Genevieve
The premise of The Mayor of Maxwell Street immediately caught my attention historical fiction set in 1920s Chicago is right up my alley. Unfortunately, the story didn’t hold my interest the way I’d hoped. I struggled to stay engaged with the plot, and the characters didn’t quite pull me in. It just didn’t work for me this time.
This was an interesting read, but it moved a little too fast for me. I didn’t get the chance to really connect with the characters or really get to know their story. I knew more about the App that the character Sanaa was creating and that she had a health scare than the actual person. I also needed to know more about Ezra, he came across as a demanding stranger, and honestly he kind of scared me of how fast he was falling for someone he didn’t know. There wasn’t much buildup or closure, and the ending left me with a few questions. Still, the premise had potential, I just wish it had been explored a bit more. Maybe I’m just not the audience for short, spicy reads. I need the buildup, the longing, the love… guess I’m just a hopeless romantic.
Imagine going to your sister’s destination wedding in Tulum, Mexico, sounds like paradise, right? WRONG. The groom happens to be your recent ex (who you definitely have no feelings for anymore), and your sister, aka the bridezilla, has made you her maid of honor while treating you like trash. All you want to do is relax and let off some steam.
Now let’s talk about Rome, the groom’s best friend! He’s always known Janelle was off limits, but the chemistry between them is so strong. When he proposes they give in and have a no strings attached romance only for the week, Janelle agrees, but things don’t stay simple for long.
This was my first Natasha Bishop book, and I was not disappointed! I felt every emotion, the love, the tension, and the frustration. I really disliked her sister and mother; they’re the true definition of jealousy and hate. I did appreciate her dad for trying to be there, but I wished he’d done more. Rome was such a great addition to Janelle’s life, showing her how to choose herself first.
I also loved the circle of friends and truly hope this turns into a series so we can get their stories too. The pacing was perfect, and just when I thought the story was over, Natasha gave us more, “Behind the Epilogue” 4 chapters and “Beyond the Epilogue” 2 chapters! I loved that extra touch. Highly recommend!
Reading Assata was such an emotional experience. I was amazed by her courage and everything she went through. It’s heartbreaking to see how much she suffered just for standing up for what she believed in. This memoir is powerful, necessary, and unforgettable.
I especially loved reading about her childhood, the struggles she faced as a teenager. The constant trials, the false accusations, and her escape to Cuba was an incredible part of the story and so intense.
What hit me the hardest was what she had to go through while pregnant in jail, and the scene with her 4 year old daughter, broke my heart.
Assata spent years in solitary confinement, the way she was treated was beyond cruel. Knowing she recently passed away makes this book feel even heavier. Her story and her legacy will never be forgotten. 🕊️
RIP Assata Olugbala Shakur (9/25/2025)
This one just wasn’t for me. Once I made it through the first few chapters, I kept asking myself, what am I even reading? I honestly wanted to DNF, but I pushed through because, it’s Octavia Butler.
There were way too many sexually explicit scenes involving Shori, a 50-something year old vampire in a child’s body, and adult men and women which made the story really cringey to read. I couldn’t look past that, and by the halfway point, I was honestly bored.
I only finished it for my book club, but I can see why many readers consider this her “worst book”. I still recommend checking out Octavia Butler’s other books, just maybe skip this one.
This was my first read by Nic Stone and I have to say it took me on a crazy ride. My husband and I couple-read this one and talked about each chapter as we finished. We also immersed read, which was a plus, but I kind of wished the narrator had a little more enthusiasm in some of the key parts.
I’ll admit, I was a little confused at first, the characters names are so similar that I actually had to write down who was who and how they were connected before things fully clicked. But once it did, the story really came together for me.
The story follows three strippers, two of them go missing weeks apart, and the third is trying to figure out what happened to them. It goes into their lives outside of the strip club and helps you to understand that these women are more than what they do for a living. Once my husband and I started putting our investigation skills together, it all made sense and got really good.
