Linda
THANK YOU Netgalley for this fantastic ARC of book two in what is quickly becoming my favorite series. Vera is hilarious and you just never know what she's going to get herself into. In book two we meet quite the cast of characters, each one lying to protect themselves when the body of someone they all knew is discovered. Although the police have determined it a suicide, Vera is certain it was murder and begins her own investigation by interviewing everyone who knew him to find the truth. But someone wants Vera to stop looking and will stop at nothing to silence her. I absolutely adored the first book in this series and I wasn't sure how Sutanto was going to top it, but top it she did! I will anxiously await book three, but in the meantime I will remember this one fondly and laugh when I think of Vera, her team and all the hilarious jokes.
I enjoyed this short guide on mindfulness. I did struggle a bit with the narrator. I'm sure she intended to be relaxing and soothing, but it made me want to fall asleep. Day 5 was helpful as it discussed behavioral changes which is something I didn't even realize I was doing prior to this book! I really liked that the author recommended documenting things. Day 6 talked about habits and how to recognize them for what they are. Day 8 was the most helpful: Control the weather. I am a very emotional person with a lot of ups and downs and this book taught me to embrace those emotions rather than trying to fight them. While not every chapter will apply to your own life (I'm not a procrastinator and I get plenty of rest so those weren't really for me) but this book has something for everyone! Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to listen.
I missed downloading this one somehow so I had to wait until it was available from my local library. It was a solid three star read for me. As a librarian, anything bookish appeals to me but this one missed the mark a bit. The premise was good, characters would good, but the delivery fell short to me. Definitely needed a little humor. At one point the MC says, “How could I be so naive?” and I thought, yes, that's been the problem this entire book.
As a librarian, I don't know how I missed this one. But when a book club I attended recommended it recently, I immediately checked it out and oh my goodness. Living in one of the #1 towns that suffered and (mostly) survived the pill mill epidemic, this one really hits home. The entire time I was reading it I felt like this could be happening down the street from me. It's so raw and painful to read but so necessary. I am so glad I read it but also so sad to think that this could be a true story. So many lives lost to drug addiction and hearing the story of these four kids is just gut wrenching but again, so beautifully written.
Thank you Netgalley for this ARC! This one was a roller coaster; at times so suspensful, I couldn't put it down while other times slow to the point I struggled to keep reading. In the end, I'm glad I finished it but what a ride. A very dark story about a man who has been missing for three years, disappearing without a trace. His girlfriend and step-daughter refuse to give up searching; convinced he's still out there somewhere, even after his camper shows up without a trace of him inside. Their travels take them all sorts of places as they search for clues and they soon discover that you can't trust everyone you meet, even if they seem harmless. It was a great story and the ending was very impressive!
I almost missed out on this cute read because of all the negative reviews. It's definitely different, but it's also a quick, fun, easy read. It's a bit hard to describe- not a cozy mystery even though it reads like one. It's part harlequin, part Hallmark movie. But I enjoyed all of it. A little quirky, and little sexy, and just all around perfect for this time of year!
Really torn with rating this one. I had to start over so many times because there are so many characters introduced in the first few chapters but I refused to give up. Then, it was good. So good I couldn't stop listening. Then, it was annoying. How many suspects can you have? And how many times can the detective get it wrong before she gets it right? It drove me a bit mad to the point I lost interest while listening and I don't even know who killed who and why! Alas, I will read book 2 in the hopes the series improves over time. Side note, was the characters name really MarGOT or Margot and the narrator got it wrong every single time? Regardless, that drove me a bit crazy too
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this cute rom-com. While it wasn't my favorite and I struggled with several parts, I overall enjoyed it and I'm glad I read it. The lead up did not keep my interest and this made it hard to follow. But I gave it a chance and pushed through. Around the half way mark, the book picks up and I found myself cheering for Erin and her mystery guy. The correspondence between the pages of a book was just adorable! And I loved what Erin said when she explained her reasoning behind it.
A love story about Shiloh and Cary. A story about what ifs and if only. So many opportunities for these two to say yes to each other. I would tell you what I absolutely loved about it and what I could have done without but that would ruin it for the rest of you. But I will say I loved much more than I disliked and Rainbow Rowell is an amazing author and this one tugged at my heartstrings. I'm so glad I read it and I'm so happy to have met Shiloh and Cary ❤️
Thank you Netgalley for this wonderful opportunity to read Amanda's story. That it had to be told is heartbreaking but her honesty and integrity shines in every single page and I appreciate her willingness to share her journey and speak out about the injustice of book banning nationwide. The audacity of absolute strangers attacking her personally with no remorse or shame absolutely infuriated me. I can't believe we live in a time where libraries are under attack, that sharing information with the patrons we serve is illegal in some states, yet attacking a person you don't even know on social media and spreading blatant lies about them is okay. How is this okay? My heart breaks for this librarian and the countless others who have gone through such horrible experiences simply by fighting for others rights to read. It's a part of history that I hope one day will be remembered as absurd and ridiculous.
This book was not only a huge eye opener, but also life changing. The amount of foods I eat with vegetable oils is quite disturbing. Some of my key takeaways: Restaurants don't change their oil often enough (supposed to be once a week in America, but we all know that's not happening), fried foods are the worst of the worst (okay, I knew this but it's worth mentioning and reminding myself to never eat french frieds or anything else deep fried again), my coffee creamer is horrible (I might have to quit), Premade baked goods are BAD (seriously a part of my daily diet) Best restaurant? Arby's! Crazy... Statins!?!?!? Don't get me started on the cholesterol pill I'm taking every day that could be slowly killing me. I learned so much, and I plan to take control asap. I might need to buy this book as borrowing it from my public library was just not enough.
Thank you Netgalley for this entertaining romantasy novel about a girl and her plant trying to escape the town they live, while also saving as many books as possible from the library she works at. When a revolution takes over their quait, happy town, Kiela and Caz flea with what books they can carry to her childhood home. There she finds a cute but nosy neighbor and a host of other people who will do whatever it takes to protect Kiela and Caz. The romance was sweet, but Kiela did drive me a bit crazy with some of her antics. She second guessed everything and her inner dialog was not necessary in this readers opinion, but over all absolutely adorable!
I absolutely adored this brief but entertaining, thorough audio about Taylor's life. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the honor of hearing it first. As a new Swift fan, this unauthorized biography told me a lot about her life growing up, the Christmas tree farm, her long saga with obtaining rights to her music and the drama surrounding her, Kanye and Kim Kardashian. Overall, I learned a lot I didn't already know and the author's writing style kept me engaged during the entire book. The narrator was also fabulous! I will highly recommend this one to anyone who wants to know more about Swift or who adores her in general, like me.
This one really surprised me. A rom-com written from a male perspective! And it was actually really good. Thank you Jeff Zentner, I thoroughly enjoyed this story about Colton Gentry and his lost first love Luann. Just a sweet, small town romance with just enough of everything you look for in a romantic comedy.