Amy's bookshelf: read-in-2017
I took my time with this one, reading it over several months. There are a few reasons for this ... one, it broke my heart when it reminded me of what could have been. Of where we could have been. And because I am a huge Hillary Clinton f...
Although this is the third book in a series, I haven't read the first two books. This read very much like a stand alone. And I enjoyed it so much that I intend to go back and read the first two in the series. I love a reunited story line...
I struggled a bit with this review ... although I loved the book as a whole, I didn't find the journey nearly as satisfying as it could be. Eleanor, as a character, is fantastic - her journey in the novel is what really makes it special....
I've been dipping in and out of this one for the last few weeks. I think that was a really nice way to work through this book. I jumped around to the various topics that interested me the most. Let me start by saying I'm a huge Anne Boge...
It is killing me to give an Ann Patchett novel 3 stars. I'm a huge fan of her work. This is really the first of her novels that I didn't love. Now, let me start with the fact that this novel is beautifully written. Ann Patchett can WRITE...
Although part of an existing series (of which I've only read the 3rd book), I do think this worked just fine as a stand alone novel. I enjoyed how the background of the series was tied into this particular story. This was a solid romance...
It took me a little to get into this one but once I did, I was IN. This was a nice, light romance with an interesting story line. I loved the chemistry between the characters and the side characters were all well drawn and had depth. It ...
I am really struggling with this review. There were things that I liked about this one and things that didn't quite work for me. Since finishing, I've heard several interviews with the author and that has given me a bit more of a positiv...
Really enjoyed this romance. I read the 5th in this series not long ago and really liked it. I tend to enjoy the hockey centered romances and this is a good one. Off to catch up with the series!
Really nice conclusion to the series - liked this one more than #2 only because there wasn't all the repetitive dialogue. This one picked up where #2 ended and moved right along.
It's so hard to review this one for me. I love Dan Brown and the Robert Langdon series as a whole. It's just good, fun fiction! But, this one didn't work for me at all. It felt like it took FOREVER to finish. I kept hoping it would pick ...
I really like this series but I was annoyed by the 'repeats' when the story covered the same ground but from a different perspective. It was not fun to have to read the dialogue over again ... and over again. But, I loved the romance her...
Really enjoyed this one. Excited to read the others in this series. Liked the focus on the tornado and the town of Chance was such a great location/community for this story!
It kills me to rate this one so low but it just did not work for me. It had a lot of elements that are right in my wheelhouse but the pieces never came together for me. I liked the whole wedding planning component of the book. That allow...
really liked how this series came together in the end. Quite liked this series as it introduced me to some new things!
Read in a day ... nice continuation of the series. Really enjoyed reading about the unique challenges with this sort of relationship.
A little outside of my usual romance reads but I liked this one. It was interesting to see how this relationship between the 3 main characters grew. I've never given much thought to the experience or challenge of life as part of a polya...
HAD to read this given how book 1 finished ... and I'm very happy with how this ended although moments early in this one were annoying because I had a hard time understanding the heroines decisions. But, it came together for me and I was...
I very rarely give a romance a five star review - this one is getting it for a couple of reasons. First of all, the heroine is a non-traditional heroine. She's not a perfect 10 with a perfect body. She's a 'normal' woman with flaws and b...
It was difficult to follow at times but I liked the story overall. It all came together for me in the end and I really enjoyed it. I loved Brody ... and their relationship.
I didn’t expect to enjoy this one quite as much as I did. A cop and a theater owner … yes, please! I love how they met – so perfect given their characters. Sophie and Finn are such an interesting mix and their journey is quite interestin...
It took me a little while to get into this one and connect to the characters but once I did, it was worth the wait! The whole people from different worlds trope is always interesting and I think this one was done particularly well. I lov...
This one really surprised me! It wasn’t so much a sexy book as a true exploration of a relationship. I kind of liked that after a lot of racy romances recently. It was nice to focus on the relationship instead of the physical stuff. I re...
I read this one slowly and dipped in as I could. It’s not a ‘fast’ read. It’s a thoughtful one, one that really challenged me in new ways. It challenged much of the ‘history’ I’ve been taught in schools. It helped me understand the histo...
I loved this story of a pro hockey player still mourning the death of his wife and trying to get himself back in the rink after taking time off to mourn. Max was an interesting character with quite a bit of depth. I really liked Kendra a...
