en-US Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:25:08 -0700 60 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg 216437557 From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Just for the Summer comes a new playful yet deeply emotional contemporary romance.

There might be no such a thing as a perfect guy, but Xavier Rush comes disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong��

. . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date—possibly the best in living history—Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.

Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.]]> 416 Abby Jimenez 0349442827 reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.19 2025
author: Abby Jimenez
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/04/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 50892338
A flying demon feeding on human energies.

A secret society of so called “Legendborn�� students that hunt the creatures down.

And a mysterious teenage mage who calls himself a “Merlin�� and who attempts—and fails—to wipe Bree’s memory of everything she saw.

The mage’s failure unlocks Bree’s own unique magic and a buried memory with a hidden connection: the night her mother died, another Merlin was at the hospital. Now that Bree knows there’s more to her mother’s death than what’s on the police report, she’ll do whatever it takes to find out the truth, even if that means infiltrating the Legendborn as one of their initiates.

She recruits Nick, a self-exiled Legendborn with his own grudge against the group, and their reluctant partnership pulls them deeper into the society’s secrets—and closer to each other. But when the Legendborn reveal themselves as the descendants of King Arthur’s knights and explain that a magical war is coming, Bree has to decide how far she’ll go for the truth and whether she should use her magic to take the society down—or join the fight.]]> 502 Tracy Deonn 1534441603 reese ^^ 5 currently-reading 4.32 2020
author: Tracy Deonn
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/04/30
date added: 2025/03/05
shelves: currently-reading
review:
i need bloodmarked in my hands..it’s vital for my well-being
]]> 211400175 To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER �� An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating, starring a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the ice

“P������ Wuthering Heights and part Daisy Jones & The Six, this novel is as brilliantly choreographed as a gold medal performance and will keep you guessing until its last page.”—Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of By Any Other Name

She might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater. When she meets Heath Rocha, a lonely kid stuck in the foster care system, their instant connection makes them a formidable duo on the ice. Clinging to skating—and each other—to escape their turbulent lives, Kat and Heath go from childhood sweethearts to champion ice dancers, captivating the world with their scorching chemistry, rebellious style, and roller-coaster relationship.

Until a shocking incident at the Olympic Games brings their partnership to a sudden end.

As the ten-year anniversary of their final skate approaches, an unauthorized documentary reignites the public obsession with Shaw and Rocha, claiming to uncover the “real story�� through interviews with their closest friends and fiercest rivals. Kat wants nothing to do with the documentary, but she ������’t stand the thought of someone else defining her legacy. So, after a decade of silence, she’s telling her story: from the childhood tragedies that created her all-consuming bond with Heath to the clash of desires that tore them apart. Sensational rumors have haunted their every step for years, but the truth may be even more shocking than the headlines.]]> 464 Layne Fargo 0593732057 reese ^^ 4
the characters in this book are messier than my room during finals week.

so i obviously had a great time! ]]> 4.18 2025
author: Layne Fargo
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/28
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves:
review:
4.25 ⭐️

the characters in this book are messier than my room during finals week.

so i obviously had a great time!
]]> 199797582
Three years later, Anna is a starving artist living paycheck to paycheck while West is a Stanford professor. He may be one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate, but he has little interest in working for the heartless corporation his family built from the ground up. He is interested, however, in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance. There’s just one catch.

Due to an antiquated clause in his grandfather’s will, Liam won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years. Just when Liam thinks he’s in the home stretch, pressure mounts from his family to see this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his one-percenter parents �� his unpolished, not-so-ex-wife.

But in the presence of his family, Liam’s fears quickly shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam will have to ask himself if the price tag on his flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie.]]> 352 Christina Lauren 1668017725 reese ^^ 3
don’t ask me why i read this book in winter..

i really enjoyed anna as a character! i don’t know if i buy her and liam as a couple, i wasn’t too invested. but good soup overall]]> 4.07 2024
author: Christina Lauren
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/20
date added: 2025/02/28
shelves:
review:
3.25 ⭐️

don’t ask me why i read this book in winter..

i really enjoyed anna as a character! i don’t know if i buy her and liam as a couple, i wasn’t too invested. but good soup overall
]]> 63098565 The rules were simple. Keep my hands off his daughter and stay out of trouble.

But now I’m stuck with her. There’s only one bed. And well, rules are made to be broken.

I’m the face of professional bull riding—the golden boy. Or at least I was, until it all blew up in my face. Now my agent says I have to clean up my image, so I’m stuck with his ball-busting daughter for the rest of the season as my “full-time supervision.��

But I don’t need a goddamn babysitter, especially one with skin-tight jeans, a sexy smirk, and a mouth she ������’t stop running.

A mouth I ������’t stop thinking about.

Because Summer isn’t just another conquest. She sees the man behind the mask, and she doesn’t run—she pulls me closer, even when she shouldn’t.

She says this means nothing.

I say this means everything.

She says there are boundaries we shouldn’t cross. That my reputation ������’t take any more hits—and neither can her damaged heart.

I say I’m going to steal it anyway.
]]> 454 Elsie Silver reese ^^ 0 physical-tbr, dnf-d 3.92 2022
author: Elsie Silver
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2024/01/09
date added: 2025/02/20
shelves: physical-tbr, dnf-d
review:
starting off the year with a dnf means we can only go up from here�� right?
]]> 219427435 Kennedy

I’m the only woman on staff for the Windy City Warriors, and after years of putting up with a sexist lead doctor, I’m desperate to land my dream job with a new team next year. All I have to do is maintain my professional reputation for my final season in Chicago.

But a Las Vegas run-in with the team’s shortstop threatens it all, leaving me with a fuzzy memory and a ring on my left hand.

Now, not only am I legally bound to the most persistent man I’ve ever met, but thanks to Isaiah’s scheme to save my job, I have to pretend the whole thing was a planned elopement and not a drunken mistake.

Isaiah Rhodes is reckless, impulsive, and frustratingly charming. He’s also my brand-new husband.

They got the saying wrong. What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas�� sometimes it follows you right back home.


Isaiah

As the shortstop for Chicago’s professional baseball team, I’ve had my fair share of fun. But that all ended the day Kennedy Kay became a single woman.

I’ve crushed on the team’s athletic trainer for years. I’ve flirted to no avail, so imagine my surprise when I woke up in Sin City with a ring on my finger and my favorite redhead in my bed.

We agree to stay married for one baseball season, just long enough to keep her job safe, but in my mind, I’m using our time together to prove to her I’m husband material.

Kennedy might be reluctant to join in on our game, but it’s one I refuse to lose.

So come on, wife�� play along.]]> 384 Liz Tomforde reese ^^ 5 4.48 2024
author: Liz Tomforde
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2025/01/22
date added: 2025/02/15
shelves:
review:
edit: i ������’t stop thinking about this book it’s getting bumped up to 5 stars
]]> 216156650
When I was eleven, my family moved next door to his.
When I was thirteen, he was my first crush.
When I was sixteen, we fell for each other.
And when I was nineteen, we broke each other’s hearts.

Six years later, I’ve landed an internship with a big-name interior designer in a new city. Unfortunately, that city just so happens to be the one he plays hockey for.