The only thing I didn’t love was the ending, it felt a little dull after such an intense buildup. Still, this was a crazy, fast-paced read and I look forward to reading more of her work.
I was gifted this book by my manager at work, and I’m so glad he shared it with me. Theo of Golden follows a mysterious, kind hearted older man from Portugal who arrives in Golden, Georgia. After visiting a local coffee shop and being moved by the portraits displayed there, he decides to buy all of them, with the heartfelt intention of finding and gifting them to their rightful owners.
This book was such a pleasant surprise for me. I’ve never read anything quite like it. It’s a beautifully written story about kindness, generosity, friendship, and love. Though it’s slow paced, it kept me wanting to know more. The characters are warm and very memorable, I laughed out loud at moments, and while I didn’t cry, I definitely got emotional.
It’s an inspiring read with gentle Christian themes that might not be for everyone, but I found it thoughtful and moving. The ending caught me completely off guard in the best way. This book will tug at your heart and stay with you long after you’ve finished.
This was a Frankenstein retelling and my first Kalynn Bayron read. I honestly enjoyed it! Even though it dragged a bit in some parts, It was a solid spooky season pick. The audio was just okay, but the cover, was absolutely gorgeous. This was the main reason I wanted to read this book. The story follows Meka , a newly certified mortician’s assistant working at her parents funeral home. But then weird things start happening, and she realizes the family business is way more complicated than she thought, and It’s up to her to figure out the secrets.
The Black Queen by Jumata Emil was such an engaging mystery that kept me on edge the entire time! I was constantly guessing who was behind the murder, and every time I thought I had it figured out, I was wrong. This one gave me Tiffany D. Jackson vibes, the way Emil weaves in themes of racism, privilege, and social injustice alongside a twisty, suspenseful plot was so well done. For a debut, the writing was sharp, emotional, and powerful. Beautifully written, relevant, and fast paced. I can’t wait to read more from Jumata Emil.
3.75⭐️ This was my first book by Stacy Willingham, and I was definitely entertained. The writing pulled me in right away, and those last few chapters had me glued to the pages. The main character did get on my nerves a bit. Chloe was out here trying to be a full time investigator, taking on everyone and everything by herself, girl, relax! I didn’t see the biggest twist coming at all, and it totally made up for the slower parts. A story full of twist, that kept me interested start to finish. I’d definitely read more from this author!
Why did I wait so long to read this?! I’m so mad at myself for putting this one off! I didn’t hear much hype around White Smoke, so I thought it wouldn’t live up to Tiffany D. Jackson’s other books… and I was so wrong. This book (and the audiobook!) was amazing.
In true Tiffany D. Jackson fashion, you think you know where the story’s going, and boom, she completely blows your mind. This one follows a blended family who moves from California to Detroit after the mom “wins” a house as part of a weird contract/contest. The catch? They have to live there, and attend community events.
From there, things get creepy. You have Sam the middle child who is sweet, kind and the peacemaker in the family. The oldest daughter Mari is dealing with her own issues after some trouble back home, and then the little one the stepdaughter Piper who’s a brat, gets an “imaginary friend” who insists they leave her house. 👀 Let’s just say, things get crazy, so many twists, so much chaos, and that ending… whew!
If you love psychological horror with Tiffany D. Jackson’s signature twisty storytelling, don’t sleep on this one!
3.75⭐️This book started off strong, I was hooked from the beginning and had to know what was in that trunk. The mystery and tension around it, and how the main character reacted anytime someone got too close, really pulled me in. But once the reveal happened, I was like… okay. The second half started to lose me, I kept feeling confused, like I was missing something, and found myself rereading chapters just to keep up. There were so many characters and shifting POVs that it started to feel all over the place. Overall, it was an okay read, just not what I expected. If the second half had matched the intrigue of the first, this definitely would’ve gotten a higher rating from me.