I love dystopian stories. They are some of my favorites. So, I was really looking forward to this one. Given our current political environment and the seemingly daily assault on the rights of women, I think this book does a good job of g...
This was such a fun and interesting book. Mastromonaco has such an amazing voice. I really enjoyed learning about her employment path. The behind the scenes look at Obama’s election and presidency was just fascinating! As a political jun...
I really struggled with this review. I’d heard so much praise and buzz around this one so I was eager to read it. I even heard someone say that if you love A Little Life, you’d love this one. Well, I loved that book and I was hopeful tha...
I really enjoyed Ng’s first novel so I was really excited to dig into her new novel. And this one did not disappoint! Her writing is beautiful, her story just grabbed me and didn’t let go. The weaving together of the elements of the stor...
Any book with a heroine who owns a bookstore will get my attention. And I’m so glad I read this one. I loved the dynamic of the characters as they came together. The whole relationship with Caleb was handled well. The pacing was good. I ...
I was concerned that this book was just another book treading ground that has been tread before in literary fiction. But, I felt this one did a really good job exploring something very timely – an accusation and its impact to the family ...
I really loved this book and I can’t wait to read more. I loved the characters – especially Levi. He’s perfection. Great pacing, strong story. It came together really well for me. I’d say this one is sexy but sweet as well as lighthearte...
I liked this one but didn't love it. I wish there had been a bit more character development. But all in all, a solid read.
The premise of this one is fantastic and the book itself definitely delivers! This is a fast paced novel that just builds and builds and builds. There were times that I found myself tensing up as I read. It kept me on the edge of my seat...
I’m really worried that I’m not going to be able to do this book justice with a review. It’s one of the best books I’ve read in a while. This is a novel about the south, about parenting, about racism, about growing up, about ghosts – esp...
This is such an interesting romance. The heroine is such a strong person and I found her character so fascinating. And the hero … wow, what a guy! He rocks. Their connection is really wonderful. The focus on living a life in the public e...
I love this series ... yet another good read. Sarah Morgan has become one of my go-to writers for romance. This series gets better and better!
yet another great book in the series. i think this is the final book. I've really liked these!
I love the idea of a feminist, sex-positive, intelligent and nuanced romance. It isn’t something that is always present in the romance genre. My understanding is the author read Fifty Shades of Grey and decided to write this novel in res...
This is a series about the cousins of another book series by the author. I quite liked this one although it's very, very heavy with sexual content. I didn't connect with the characters as easily as in the other series but I did like it.
I have not always had luck with Joshilyn Jackson’s novels. They don’t tend to resonate with me. And so … I think this one may be my favorite of her novels so far. Although on the surface, this novel is about a woman who feels a bit lost ...
The second in the Dare to Love series. Yet another great read. I love this family and how well Phillips tells the stories of their journeys. Lots of romance but also a lot of sex. Off to pick up number 3! I’m on a roll!
Another new series for me … I picked this one up randomly and could not put it down! It captivated me immediately. Ian Dare and Riley Taylor just grabbed onto me and did not let go. Very hot, lots of romance and sex. The chemistry betwee...
I’ve really enjoyed the other Alisa Rai’s books that I’ve read so I was eager to read this one which is the first in the Campbell Siblings series. It took me awhile to connect with this one. It’s pretty provocative from the start. If you...
I’ve been meaning to read this one for a while but it just never made it to the top of the pile. It’s won a ton of awards, including the Pulitzer Prize! I’m so glad that I finally picked it up - it really lived up to the praise I’ve been...
This was my first Paula Altenburg book and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I love the whole ‘player into hero’ trope so this was right up my alley. I loved how relatable Patterson was which really surprised me. It typically tak...
I heard someone on a Bookriot podcast talk about this book and I knew that I had to read it. This book is CREEPY and ODD in every way. A witch from the 17th century haunts a town – no one is allowed to leave the town. She wanders around ...
I had no idea what I was getting into with this book. I’d heard several of my bookish friends talk about how good this one was and I needed something light as a palette cleanser so I picked it up. And WOW! One of the best romances I’ve e...
I love love love this series! And this is yet another great read. I loved reading Nathan’s story since we’ve ‘known’ him since the very first book and have had glances at him over the books. It was great to see a deep dive into his life ...