I thought Chicago was big enough to avoid him, until I get the surprise of a lifetime and unknowingly move in right next door. Even worse? The renovation project I’m assigned to in hopes of turning that internship into my full-time dream job...

It’s 𝘩𝘪𝘴 house.

But how am I supposed to update his bachelor pad into a family home when we ������’t even stand to be in the same room?

I may have loved Rio DeLuca once, but I’m not that same girl anymore.

𝑹𝒊𝒐

I never thought I’d be the only single one left in my friend group. But after years of trying to find love, I’ve concluded it may not exist for me anymore.

That is, until I accidentally hire Hallie Hart to renovate my house and our jaded history has me rewinding memories I’ve kept secret for years.

You see, there’s something that my friends don’t know.

That connection I’ve been looking for since I moved to Chicago, that one person some search their entire lives to find... I had already found her when I was twelve years old.

And now the only girl I’ve ever loved is moving into the house next door.

Again.]]> Liz Tomforde reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.67 2025
author: Liz Tomforde
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.67
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/02/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 84943172
She’s a distraction, that’s what she is.

I’m the newest Captain of the Devils, Chicago’s NBA team, and the last thing I needed this year was for Indy Ivers, my sister’s best friend, to move into my apartment. She’s messy, emotional, and way too tempting.

But when the team’s General Manager vocalizes his blatant disapproval of my promotion to Captain, referring to me as an unapproachable lone wolf with no work-life balance, I ������’t think of a better way to convince him otherwise than pretending to date my outgoing roommate.

The only problem? Faking it feels far too natural.

Having a fake girlfriend wasn’t supposed to be messy but having Indy under my roof and in my bed is complicated, especially when she wants all the romantic parts of life that I could never give her.


INDY

I never imagined I’d be living with my best friend’s brother, NBA superstar Ryan Shay. Even more unbelievable? He needs me to act as his loving girlfriend who’s suddenly changed him into a friendly and approachable guy.

Because, well…he’s not. He’s controlling of his space and untrusting of others.

Our arrangement isn’t one-sided, though. I’m in a wedding coming up, one where every one of my childhood friends, including my ex-boyfriend, will be in attendance, and there’s no better date than my ex’s celebrity hero.

Blurred lines make it almost impossible to separate real from fake. Falling for my roommate was never part of the deal, especially when Ryan is quick to remind me that he doesn’t believe in love.

I’m a romantic and ������’t help fantasizing that he’ll change, but soon enough, I find myself questioning if sharing a roof with my best friend’s brother was the right move after all]]> 499 Liz Tomforde reese ^^ 5
ryan and indy are the old couple whose love story makes me full on sob.

this is truly one of the better romances i’ve read like�� ever. it made me so emotional and happy and their love felt so POWERFUL! the power of their love for one another could literally slap me in the face. and this book was 10/10 swoon worthy.

i’ll be waiting for my ryan shay�� and for a while i’m assuming!]]> 4.39 2023
author: Liz Tomforde
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.39
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/12/18
date added: 2025/01/22
shelves:
review:
edit: changing this to a 5 ⭐️ bc this book is my roman empire

ryan and indy are the old couple whose love story makes me full on sob.

this is truly one of the better romances i’ve read like�� ever. it made me so emotional and happy and their love felt so POWERFUL! the power of their love for one another could literally slap me in the face. and this book was 10/10 swoon worthy.

i’ll be waiting for my ryan shay�� and for a while i’m assuming!
]]> 56269064 Think you know the person you married? Think again��

Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He ������’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.

Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts �� paper, cotton, pottery, tin �� and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.

Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget.

Rock Paper Scissors is the latest exciting domestic thriller from the queen of the killer twist, New York Times bestselling author Alice Feeney.]]> 294 Alice Feeney 1250266106 reese ^^ 2 3.88 2021
author: Alice Feeney
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2021
rating: 2
read at: 2025/01/02
date added: 2025/01/02
shelves:
review:
this book was painfully boring. i don’t have anything else to say i just want to forget that i even read this
]]> 124950295 397 Hannah Bonam-Young 1778027784 reese ^^ 5
bo is a tall, rich, witty, emotionally mature and understanding man who is nerdy, hot and completely unaware of it, good at math and completely whipped for his girl?? this book belongs in the fantasy section ]]> 4.25 2023
author: Hannah Bonam-Young
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/12/31
date added: 2024/12/31
shelves:
review:
4.5 ⭐️

bo is a tall, rich, witty, emotionally mature and understanding man who is nerdy, hot and completely unaware of it, good at math and completely whipped for his girl?? this book belongs in the fantasy section
]]> 36160420 144 Jennifer Lynn Barnes reese ^^ 0 3.79 2017
author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at: 2024/12/25
date added: 2024/12/25
shelves:
review:

]]> 27424547 New victims. New betrayals. New secrets.

When Cassie Hobbes joined the FBI’s Naturals program, she had one goal: uncover the truth about her mother’s murder. But now, everything Cassie thought she knew about what happened that night has been called into question. Her mother is alive, and the people holding her captive are more powerful—and dangerous—than anything the Naturals have faced so far. As Cassie and the team work to uncover the secrets of a group that has been killing in secret for generations, they find themselves racing a ticking clock.

The bodies begin piling up, the deaths hit closer and closer to home, and it soon becomes apparent that this time, the Naturals aren’t just hunting serial killers.

They’re being hunted themselves.]]> 384 Jennifer Lynn Barnes 1484757327 reese ^^ 4
the cult plot line definitely became way too over the top for its own good, but i was entertained!!! and i didn’t expect to feel so sad when i reached the ending haha i’ll miss the naturals ]]> 4.37 2016
author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/24
date added: 2024/12/24
shelves:
review:
whoever’s doing the psych evaluations at the fbi literally needs to get fired

the cult plot line definitely became way too over the top for its own good, but i was entertained!!! and i didn’t expect to feel so sad when i reached the ending haha i’ll miss the naturals
]]> 24849026
After a string of brutal murders in Las Vegas, Cassie Hobbes and the Naturals are called in to investigate. But even with the team's unique profiling talents, these murders seem baffling: unlike many serial killers, this one uses different methods every time. All of the victims were killed in public, yet the killer does not show up on any tape. And each victim has a string of numbers tattooed on their wrist. Hidden in the numbers is a code—and the closer the Naturals come to unraveling the mystery, the more perilous the case becomes.

