The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Vol. 1-8 by Beth Brower
Blurb: The series follows Emma M. Lion, a witty, independent woman in Victorian London (1883), writing her private journals as she navigates eccentric relatives, social expectations, friendships, and unexpected mysteries.
My take: 4.5 out of 5. I was obsessed reading them. A fabulous 4 friends to follow in Victorian England, please make this a series now. Im not going to individually write about them because it will take all the caption, but there are 8 of them and you will not be able to stop. It starts slow but it builds up.
The top tier is Vol 5,6 and 7. Mid tier is 2,3,4 and 8 and the bottom tier is book 1, you have to get through it for it to get good.
Also I need to start discussing who you are rooting for, I’m torn!
Lost and Found by Tarah DeWitt
Goodreads blurb: stunning novel of romance and redemption set in the Spunes, OR world, filled with heartbreak and hope from “master of emotion” (Rachel Lynn Solomon) USA Today bestselling author Tarah DeWitt.
Bea always wanted to be a mom. But she never expected she’d have to lose her best friend to do it. Armed with nothing but her best friend’s eggs and a bucket list to complete, Bea’s world is a sea of changes.
When she needs a place to stay, her longtime friend Silas steps in to help. A firefighter grappling with the aftermath of an accident, Silas has his own challenges to work through that have left him cautious and vulnerable.
At first, they expect nothing. But as these two former sunshines knit together in a love that has been unfulfilled until now, a new beginning comes out of the ashes of the past—one that will lead to a love that can withstand all the slings and arrows, joys and triumphs, that life can throw.
This is an ARC review thanks to a gift from the publisher.
Goodreads blurb: 2.75 out of 5. – I liked this series, its sweet and simple and cute romances. However, this installment gave me a bit of an ick, the whole concept from the weird IVF to the cluelessness was just a bit much for me to handle, and even though I liked revisiting the characters I was just looking forward to this ending quite quickly, not what you want in a good book. And i think it was the IVF that really threw me off, I get it as a story point but for me it was super strange, I’m kind of with the family members who were perturbed by it. Like, Im trying to think what i would do if my best friend died and left me her eggs to get pregnant? Very weird, like disturbingly weird and therefore I was a bit confused the rest of the book.
The Fine Art of Lying by Alexandra Andrews
Goodreads blurb: From the critically acclaimed author of Who is Maud Dixon? comes a riveting new novel about a young wife and mother in a world of wealth and privilege, whose rash mistake sets off a domino effect of murder and betrayal.
In the beginning, there was art.
It was Clare Bast’s love of art that saved her from a bleak, predictable life in upstate New York, and drew her to the cultured world of Manhattan’s Upper East Side where she met Jed, her doting, affluent husband.
Despite her best efforts—including a half-finished PhD, abandoned when her daughter Sadie was born—Clare secretly can’t help but feel like an imposter in Jed’s one-percent, Park-Avenue life.
When the well-connected wife of Jed’s new boss introduces her to influential friends, a curator here, a gallerist there, an aficionado abroad, Clare feels an essential part of herself coming alive again. And when she discovers that an important work painted by the subject of her unfinished dissertation is hanging in the brownstone of a seductively attractive dealer, she believes fate is leading her where she belongs . . . until she finds herself at the scene of a gruesome murder and a stolen masterpiece. Caught in the perfectly wrong place at the perfectly wrong time, every clue the investigation uncovers points back to her.
Suddenly, Clare is trapped inside a dark and treacherous art world filled with unscrupulous dealers and international criminals. What exactly, has she gotten herself into . . . and how is she going to get herself, and her family, out?
my take: 3.5 out of 5. a witty quick thriller read. Especially good for people who love art. I actually really enjoyed the twists and how I did not know what was going on. The whole art world ambiance was cool and a perfect setting for the story.
