Pam

3.5 rounded up to a 4

The first half of the book was a bit slow moving. I found Tania to be kind of whiny. But as the action picked up the book became more enjoyable.

The book I needed at this moment. As a woman in my mid 40s, I can relate to Liv trying to figure out what's next in my life.

An in-depth look at the life of a young cancer patient. The book discusses her treatment and then a look at what happens next.

A brief reminder that we are all changing constantly. And that there is nothing wrong with that.

The audio is by the author herself.

I want to thank St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Fake It Till You Bake It. All opinions presented here are solely mine.

Fake It Til You Bake It is a mix of two of my favorite activities-baking and sports! Add in some fake dating, a sunny California beach setting, and a touch of steam-and you have a perfect mix!

Yes, this romance has some steamy moments, but most of them are PG-13. There is one place that is a little steamier than others. But even then, it's not excessively detailed.

Sugar Blitz is the kind of place I would love to have near me, a neighborhood cupcakery where people can gather and socialize. Oh, and have some delicious cupcakes! You can't forget the cupcakes!

Reading a romance with more male characters than females was a bit unusual. August and Nicholas are Donovan's friends, business partners, and teammates. They also appear quite a bit in the story, as most center around Sugar Blitz. Ella is the only other employee at Sugar Blitz. The only female other than Mrs. T, who is in the story consistently, is Oliva-Jada's best friend.

This mystery had layers and layers to it.

A fun fantastical read. While I would never wish to find a dead body nor fight in a war, being a magical baker could be quite fun!

CW/TW: Islamaphobia, racism, bigotry

A great story examining Muslim lives in America.

CW/TW: drug abuse, abortion, racism, assault

A multi-generational look at a Metis family.

Not an easy read, but one that shows how violence and abuse can be passed down through generations.

3.5 rounded up to a 4

I realize I started the series partway through, and thus may have missed some of the backstory. Like Sloan's fascination with her soon to be ex-in-laws past. But that didn't pull me too much out of the story. I know most cozy mysteries have a running story throughout the series, and I guess that is the theme for this one.

I didn't suspect the culprit, though there were many clues pointing that way.

I want to thank St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Home Field Advantage. All opinions presented here are solely mine.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

Home Field Advantage is a YA contemporary sapphic romance. There is a twist of fake dating, but not quite in the way, one might expect. The book's focus is on Jack and Amber, but some of the other relationships are more interesting. I found myself cheering more for Miguel and Malcolm than I did for Jack and Amber. While Jack and Amber were following the “stereotype” of quarterback and cheerleader, it felt too rushed and disjointed.

As for the way Jack is treated by the team, being a girl in a “boy's” world, I understand that and feel it was well written. Being the first girl to play football in a high school's history isn't easy. There is bound to be teasing from the guys on the team and challenges to determine your suitability. Schoolmates are either going to be on your side or not. Of course, stepping into the shoes of the former star player who passed away in the spring wouldn't be easy for anyone. Add to it that her family made enormous sacrifices for her, and Jack was not in a comfortable position.

I know that I am not the target audience for this book, as I have been out of high school for a while now. But I have experience playing high school sports and thought I would give this a try. Overall, I found this to be an okay read. The beginning is a bit slow, but the pacing picks up the further you go.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley, but all opinions are solely mine.

This is a rom-com staring a Manahattan girl who LOVES Hallmark movies, and jumps at the chance to visit a small town with a big city developer moving in. Once there she meets a guy who she believes is the hot single guy in town. Turns out he works for the developer. What could go wrong?

I enjoyed this book. It is easy to read with a medium level of steam. Not quite closed door or super detailed.

More of a women's fiction than romance.

Could have done with a bit more editing, and lost 50-100 pages without losing anything.

2.5 rounded up to 3

Thank you to W by Wattpad and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy. All opinions are mine.

A very steamy lust at first sight that turns to love at first sight.

My issues come from the unrealistic steamy moments and errors in the parts discussing baseball.

For a more in-depth review, please visit my blog: https://readbakecreate.com/out-of-his-league-by-caroline-richardson-book-review/

Another great book in the series.

An interesting look at a refugee's life.

For a more in-depth review, visit my blog: https://readbakecreate.com/what-strange-paradise-by-omar-el-akkad-book-review/

A pleasant story about a part of WWII history most people don't think about.

Not an easy read in many ways. The subject matter, especially in the first “chapter” is raw and real. But the format of the book doesn't give the reader much breathing room, or a chance to stop and absorb what's being read.

3.5 rounded up to a 4

I want to thank St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Under Lock & Skeleton Key. All opinions presented here are solely mine.

Under Lock & Skeleton Key pays homage to many great classic mystery writers. Tempest and Ivy often refer to books they have read to help guide their investigations, and it felt as though they needed to refer to those books a bit more a few times.

Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. But it felt as though the writing was a bit clunky.

For a full review, visit my blog: https://readbakecreate.com/under-lock-skeleton-key-by-gigi-pandian-book-review/

3.5 rounded up to a 4

The first half of the book was a bit of a drag. I was tempted to DNF it a few times, but I'm glad I kept reading.

3.5 rounded up to a 4

I want to thank Wise Wolf Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Gridiron Girl. All opinions presented here are solely mine.

As a gridiron girl myself, I played in high school and wished I had played more; I had such high hopes for this book. While the book does focus on Jules's struggles to find her place among the team, it also focuses quite a bit on a romantic relationship. I appreciate the inclusion of her relationship with Owen; I don't think the added romantic tension with Christian was needed.

While the book does contain a romance aspect, it is pretty tame. Kissing and holding hands is the only form of intimate contact throughout the book. A few times, it appears Jules would like more, but she is more focused on sports and her future to do anything else. And because of this, I would feel comfortable saying the target audience of this book could be on the younger end of the young adult range.

For a more in-depth review, visit my blog: https://readbakecreate.com/gridiron-girl-by-tamara-girardi-book-review/

CW/TW: gaslighting, emotional abuse

3.5 rounded up to a 4

Interesting how Christie managed to write an all-encompassing murder mystery in so few pages. With over half the book being the setup, I was beginning to wonder what was going on, when the murder was going to happen, and of course, who committed the murder.

The end was a bit of a surprise, but not entirely.