Meanwhile, Cassie is dealing with an equally dangerous and much more painful mystery. For the first time in years, there's been a break in her mother's case. As personal issues and tensions between the team mount, Cassie and the Naturals will be faced with impossible odds—and impossible choices.]]> 378 Jennifer Lynn Barnes 1484716434 reese ^^ 4
this whole book was giving criminal minds 4x8 when reid rushed into the room and ripped off the unsub’s pendant saying “i know where to find them��

sloane reaffirmed her place as my number one natural! i loved learning more about her, and my heart really broke for her in this book (legit almost cried) she just deserves so much more!!! i don’t LOVE michael and lia, but this book resolved some of my issues with them. i saw more of how lia really cares for everyone (although her execution may be flawed��) and michael and cassie finally resolved their situation. unfortunately dean gave me nothing.. there wasn’t enough of his relationship with cassie and he kinda bored me! (still got love 4 him)

ALSO can we give judd his flowers ??? he has been through so much

this is the first time i had no idea where the plot was going. i could not guess who the unsub was at ALL. i feel like it got a bit convoluted (i’m still confused about some things) but the ending�� i definitely thought about it as a possibility but i didn’t think they would go there. ]]> 4.35 2015
author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/28
date added: 2024/08/28
shelves:
review:
4.25 ⭐️

this whole book was giving criminal minds 4x8 when reid rushed into the room and ripped off the unsub’s pendant saying “i know where to find them��

sloane reaffirmed her place as my number one natural! i loved learning more about her, and my heart really broke for her in this book (legit almost cried) she just deserves so much more!!! i don’t LOVE michael and lia, but this book resolved some of my issues with them. i saw more of how lia really cares for everyone (although her execution may be flawed��) and michael and cassie finally resolved their situation. unfortunately dean gave me nothing.. there wasn’t enough of his relationship with cassie and he kinda bored me! (still got love 4 him)

ALSO can we give judd his flowers ??? he has been through so much

this is the first time i had no idea where the plot was going. i could not guess who the unsub was at ALL. i feel like it got a bit convoluted (i’m still confused about some things) but the ending�� i definitely thought about it as a possibility but i didn’t think they would go there.
]]> 20409231
But when victims of a brutal new serial killer start turning up, the Naturals are pulled into an active case that strikes too close to home: the killer is a perfect copycat of Dean’s incarcerated father—a man he’d do anything to forget. Forced deeper into a murderer’s psyche than ever before, will the Naturals be able to outsmart the enigmatic killer’s brutal mind games before this copycat twists them into his web for good?

With her trademark wit, brilliant plotting, and twists that no one will see coming, Jennifer Lynn Barnes will keep readers on the edge of their seats (and looking over their shoulders) as they race through the pages of this thrilling novel.]]> 375 Jennifer Lynn Barnes 1423168321 reese ^^ 3 4.27 2014
author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/06
date added: 2024/07/06
shelves:
review:
3.75 ⭐️ where are my team dean girlies at ??? bc boo michael
]]> 13597723
What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.]]> 308 Jennifer Lynn Barnes 1423168232 reese ^^ 4
as for the love triangle�� *sighs,* i am team dean simply because i love a man who speaks once every 3 hours. i found michael super corny. i don’t hate him (largely bc of the last few chapters), but i feel like he’d be so much better as a good friend of cassie’s rather than her other love interest. as for lia…………�� Next. sloane is cool. and cassie was actually quite tolerable as an fmc!

]]> 4.22 2013
author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/01
date added: 2024/07/01
shelves:
review:
i had so much fun reading this!! if you can let go of real world logic and get lost in the plot, you’ll have a good time. i somehow guessed the plot twist (im also a Natural) but i was still shocked by the reveal LOL.

as for the love triangle�� *sighs,* i am team dean simply because i love a man who speaks once every 3 hours. i found michael super corny. i don’t hate him (largely bc of the last few chapters), but i feel like he’d be so much better as a good friend of cassie’s rather than her other love interest. as for lia…………�� Next. sloane is cool. and cassie was actually quite tolerable as an fmc!


]]> 195820807
Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected--including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?]]> 432 Abby Jimenez 1538704439 reese ^^ 5
the abby jimenez cinematic universe is soso crazy�� the way everything was tied together. and i have the memory of a goldfish so everything was truly a surprise!

i was so invested in the entire book and the characters and this is one of the few books where i felt like the mmc and fmc TRULY belonged together, not just because it’s a romance and they’re each others love interests but they just completed one another. and the romance was sooo sweet, i was swooning so hard. normally abby jimenez loses me with the 3rd act conflict or the issues surrounding it but i really understood where emma was coming from and the emotional maturity of her decision. basically an adult acting like an adult, we love to see it!!! hats off.

justin and emma u will live in my heart forever (and the new found family eee my favorite trope) ]]> 4.35 2024
author: Abby Jimenez
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2024
rating: 5
read at: 2024/06/21
date added: 2024/06/21
shelves:
review:
this book is officially one of my favorite romances i’ve ever read!

the abby jimenez cinematic universe is soso crazy�� the way everything was tied together. and i have the memory of a goldfish so everything was truly a surprise!

i was so invested in the entire book and the characters and this is one of the few books where i felt like the mmc and fmc TRULY belonged together, not just because it’s a romance and they’re each others love interests but they just completed one another. and the romance was sooo sweet, i was swooning so hard. normally abby jimenez loses me with the 3rd act conflict or the issues surrounding it but i really understood where emma was coming from and the emotional maturity of her decision. basically an adult acting like an adult, we love to see it!!! hats off.

justin and emma u will live in my heart forever (and the new found family eee my favorite trope)
]]> 4556058
While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it's up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time.

In this momentous final book in the New York Times best-selling series, the long-awaited prophecy surrounding Percy's sixteenth birthday unfolds. And as the battle for Western civilization rages on the streets of Manhattan, Percy faces a terrifying suspicion that he may be fighting against his own fate.]]> 381 Rick Riordan 1423101472 reese ^^ 4
overall, i really enjoyed this series and had a fun time going through all the different emotions and adventures with percy and friends! the only thing is that the resolution to the prophecy felt kind of underwhelming to me�� i just pictured something way more climatic in my head. the fight scenes also got kind of repetitive b/c obviously someone would show up last minute and save the day (but i ate it up every time, ESPECIALLY that nico and hades entrance) also nico becoming my favorite demigod is something i did not expect but i’ve officially adopted him

i literally had no idea heroes of olympus is connected to the pjo universe so i will have to continue my adventure with everyone sometime later!

p.s. the percabeth scenes at the end were so cute i wanted to cry why am i so chronically single ]]> 4.59 2009
author: Rick Riordan
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.59
book published: 2009
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/08
date added: 2024/06/08
shelves:
review:
percy really had to make the gods swear on the river styx for them to stop being deadbeats��

overall, i really enjoyed this series and had a fun time going through all the different emotions and adventures with percy and friends! the only thing is that the resolution to the prophecy felt kind of underwhelming to me�� i just pictured something way more climatic in my head. the fight scenes also got kind of repetitive b/c obviously someone would show up last minute and save the day (but i ate it up every time, ESPECIALLY that nico and hades entrance) also nico becoming my favorite demigod is something i did not expect but i’ve officially adopted him

i literally had no idea heroes of olympus is connected to the pjo universe so i will have to continue my adventure with everyone sometime later!

