Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
Goodreads blurb: A lone astronaut. An impossible mission. An ally he never imagined. Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and Earth itself will perish. Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it. All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company. His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species. And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone. Or does he? The intergalactic bromance I didn’t know I wanted but now I’m obsessed with
my take: 4.75 out of 5. This was the intergalactic bromance I didn’t know I wanted but now I’m obsessed with. Yes I might be there opening night in the theaters watching this movie when in comes out next year because that is how invested I am right now. I also need to know how the hell will they make rocky’s dialogue possible in a movie? But I digress. I am definitely not a sci fi reader and I was obsessed with this book, so that says a lot. It doesn’t dim down the science but it makes the story broadly accessible because in the end its not about science, its about humans and human relations and science that what we all respond to in the end. THis is a sci fi book brimming with heart and you should go and rad it right now. I did the audiobook and its amazing, highly recommend it. so now who is going to go see the movie with me?
These Summer Storms by Sarah MacLean
Goodreads blurb: New York Times bestselling author Sarah MacLean’s first foray into contemporary fiction, with a sharp, sexy novel about a wealthy New England family’s long-overdue reckoning with hidden desires, destructive secrets…and one week that threatens to tear them apart
Alice isn’t like the other Storm siblings. While the rest stayed to battle for their parents’ approval, attention, and untold billions, she left, building her own life beyond the family’s name and influence. Nothing could induce her to come back, except the shocking death of her larger-than-life father. Now back on the family’s private island off the Rhode Island coast, she plans to keep her head down, pay the last of her respects, and leave the minute the funeral is over.
Unfortunately, her father had other plans. The eccentric, manipulative patriarch left his widow and their grown children a final challenge–an inheritance game designed to humiliate, devastate, and unravel the Storm family in ways both petty and life-altering. The rules of the game are clear: stay on the island for one week, complete the tasks, receive the inheritance.
One week on Storm Island is an impossible task for Alice. Every corner of the sprawling old house is bursting dysfunctional chaos: Her older sister’s secret love affair. Her brother’s incessant mansplaining. Her sister-in-law’s unapologetic greed. Her younger sister’s obsession with “vibes”. Her mother’s penchant for stirring up competition between her children. And all under the stern, watchful gaze of Jack Dean, her father’s enigmatic, unfairly good-looking, second-in-command. It will be a miracle if Alice manages to escape the week unscathed.
A story about the transformative power of grief, love, and family, this luscious novel is at once deliciously clever and surprisingly tender, exploring past secrets, present truths, and futures forged in the wake of wild summer storms.
This is an ARC review thanks to a gift from the publisher.
My take: 4.5 out of 5. This book had so much stuff to love: family drama, intrigue, inheritances and a cute romance to boot. The location itself is a main character of the book, and you are just transported to this gorgeous house in a fabulous island. A characters that is beautiful yet spooky all at the same time. It does say summer in the title, but I felt it was quite a seasonless book, dont think you cant read it next to the fire in the fall, it has kind of those vibes too.
Park Avenue by Renée Ahdieh
Goodreads blurb: #1 NYT-bestselling YA author Renee Ahdieh’s adult debut novel, about a young lawyer who gets pulled in to manage a crisis with her firm’s biggest client, a family whose Korean beauty brand is worth a billion dollars, pitched as CRAZY RICH ASIANS meets SUCCESSION
Jia Song was always destined for greatness. As the daughter of Korean bodega owners, she promised herself that she would have every Fifth Avenue luxury when she grew up, and it is all within reach. She has just made junior partner at her prestigious Manhattan law firm, she has two best friends who are always there for her, and she is even about to score the ultra-luxe Birkin bag of her dreams. Sure, maybe her love life is in shambles and she’s spending too much time at the office. But she is set up to become the firm’s next star. So when her boss asks her for a Friday morning favor, sitting in on the hush-hush family implosion of a high-level client, she accepts without hesitation—only to find out that the client in question is one of the most famous Korean families in the world. The Park family’s net worth is estimated at a billion dollars, and their mega-successful Korean beauty brand has shaped the culture for the past two decades. But the patriarch is filing for divorce while his wife is dying, and their three children can’t stop snapping at each other. With both the family fortune and legacy under threat from the worst kind of scandal, it’s up to Jia to set things right—and she only has a month to do it. Suddenly, Jia is thrust into the three Park siblings’ back-stabbing family politics and embroiled in a drama that feels straight out of a Korean soap opera. As Jia sorts through the lies and subterfuge, chasing the truth across the globe on private jets, she finds herself falling for this broken, badly-behaving family in ways she can’t quite explain. But it is also becoming all too clear that the Parks are hiding dark secrets, from themselves and from Jia. Can she separate the truth from the lies in time to protect the Parks’ fortune and secure her success at the firm? And can she hold on to what’s most important, even if it means admitting that what she always wanted isn’t what she actually needs?
