Be Careful Who You Fake Date

 

TITLE: My Vampire Plus-One

AUTHOR: Jenna Levine

PUBLISHER: Berkley

PUBLISHING DATE: September 17, 2024

PAGES: 400   

SOURCE: ARC

FROM GOODREADS: Amelia Collins is by definition successful. She would even go so far as to say successfully single. But not according to her family, and she’s tired of the constant questions about her nonexistent dating life. When an invitation to yet another family wedding arrives, she decides to get everyone off her back once and for all by finding someone–anyone–to pose as her date. 

After a chance encounter with Reginald Cleaves, Amelia decides he’s perfect for her purposes. He’s a bit strange, but that’s fine; it’ll discourage tough questions from her family. (And it certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s very handsome.) For centuries-old vampire Reggie, posing as her plus-one sounds like the ultimate fun. And if it helps his ruse of pretending to be human, so much the better. 

As Amelia and Reggie practice their fauxmance, it becomes clear that Reggie is as loyal to her as the day is long, and that Amelia’s first impressions could not have been more wrong. Suddenly, being in a real relationship with Reggie sounds pretty fang-tastic.

MY THOUGHTS: This is the follow up novel to the first in the series "My Roommate is a Vampire" which I ended up loving last year.  I remember wanting more Reggie in that one and was so glad to see this sequel focusing on him.  You could technically read this without going back and picking up the first one, but it was a great book too so why would you?

Amelia is an overworked accountant trying to survive tax season.  When she finds out her cousin is getting married, she feels pressured to find a date because her parents are always hassling her about being single.  She happens to literally run into Reggie outside her building one evening and he ends up owing her a favor.  She calls it in and asks her to be her wedding date.  Amelia is physically attracted to Reggie and finds his oddness endearing but she really has no the extent of his oddness. Reggie on the other hand is running from The Collective - a group of vampires out to punish him for something that happened hundreds of years ago which he may or may not have done.  What ensues is a whole lot of fun and quite a bit of drama.  

As I mentioned, I love Reggie.  He is very upfront and honest with Amelia, and it is not his fault she thinks he is joking half of the time.  I enjoyed seeing their fake relationship develop into something more and I think their differences made them that much more enjoyable together.  We also get to see Cassie and Frederick a bit from the first book, and it was nice to see how things were progressing with them.

If you love vampires and rom coms, then I really think you should check out this series.  There is an element at the end which makes me believe there may be a third book on the horizon following a side character who is mentioned a few times in this one.  I don't know how I feel about her but I'm willing to give it a shot if the author does decide to pursue it.

MY RATING: 5 PAWS

Want a Rollercoaster Ride????

 

TITLE: The Last Word

AUTHOR: Taylor Adams

PUBLISHER: William Morrow

PUBLISHING DATE: April 25,2023

PAGES: 340   

SOURCE: Library

FROM GOODREADS: 

After posting a negative book review, a woman living in a remote location begins to wonder if the author is a little touchy—or very, very dangerous—in this pulse-pounding novel of psychological suspense and terror from the critically acclaimed author of No Exit and Hairpin Bridge. 

Emma Carpenter lives in isolation with her golden retriever Laika, house-sitting an old beachfront home on the rainy Washington coast. Her only human contact is her enigmatic old neighbor, Deek, and (via text) the house’s owner, Jules. 

One day, she reads a poorly written—but gruesome—horror novel by the author H. G. Kane, and posts a one-star review that drags her into an online argument with none other than the author himself. Soon after, disturbing incidents start to occur at night. To Emma, this can’t just be a coincidence. It was strange enough for this author to bicker with her online about a lousy review; could he be stalking her, too?

As Emma digs into Kane’s life and work, she learns he has published sixteen other novels, all similarly sadistic tales of stalking and murder. But who is he? How did he find her? And what else is he capable of? 

MY THOUGHTS: I can't really remember back to when I read a more frustrating book!  Emma and her Golden Retriever, Laika are house-sitting on the Washington coast.  Emma is clearly running from something in her past and she is content to spend her days alone with only Laika and her books for company.  Although there is a reclusive neighbor whom Emma communicates with via notes back and forth on a white board with both parties using binoculars to read the messages.  One day, Emma downloads and reads a horror novel from a little-known author and leaves him a 1-star review.  This leads to an online argument with the author and eventually escalates to a game of cat and mouse where Emma has very few people to rely on.

First and foremost, the dog lives.  I had to look up that spoiler before I even started the book, but I will tell you, there were times reading when I felt like I had been lied to and that poor Laika was sure to meet her demise. Throughout the novel, the readers get some brief flashbacks from Emma which provide clues as to why she has basically shut herself off from the outside world, but the majority of the book is Emma trying to outsmart the disgruntled author.  

So up until about the last 15% of this book, I was pretty sure I myself would be providing a poor rating for The Last Word.  I felt such anxiety worrying about Laika, or Space Dog as Emma often refers to her, that I didn't think I could continue reading. I also found the book somewhat predictable at times, and at other times such a hot mess that it was hard to predict anything.  Then I reached the last 15% and my anticipated rating bounced around so much I felt like I was riding a rollercoaster.  It went from 2 stars, to 1 star, to a brief moment where I was contemplating 4 stars and even now, I'm not sure what to give it.  And overall, I'm not sure it really matters.  I'm not sure if Adams is the author for me though.  I really enjoyed No Exit, but this one and Hairpin Bridge kind of fell short for me. If you like thrillers with lots of twists and turns, this might be the one for you.

RATING: 3 PAWS

The BEST part of the whole book!

This Was So Much Fun!