p.s. the percabeth scenes at the end were so cute i wanted to cry why am i so chronically single
]]> 8130423 In this fourth installment of the blockbuster series, time is running out as war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near. Even the safe haven of Camp Half-Blood grows more vulnerable by the minute as Kronos's army prepares to invade its once impenetrable borders. To stop the invasion, Percy and his demigod friends must set out on a quest through the Labyrinth - a sprawling underground world with stunning surprises at every turn.]]> 361 Rick Riordan reese ^^ 5
where do i even begin�� i feel like so much happened within this book ALONE

i thought the plot was so good, the whole idea of the labyrinth like i was IMMEDIATELY sucked in with where the plot was heading. i thought there were a lot of good twists in the story as well!
as for the characters, erm�� there was a point i wanted to hit most of them over the head (lovingly ofc.. except luke). percy i keep pulling jackson is just getting all the girls to fall for him huh.. and is saur CLUELESS. percabeth really went through a lot in this book

admittedly, i thought nico was very annoying in the titan’s curse but i’m gonna adopt him so he can at least have a home to slam doors in. i just really felt for him in this book oml. like ahh he’s forcing himself to grow up too fast :��(

i could go on forever but unfortunately i don’t have any friends to listen to me yap about this series and i don’t want to write a long review lol. if i had to rank this book.. i’d say i enjoyed it more than the titan’s curse, but a little less than the lightening thief (????) actually idk ]]> 4.44 2008
author: Rick Riordan
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2008
rating: 5
read at: 2024/05/24
date added: 2024/05/24
shelves:
review:
4.5 ⭐️

where do i even begin�� i feel like so much happened within this book ALONE

i thought the plot was so good, the whole idea of the labyrinth like i was IMMEDIATELY sucked in with where the plot was heading. i thought there were a lot of good twists in the story as well!
as for the characters, erm�� there was a point i wanted to hit most of them over the head (lovingly ofc.. except luke). percy i keep pulling jackson is just getting all the girls to fall for him huh.. and is saur CLUELESS. percabeth really went through a lot in this book

admittedly, i thought nico was very annoying in the titan’s curse but i’m gonna adopt him so he can at least have a home to slam doors in. i just really felt for him in this book oml. like ahh he’s forcing himself to grow up too fast :��(

i could go on forever but unfortunately i don’t have any friends to listen to me yap about this series and i don’t want to write a long review lol. if i had to rank this book.. i’d say i enjoyed it more than the titan’s curse, but a little less than the lightening thief (????) actually idk
]]> 561456
But when you're the son of a Greek god, it happens. And now my friend Annabeth is missing, a goddess is in chains and only five half-blood heroes can join the quest to defeat the doomsday monster.

Oh, and guess what? The Oracle has predicted that not all of us will survive...]]> 352 Rick Riordan reese ^^ 5
this book gets an extra point for making me shed a single tear. now i’ll go back to feeling dead inside ]]> 4.37 2007
author: Rick Riordan
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2007
rating: 5
read at: 2024/05/12
date added: 2024/05/12
shelves:
review:
4.5 ⭐️

this book gets an extra point for making me shed a single tear. now i’ll go back to feeling dead inside
]]> 40727118
But things don't stay quiet for long. Percy soon discovers there is trouble at Camp Half-Blood: The magical borders which protect Half-Blood Hill have been poisoned by a mysterious enemy, and the only safe haven for demigods is on the verge of being overrun by mythological monsters. To save the camp, Percy needs the help of his best friend, Grover, who has been taken prisoner by the Cyclops Polyphemus on an island somewhere in the Sea of Monsters--the dangerous waters Greek heroes have sailed for millenia--only today, the Sea of Monsters goes by a new name...the Bermuda Triangle.

Now Percy and his friends--Grover, Annabeth, and Tyson--must retrieve the Golden Fleece from the Island of the Cyclopes by the end of the summer or Camp Half-Blood will be destroyed. But first, Percy will learn a stunning new secret about his family--one that makes him question whether being claimed as Poseidon's son is an honor or simply a cruel joke.]]> 279 Rick Riordan 0120000318 reese ^^ 4
also�� percy carrying around a picture of annabeth EEEEE. i don’t know if i’m just delusional (i am) but i was sensing crumbs from them ]]> 4.24 2006
author: Rick Riordan
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2006
rating: 4
read at: 2024/04/30
date added: 2024/04/30
shelves:
review:
tyson is officially my favorite he’s so sweet

also�� percy carrying around a picture of annabeth EEEEE. i don’t know if i’m just delusional (i am) but i was sensing crumbs from them
]]> 28187 Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here

Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse - Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena - Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.]]> 377 Rick Riordan 0786838655 reese ^^ 5
i was worried i wouldn’t enjoy this book since i’d heard spoilers (obviously since it’s been out for so long lol) and that’d it read super young for me but !! i really enjoyed the story. it was super fun and even though i knew some events that took place, i found that there’s way more that i don’t know so i could still enjoy the story and learn things as i went along

percy’s such a great mc and he truly won the idgaf war !!!!! he made me laugh out loud so many times. and trio is so freakin adorable, i lovee their friendship. i ������’t wait to follow them throughout the next 4 books ]]> 4.31 2005
author: Rick Riordan
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2005
rating: 5
read at: 2024/04/27
date added: 2024/04/28
shelves:
review:
4.5 ⭐️

i was worried i wouldn’t enjoy this book since i’d heard spoilers (obviously since it’s been out for so long lol) and that’d it read super young for me but !! i really enjoyed the story. it was super fun and even though i knew some events that took place, i found that there’s way more that i don’t know so i could still enjoy the story and learn things as i went along

percy’s such a great mc and he truly won the idgaf war !!!!! he made me laugh out loud so many times. and trio is so freakin adorable, i lovee their friendship. i ������’t wait to follow them throughout the next 4 books
]]> 62926938 An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate…only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics.

Sometimes, the worst day of your life happens, and you have to figure out how to live after it.

So Clementine forms a plan to keep her heart safe: work hard, find someone decent to love, and try to remember to chase the moon. The last one is silly and obviously metaphorical, but her aunt always told her that you needed at least one big dream to keep going. And for the last year, that plan has gone off without a hitch. Mostly. The love part is hard because she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone—she isn’t sure her heart can take it.

And then she finds a strange man standing in the kitchen of her late aunt’s apartment. A man with kind eyes and a Southern drawl and a taste for lemon pies. The kind of man that, before it all, she would’ve fallen head-over-heels for. And she might again.

Except, he exists in the past. Seven years ago, to be exact. And she, quite literally, lives seven years in his future.

Her aunt always said the apartment was a pinch in time, a place where moments blended together like watercolors. And Clementine knows that if she lets her heart fall, she’ll be doomed.

After all, love is never a matter of time—but a matter of timing.]]> 336 Ashley Poston reese ^^ 5
the first time i started this book i was so indifferent to it that i dnfed at barely 100 pgs in. the second time i just completely fell in love with this story. i am soso glad i gave it a second chance.

i don’t even know what to add other than the fact that this story pleasantly surprised me ]]> 4.18 2023
author: Ashley Poston
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2024/03/29
date added: 2024/03/29
shelves:
review:
wow.. wow WOW?!?!

the first time i started this book i was so indifferent to it that i dnfed at barely 100 pgs in. the second time i just completely fell in love with this story. i am soso glad i gave it a second chance.

i don’t even know what to add other than the fact that this story pleasantly surprised me
]]> 182484360
Lights. Camera. Lies.

18-year-old Bel has lived her whole life in the shadow of her mom’s mysterious disappearance. Sixteen years ago, Rachel Price vanished and young Bel was the only witness, but she has no memory of it. Rachel is gone, long presumed dead, and Bel wishes everyone would just move on.