Oh boy am I glad that I read this one! This is the first in a new series . I love how Foster mixed up the sweet romance with the heat/sexy and even added in a dash of humor! I really enjoyed this story and watching them come together. I’...
Overall, I really liked this book. I think these essays are very timely and relevant, particularly in the US today, and tell us important things about race and identity. Robinson’s voice is smart, witty, thoughtful and straightforward. T...
I was listening to an interview with Tom Perrotta about his book and was so engaged by the concepts he’s exploring that I ran and picked up the book. It explores sexuality, identity, being a parent, and how our choices can change our liv...
I really enjoyed this romance … the setting, the tropes, the characters … all of it was so well done. There is humor here as well as a lot of sexiness! It’s a nice balance of sexy and traditional romance. The relationship between Davis a...
This romance grabbed me immediately and never let go. I did not want to put it down for anything. I think part of that was that the novel focused on relationships not the sex. It was very thoughtful and went deep into the emotional compo...
This is the most difficult book to describe adequately. It’s about Alzheimer’s and taking care of your family. The main character, Ruth, is struggling … on many counts – in her family life as well as in her romantic life. The book’s tone...
It took me a little while to get into a rhythm with this book. I think that’s partly due to the alternating first person narratives which give you a taste of a variety of the people in this mountain community. And the dialect threw me fo...
So much fun! What a wonderful romantic comedy wrapped up into a novel format. The word for this book that keeps coming to mind is delightful! The characters are fantastic … love Dimple, love Rishi, love all the side characters and the fa...
I really enjoyed this novel. It’s a really strong thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. I did figure out the ‘who done it’ long before the end but I enjoyed the journey so much that it didn’t color my overall enjoyment...
I had no expectations about this novel going in … I didn’t know what it was about or what to expect. But, I’m so glad that I read this one. It’s the fascinating story of Yejide and Akin who live in Nigeria. It’s about their marriage, the...
If you travel a lot in America and love to try new restaurants, this is the book for you!It lists the local hot spots and hidden gems across the country! I will definitely be dipping into this as I travel in the future! It was interestin...
I was really taken with this book that explores something that’s always fascinated me – how a person survives a scandal, especially a woman. This story is about how a young woman makes mistakes and everyone throws all the blame at her. I...
I am a huge fan of Michael Connelly’s work so I was thrilled to see the start of a new series, particularly one with a female protagonist! And boy did Connelly deliver! This is a great book – interesting, compelling and well written! The...
The primary focus of this novel is fairly simple – families go on a cruise, go ashore for an adventure and a series of events change everyone’s lives forever. This book really explores some interesting themes – parental power, privilege,...
This book had a lot of the things I love in a romance – a grumpy guy with a heart of gold, a single mom and a precocious little girl. Yes, please! Based on the description, I was expecting a marriage of convenience trope but that’s not w...
I think this story was quite fun. I liked the hero a lot and thought he was everything you’d want in a hero – funny, passionate, charming and relentless. Marley was also an interesting character – although I didn’t love her quite as much...
I was really interested in the description of this book – Why do we think, feel and act in the ways we wished we did not. It focuses on the idea of capture which is “a process by which our attention gets hijacked and our brains commandee...
As soon as I heard that a novel was coming out that was based on Lizzie Borden, I was IN! Given that I’m fascinated by these sorts of crimes, I was eager to see what she made of the events. This novel is such an interesting take on a mur...
I really struggled when rating this book. There were parts that I think were a 5 and others that were more of a 2 so I’m splitting the difference and going with a 3. This is a really interesting account of clinical depression. There is a...
This book really surprised me. It’s a gothic tale that shifts from the 1950s to present day. It centers on Applecote Manor in the English countryside. There are all the elements of a gothic novel – an estate with a mysterious history, st...
It took me a bit to get into the story here – it felt like it started abruptly or something. But, it quickly came together for me after a slow start. I loved the diversity here – not everyone in the story is white, and the cover actually...
This is the 2nd in a series but I don’t feel like I missed anything by not reading the first. This can definitely be read as a standalone novel.
I really enjoyed this contemporary romance. It’s the first book I’ve read by Marina Adair b...
This novella is not for the fainthearted. It’s very steamy. Like extremely steamy. If you prefer sex on the sweeter side of the spectrum, this might not be your cup of tea! The sex here is definitely a bit more ‘porn lit’ than ‘romance l...
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