This book was amazing! I listened to the audiobook while reading the physical copy, and those drawings in the book were such a perfect tie in to the story. It’s written beautifully and kept me interested from start to finish, I seriously did not see that ending coming. These people were crazyyy! The suspense and thrill were there the whole time, and I honestly couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to dive into more of Jason Rekulak’s work!
Thank you NetGalley and Dynamic Books Publishing for the ARC of Forget You Saw Her by Noelle W. Ihil!
Ms. Noelle has been an auto buy author for me since I first read the synopsis for Ask For Andrea. Before I even cracked open any of her books, I already owned four that’s how confident I am in her storytelling. Reading this prequel was something I definitely needed to read! It was such an amazing, emotional, and thrilling ride from start to finish.
The story is told through three POVs, and each character brought something powerful and unique to the table. It’s fast paced, deeply engaging, and I honestly didn’t want to put it down. I’ll definitely be grabbing a physical copy when it releases on November 4th!
Sabina, Andrea’s mom, completely stole my heart with her resilience and strength. Isabel… oh Isabel 😔. And Andrea, what a journey. Anything she writes, I’m buying!!!
Noelle W. Ihil is one of my auto buy authors, and while this wasn’t my favorite from her, it was still an engaging read. I liked the dual POVs, especially getting the perspective of the killer, it added a creepy layer that pulled me in. The story gave spooky season vibes, like watching an old school Halloween thriller. Not super scary, but just intense enough to keep you on edge. A solid 3.5 star read for me.
I got annoyed with some of the characters in the beginning, but in true Tiffany D. Jackson fashion, she switches things up and has you thinking how?! I didn’t completely guess the twist, but I had a feeling it had something to do with the FMC character’s past. Still, I really enjoyed the story. Once I got over the initial annoyance and the story started to come together, nobody was trustworthy, and I loved that. It’s fast paced, dramatic, and keeps you guessing, with twists that had me not trusting a single character. Overall, you really can’t go wrong with a book by Ms. Tiffany D. Jackson.
I absolutely love Tiffany D. Jackson’s writing, she’s one of those authors who never disappoints. The Weight of Blood was such a powerful and chilling read. From page one, I was completely drawn in. The way she wove together themes of racism, identity, and horror was brilliant. I also listened to the audiobook, and the podcast style format made it feel so real, like I was right in the middle of it all. Easily one of my favorite reads by her so far!
This one was a little tough for me at first. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I did an immersive read with the audiobook, and those hour long chapters were a struggle, and some parts were so slow. But once it picked up, I actually started to enjoy it. I even thought about DNFing it, but I listened to my husband and pushed through, and I’m glad I stuck with it in the end. Not a favorite, but overall just okay.
This book was emotional, tense, and dark in ways I didn’t expect. The story slowly comes together, and by the time everything clicks, you’re left sitting there like… whoa! I loved how faced paced it was and the different character POVs I wasn’t shocked at the twist but some part were a nice surprise.
I didn’t like this one as much as I thought I would, it was just okay for me. The plot was really good, but somewhere along the way I found myself just wanting it to end. It dragged in parts, even though the idea had so much potential. Definitely not a favorite, but I can appreciate what it was going for. The twist at the end was interesting though!
Dungeon Crawler Carl is ridiculously funny. Carl and his cat Princess Donut make the shenanigans so much fun to follow. The story gets so crazy and messy at times, but I was interested the whole way. Having the audiobook while physically reading brought the characters to life in such an unique and interesting way. Definitely a must read if you like dark humor and action!
This was my first read by Nat Cassidy and it definitely won’t be my last! When the Wolf Comes Home kept me on the edge of my seat, I was constantly trying to piece things together, only for the story to twist in ways I never saw coming. This book is about fear and the power it can have over you, and Cassidy delivers that in such a chilling, unforgettable way. I went in completely blind (and I’m glad I did!), it was fast paced, crazy good, and full of surprises. Even though the ending left me with a few questions about the FMC, it didn’t take away from how much I loved this book. Honestly, it blew my mind, an amazing story.