My take: 4.25 out of 5. Another rich people being crazy, it’s like crazy rich Asians meets a courtroom battle, both things that I am always in for. This should be a series or a movie for sure. I actually was surprised by some of the twists and I loved the ending, and Im a hard person to surprise. The ending is wonderful but the buildup is even better so it makes for a great ride.
How Freaking Romantic by Emily Harding
Goodreads blurb: In this sharply funny solo debut, an aspiring lawyer is forced to work alongside the opposing counsel in her best friend’s divorce case, which leads to the biggest irreconcilable difference of love.
Beatrice Nilsson has a lot to be angry about. The wage gap, the pink tax, the repayment schedule on all those student loans…the list goes on. But that anger is also what makes her such a good friend—the perennial sidekick who fights for her loved ones’ happily ever after, even while conveniently neglecting her own. So when the marriage of her two best friends falls apart—and the divorce proceedings get ugly—Bea is ready to step in and help pick up the pieces. First on her to-do list? Storm the office of Nathan Asher, her friend’s ex-husband’s lawyer, and tell him exactly what he can do with his divorce petition. But what should end with a few choice words and a slam of the door soon spirals into uncharted territory when Nathan shows up at her NYU Law office a few days later. As a newly-minted adjunct professor––and her new colleague––he proves to be annoyingly intelligent, relentlessly patient, and unfairly attractive. Bea still hates him, of course, but it’s not long before that hate begins to feel a lot like something else. There’s just one when you’ve spent your life focusing on everyone else’s love story, it’s not easy to take the starring role in your own. And as uncomfortable truths emerge about the divorce that started it all, Bea must choose whose happily ever after to everyone else’s or her own
My take: 4 out of 5. – it’s freaking cute (Even though our main character is a tad annoying) and a great romance. Nathan However is a wonderful character and I might have a bit of a crush! But if we are being honest the name of this book makes no sense.
Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein
goodreads blurb: Two sisters examine what they owe each other and what they are willing to sacrifice to make their family dreams come true. What would you give up for the person you love most? What would you expect in return?
Mia and Cricket have always been close. The gifted daughters of a young single mother, the “Lowe girls” are well-known in the small Maine town they call home. Each sister has a role to fill: The responsible and academically minded Mia assumes the position of caregiver far too young, while Cricket, a bouncing ball of energy and talent, seems born for soccer stardom. But the cost of achieving athletic greatness comes at a steep price. As Mia and Cricket grow up, they must grapple with the legacy of their mother’s secret past while navigating their own precarious future. Can Mia allow herself to fall in love at the risk of repeating a terrible history? Will Cricket’s relentless chase of a lifelong goal drive her sister away? When does loyalty become self-sabotage? A sharply observed and tender portrait of sisters, love, and ambition, Spectacular Things is a sweeping story about the impossible choices we’re forced to make in pursuit of our dreams.
My take: 4 out of 5 This is a book for sport lovers that love a good drama too. Especially great for soccer fans. I loved the development of the sisters relationship and all the sports references. Its so heartfelt and real, the decisions these women have to make are not light, and will tear at your heart a little bit.
Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil by V.E. Schwab
Goodreads blurb: This program is read by a full cast, including Grammy-winning narrator Julia Whelan, who has narrated over 600 audiobooks and is a multiple Audie and SOVAS Award winner; Marisa Calin, an Audie, Odyssey, and AudioFile Earphones Award winner; and Katie Leung, best known for her role as Cho Chang in Harry Potter.
“Julia Whelan skillfully narrates Sabine’s story of bloodlust and decay…Katie Leung’s soft Scottish accent suits the grieving Alice…Lottie is portrayed by Marisa Calin, whose crisp English accent reminds listeners of Lottie’s high-society past.”—AudioFile
This is a story about hunger.
1532. Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
A young girl grows up wild and wily—her beauty is only outmatched by her dreams of escape. But María knows she can only ever be a prize, or a pawn, in the games played by men. When an alluring stranger offers an alternate path, María makes a desperate choice. She vows to have no regrets.
This is a story about love.
1827. London.
A young woman lives an idyllic but cloistered life on her family’s estate, until a moment of forbidden intimacy sees her shipped off to London. Charlotte’s tender heart and seemingly impossible wishes are swept away by an invitation from a beautiful widow—but the price of freedom is higher than she could have imagined.
This is a story about rage.
2019. Boston.
College was supposed to be her chance to be someone new. That’s why Alice moved halfway across the world, leaving her old life behind. But after an out-of-character one-night stand leaves her questioning her past, her present, and her future, Alice throws herself into the hunt for answers . . . and revenge.
This is a story about life—how it ends, and how it starts.
My take: 3.5 out of 5. It is yet another disappointment from her for me, as my expectations will always be high, as I am expecting the next Addie La Rue, but her latest have not met them. The concept of the book is great, female vampire origin stories, I can get behind a goof vampire story especially with a feminist twist. However it fell apart in the execution for me. It was way too long, and its not only the length but the period of time where the action wasn’t moving forward. And its not a stellar vampire story, its just an ok vampire story.
Happy Wife by Meredith Lavender & Kendall Shores
Goodreads blurb: A young woman must find her missing husband and prove her innocence in this twisty, unputdownable novel set in an ultrawealthy Florida community where looks can kill. Nora Davies doesn’t exactly fit in to Winter Park, Florida, where old-guard Floridians mix with the tax-fleeing coastal elite. Twenty-eight and barely making ends meet working at a country club, Nora feels like she’s going nowhere fast. Enter Will a prominent forty-six-year-old lawyer, father to a teenage daughter and recently divorced. The two set Winter Park’s social scene agog when they fall in love and marry after a whirlwind Cinderella-style courtship.
But Winter Park is fully upended when Will disappears the morning after a birthday bash Nora throws for him. Going back and forth between Nora and Will’s romance and the search in the wake of Will’s mysterious disappearance, Nora must answer the question from all Where. Is. Will?
Combining breathless suspense, glittering and juicy social dynamics, and an unforgettable cast of characters, Happy Wife is a clever and subversive novel that explores marriage, wealth, and the secrets that lurk behind closed doors.
my take: 3.5 out of 5. This is a solid whodunnit, in the really quite bizarre extreme wealth of Winter Park. Some of the characters and situations were funny in its absurdity of what the society was capable of. It did however give me a bit on anxiety, but it had a solid good ending
Overruled by Lana Ferguson
Goodreads blurb: Two divorce lawyers determined to share only beds but not hearts discover that love is something that can’t be overruled in this steamy contemporary romance by Lana Ferguson, USA Today bestselling author of The Game Changer. Danica Pierce has one great love in her life: work. As one of the top divorce lawyers in Austin, Danica lets her caseload keep her warm at night and has no problem being married to her job, not when love only ends in hurt. When the biggest case of her career gives her a shot at making partner, it seems like nothing could possibly stand in her way…except for her infuriating secret: she’s sleeping with the enemy. Ezra Hart is known for charming his way in and out of a courtroom. In the matter of winning Danica Pierce’s heart, however, he’s been far less successful. With her verdict to keep things purely physical with no chance of appeal, Ezra struggles to show Danica he’s more than the insufferable playboy she’s pegged him to be–especially since they find themselves on opposing sides of Danica’s most important case to date. While Dani and Ezra battle it out in the courtroom, the real trial is the one happening between them. When Dani realizes that everything she knows of Ezra might be hearsay–and that she’s not the only one with emotional baggage–she must choose between her fear of trusting again and the feelings blossoming between her and the man she thought was her worst enemy.