 

TITLE: In Nightfall

AUTHOR: Suzanne Young

PUBLISHER: Delacorte Press

PUBLISHING DATE: June 6, 2023

PAGES: 384   

SOURCE:Own Library

FROM GOODREADS: 

In the quaint town of Nightfall, Oregon, it isn't the dark you should be afraid of—it's the girls. The Lost Boys meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer in this propulsive novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Treatment. 

Theo and her brother, Marco, threw the biggest party of the year. And got caught. Their punishment? Leave Arizona to spend the summer with their grandmother in the rainy beachside town of Nightfall, Oregon—population 846 souls. 

The small town is cute, when it’s not raining, but their grandmother is superstitious and strangely antisocial. Upon their arrival she lays out the one house rule: always be home before dark. But Theo and Marco are determined to make the most of their summer, and on their first day they meet the enigmatic Minnow and her friends. Beautiful and charismatic, the girls have a magnetic pull that Theo and her brother can't resist. 

But Minnow and her friends are far from what they appear. And that one rule? Theo quickly realizes she should have listened to her grandmother. Because after dark, something emerges in Nightfall. And it doesn’t plan to let her leave. 

MY THOUGHTS: While recently off on vacation, I really wanted to read something which might be light and fun.  I had tracked this book down on Pango recently as my library never got around to obtaining a copy so one night, I grabbed it on a whim.  I am so glad I did.  Not only was it the fun read I was looking for, but it is also in my opinion, a perfect summer read.

After throwing an out-of-control party at the end of school, Theo and Marco are forced to travel with their father to visit a grandmother they have never seen in a little Oregon town called Nightfall.  Not only do they consider a summer in a small town a death sentence, but they also have tons of questions about why they've never met their grandmother before, why she has so many rules and odd superstitions, and why she wants they home before dark.  Theo and Marco begin to break the rules almost suddenly and are quickly welcomed into the inner circle of some glamorous townies.  However, they may have "bit" off more than they bargained for.

If you have ever seen Lost Boys, then you will probably be able to see everything coming in the novel long before it materializes.  This has to be the author's love letter to that movie because it's basically just a gender-swapped version of it.  All that is missing is the kick-ass soundtrack which if you've seen the movie as much as I have, you'll hear it in your mind as you are reading.  But since I ADORE the movie, I had a blast with In Nightfall.

I will add that there were a few standouts for me.  The relationship between Theo and her brother Marco is awesome and so fully developed.  She has so much trouble accepting what is happening to him and has such a drive to rescue him as the book progresses.  Young really fleshed out the special bond these 2 siblings had.  Also, the grandmother, loving called Nonna, is such a treat.  She's odd and mysterious and definitely not one to mess with. She is definitely going on my favorite character list.

So if you are craving a fun, vampy read, definitely consider giving this book a chance.  I couldn't have picked up a better time to read it and it will remain a fond memory of the Summer 2023 Stay-cation!

RATING: 5 PAWS

Am I Becoming a Romance Girlie?????

 

TITLE: Unfortunately Yours (A Vine Mess #2)

AUTHOR: Tessa Bailey

PUBLISHER: Avon

PUBLISHING DATE: June 6, 2023

PAGES: 384   

SOURCE:Library

FROM GOODREADS: 

A down-on-her-luck Napa heiress suggests a mutually beneficial marriage of convenience to a man she can't stand... only to discover there's a fine line between love and hate. 

After losing her job and her fiancé in one fell swoop, Natalie Vos returned home to lick her wounds. A few months later, she's sufficiently drowned her sorrows in cabernet and she's ready to get back on her feet. She just needs her trust fund to finance her new business venture. Unfortunately, the terms require she marry before she can have the money. And well, dumped, remember? But Natalie is desperate enough to propose to a man who makes her want to kill him--and kiss him, in equal measure. 

August Cates may own a vineyard, but he doesn't know jack about making wine. He's determined to do his late best friend proud, no matter what it takes. Except his tasting room is empty, his wine is disgusting (seriously, he once saw someone gag), and his buddy's legacy is circling the drain. No bank will give him the loan he needs to turn the business around... and then the gorgeous, feisty heiress knocks on his door. Natalie has haunted his dreams since the moment they met, but their sizzling chemistry immediately morphed into simmering insults. 

Now, a quickie marriage could help them both. A sham wedding, a few weeks living under the same roof, and then they can go their separate ways--assuming they make it out alive. How hard could it be? There's just one thing they didn't account for: their unfortunate, unbearable, undeniable attraction.

MY THOUGHTS: To answer the above question - no.  However, I do fancy myself a mood reader and currently, I seem to be in a romance phase.  It also doesn't hurt that I discovered how much I love this author last year and that she has a healthy backlist as well as new books coming out all the time.

This book is actually the companion to Secretly Yours and it's hard to tell which one I enjoyed more.  In this one, Natalie has come back home after losing her high-profile finance job in New York.  She desperately wants to return and start her own firm but will need access to her trust first.  There's one hitch, she has to be married first.  August moved to town wanting to start a profitable vineyard to honor a former Navy Seal who was his best friend and who died in battle.  Trouble is he knows nothing about wine.  These two will need to team up to get what they want.  But there is one problem, they hate each other.

I love the enemies to lovers trope and it is in full force in Unfortunately Yours.  The back-and-forth banter, coupled with an undesirable attraction, make this an almost perfect read.  I really only had two small issues with the book.  One, at times August has almost a caveman attitude when it comes to Natalie and although cute at times, it really went overboard at others.  Also, Natalie deep down is her own worst enemy and there were moments I wished she would get out of her own way and allow happiness to happen,

Overall, this was a fun read and delivered everything I have come to expect from Tessa Bailey.  If you are looking for something light, fun and sometimes steamy, then I would definitely recommend you check this book out.  You don't have to necessarily read Secretly Yours first, but I do think it adds more to this one.  Oh, and Secretly Yours has dogs so why would you skip it?

