Source: Overdrive

Kingdom of the Wicked by Kerri Maniscalco | Review

Posted December 7, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

I have to admit, the second I heard Italy + witches I was all in for this book. I love that witches seem to be making more of a comeback in paranormal YA and I’d never read an Italian historical fantasy about them, so I was more than ready to dive into Kingdom of the Wicked. I didn’t have high expectations given my lukewarm experience with Stalking Jack the Ripper, but I found myself torn between flying through the novel and being exasperated with some of the writing and plot points. To be clear, I did enjoy this novel. It […]

Simmer Down by Sarah Smith | Review

Posted November 30, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

I adore books about food, so when I saw the premise for a food truck centered romance set in one of my favorite places in the world (Hawaii), I knew I HAD to read it! It was like a dream premise and my Food Network loving heart was ready to be wowed by the Maui food truck scene. The novel centers on protagonist Nikki, who owns and operates a Filipino cuisine food truck with her mother on the Hawaiian island of Maui after moving there to deal with a family emergency. As per the synopsis, a rivalry forms between her […]

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix | Review

Posted October 26, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 4 Comments

I’ll be the first to admit I am NOT usually a horror fan, or a consumer of any type of horror media, really. However, in my quest to try and fully immerse myself in the spooky season this year, I decided to go ahead and give this 90s historical fiction (eep) paranormal/horror novel a try, if for no other reason than I was intrigued by the cheeky title and Southern setting. I am so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone for this one because I was addicted almost from the beginning to this novel full of juxtapositions between […]

I’ll Be the One by Lyla Lee | Review

Posted September 28, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 4 Comments

I’m not a parent (yet), but I’ll Be the One is EXACTLY the type of book I hope my future child reads someday. It’s so full of body positivity, confidence, vulnerability, friendships and family dynamics that I think any reader can draw positivity and courage from. Following teen Skye Shin as she auditions for a K-Pop talent search show, I’ll Be the One was a refreshing addition to the YA contemporary genre and definitely my favorite K-Pop focused book to date! As mentioned in the synopsis, a significant part of Skye’s identity is her confidence, and I love how this […]

Adult Mini Reviews: The Tourist Attraction & The Flatshare

Posted September 14, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 2 Comments

The Tourist Attraction caught my eye as I’ve recently seen a lot of bloggers rave about books set in Alaska, and I had never read one myself and thought a cute rom-com would be a great way to explore a new setting. Following a cranky diner owner (Graham) and a tourist with incredibly bad luck (Zoey), The Tourist Attraction was sweet and funny if a little silly at times. I enjoyed getting to know both the locals who were zealously protective of their Alaskan town and those who worked up at the luxury resort who understood how crucial tourism was […]

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia | Review

Posted August 10, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 5 Comments

Mexican Gothic is probably one of the most buzzed about books of 2020 in my online social circles, and I can’t deny that it’s easy to see why when you look at the cover, the synopsis…just everything about it screams READ ME. As excited as I was to dive into it, I’ll admit I did have some reservations because I am not a horror type of gal. I’m so glad I did push myself out of my comfort zone though as Mexican Gothic proved to be a compelling, if rather surprising, read. Set in 1950s Mexico, Mexican Gothic follows protagonist […]

The Bane Chronicles | Review

Posted July 20, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 0 Comments

I resisted reading the Shadowhunter short story bind ups for a LONG time. I was just so confused because there were so many, seemed to jump around timeline wise, and honestly just wasn’t sure if I’d enjoy them or not. I was also very confused as to which were necessary to read. In my review of The Bane Chronicles, I’ve decided to give a brief summary about my thoughts of each story along with my opinion on if it’s ~required~ reading or not (of course, my opinion is bound to differ from others, this is just based on if I […]

Beach Read by Emily Henry | Review

Posted June 22, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 1 Comment

Beach Read seems to have been everywhere this spring, with it’s catchy yellow cover, arch rival author premise, and promise of a summer fantasy with a beach house setting. It’s usually the type of story I welcome with open arms, and I was thrilled when my library hold came in, confident that it was going to make my best of 2020 list. Unfortunately, while Beach Read did have a lot of positives for me, I just seem to have missed the magic that many other readers found within its pages. The novel follows romance author January, who is down on […]

In Five Years by Rebecca Serle | Review

Posted June 1, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 4 Comments

It’s rare that I make it through an entire book in nearly one afternoon these days, but that was the case with In Five Years- I couldn’t put it down! I found this book to be very polarizing to me, as on the one hand I really enjoyed it, and on the other hand I had some fundamental problems with it that left me blindsided and feeling more than a little tricked. Nevertheless, it was an addictive reading experience that is nearly impossible to describe without spoilers, so be prepared for a few below (I won’t be spoiling the entire […]

What I Carry by Jennifer Longo | Review

Posted May 25, 2020 in Books, Reviews / 5 Comments

You know how every so often you pick up a YA book that is so quiet, yet so excellently crafted, it just really speaks to you? That’s how I felt about What I Carry, a contemporary YA novel that follows Muir, a seventeen year old girl who’s been in the foster care system her entire life. I can’t remember how I initially heard about the novel, but I remember it sticking on my radar after seeing it compared to Far From the Tree, another well written YA novel that tackles foster care/adoption topics in YA. I then saw it was […]