Happy Show Us Your Books day with Steph & Jana! I am still kinda in a funk in the sense that I am reading plenty, but books aren't really wowing me right now. With a random exception here or there. Which could be the books I'm reading, sure, but it feels like me, if that makes sense.
^All my choices for Erin's challenge!
^All my choices for Erin's challenge!
beauty and the beast retelling
This book was so good!! I kept hearing how amazing it was and I knew I would love it, and I did. But still, it took me almost 2 weeks to read, so that's how I know the funk is me and not the books I am reading. But anyway. This was such a fun, interesting, fantastic Beauty & the Beast retelling. Absolutely loved every second of it, can't wait for the next one.
Meet Me at the Cupcake Café - Jenny Colgan
lady opens a cupcake cafe after being made redundant
I don't know why this was on netgalley when it was published years ago but I'm not complaining. It was cute. I enjoyed it for the most part but had a really hard time with how she kept going back to her dirtbag ex. I liked the ending, I liked the other characters, I liked the story. Take out how much of a doormat she was and I would have liked this a lot more. No big, it was cute and passed the time well enough.
Received from Netgalley.
Two Can Keep a Secret - Karen McManus
secrets, twins, missing girls and murder mysteries
I really enjoyed her first book and found it instantly unputdownable, though it had its issues. I found this one the opposite of unputdownable in the beginning, perhaps I am easily confused but I couldn't wrap my head around it all. Eventually it picks up and I liked it a lot. So even though it wasn't instantly unputdownable, I much preferred the story, the ending and the characters in this one. I'd definitely read her next one.
sci-fi mystery thriller
Not my favourite of his, but I did like it a lot. I just think a lot went over my head and I don't know that I loved the topic. It eventually got unputdownable though, when it focuses more on the characters, maybe? I really liked the two main characters and I loved the ending. He really is a fantastic writer, he has a talent for mixing in the sciencey stuff and making it interesting and somewhat easy to understand.
Received from Netgalley.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone - Lori Gottlieb
memoir/self help
This was June's book club book and I admit, I was resistant to reading it. It was interesting, but some parts were super hard to read - that's on me though, don't think it was the content or writing that would bother other people. It was a really good book club book, lots of discussion.
memoir/self help
This was June's book club book and I admit, I was resistant to reading it. It was interesting, but some parts were super hard to read - that's on me though, don't think it was the content or writing that would bother other people. It was a really good book club book, lots of discussion.
historical fiction, grace kelly, photographer + perfumer
I requested this purely based on their other book. I wasn't loving it as much as Last Christmas in Paris, but it was good - one thing was annoying me but I could brush it off if the story went where I wanted it to go. Then something else happens and it meant I finished the book irrationally bitter and cranky. I still liked it overall, I just would have liked it a lot more if something else had happened. How's that for a vague review.
Received from Edelweiss.
Received from Edelweiss.
Parental Guidance - Avery Flynn
If you remember me talking about Butterface and Muffin Top - this is the same author. I adore her. I love the topics she writes about, I freaking love her characters, her books are just so bloody delightful. At first I was upset she was veering away from the Hartigans series, but after reading this one I am 0% upset. One of my favourite things is finding an author and knowing exactly what I am getting from them, Avery Flynn is one of them for me. If you are looking for fun, adorable, slightly steamy romances with realistic characters - pick up one of her books.
Received from Netgalley.
The Wallflower Wager - Tessa Dare
This one doesn't come out until next month, it's the third in the Girl Meets Duke series. I didn't love it as much as the first two, but I did really really enjoy it. It was funny and adorable and I wanted to squeeze the two main characters. The first one is still my favourite though!
Received ARC.
Lady Bridget's Diary - Maya Rodale
This is a mix between a P&P and Bridget Jones retelling - I know what you're thinking, Kristen, Bridget is a P&P retelling already so that's redundant but there are things in Bridget that aren't in P&P, so this is a mix of the two, and regency to boot. It was bloody delightful. Did I like it because of P&P/Bridget or because it was actually a fabulously wonderful time? Don't know, don't care friends.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown - Talia Hibbert
OMG. I cannot even with my love for this book. It comes out in November - I am never this far ahead with ARCs but there was no way I could hold off. Also, there's a cat! There needs to be more cats in books. The heroine is a chronically ill computer geek with an 'I almost died so I need to get a life' list. Also, the hero is dealing with the after effects of an emotionally abusive relationship and he's all emotionally vulnerable and not a dickhead about it. These things don't sound like they'd make a romcom, but gah. My feelings. My heart. I just, I just can't, okay. It is steamy because it is Talia Hibbert, but this is one of my top reads of 2019 fo shiz. Also, cat.
Received from Netgalley.
TL;DR - I recommend A Curse So Dark and Lonely if fantasy is at all your jam. I also did like Two Can Keep A Secret, Recursion & Maybe You Should Talk to Someone.
Read anything decent lately?