RATING: 4 PAWS

Well Now That Was Interesting...

TITLE: Dial A For Aunties

AUTHOR: Jesse Q Sutanto

PUBLISHER:  Berkley

PUBLISHING DATE: April 27, 2021

PAGES: 320

SOURCE: Library

 

FROM GOODREADS: 

A hilariously quirky novel that is equal parts murder mystery, rom-com, and a celebration of mothers and daughters as well as a deep dive into Chinese-Indonesian culture, by debut author Jesse Q. Sutanto.

• 1 (accidental) murder 
• 2 thousand wedding guests 
• 3 (maybe) cursed generations 
• 4 meddling Asian aunties to the rescue! 

When Meddelin Chan ends up accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate, especially when it is accidentally shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding Meddy, her Ma, and aunties are working, at an island resort on the California coastline. It’s the biggest job yet for their family wedding business—“Don’t leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!”—and nothing, not even an unsavory corpse, will get in the way of her auntie’s perfect buttercream cake flowers. 

But things go from inconvenient to downright torturous when Meddy’s great college love—and biggest heartbreak—makes a surprise appearance amid the wedding chaos. Is it possible to escape murder charges, charm her ex back into her life, and pull off a stunning wedding all in one weekend?

MY THOUGHTS: So I read this book last weekend over the three day holiday when I was on a big romance binge.  And let me start out by saying this book was not what I expected.  Meddy's believes that she met her one true love when she was attending college but rather than hold him back, she gave him up and decided to take a job helping her mother and her aunts with a new business endeavor - event planning.  Fast forward a few years and something tragic happens on a blind date which Meddy's mother arranged.  Things quickly go from bad to worse when her date ends up dead and she has to rely on her family to help her find her way out of a no-win situation.  Add in an over-the-top wedding and the reappearance of her one true love and you have a recipe for potential disaster.  

I really enjoyed all the cultural aspects of Dial A For Aunties and for the most part, I found the Aunties quite hilarious.  They all have very strong, very colorful personalities.  I will admit in the beginning I got all of the aunts confused at first but it was easily sorted out as the story progressed.  

Now for the main thing that bugged me and probably kept me from enjoying this book to its fullest.  A murder, even an accidental one, is a murder, and the whole book is spent trying to cover it up.  And worse, we involved person after person into being accomplices.  

That being said, I found the ending cute and convenient and reading it wasn't a bad way to spend the afternoon.  There is a sequel on the horizon and I am probably interested in it enough to pick it up.  If you are looking for a quirky, yet odd, murder mystery/rom-com (and it really isn't much of a mystery), with a lot of humor thrown in, then give this book a shot.

RATING: 3 PAWS

A Love Triangle That Wasn't Really...

 

TITLE: In a Holidaze

AUTHOR: Christina Lauren

PUBLISHER: Gallery Books

PUBLISHING DATE: October 6, 2020

FROM GOODREADS: 

One Christmas wish, two brothers, and a lifetime of hope are on the line for hapless Maelyn Jones in In a Holidaze, the quintessential holiday romantic novel by Christina Lauren, the New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners.. 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions. 

But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy. 

The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe. 

Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark “downright hilarious” (Helen Hoang, author of The Bride Test) hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.

MY THOUGHTS: I HATED Geometry class.  I mean I seriously struggled with proofs.  They were my enemy and I knew they were out to destroy me.  I even recall demanding my teacher explain to me how proofs would help me in law school (my goal at that point - thank Heavens it changed) because I highly doubted I would ever have a client stuck in a triangle I would have to prove was a triangle.  She didn't see the humor.  Anyway, what does that have to do with this book?  Well I'll tell ya!  It reminded me of trying to prove something was a triangle.

Maelyn Jones and her family and friends spend each Christmas in a country cabin.  Her parents, who have been divorced for several years, both still attend.  This Christmas though things change.  Not only does she kiss one brother after some drinking games instead of the brother she has secretly had a crush on since she was a kids,  their parents have decided to sell the cabin.  On the way to the airport to leave, Maelyn and her parents are in a wreck.  But instead of winding up in the hospital, she winds up back on the airplane on the trip TO the cabin.  So basically, time loop premise.  Mae wants nothing more to be happy but will making some serious life decisions change the outcome or is she destined to be stuck in Christmas forever?

This was a cute premise and while I liked Mae and she was rather comical at times, I didn't enjoy the whole brother triangle thing.  And seriously if you've read the book, did it really seem like a love triangle to you?  And come on, why am I so hung up on this, I HATE love triangles anyway.  The holiday aspect was cute and I liked the outcome.  I could really get on board spending Christmas at that cabin every year as long as it promised to end after the holidays and not get stuck on repeat.  

Basically, I've seen some mixed reviews of this book and while I didn't love it, I didn't hate it.  It was a pleasant enough read but it just didn't wow me.  My favorite character was Mae's hippie Uncle who was trying to help Mae end her time loop.  I think I'd really enjoy a book about him.  If you love Christmas reads or this author, then you might as well pick this up.  It does seem to be one of the "it" books this Christmas season.

RATING: 3 PAWS

Kept Putting It Down...But It Was Good

 

TITLE: The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes

AUTHOR: Elissa R. Sloan

PUBLISHER: William Morrow Paperbacks

PUBLISHING DATE: August 1, 2020

FROM GOODREADS: 

In vein of Daisy Jones & The Six and Everything I Never Told You, this debut novel probes the dark side of fame after a former pop star ends her own life.

Cassidy Holmes isn't just a celebrity. 