But the case is dragged up from the past when the Price family agree to a true crime documentary. Bel ������’t wait for filming to end, for life to go back to normal. And then the impossible happens. Rachel Price reappears, and life will never be normal again.

Rachel has an unbelievable story about what happened to her. Unbelievable, because Bel isn’t sure it’s real. If Rachel is lying, then where has she been all this time? And �� could she be dangerous? With the cameras still rolling, Bel must uncover the truth about her mother, and find out why Rachel Price really came back from the dead . . .

From world-renowned author Holly Jackson comes a mind-blowing masterpiece about one girl’s search for the truth, and the terror in finding out who your family really is.]]> 448 Holly Jackson 0593374207 reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.09 2024
author: Holly Jackson
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/03/28
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 124932739 I Hope This Doesn't Find You is Never Have I Ever meets To All the Boys if Lara Jean wrote hate emails instead of love letters.

Sadie Wen is perfect on paper: school captain, valedictorian, and a "pleasure to have in class." It’s not easy, but she has a trick to keep her model-student smile plastered on her face at all times: she channels all her frustrations into her email drafts. She'd never send them of course -- she'd rather die than hurt anyone's feelings -- but it's a relief to let loose on her power-hungry English teacher or a freeloading classmate taking credit for Sadie's work.

All her most vehemently worded emails are directed at her infuriating cocaptain, Julius Gong, whose arrogance and competitive streak have irked Sadie since they were kids. "You're attention starved and self-obsessed and unbearably vain . . . I really hope your comb breaks and you run out of whatever expensive hair products you've been using to make your hair appear deceptively soft..."

Sadie doesn't have to hold back in her emails, because nobody will ever read them... that is, until they're accidentally sent out.

Overnight, Sadie’s carefully crafted, conflict-free life is turned upside down. It's her worst nightmare -- now everyone at school knows what she really thinks of them, and they're not afraid to tell her what they really think of her either. But amidst the chaos, there's one person growing to appreciate the "real" Sadie -- Julius, the only boy she's sworn to hate...]]> 320 Ann Liang 1338827154 reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.17 2024
author: Ann Liang
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/02/25
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 35297426 She was fifteen, her mother's golden girl. She had her whole life ahead of her. And then, in the blink of an eye, Ellie was gone.

NOW
It’s been ten years since Ellie disappeared, but Laurel has never given up hope of finding her daughter.

And then one day a charming and charismatic stranger called Floyd walks into a café and sweeps Laurel off her feet.

Before too long she’s staying the night at this house and being introduced to his nine year old daughter.

Poppy is precocious and pretty - and meeting her completely takes Laurel's breath away.

Because Poppy is the spitting image of Ellie when she was that age. And now all those unanswered questions that have haunted Laurel come flooding back.

What happened to Ellie? Where did she go?

Who still has secrets to hide?]]> 359 Lisa Jewell 1501154648 reese ^^ 3 4.02 2017
author: Lisa Jewell
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/12
date added: 2024/01/12
shelves:
review:

]]> 194802722 A shimmering, joyful new novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common, from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

Daphne always loved the way her fiancé, Peter, told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it... right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.

Which is how Daphne begins her new story: stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.

Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned-up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?

But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex... right?]]> 400 Emily Henry reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.21 2024
author: Emily Henry
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/09
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58684524
While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis doesn’t need glory or fame. She’s fine with being a “mere�� ER doctor. And every minute she spends with Daniel and the tight-knit town where he lives, she’s discovering just what’s really important. Yet letting their relationship become anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family and giving up the opportunity to help thousands of people.

Bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, and yet she ������’t just give up the joy she’s found with him either. With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his?

The New York Times bestselling author of Life's Too Short delivers a refreshingly modern fairy tale perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Emily Henry.]]> 389 Abby Jimenez 1538704374 reese ^^ 2 dnf-d
i just ������’t finish this, i’m sorry ]]> 4.26 2022
author: Abby Jimenez
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2023/11/19
date added: 2024/01/09
shelves: dnf-d
review:
dnf at 72%

i just ������’t finish this, i’m sorry
]]> 199335111
I’m a single dad and starting pitcher for Chicago’s MLB team.
I’m stretched too thin, but I don’t want help raising my son.

Each of his previous nannies only lasted a few weeks before I let them go.
Now, my coach is putting his foot down by hiring the one person I ������’t fire—his daughter.

Miller Montgomery is the last woman I should fall for. Too wild, too young, and too unattached.

Chicago is just a quick stop for her. I thought I’d be counting down the days until she left, but summer feels too short when I start thinking about forever.


Miller

As a high-end pastry chef who recently won the most prestigious award in my industry, I’m desperate to prove I deserve it. But with a new title comes new pressure, and I ������’t create a fresh and inspiring dessert to save my life.

With only two months to get back on track, I should be focusing in the kitchen, but instead, I let my dad talk me into using my time off to nanny for his star player’s kid.

Kai Rhodes forgot how to have fun, and I’m eager to jog his memory. But when he and his son start to feel like home, I have to remind us both that my time in Chicago ends with the summer.

Besides, I’ve always been a runner, and the last thing I want is to get caught.]]> 408 Liz Tomforde 139972858X reese ^^ 4
okok about caught up, while i was in the middle of this book i found myself not thinking much of it.. not that it was necessarily bad but i was not feelings the feels the right move gave me (that book truly altered my brain chemistry) but the last 10% or made me sooo emotional and i just think this book had a great cast of characters, which made me end up liking it so much. the found family here is SO strong and the way everyone just comes together in one big tight knit family in the end.. i am a sucker for that.

i just want to meet monty in real life and hug him. is that weird? ]]> 4.37 2023
author: Liz Tomforde
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/31
date added: 2023/12/31
shelves:
review:
seeing ryanindy in this book genuinely made so happy in a way i cannot even describe. i love them so much. and rio�� i am genuinely obsessed with him. WHEN HIS BOOK COMES OUT!!!!!!

okok about caught up, while i was in the middle of this book i found myself not thinking much of it.. not that it was necessarily bad but i was not feelings the feels the right move gave me (that book truly altered my brain chemistry) but the last 10% or made me sooo emotional and i just think this book had a great cast of characters, which made me end up liking it so much. the found family here is SO strong and the way everyone just comes together in one big tight knit family in the end.. i am a sucker for that.

i just want to meet monty in real life and hug him. is that weird?
]]> 62334530 Lisa Jewell returns with a scintillating new psychological thriller about a woman who finds herself the subject of her own popular true crime podcast.

Celebrating her forty-fifth birthday at her local pub, popular podcaster Alix Summers crosses paths with an unassuming woman called Josie Fair. Josie, it turns out, is also celebrating her forty-fifth birthday. They are, in fact, birthday twins.