my take: 3.25 out of 5. This is a fun legal courtroom romance. It is predictable, but in all the nice ways and it is a fast and engaging read. Also there is actually some solid character development happening.
Jilted by Vi Keeland
Goodreads blurb: Bramble’s first never-before-published title from #1 New York Times bestseller Vi Keeland is Jilted, a slow-burn, swooning romance where 27 Dresses meets The Hating Game. Weddings. I spend every working minute thinking and talking and writing about weddings, when the very concept makes me want to scream. After my fiancé abandoned me at the altar last year, my dream job at Bride magazine has turned reoccurring nightmare. To add insult to injury, I’ve been conscripted into the bridal party of some bridezilla just because she knows the owners’ son. So of course I spend all afternoon bickering with one of the groomsmen and all evening making out with him. Things only get better when I learn that of course he’s the owner’s son and I’ll have to spend the rest of the season working with him at every single wedding I cover this year. Can the jilted bride and the man who is afraid of love find a way to heal each other?
This is an ARC review thanks to a gift from the publisher.
My take: 3.25 out of 5. A generic but sweet romance that is a great ride. This book has a MMC who might be too good to be true. not necessarily a bad thing but it might make you want him in real life. Like why is he too good to be true? he’s so cute, smart, successful, he’s buying outfits for her, likes to shop with her, upgrades her to first class, plans perfect vacations, I mean you get the idea.
The View From Lake Como by Adriana Trigiani
Goodreads blurb: From the beloved New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani, a “dazzling” storyteller (Washington Post), and a “comedy writer with a heart of gold” (NYT), comes a novel about one woman’s quest to build her own life before it’s too late.
Jess Capodimonte Baratta is not living the life of her dreams. Not even close. In blue-collar Lake Como, New Jersey, family comes first. Recently divorced from Bobby Bilancia, “the perfect husband,” Jess moves into her parents’ basement to hide and heal. Jess is the overlooked daughter, who dutifully takes care of her parents, cooks Sunday dinner, and puts herself last. Despite her role as the family handmaiden, Jess is also a talented draftswoman in the marble business run by her confidant, her dapper uncle Louie, who believes she can do anything (once she invests in a better wardrobe).
When the Capodimonte and Baratta families endure an unexpected loss, the shock unearths long-buried secrets that will force Jess to question her loyalty to those she trusted. Fueled by her lost dreams, Jess takes fate into her own hands and escapes to her ancestral home, Carrara, Italy.
From the shadows of the majestic marble-capped mountains of Tuscany, to the glittering streets of Milan, and on the shores of enchanting Lake Como (the other one), Jess begins to carve a place in this new/old world. When she meets Angelo Strazza, a passionate artist who works in gold, she discovers her own skills are priceless. But as Jess uncovers the truth about her family history, it will change the course of her life and those she loves the most forever. In love and work, in art and soul, Jess will need every tool she has mastered to reinvent her life.
Fed by the author’s cherished Italian roots comes a bighearted, hilarious novel of the the story of one woman’s determination to live a creative life that matters, with enough room left over for love. With a one-way ticket to Italy, Jess is determined to write a new story on her own terms–this time, in stone.
My take: 2.75 out of 5 – I just did not care enough about this story. It was too descriptive, to the point that it took me out of the action. Some of the characters felt weird, and like I did not get why they were appealing. Angelo feels weak and weird, he leaves for Milan after a couple of weeks and he had a girlfriend. Also or FMC motivations are just not properly ironed out at all. It felt rushed and haphazard and it just did not come together for me.
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