She is “Sassy Gloss,” the fourth member of the hottest pop group America has ever seen. Hotter than Britney dancing with a snake, hotter than Christina getting dirty, Gloss was the pop act that everyone idolized. Fans couldn't get enough of them, their music, and the drama that followed them like moths to a flame—until the group’s sudden implosion in 2002. And at the center of it all was Sassy Cassy, the Texan with a signature smirk that had everyone falling for her. 

But now she's dead. Suicide. 

The world is reeling from this unexpected news, but no one is more shocked than the three remaining Glossies. Fifteen years ago, Rose, Merry, and Yumi had been the closest to Cassidy, and this loss is hitting them hard. Before the group split, they each had a special bond with Cassidy—truths they told, secrets they shared. But after years apart, each of them is wondering: what could they have done? 

Told in multiple perspectives—including Cassidy herself—and different timelines, this is a behind-the-scenes look into the rise and fall of a pop icon, and a penetrating examination of the dark side of celebrity and the industry that profits from it.  

MY THOUGHTS: When I was a tween, I had dreams of being a pop star.  I think a lot of young girls do.  But then I realized my talents were stronger elsewhere and moved on. However, I maintained my extreme love of music.  So when I first saw this book, I knew I wanted to pick it up. Plus, I had seen a few pretty good reviews on Booktube so by grabbing it from the library, I really had nothing to lose but time.

And speaking of time, this book did take me two months to read.  Although, it was basically because I kept putting it aside for other books which seemed more pressing, and not because I didn't like it.  When she was sixteen she auditioned for a show similar to American Idol.  She didn't win but when a girl group found themselves needing a new member, she did find stardom.

The book alternates between timelines and various POVs.  While I like both techniques, I have to admit that at times I found the transitions confusing.  I also must stress that this book does not glamorize the music business - quite the opposite.  It shows the dark and competitive nature and what the lifestyle can really do to people.  Early on we learn Cassidy has committed suicide (not a spoiler, it's even in the synopsis).  So as the story progresses, we see what drove Cassidy to the breaking point.  

The girls in the band were not necessarily a fun gang as well.  They each had their own issues and agendas and the ending still doesn't sit well with me, even though I finished it over three weeks ago.

While I can't say this was a stellar read, I will admit it was a solid one.  I don't regret the time I spent reading it and I think had I focused on it solely, it would have been a quick read despite clocking in at over 400 pages.  If you are curious about the pop lifestyle and enjoy books centering around celebrities and music, then you might want to consider giving this one a chance.

RATING: 3 PAWS

Not Everything I Wanted But Still Not Bad

 

TITLE: B*Witch

AUTHORS: Paige McKenzie and Nancy Ohlin

PUBLISHER: Little Brown Books for Young Readers

PUBLISHING DATE: July 7, 2020

FROM GOODREADS: 

A lone witch has powers. A coven has a multitude more. 

New girl and secret witch Iris just wants to get through her first day of school without a panic attack. The last thing she expects is to be taken in by a coven of three witches-soft-spoken Greta, thoughtful and musical Ridley, and fiery and spirited Binx. They may be the first witches Iris has met IRL, but their coven is not alone in their small northwestern town. 

The Triad is the other coven at their school. When the Triad's not using spells to punish their exes or break up happy couples for fun, they practice dark magic. The two covens have a rivalry stretching all the way back to junior high. 

When tragedy strikes and one of their own is murdered, the rival covens must band together to find out who is responsible before it's too late. Someone's anti-witch ideology has turned deadly . . . and one of them is next. 

With an inclusive cast of teen witches who leap off the page with style, attitude, and charm, B*Witch is a singable read perfect for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Mean Girls alike.

MY THOUGHTS: In all honesty, I read this book a few months back.  However, I'm trying to catch up so I hope I can do some sort of review.

So basically you have the new girl in school, Iris, who eventually meets up with some other girls at school who are part of a Coven.  Iris is starting to realize she possesses some powers she doesn't quite understand so when she is befriended by a secret Coven, she desperately wants to fit in.  Add in a murder mystery, a second and warring Coven and the fact that witchcraft is punishable by death, and you have the makings of a high school hot mess.

I did really appreciate the diversity in B*Witch and felt that the authors did a good job of addressing a variety of teen issues and growing pains.  The reader is introduced to different ethnic groups, all inclusive body sizes,  and LGBTQIA+ individuals.  Yet I have to admit sometimes it felt as if the authors might have been trying to "check" too many boxes.  That being said, I did find myself cheering on some particular characters and at the end of the day, really did want to figure out the main mystery.

I liked the rival Coven interaction and how they needed to band together in the end to achieve some shared goals. However, I did not really enjoy the cliffhanger at the end.  I actually thought it was a stand-alone novel and if there really had to be a cliffhanger, why did it need to be one that basically wiped out the last 1/3 of the book.  

So overall, B*Witch was an entertaining read and I don't regret the afternoon I spent reading it.  I'll probably even pick up the sequel because I need to see how the authors write their way out of that ending.

RATING: 3 PAWS

I Think We're Having An Identity Crisis - When No One is Watching Review

 

TITLE: When No One is Watching

AUTHOR: Alyssa Cole

PUBLISHER: William Morrow Paperback

PUBLISHING DATE: September 1, 2020

FROM GOODREADS: 

Rear Window meets Get Out in this gripping thriller from a critically acclaimed and New York Times Notable author, in which the gentrification of a Brooklyn neighborhood takes on a sinister new meaning… 

Sydney Green is Brooklyn born and raised, but her beloved neighborhood seems to change every time she blinks. Condos are sprouting like weeds, FOR SALE signs are popping up overnight, and the neighbors she’s known all her life are disappearing. To hold onto her community’s past and present, Sydney channels her frustration into a walking tour and finds an unlikely and unwanted assistant in one of the new arrivals to the block—her neighbor Theo. 