A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she ������’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?]]> 390 Lisa Jewell 1982179007 reese ^^ 2
ig i’ll settle on like 2.75 stars�� idk!

feeling very conflicted lolol. at the beginning i was so intrigued and sucked into the premise, while josie was telling her story on the podcast i just wanted to know more and more, i absolutely couldn’t put it down!!!

the 3rd part pretty much lost me. when it got to the part where everything was finally being revealed�� it was like oh, okay. i didn’t find myself as pulled in as i’d hoped to be, i wasn’t reading to find out more but just to finish the book. the climax was not what i’d hoped it would be at all.

i also don’t like how they handled the topic of grooming�� it seemed like they tried to excuse walter’s actions because he was a “good father�� but a 15 year old cannot consent to a relationship with a 42 old man, period. it just felt weird that they put the blame on josie and try to imply that she ‘seduced him�� �� yeah no.]]> 4.08 2023
author: Lisa Jewell
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2023
rating: 2
read at: 2023/10/18
date added: 2023/10/18
shelves:
review:
tw: mentions of pedophilia, grooming, child abuse, death

ig i’ll settle on like 2.75 stars�� idk!

feeling very conflicted lolol. at the beginning i was so intrigued and sucked into the premise, while josie was telling her story on the podcast i just wanted to know more and more, i absolutely couldn’t put it down!!!

the 3rd part pretty much lost me. when it got to the part where everything was finally being revealed�� it was like oh, okay. i didn’t find myself as pulled in as i’d hoped to be, i wasn’t reading to find out more but just to finish the book. the climax was not what i’d hoped it would be at all.

i also don’t like how they handled the topic of grooming�� it seemed like they tried to excuse walter’s actions because he was a “good father�� but a 15 year old cannot consent to a relationship with a 42 old man, period. it just felt weird that they put the blame on josie and try to imply that she ‘seduced him�� �� yeah no.
]]> 60784546 After centuries of sleep, the gods are warring again��

All eighteen-year-old Iris Winnow wants to do is hold her family together. With a brother on the frontline forced to fight on behalf of the Gods now missing from the frontline and a mother drowning her sorrows, Iris’s best bet is winning the columnist promotion at the Oath Gazette.

But when Iris’s letters to her brother fall into the wrong hands �� that of the handsome but cold Roman Kitt, her rival at the paper �� an unlikely magical connection forms.

Expelled into the middle of a mystical war, magical typewriters in tow, can their bond withstand the fight for the fate of mankind and, most importantly, love?

An epic enemies-to-lovers fantasy novel filled with hope and heartbreak, and the unparalleled power of love.]]> 357 Rebecca Ross 1250857430 reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.14 2023
author: Rebecca Ross
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/15
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 7235533 From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, The Way of Kings, book one of The Stormlight Archive begins an incredible new saga of epic proportion.

Roshar is a world of stone and storms. Uncanny tempests of incredible power sweep across the rocky terrain so frequently that they have shaped ecology and civilization alike. Animals hide in shells, trees pull in branches, and grass retracts into the soilless ground. Cities are built only where the topography offers shelter.

It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them.

One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable.

Brightlord Dalinar Kholin commands one of those other armies. Like his brother, the late king, he is fascinated by an ancient text called The Way of Kings. Troubled by over-powering visions of ancient times and the Knights Radiant, he has begun to doubt his own sanity.

Across the ocean, an untried young woman named Shallan seeks to train under an eminent scholar and notorious heretic, Dalinar's niece, Jasnah. Though she genuinely loves learning, Shallan's motives are less than pure. As she plans a daring theft, her research for Jasnah hints at secrets of the Knights Radiant and the true cause of the war.

The result of over ten years of planning, writing, and world-building, The Way of Kings is but the opening movement of the Stormlight Archive, a bold masterpiece in the making.

Speak again the ancient oaths:

Life before death.
Strength before weakness.
Journey before Destination.

and return to men the Shards they once bore.

The Knights Radiant must stand again.]]> 1007 Brandon Sanderson 0765326353 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.66 2010
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.66
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/15
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 60018635 A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family--and a new love--changes the course of her life.

As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don't mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she's used to being alone and she follows the rules...with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.

But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and...Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he's concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.

As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn't the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn't know she was looking for....
]]> 318 Sangu Mandanna 059343935X reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.05 2022
author: Sangu Mandanna
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/10/15
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 55710822 In this rom-com about rom-coms, in the spirit of Kasie West and Jenn Bennett, a hopeless romantic teen attempts to secure a happily-ever-after moment with her forever crush, but finds herself reluctantly drawn to the boy next door.

Perpetual daydreamer Liz Buxbaum gave her heart to Michael a long time ago. But her cool, aloof forever crush never really saw her before he moved away. Now that he’s back in town, Liz will do whatever it takes to get on his radar - and maybe snag him as a prom date - even befriend Wes Bennet.

The annoyingly attractive next-door neighbor might seem like a prime candidate for romantic-comedy fantasies, but Wes has only been a pain in Liz’s butt since they were kids. Pranks involving frogs and decapitated lawn gnomes do not a potential boyfriend make. Yet, somehow, Wes and Michael are hitting it off, which means Wes is Liz’s in.

But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz noticed by Michael so she can have her magical prom moment, she’s shocked to discover that she likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must reexamine everything she thought she knew about love - and rethink her own ideas of what happily ever after should look like.]]> 356 Lynn Painter 1534467629 reese ^^ 4
you know what? i just wanted a cute little book to read, and i think this definitely delivered on that. i rarely devour books like this so that is saying something.

i mean this quote in itself, “i fell in love with teasing you in the second grade, when i first discovered that i could turn your cheeks pink with just a word. then i fell in love with you.�� i evaporated

this book definitely had it’s faults, like liz being unlikable multiple times�� very unlikable! i just felt so bad for helena oml. she just consistently made poor decisions and watched it all blow up on her.. which was deserved lmao.

but anyways the ending was so cute and the book was 5/5 squeal worthy]]> 4.28 2021
author: Lynn Painter
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2023/07/22
date added: 2023/07/22
shelves:
review:
4.25 ⭐️

you know what? i just wanted a cute little book to read, and i think this definitely delivered on that. i rarely devour books like this so that is saying something.

i mean this quote in itself, “i fell in love with teasing you in the second grade, when i first discovered that i could turn your cheeks pink with just a word. then i fell in love with you.�� i evaporated

this book definitely had it’s faults, like liz being unlikable multiple times�� very unlikable! i just felt so bad for helena oml. she just consistently made poor decisions and watched it all blow up on her.. which was deserved lmao.

but anyways the ending was so cute and the book was 5/5 squeal worthy
]]> 68428 What if the whole world were a dead, blasted wasteland?

Mistborn
For a thousand years the ash fell and no flowers bloomed. For a thousand years the Skaa slaved in misery and lived in fear. For a thousand years the Lord Ruler, the "Sliver of Infinity," reigned with absolute power and ultimate terror, divinely invincible. Then, when hope was so long lost that not even its memory remained, a terribly scarred, heart-broken half-Skaa rediscovered it in the depths of the Lord Ruler's most hellish prison. Kelsier "snapped" and found in himself the powers of a Mistborn. A brilliant thief and natural leader, he turned his talents to the ultimate caper, with the Lord Ruler himself as the mark.

Kelsier recruited the underworld's elite, the smartest and most trustworthy allomancers, each of whom shares one of his many powers, and all of whom relish a high-stakes challenge. Then Kelsier reveals his ultimate dream, not just the greatest heist in history, but the downfall of the divine despot.