The Mistake by Elle Kennedy
Goodreads blurb: Get ready for another binge-worthy romance from international bestselling author and TikTok sensation Elle Kennedy. He’s a player in more ways than one… College junior John Logan can get any girl he wants. For this hockey star, life is a parade of parties and hook-ups, but behind his killer grins and easygoing charm, he hides growing despair about the dead-end road he’ll be forced to walk after graduation. A sexy encounter with freshman Grace Ivers is just the distraction he needs, but when a thoughtless mistake pushes her away, Logan plans to spend his final year proving to her that he’s worth a second chance. Now he’s going to need to up his game… After a less than stellar freshman year, Grace is back at Briar University, older, wiser, and so over the arrogant hockey player she nearly handed her V-card to. She’s not a charity case, and she’s not the quiet butterfly she was when they first hooked up. If Logan expects her to roll over and beg like all his other puck bunnies, he can think again. He wants her back? He’ll have to work for it. This time around, she’ll be the one in the driver’s seat…and she plans on driving him wild.
my take: 3.25 out of 5. I mean after the rabbit hole of watching Off campus, I started reading all the books. They are not as good as the series but I was happy to revisit Briar U. Im sure 75% of this book will be rewritten for the series, but the meet cute – that has to stay its amazing.
Starside by Alex Aster
Goodreads blurb: From Alex Aster, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Lightlark series, comes her first adult romantasy. Enter the world of Starside , where swords wield magic and power is not inherited…but claimed.
Hundreds of years ago, a brutal war split a land in two. Starside is the realm of magic and immortals—the descendants of the gods, living in a power-rich paradise. Stormside is where mortals fight for scraps of that magic.
Every fifty years, the gates between them open, and fifty challengers are allowed to journey across Starside on a deadly quest to access a pool of magic that can heal, grant wealth, or extend life. Everyone has their reasons for entering, but Aris has only vengeance. As a child, a goddess set fire to her village, killing her family. Aris isn’t after the gods’ magic—she’s going to kill them.
First, she must survive the Culling, the king’s deadly competition to choose his fifty challengers. An orphaned blacksmith’s apprentice, Aris doesn’t have the superior weapons of the heirs from the Great Houses. But the greatest swords—ones that contain power—are not inherited or bought, they are claimed, by both sides. And when Aris claims a great sword, it makes her not just a real competitor—but a target.
Getting past the gates is only the beginning. Starside is deadlier than it seems. If the ancient creatures, magic-wielding beasts, and bloodthirsty immortals weren’t dangerous enough, a new peril has even immortals fearing what rises from the ground at night. With a blade ost would kill to claim, Aris can’t trust anyone. Especially not Harlan Raker, the merciless and mysterious king’s guard who betrayed her years ago—and who may now be the key to her survival.
But Aris is hiding a secret tied to her family’s death. And when it’s revealed, not even the gods will be able to stop what’s coming…
my take: 3 out of 5 . This first in the fantasy series has some great potential and I loved the end, but the book was way longer than it needed to be and it rally dragged at points. I understand world building but at some point you need action to keep the narrative going. This book was more world building than action and that becomes a problem
bonus: Amazon’s Summer Lovin series
I usually enjoy Amazons Original Stories, they are short sweet and generally pretty good. I have to say in this case, I was a tad dissapointed. Two were OK (As in 3 stars nothing more) Three were 2 starrs and one I DNFed. If you want to get on these (And they are fast and free if you have kindle unlimited) here is my ranking of the 5 I read:
- One Hot Summer Wedding by Falon Ballard – Falon Ballard is always fun, and this story made me at least laugh
- Summer Thaw by Rebecca Jenshak – After Heated Rivalry and Off Campus I kind of was into the Hockey
- Summer Staycation by Sarah Grunder Ruiz
- Save a Horse, Keep the Cowboy by Jessica Peterson – Not up to Jessica Petersons standard at all and pretty predictable, but it was enjoyable.
- S’more of You by Tessa Bailey – Tessa Bailey did us wrong here, or at least maybe dont let TEssa Bailey do YA. It felt wrong and absurd.
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