But Sydney and Theo’s deep dive into history quickly becomes a dizzying descent into paranoia and fear. Their neighbors may not have moved to the suburbs after all, and the push to revitalize the community may be more deadly than advertised. 

When does coincidence become conspiracy? Where do people go when gentrification pushes them out? Can Sydney and Theo trust each other—or themselves—long enough to find out before they too disappear? 

MY THOUGHTS: So it's never a good sign when I don't know exactly how to start a review.  Thus is the case with When No One is Watching.  This new novel by Alyssa Cole, a famous romance author, is being marketed as a thriller.  In fact, it even says so on the cover right there in the door frame.  However, what I discovered was more like a book that doesn't really fit any genre really well and instead in a mashup of several.

Sydney Green is living in her childhood home after fleeing a bad marriage in Washington.  Her mother has been very ill and is being taken care of in a long term assisted living facility.  Sydney works in the office of a local school but it is summer which means she has a lot of time on her hands.  Her best friend, Drea, also lives upstairs in the family brownstone.  Sydney is quickly watching her neighborhood change around her.  A lot of her neighbors are mysteriously moving out in in their place are snooty Whites who are hoping to capitalize and "rebuild" the area since a new pharmaceutical company is planning on locating to the area.  

What the reader ends up seeing is white privilege rearing its ugly head and many of Sydney's friends are being taken advantage of in various ways.  As Sydney starts to really question what is going on, she becomes friends with one of the new neighbors, Theo. Theo and his girlfriend recently bought the house across the street and even though they are on the rocks, they still share their fixer upper.  Theo starts watching Sydney and is more than infatuated with and meets her one day when his bitch of a girlfriend cuts in front of her at the local bodega, and then acts as if Sydney has threatened her life when all she had done is committed the horrible "crime" of being Black.  

The rest of the novel unfolds as so much happens that it's hard to keep up.  It's clear that Cole has years of experience writing romance because the first half of the book seems like a contemporary romance tale, albeit a heavy-hitting one.  However, remember, this is a thriller.  So we are also introduced to horrible secrets of Sydney and Theo, bedbugs, dead bodies in the community garden, a pharmaceutical takeover and illegal experiments surrounding opiate addition.  And that's not all.  We have a riot, underground tunnels, murder, cover ups and crooked cops.  And LOTS of privileged white people.

I really wanted to enjoy this book more than I did.  And being honest, I feel Cole hit on a lot of topics which are very pertinent in today's climate.  I respect that she decided to tackle them and enjoyed learning about Brooklyn's slavery history.  I'm aware she did a lot of research for this novel and it shows in some areas.  I just kind of feel like in other areas, it tried to tackle too much and didn't really succeed.  

In all honestly, I could easily give this book 2/3 paws.  However, I can't overlook the entertainment value it had, if for no other reason than to see what was going to happen next.  I don't know that I can really recommend this book but if anything I've mentioned interests you or makes you curious, then hey, pick it up.

RATING: 3 PAWS

A Wonderfully Dog-Filled Spin-Off

TITLE: The K Team (K Team #1)
AUTHOR: David Rosenfelt
PUBLISHER: Minotaur Books
PUBLISHING DATE: March 24, 2020

FROM GOODREADS: 

In David Rosenfelt's newest series - a spinoff of the much beloved Andy Carpenter mysteries - Andy's wife forms an investigative team with a former detective and his German shepard partner. 

Andy Carpenter's wife, Laurie, was a cop, a good one. Now she helps out on Andy's cases while also raising Ricky, their son. But she's been chafing to jump back into investigating on her own, and when her former partner and his German shepard K-9 partner come to her with a proposal, she's in. 

From the author of the bestselling Andy Carpenter mysteries comes a spectacular new series with a K-9 main character.

MY THOUGHTS: So I've never read the Andy Carpenter series and even though I intend to eventually, there are currently 22 books so it might take a while.  However, I thought this spin-off might be a decent place to dive in an wet my feet.  The K Team features Andy but only in a supporting role.  His wife Laurie, an ex law enforcement officer, has teamed up with two other individuals to form a private investigation agency called The K Team.  This book is told from the POV of one of those individuals, Corey.  Corey has just retired and doesn't know how to adjust so he figures this job will fill the void.  And along with Corey is his retired police dog, Simon Garfunkle, who he fought to keep and with Andy's help, managed to do so.  So seriously, how awesome is that name?  So obviously Simon is the 4th member of the team as he should be!

So in this first book, someone is blackmailing a prominent Judge and it is up to the team to figure out all the details.  I won't go much further into the plot other than to say it was a fun ride of twists and turns, some of which really threw me. Mentioning much more might be giving things away.  However, I will say that I love Corey.  He is somewhat sarcastic and his sense of humor is dry but great nonetheless.  For example, he is dating a woman throughout the book and he is occasionally mentioning how he will find a reason not to like her because that's what he always does, even though the reader can tell he really doesn't want to not like her.  Corey also has a great relationship with Simon and goes as far as almost killing an individual who tried to poison him.  That I can get behind.

So if you like mysteries and dogs, then I can't see how you could go wrong picking up The K Team.  It was a thrilling read and I'm very much looking forward to the next installment.

RATING:  5 PAWS

Another Romance - Don't Worry, I'm Gearing Up For Lots of Horror Soon!

TITLE: Beach Read
AUTHOR: Emily Henry
PUBLISHER: Berkley
PUBLISHING DATE: May 19, 2020

FROM GOODREADS: 

A romance writer who no longer believes in love and a literary writer stuck in a rut engage in a summer-long challenge that may just upend everything they believe about happily ever afters. 

Augustus Everett is an acclaimed author of literary fiction. January Andrews writes bestselling romance. When she pens a happily ever after, he kills off his entire cast. 