But even with the best criminal crew ever assembled, Kel's plan looks more like the ultimate long shot, until luck brings a ragged girl named Vin into his life. Like him, she's a half-Skaa orphan, but she's lived a much harsher life. Vin has learned to expect betrayal from everyone she meets. She will have to learn trust if Kel is to help her master powers of which she never dreamed.

Brandon Sanderson, fantasy's newest master tale-spinner and author of the acclaimed debut Elantris, dares to turn a genre on its head by asking a simple question: What if the prophesied hero failed to defeat the Dark Lord? The answer will be found in the Mistborn Trilogy, a saga of surprises that begins with the book in your hands. Fantasy will never be the same again.]]> 541 Brandon Sanderson reese ^^ 5
WOW what a journey, i’m not sure why but i didn’t expect to like this. i was very bored in the beginning and anticipated this book being 3 stars, but so many elements started to captivate me. i haven’t read a lot of fantasy but this magic system is SO unique, i was underlining just to keep up with everything! not to mention the character dynamics�� i’m a sucker for found family so seeing vin’s character arc, especially how close she grew to kelsier, was soso sweet to read. it even made me cry :,)

only thing i am not exactly a fan of is the romance! i don’t really care for elend as a character, but i don’t mind him as the love interest.. i just wish it was more drawn out. they fell for each other a bit too fast for my liking so i didn’t exactly buy it ]]> 4.48 2006
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.48
book published: 2006
rating: 5
read at: 2023/07/09
date added: 2023/07/09
shelves:
review:
4.5 stars!!!

WOW what a journey, i’m not sure why but i didn’t expect to like this. i was very bored in the beginning and anticipated this book being 3 stars, but so many elements started to captivate me. i haven’t read a lot of fantasy but this magic system is SO unique, i was underlining just to keep up with everything! not to mention the character dynamics�� i’m a sucker for found family so seeing vin’s character arc, especially how close she grew to kelsier, was soso sweet to read. it even made me cry :,)

only thing i am not exactly a fan of is the romance! i don’t really care for elend as a character, but i don’t mind him as the love interest.. i just wish it was more drawn out. they fell for each other a bit too fast for my liking so i didn’t exactly buy it
]]> 2767793
Who is the Hero of Ages?

To end the Final Empire and restore freedom, Vin killed the Lord Ruler. But as a result, the Deepness—the lethal form of the ubiquitous mists—is back, along with increasingly heavy ashfalls and ever more powerful earthquakes. Humanity appears to be doomed.

Having escaped death at the climax of The Well of Ascension only by becoming a Mistborn himself, Emperor Elend Venture hopes to find clues left behind by the Lord Ruler that will allow him to save the world. Vin is consumed with guilt at having been tricked into releasing the mystic force known as Ruin from the Well. Ruin wants to end the world, and its near omniscience and ability to warp reality make stopping it seem impossible. Vin can't even discuss it with Elend lest Ruin learn their plans!]]> 572 Brandon Sanderson 0765316897 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.54 2008
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.54
book published: 2008
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/06/27
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 68429
The impossible has been accomplished. The Lord Ruler—the man who claimed to be god incarnate and brutally ruled the world for a thousand years—has been vanquished. But Kelsier, the hero who masterminded that triumph, is dead too, and now the awesome task of building a new world has been left to his young protégé, Vin, the former street urchin who is now the most powerful Mistborn in the land, and to the idealistic young nobleman she loves.

As Kelsier's protégé and slayer of the Lord Ruler she is now venerated by a budding new religion, a distinction that makes her intensely uncomfortable. Even more worrying, the mists have begun behaving strangely since the Lord Ruler died, and seem to harbor a strange vaporous entity that haunts her.

Stopping assassins may keep Vin's Mistborn skills sharp, but it's the least of her problems. Luthadel, the largest city of the former empire, doesn't run itself, and Vin and the other members of Kelsier's crew, who lead the revolution, must learn a whole new set of practical and political skills to help. It certainly won't get easier with three armies - one of them composed of ferocious giants - now vying to conquer the city, and no sign of the Lord Ruler's hidden cache of atium, the rarest and most powerful allomantic metal.

As the siege of Luthadel tightens, an ancient legend seems to offer a glimmer of hope. But even if it really exists, no one knows where to find the Well of Ascension or what manner of power it bestows.]]> 590 Brandon Sanderson 0765316889 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.38 2007
author: Brandon Sanderson
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2007
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/06/27
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 50202540 This gripping thriller follows two teens whose lives become inextricably linked when one confesses to murder and the other becomes determined to uncover the real truth no matter the cost.

What happened to Zoe won't stay buried...

When Anna Cicconi arrives to the small Hamptons village of Herron Mills for a summer nanny gig, she has high hopes for a fresh start. What she finds instead is a community on edge after the disappearance of Zoe Spanos, a local girl who has been missing since New Year's Eve. Anna bears an eerie resemblance to Zoe, and her mere presence in town stirs up still-raw feelings about the unsolved case. As Anna delves deeper into the mystery, stepping further and further into Zoe's life, she becomes increasingly convinced that she and Zoe are connected--and that she knows what happened to her.

Two months later, Zoe's body is found in a nearby lake, and Anna is charged with manslaughter. But Anna's confession is riddled with holes, and Martina Green, teen host of the Missing Zoe podcast, isn't satisfied. Did Anna really kill Zoe? And if not, can Martina's podcast uncover the truth?]]> 384 Kit Frick 1534449701 reese ^^ 4 3.77 2020
author: Kit Frick
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.77
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2022/02/08
date added: 2023/06/01
shelves:
review:
this book hit a lot of the marks for me. i enjoyed the ‘guessing game,�� and trying to rule everyone out. even when i was a third of the way in, i had no idea how it was going to turn out. i’d only say that the ending was a bit anticlimactic, but that last twist at the end.. wow.
]]> 61918816 A novel of terrible first impressions, hilarious second chances, and the joy in finding your perfect match.

Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin��-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass�� scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.

And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,�� and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she ������’t refuse.]]> 416 Abby Jimenez 1538704390 reese ^^ 3
aah i feel so bad not rating this 5 stars, i truly thought it would be! i loved the beginning of this book. i was swooning at the letters and the banter and each of their povs. i also love love love the anxiety rep, i felt so seen!!!

i think miscommunication is natural for fake dating, since they don’t know if what they’re getting is real or just performative. the miscommunication just ended up being too much, it went on and on and on and i became so irritated�� like girl stand up!! PLEASEE assess the situation. when you read “but they don’t love me back�� 40 times in a row you start to go a bit insane.

then they FINALLY got together and the third act conflict comes in and�� i sympathize with briana, i really do, but it felt like everything they worked for throughout the entire book suddenly didn’t matter. it just made me more annoyed. i hope part of your world doesn’t have these tropes because i think i might pick it up!

