Island Affair was a fun book (like the cover!), a perfect escapist reading for these times. I really liked that Latin culture was weaved into the story, however I found the italicized Spanish to be a bit distracting. I do realize that it's correct to italicize foreign words, but given that this is a novel that includes Spanish as an integral part of the character's essence, the italics' function to highlight that "foreign nature" seems jarring and I believe a bit of artistic license in foregoing that formatting rule would have been justified. Aside from that, the Spanish was spot on, and I loved that. It's nice and refreshing to see us represented well.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the kind of book where the marketing seems to point in a different direction that what the content is actually about. Saint X has profound moments, perhaps even some brilliant moments, but it never comes together as a mystery or a thriller, and it probably wasn't meant to, but my expectation going in was to delve into the mystery of a murder in Saint X. Setting aside expectations about a plot-driven page turner, Saint X is an insightful novel that provides multiple moments of interesting introspection about society, class and race. However, it's bouncing format with multiple perspectives from all characters, major and minor, results in a choppy reading experience that made the whole novel a bit of a chore to get through, with a payoff that doesn't quite rise to the level of the reader's effort. Go in expecting a slow read that will make you think, but skip it if you are looking for a fast-paced mystery with clear answers.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the premise of this book: Jessica learns about a research study that pays well and finds a way to participate for the money. Things immediately get interesting when it turns out to be a study about morality. How deep will she have to dig? What will she discover about herself in the process? And who is this mysterious doctor observing her and delving into her psyche? The book alternates between Jessica's point of view, showing her uncertainly about what's going on, and the pain of view of the researcher watching her. I thought it was an interesting choice to allow the reader to be both the observed and the observer, increasing the tension in the plot.

This book was provided as an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was a page-turner! I was fully engaged after just a few pages and didn't want to put it down. Denise has been waiting to get her husband back from an undercover operation, but when he finally appears, he has lost his memory. The story balances the mystery of what happened to Mason with the romance between Denise and Mason reconnecting despite his memory loss. The pacing was just right, it moved along, but I still felt like I got to know the characters. Denise and Mason are both tough, but with a softness toward each other that made their relationship believable even in the midst of a fantastic story. As the plot unfolds we get tension, angst, and suspense, but no unnecessary melodrama; it all flowed very well.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I recently discovered Tessa Bailey with "Getaway Girl" and I am now a fan. Of course I jumped at the chance to review her latest book, "Fix Her Up" and it was everything I wished for. Georgie and Travis's story was sweet and funny and steamy. They are both trying to break from the molds they have been stuck it throughout their lives: Travis the charming player and Georgie the kid sister who won't grow up in her family's eyes. They find a way to help each other grow into the people they want to be. Read this book if you need a romantic pick me up. Read this book if you enjoy some really well-written steam with a great plot. Read this book if you've recently discovered Tessa Bailey and can't get enough of her writing.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I got this book because it was very visually appealing to me and I fin the history of comics interesting. I have a son who it very into superhero, so of course I shared this this book with him and it was right up his alley. These are his comments about "Rise of the Superheroes": "I really liked the book. It's a good history of superhero comic books and you can really see how comic books evolved over the years. I like how they showed the images of the cover because you can really see how the characters visually over the years. My favorite part was the history of the Flash. I really enjoyed how they separated and highlighted each superhero."

Thank you to Bookish for providing and Advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a wonderful look into Jeanne Oliver's artistic process. The book is beautiful and the practical advice is well laid out. Although the book is organized as a step-by-step guide to creating a personal art journal, I think it is far more valuable as insight into finding your own process by looking at how another artist has organized hers. The author has included plenty of practical advice in terms of tools (she shows her tools but doesn't make them a limitation) and techniques (I loved the explanation of transfers). Rather than take a literal approach, I will be using this book out of order as prompts to find my own way. It is always inspiring to see other artists at work!