They're polar opposites. 

In fact, the only thing they have in common is that for the next three months, they're living in neighboring beach houses, broke, and bogged down with writer's block. 

Until, one hazy evening, one thing leads to another and they strike a deal designed to force them out of their creative ruts: Augustus will spend the summer writing something happy, and January will pen the next Great American Novel. She'll take him on field trips worthy of any rom-com montage, and he'll take her to interview surviving members of a backwoods death cult (obviously). Everyone will finish a book and no one will fall in love. Really.  

MY THOUGHTS: Man did I love this book!  The only thing which would have made it more perfect was if there had been a dog.  By the way, Ms. Henry, why wasn't there a dog?

So I easily devoured Beach Read in two days, or to be more precise, probably closer to a 24-hour period in a two day span.  But I need to say, this was no "cute" rom com.  Henry tackles some pretty heavy topics including infidelity, trust and self esteem.  There are even some hints of child neglect which are subtly interspersed and used to develop Gus's character to the point that even though he was rather frustrating most of the time, I still wanted to give him a big hug.

January (and can I stress how much I love that name) is having trouble writing her next romance novel and fresh from a break-up and falling on financial struggles, she decides to spend the summer in a beach house her father left her when he died.  A home she didn't know existed and which he shared with his lover.  She arrives and soon discovers her neighbor is another famous author who just happened to be one of her biggest rivals in college.  Enter the hate to love trope which I enjoy tremendously.

I loved the banter and disdain between the two main characters.  I also loved seeing their relationship grow to that of a friendship before they even considered taking it any further.  January has a lot of emotional baggage to unpack and Gus clearly has kept himself closed off for years.  In fact, some of the residents of the small beach town are actually related to Gus and it takes forever for the pieces to fall into place.

Henry has written a spot-on book which just happens to feature romance.  I honestly don't feel it should be looked at as romance driven because there are so many other themes which to me were much more important.  Very rarely do I give a book of this genre a 5/5 rating, unless of course there is a cute dog, so you know my rating speaks volumes.  If you have ever even remotely considered picking this book up, do it!  I doubt you'll be sorry.

RATING: 5 PAWS

I Wish I Had Ended It!

TITLE: I'm Thinking of Ending Things
AUTHOR: Iain Reid
PUBLISHER:  Gallery/Scout Books
PUBLISHING DATE: June 14, 2016

FROM GOODREADS: 

I’m thinking of ending things. Once this thought arrives, it stays. It sticks. It lingers. It’s always there. Always. 

Jake once said, “Sometimes a thought is closer to truth, to reality, than an action. You can say anything, you can do anything, but you can’t fake a thought.” 

And here’s what I’m thinking: I don’t want to be here. 

In this deeply suspenseful and irresistibly unnerving debut novel, a man and his girlfriend are on their way to a secluded farm. When the two take an unexpected detour, she is left stranded in a deserted high school, wondering if there is any escape at all. What follows is a twisted unraveling that will haunt you long after the last page is turned.

MY THOUGHTS: I've had my eyes on this book for several years so when I saw it at my library, I knew the time had come to finally pick it up.  So many people seem to love this book and I've heard more than a few people comment on how horrifying it is.  Well guess what?  My opinion totally differs and luckily it was a short book or I may not have finished it.  And yes, several times even I was thinking of ending things - reading it that is!

Jake and his unnamed girlfriend are on the way to have dinner with his parents.  It will be her fist time meeting them and she is thinking to herself on the way that she is thinking of ending the relationship.  Of course, this is despite the fact that she mentions several times all the things she likes about Jake and how attracted she is to him.  In addition, ever since the two of them met in a college bar on trivia night, she has been getting strange phone calls from someone she only refers to as "caller."  She can't figure out the calls and why she didn't just block the number I'll never understand. Oh yea, the calls show up from her own phone.  That's why.

So she meets his parents who are odd and slightly disturbed yet they seem to love her.  She sees some dead frozen sheep, hears a totally disgusting story about two pigs, chokes down a dinner she hates and then they set off for a return home in a snowstorm.  Now you guys know I love a great snowy setting but in this novel, it seems like a deliberate addition to only ramp up anxiety and tension and it didn't really work for me.

So I'm not going to give anything away.  Many reviews I've read now (after the fact) talk about the great twist at the end and how the ending really packs a punch.  Again, I didn't feel that way.  Of course, maybe I was just glad it ended.  I do think I fully understood the ending despite seeing several people mention that after you get to the end, you should read it again because it will make so much more sense and be that much more enjoyable.  What?  I barely made it through once.

Now I have to add, I have nothing against the writer and his book flowed quite well.  I think he probably has a wonderful imagination and would not hesitate to read something from him again in the future.  I don't feel like I could really recommend this book which isn't really needed because tons of people have read it already.  At least now I know what all the hype was about, I just don't feel the same.

RATING: 2 PAWS

Not An Easy Read, But A Good One!

TITLE: My Dark Vanessa
AUTHOR: Kate Elizabeth Russell
PUBLISHER: William Morrow
PUBLISHING DATE: March 10, 2020

FROM GOODREADS: 

Exploring the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher, a brilliant, all-consuming read that marks the explosive debut of an extraordinary new writer.  

2000. Bright, ambitious, and yearning for adulthood, fifteen-year-old Vanessa Wye becomes entangled in an affair with Jacob Strane, her magnetic and guileful forty-two-year-old English teacher. 

2017. Amid the rising wave of allegations against powerful men, a reckoning is coming due. Strane has been accused of sexual abuse by a former student, who reaches out to Vanessa, and now Vanessa suddenly finds herself facing an impossible choice: remain silent, firm in the belief that her teenage self willingly engaged in this relationship, or redefine herself and the events of her past. But how can Vanessa reject her first love, the man who fundamentally transformed her and has been a persistent presence in her life? Is it possible that the man she loved as a teenager—and who professed to worship only her—may be far different from what she has always believed? 

