viola Carroll.” 

Around seventy percent the story brought back the focus on the romance and we get an open door scene between Viola and Justin and from there Viola trusts more in how much of a relationship she can have with Justin. The ending gave, in my opinion, a not needed danger moment for Miranda that I felt could have been cut as it felt like a going through the motions third act drama. 

It was the Duke of Gracewood and Viola Carroll. And they were dancing. 

This was emotional but with lightness and love, but did feel overly long and overly written with some flowery turn of phrases. It felt more of a complete in the characters' world story but while I enjoy a slow burn, I missed more of a continuous spotlight on the main couple. If you like snappy, this wouldn't be for you but if you're into delving in and slow burning (I just managed to keep my head above the last 100pgs water), this hits those emotional notes. 

“What of society?” 

He shrugged. “What of it? The matrons and masters of the ton have nothing we want, while the things that they want---wealth and power and influence and pedigree---I already possess in abundance. It is for them to live up to our standards. Not the contrary.”

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