Thanks to Bookish for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this book so much! Pierce and Rian meet—and keep running into each other—through a series of unlikely coincidences. I didn't mind suspending belief for this book, because all the other elements came together so well. Pierce is perfect: strong, but not overbearing. Rian is quite imperfect, but the reason for her angst is understandable given her backstory. The pacing of their relationship and the overall story is just right. I found myself caring for these characters and now I want want to go back and read the other books in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I usually don't gravitate toward self-help books because I am skeptical of "one size fits all" solutions for a wide range of people with different backgrounds, issues, and in varying stages of life. When I read the introduction to "Elevate", what immediately appealed to me was its flexible approach, inviting the reader to set their own pace and adapt the reading to their personal needs. The scope of this book quite large, so it is hard a write an in-depth reaction to something that will take a while to digest. This great scope has the advantage that most readers will probably find something that resonates with them, maybe even different things at different times. Beyond the personal usefulness of "Elevate", I was struck by its relevance to our current political environment regarding our personal biases, cognitive dissonance and our tendencies to perceive the world in a rigid, set way. While this is a personal guide, I think it provides food for thought regarding society at large. I look forward to delving further into this book in the near and distant future.

The office romance premise of this book, while nothing new, can be very fun when the characters are well-developed and the story is paced to engage and keep the pages turning. The break-neck pace of this story gave me whiplash. There was no build-up, no chance to develop feelings for the characters or become invested in the outcome of the story. There was no ebb and flow of the storyline, no teasing push and pull between the characters, the book started at one speed-setting and never veered from it. Jack was pushy, Gemma was needy; throw in a compulsory, out of left field, Mr. Darcy-Elizabeth Bennett reference; add some confusing point of view switches, and the book that had the potential to be a fun, sexy read, just lost me.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this sweet, charming love story. Holland is such a relatable character: a young woman trying to find her way and her voice. At the beginning we see Holland defined by the strength and talent of the people she loves: a spectator to the musician she has admired from afar, Calvin; a supporting character to her talented uncle; and a bit of a doormat to her friend Lulu. All of this is portrayed in a way that rings true, not pushed so far as to be annoying. I felt happy to see Holland grow and discover herself, charmed by her uncles, and endeared by Calvin. Add in moments were I snort-laughed, a few gasps here and there, this book had no extreme highs or extreme lows, but was an enjoyable ride.

An entertaining book that kept me guessing throughout. The first half of the book sets up the many questions in this mystery about Richard and the women in his life: Is he a victim or a tormentor; or is it possible that he could be both? The second half is when this tightly woven story starts to unravel and slowly answers are revealed until the very end. This is one of those books that I would enjoy twice, first going in blind and a second time to catch all the little details that become clear once you have all the answers.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book made me feel very emotion possible, I wanted to cry, scream in frustration, flinch, and even recoil in disgust. I rooted for the main character, Wavy, while I wasn't quite sure what exactly I was rooting for. I rejoiced in Wavy's small triumphs, while I hoped for so much more for her. I felt hope and heartbreak all at once. Wavy's story was tragic and depressing, but her courage and resilience were uplifting. The good people in her life didn't do enough for her, while the one person willing to do everything for her couldn't honestly be called good. Brilliantly written, Bryn Greenwood sums it all up in the title: this book is ugly and wonderful and everything in between.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An honest portrayal a motherhood and womanhood in its many forms. Priya and Asha are two women from vastly different background and circumstances that become united in life as Asha become Priya's surrogate. Amulya Malladi does a beautiful job of exploring the ups and downs of this journey for both women and their family and friends. Just as the two women come across as relatable and real, so do the people in their lives. From the husbands and in-laws to the other surrogate mothers in the "House for Happy Mothers", everyone brings a unique perspective to the story exploring the struggles, the beauty, and also the moral and ethical dilemmas of surrogacy in the context of a wide spectrum of Indian culture, from Asha's poor, rural India to California's multicultural Bay Area.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What happens when your life changes drastically from one day to next? How do you move forward and reinvent yourself? Was everything you took for granted just an illusion? These are questions Nina has to face when her husband dies and she is left to confront a new reality with her two son. The book has moments of despair as Nina's world unravels and she wonders what was true in her marriage and how she could have made different choices in the past, and uplifting moments as we see her pick up the pieces and create a new reality with her family. The book deals with issues that I could relate to as a woman and a mom, and its strength was in its portrayal of family dynamics. The portrayal of rich people in the book felt one-dimensional, as if being rich automatically made people mean, shallow, or self-centered. I think the themes of the book would have been better served with a more nuanced portrayal of society and class differences.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"One Perfect Lie" was an enjoyable, well-paced read. It's hard to talk much about the plot as it changes and surprises throughout the book, not just at the end. It starts with Chris Brennan trying to insert himself into a high school by getting a job as a teacher and a coach in the middle of the school year. It seems far-fetched that he should so easily get this job and this is one of several events in the book that seem to rely a bit much on luck or coincidence. However, this is counterbalanced by well-fleshed characters: mothers and high schoolers that ring true and sympathetic in their actions, reactions and dialogue. Overall, an entertaining thriller and mystery. This was my first book by Lisa Scottoline and I would definitely read other books by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Hats off to Sarah Schmidt for being able to immerse herself into a dark, atrocious event and find humanity in these sick, twisted characters. Told in 4 alternating points of view, the book leaves us with more questions than answers about the Borden murders; in this horrible, dysfunctional, family motives for murder abounded. But the point of this book isn't to know, but to feel. I felt sadness, pity, frustration, and anger toward this real-life cast of characters. The descriptions were evocative at a sensory level: gut-wrenching renditions of dead bodies, cringe-inducing portrayals of acts of violence, even the food was repulsive. Needless to say, this book is not a light read, but the creepy darkness is appropriate for the subject matter and it is a worthy read. I will definitely be looking for Sarah Schmidt's next novel.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was a love story, and a tragedy, a tale of redemption and revenge with elements of history and the supernatural; all brilliantly told with witty dialog and dry humor to cut through the dark plot. Excellent!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