Alternating between Vanessa’s present and her past, My Dark Vanessa juxtaposes memory and trauma with the breathless excitement of a teenage girl discovering the power her own body can wield. Thought-provoking and impossible to put down, this is a masterful portrayal of troubled adolescence and its repercussions that raises vital questions about agency, consent, complicity, and victimhood. Written with the haunting intimacy of The Girls and the creeping intensity of Room, My Dark Vanessa is an era-defining novel that brilliantly captures and reflects the shifting cultural mores transforming our relationships and society itself.

MY THOUGHTS: I've pretty much only heard good things about this book so I knew that sooner or later I'd be picking it up.  While I have to come right out and say I love this book and I think it's very deserving of a 5/5 rating, I also hated this book but strictly because the subject matter is so disturbing and all too prevalent.  I also need to explain that I investigated child abuse and neglect cases for 14 years so my personal experiences and training really led to me picking up on things and honing in on incidents that I could have easily have glossed over. 

The reader gets to see two different Vanessas.  The one in 2000 when she was a 15 year-old girl attending a private boarding school and one in 2017, where now an adult, she is still pretty much a 15 year-old girl.  As a child Vanessa is a pretty lonely girl.  She is an only child and has a supportive mother and father.  Her first year of boarding school, which she so desperately wanted to attend, went well.  But then she lost her best friend, making year too very hard and difficult.  She has always lost herself in her writing which makes her a perfect victim for Jacob Strane, the school's English teacher.

So starts the relationship which begins with grooming and manipulation and ends with much of the same.  Jacob clearly knows what he is doing when he befriends Vanessa and it doesn't take much effort to lure her into his bed.  Which is usually how things like that go.  As the "relationship" progresses, other students catch on and without giving a lot away, Vanessa ends up sacrificing everything for the man she loves.  Even when the reader is in the 2017 timeline, Strane still has a hold on Vanessa and has clearly made a permanent mark on her life.

I didn't really like Vanessa but that's okay.  She was easily manipulated and needy and did not have a good grasp on what was happening to her and you know what?  All of that is okay.  When the abuse started, which she did not view as abuse, she was a child.  She didn't know a thing about love and was lured in by promises and tenderness from a man who gives creep a whole new name.  I've met Vanessa and while I was always diligent in finding justice for her, I will be honest and admit a lot of times that Vanessa wasn't likable either.  It was so hard not to shake or slap her in the hopes she would open her eyes.  But in the end, Vanessa was a child and should never have had to play by adult rules.

I would highly recommend this book but beware, I think every trigger warning possible is represented (except animal abuse - thank Heaven).  Just know it's not going to be a light, easy read but you just may find it's one you can't put down.

RATING: 5 PAWS

A Rare Romance Review

TITLE: The Friend Zone
AUTHOR: Abby Jimenez
PUBLISHER: Grand Central Publishing
PUBLISHING DATE: June 11, 2019

FROM GOODREADS: 

Kristen Petersen doesn't do drama, will fight to the death for her friends, and has no room in her life for guys who just don't get her. She's also keeping a big secret: facing a medically necessary procedure that will make it impossible for her to have children.

Planning her best friend's wedding is bittersweet for Kristen—especially when she meets the best man, Josh Copeland. He's funny, sexy, never offended by her mile-wide streak of sarcasm, and always one chicken enchilada ahead of her hangry. Even her dog, Stuntman Mike, adores him. The only catch: Josh wants a big family someday. Kristen knows he'd be better off with someone else, but as their attraction grows, it's harder and harder to keep him at arm's length.  

MY THOUGHTS: I don't read a lot of romance but I find them great palate cleansers and I can usually get through them pretty quickly.  This is one I wanted to pick up because I heard that the companion novel which was recently released, has a really cute dog in it.  Little did I know this one also has a cute dog and what I thought might be a quick, fun read actually had a deeper substance than I initially anticipated.

Kristen Petersen owns a small business which caters to dogs and spends most of her days working at home with her Yorkie, Stuntman Mike.  Her best friend is getting married and unfortunately for Kristen, prior to meeting the best man, she had a literal run-in with him in a store parking lot.  Kristen and Josh eventually start up a good friendship when he takes some extra work building dog stairs for her business.  They grow closer than they ever thought they would but Josh wants a large family. which Kristen can't deliver.  So she vows not to get too close to Josh, but it may be a vow she can't keep.

I loved Kirsten and Josh both as individuals and as a couple.  Kristen is very witty and very snarky and almost always speaks her mind.  John is a devoted friend who has just moved to town after a bad breakup.  Their banter between each other was so much fun and I enjoyed seeing them play off each other.  I also like the two friends getting married, Sloan and Brandon.  I found Sloan to be a good balance for Kristen as they really weren't much alike considering they were best friends.  And of course, Stuntman Mike was just the cutest!

That isn't to say this is a perfect book.  I found the ending to be slightly problematic because I just knew what was going to happen.  I will also say that Jimenez added a pretty dramatic incident in the last third of the book which I think might have been inserted just so the ENTIRE book didn't end up wrapped up in a nice, red ribbon.  However, I did enjoy this book and it was a pleasant way to detox from the heavier things I'd been reading as well as the current affairs.  I am also very excited to read the companion novel now.  I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys romance or contemporary reads.

RATING: 4 PAWS

I Went In Blindly...and Came Out Just As Blind

TITLE: Pine
AUTHOR: Francine Toon
PUBLISHER: Doubleday
PUBLISHING DATE: January 23, 2020

FROM GOODREADS: 

They are driving home from the search party when they see her. 

The trees are coarse and tall in the winter light, standing like men. Lauren and her father Niall live alone in the Highlands, in a small village surrounded by pine forest. When a woman stumbles out onto the road one Halloween night, Niall drives her back to their house in his pickup. In the morning, she's gone.

In a community where daughters rebel, men quietly rage, and drinking is a means of forgetting, mysteries like these are not out of the ordinary. The trapper found hanging with the dead animals for two weeks. Locked doors and stone circles. The disappearance of Lauren's mother a decade ago.

Lauren looks for answers in her tarot cards, hoping she might one day be able to read her father's turbulent mind. Neighbours know more than they let on, but when local teenager Ann-Marie goes missing it's no longer clear who she can trust. 

In spare, haunting prose, Francine Toon creates an unshakeable atmosphere of desolation and dread. In a place that feels like the end of the world, she unites the gloom of the modern gothic with the pulse of a thriller. It is the perfect novel for our haunted times. 

MY THOUGHTS: Well, now that was interesting.  I really don't know how else to describe it.  I was highly anticipating this book and I'd love to be able to tell you what it's about and recommend everyone pick it up,  but basically, I'm still not sure what I read.  I do agree with the synopsis in that Toon does desolation and dread really well because I did get that from the prose.  But unfortunately, nothing really happened until about the last 30 pages of this book and by then I just wanted it over.

Lauren is a ten year old who lives with her father, Naill, in the Highlands.  Several years ago her mother left under mysterious circumstances and Lauren struggles everyday to remember what she was like.  Niall is not the best of fathers and I vacillated between thinking he was so lost in the grief over his wife left and thinking he was a creepy child molester.  Don't worry - no spoiler here so you'll have to read it if you want to know (or DM me and I'll save you the sorrow).  Lauren also gets a lot of slack from the school kids because her mother was the town pariah, or witch, or maybe both, before she left.

One day Lauren's older friend Anne-Marie goes missing and the small Highland town starts looking for her.  Lauren is also searching for her friend and lots of people suspect Niall.  Perhaps because no one really likes him, perhaps because he is the town drunk prone to blackouts, or perhaps because they also get a creepy child molester vibe from him.

So is this book really scary?  No.  Is it haunting?  I'd say yes.  Toon does have a way with words and she did a wonderful job with the Highland setting and the feeling of hopelessness in the town and in its people.  But did I enjoy this book?  No.  As I mentioned, nothing really happens until the last 30 pages or so and while there are a few supernatural elements, they weren't prevalent enough to grab my attention and hold it.  I'm sure lots of people might enjoy this book but it just wasn't one for me.

RATING: 2 PAWS

She Sure Causes a Lot of Trouble!

TITLE: Daughter of Chaos (The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #2)
AUTHOR: Sarah Rees Brennan
PUBLISHER: Scholastic
PUBLISHING DATE: December 26, 2019

FROM GOODREADS: Sabrina Spellman has just made the hardest decision of her life: She's leaving behind her beloved friends at Baxter High. Now it's time for her to find her way among the witches and warlocks at the Academy of Unseen Arts. 

Sabrina has always been good at the school thing, but now she has a whole new world to navigate. Her power is growing daily, but it comes with a high price... she must always remember her new allegiances and the cost they have on her friends... and on herself. 

And then there's her new classmates. Prudence, Dorcas, and Agatha are friends, kind of, but can Sabrina trust them? And what about Nick Scratch? He's as charming as ever, but will his feelings for Sabrina last?  

Based on the hit Netflix show, this original YA novel tells an all-new, original story about Sabrina. 

MY THOUGHTS: So it's no real secret that I'm obsessed with Riverdale and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.  Are they great shows?  Probably not.  But they are sort of like a train wreck in that once they've got your attention, it's hard not to watch.  And that element of fun with a side of what-the-heck-will-happen-next is also why I continue to read the books based on the TV shows.

In this installment, it's several days before New Year's Eve and once again Sabrina is in trouble.  She has somehow summoned a bad-luck demon and it's wrecking havoc on her life and has dire consequences for both the mortals, witches and warlocks in Greendale.  Sabrina doesn't want to clue her Aunties into what has happened so she enlists some help from her new friends and may just end up relying on some old ones along the way.

What I find interested about these books is that they take place in between the television seasons.  This makes the story fresh and also serves to fill in some of the gaps.  And what this book made me realize is that Sabrina is kind of annoying, but man I like a lot of the other characters.  When the Aunties are present, they are always quite entertaining and Cousin Ambrose is such a great side character full of personality.  I like Sabrina's friends and in this installment, I loved seeing what makes warlock Nick Scratch tick.  But alas, a favorite has emerged in the form of Prudence.

Prudence is wickedly bad but somewhere in that dark soul is a likable villain.  And deep down, I honestly believe her snarky wit and evilness is a mask for a lot of pain in her life.  She is the silver lining in a dark Greendale and I can't wait to learn even more about her in the future.  She is the morally grey (if someone who worships Satan can be considered morally grey) character I need.  In addition, she has some of the best lines in the book.  Here is a conversation she has with Sabrina.  See how awesome she is?

"Did you hear what they called us?" I asked uneasily. 

Prudence didn't turn a hair. "I hear what that word all the time." 

"You sure it's that word you hear, and not, uh, a slightly different one?" 

Prudence shrugged. "I hear that one too. I like hearing both. They're just words, and I'm a witch. I decide what they mean."  

So once again I think Sarah Rees Brennan, a quite popular YA author, has knocked it out of the park in bringing further depth to the characters so many people already enjoy.  Maybe that's why I already ordered the next installment, which was just released this week!

RATING: 4 PAWS