"The Hunting Grounds" was a solid, well-paced suspense story with a touch of romance. The romance took a back seat, but it made sense for the story, more emphasis on the romantic aspects would have felt forced in the midst of trying to find a deranged murderer; I appreciated this realistic approach and still cared about Maggie and Vic's second chance at a relationship and in their career. The plot was engaging throughout and kept me guessing until the end. This was my first book by Katee Robert, but I will definitely have her on my radar from now on.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I just finished White Fur and I feel torn between a sense of admiration for the writing and frustration with the story. I was immersed in the writing, it was unique, creative, and the descriptions of New York in the eighties made the city feel like a live character. My frustration was with the other characters, the people in the book. Jamie and Elise were at times endearing, other times they seemed plain stupid; but, as a couple I found them incomprehensible. Their friends and family seem one-dimensional in their efforts to separate the pair and nothing else seemed to define the surrounding characters; however, those efforts seemed completely understandable as the two were terrible for each other. By the end of the book—after what seemed like a domino chain of bad decisions—I felt mentally exhausted with Jamie and Elise, wondering what I would consider to be a satisfying conclusion for their story. Perhaps no particular ending would have left me with a sense of closure, since I felt so ambivalent about the characters' journey. I spite of this, White Fur succeeds is where it matters the most: in its words. It is interesting, well-crafted and poetic. I would go back to this book in paper format with highlighter in hand and I would certainly read other books by this author.

I enjoyed moments in this book, but I didn't love the book itself. It's hard to try to modernize a theme that truly belongs in a past era: Shakespeare's "shrew" is today's modern, independent woman. Anne Tyler was going in the right direction in making it an immigration issue and in having Kate warm up to Pyotr as she notices their commonalities, but it felt rushed. It felt forced. The book need to be longer for the characters and relationships to develop at a more digestible pace.

Short sentences in a stream of consciousness style result in an account that is rich with details but lacking in depth. I want to dig in deeper, understand more. This style moves the narrative along quickly, describing the life of an Egyptian girl, and later woman, over the course of three important summers in the history of Egypt. But it all feels superficial. It is all very interesting and I certainly want to know more about Egyptian history after reading this book, but I am left feeling no emotional connection. The title "chronicle" really sums it up: it is an interesting, but dry, account of historical events.

I was given an ARC by First to Read in exchange for an honest review.

I breezed through this book. The story was interesting and engaging. Sometimes flashbacks are done in a way that makes a book feel disjointed, interrupting the flow of the narrative. Here, the flashbacks were done perfectly. It felt like two parallel stories and throughout the book I felt equally invested in both —knowing that one, or both, will end in heartbreak.
The characters are flawed but sympathetic, not one-dimensional as they often are in romance books. And, finally, the cliffhanger. I only mind cliffhangers when I feel cheated of a well-rounded book. This book was fun, original and left me wanting more... and that's how you do a cliffhanger.

Lately, I read mostly e-books because it is so much more practical. But, once in a while, I come across a book that deserves to be read slowly, patiently, and on paper; a book that I can make marks on and go back and forth with ease. The Loney is one of those books. The language was beautiful and insightful and I found myself highlighting left and right. The characters are well-defined and nature and religion are so vividly portrayed that they feel like characters unto themselves. This doesn't feel like a book written by a first-time author. I highly recommend it!

I received this book from NetGalley for an honest review