]]> 4.29 2023
author: Abby Jimenez
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/05/19
date added: 2023/05/19
shelves:
review:
3.5 ⭐️ SLIGHT SPOILERS?!?!

aah i feel so bad not rating this 5 stars, i truly thought it would be! i loved the beginning of this book. i was swooning at the letters and the banter and each of their povs. i also love love love the anxiety rep, i felt so seen!!!

i think miscommunication is natural for fake dating, since they don’t know if what they’re getting is real or just performative. the miscommunication just ended up being too much, it went on and on and on and i became so irritated�� like girl stand up!! PLEASEE assess the situation. when you read “but they don’t love me back�� 40 times in a row you start to go a bit insane.

then they FINALLY got together and the third act conflict comes in and�� i sympathize with briana, i really do, but it felt like everything they worked for throughout the entire book suddenly didn’t matter. it just made me more annoyed. i hope part of your world doesn’t have these tropes because i think i might pick it up!


]]> 60556912
Every day I clean the Winchesters�� beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out�� and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of��

An unbelievably twisty read that will have you glued to the pages late into the night. Anyone who loves The Woman in the Window, The Wife Between Us and The Girl on the Train won’t be able to put this down!]]> 329 Freida McFadden 1803144378 reese ^^ 2 4.31 2022
author: Freida McFadden
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2023/05/12
date added: 2023/05/12
shelves:
review:
is the thrill in the room with us????? gosh what was that
]]> 60714999 Human or vampire, the rules of survival are the same: never trust, never yield, and always �� always �� guard your heart.

The adopted human daughter of the Nightborn vampire king, Oraya carved her place in a world designed to kill her. Her only chance to become something more than prey is entering the Kejari: a legendary tournament held by the goddess of death herself.

But winning won’t be easy amongst the most vicious warriors from all three vampire houses. To survive, Oraya is forced to make an alliance with a mysterious rival.

Everything about Raihn is dangerous. He is a ruthless vampire, an efficient killer, an enemy to her father’s crown�� and her greatest competition. Yet, what terrifies Oraya most of all is that she finds herself oddly drawn to him.

But there’s no room for compassion in the Kejari. War for the House of Night brews, shattering everything that Oraya thought she knew about her home. And Raihn may understand her more than anyone �� but their blossoming attraction could be her downfall, in a kingdom where nothing is more deadly than love.

The Serpent and the Wings of Night is the first book in a new series of heart-wrenching romance, dark magic, and bloodthirsty intrigue, perfect for fans of From Blood and Ash and A Court of Thorns and Roses.]]> 504 Carissa Broadbent reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.30 2022
author: Carissa Broadbent
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/05/06
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 59365195
All Bree wanted was to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death. So she infiltrated the Legendborn Order, a secret society descended from King Arthur’s knights—only to discover her own ancestral power. Now, Bree has become someone new: A Medium. A Bloodcrafter. A Scion. But the ancient war between demons and the Order is rising to a deadly peak. And Nick, the Legendborn boy Bree fell in love with, has been kidnapped.

Bree wants to fight, but the Regents who rule the Order won’t let her. To them, she is an unknown girl with unheard-of power, and as the living anchor for the spell that preserves the Legendborn cycle, she must be protected. When the Regents reveal they will do whatever it takes to hide the war, Bree and her friends must go on the run to rescue Nick themselves. But enemies are everywhere, Bree’s powers are unpredictable and dangerous, and she ������’t escape her growing attraction to Selwyn, the mage sworn to protect Nick until death.

If Bree has any hope of saving herself and the people she loves, she must learn to control her powers from the ancestors who wielded them first—without losing herself in the process.]]> 576 Tracy Deonn 1534441638 reese ^^ 5
it took me so long to finish this bc of uni but nothing could prepare for those last few chapters. just wow. i was sucker punched in the face multiple times and now i’m currently left on the floor with a bloody nose in full tears. KO

tracy deonn: 2
me: 0

i just loved this. i feel so broken right now there are no thoughts in my brain

“just know briana matthews, that you are worth this and more�� ��. going to cry myself to sleep k bye ]]> 4.31 2022
author: Tracy Deonn
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.31
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2023/05/06
date added: 2023/05/06
shelves:
review:
i am broken. i am in disarray. i am a mess. i am sadness. i will never recover.

it took me so long to finish this bc of uni but nothing could prepare for those last few chapters. just wow. i was sucker punched in the face multiple times and now i’m currently left on the floor with a bloody nose in full tears. KO

tracy deonn: 2
me: 0

i just loved this. i feel so broken right now there are no thoughts in my brain

“just know briana matthews, that you are worth this and more�� ��. going to cry myself to sleep k bye
]]> 62335396 Love is a sacrifice at the altar of power.

In the wake of the Kejari, everything Oraya once thought to be true has been destroyed. A prisoner in her own kingdom, grieving the only family she ever had, and reeling from a gutting betrayal, she no longer even knows the truth of her own blood. She’s left only with one certainty: she cannot trust anyone, least of all Raihn.

The House of Night, too, is surrounded by enemies. Raihn’s own nobles are none too eager to accept a Turned king, especially one who was once a slave. And the House of Blood digs their claws into the kingdom, threatening to tear it apart from the inside.

When Raihn offers Oraya a secret alliance, taking the deal is her only chance at reclaiming her kingdom–and gaining her vengeance against the lover who betrayed her. But to do so, she’ll need to harness a devastating ancient power, intertwined with her father’s greatest secrets.

But with enemies closing in on all sides, nothing is as it seems. As she unravels her past and faces her future, Oraya finds herself forced to choose between the bloody reality of seizing power �� and the devastating love that could be her downfall.]]> 626 Carissa Broadbent reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.10 2023
author: Carissa Broadbent
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/05/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 61431922 Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders...

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile�� humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die]]> 665 Rebecca Yarros 1649374046 reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.56 2023
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/05/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 61718053
They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They ������’t stand to break their friends�� hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week�� in front of those who know you best?

A couple who broke up months ago make a pact to pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.]]> 400 Emily Henry 0593441273 reese ^^ 0 to-read 3.95 2023
author: Emily Henry
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/04/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 60039565 Opposites become allies to fool their matchmaking friends in this swoony reimagining of Shakespeare’s beloved comedy, Much Ado About Nothing.

Jamie Westenberg and Bea Wilmot have nothing in common except a meet-disaster and the mutual understanding that they couldn’t be more wrong for each other. But when the people closest to them play Cupid and trick them into going on a date, Jamie and Bea realize they have something else in common after all—an undeniable need for revenge.

Soon their plan is in place: Fake date obnoxiously and convince the meddlers they’re madly in love. Then, break up spectacularly and dash everyone’s hopes, putting an end to the matchmaking madness once and for all.

To convince everyone that they’ve fallen for each other, Jamie and Bea will have to nail the performance of their lives. But as their final act nears and playing lovers becomes easier than not, they begin to wonder: What if Cupid’s arrow wasn’t so off the mark? And what if two wrongs do make a right?]]> 326 Chloe Liese 0593441508 reese ^^ 2 3.78 2022
author: Chloe Liese
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2022
rating: 2
read at: 2023/04/07
date added: 2023/04/13
shelves:
review:
i don’t know about two wrongs make a right.. this was just too wrong
]]> 52766407 The Hating Game meets Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by way of Morgan Matson in this unforgettable romantic comedy about two rival overachievers whose relationship completely transforms over the course of twenty-four hours.

Today, she hates him.

It’s the last day of senior year. Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been bitter rivals for all of high school, clashing on test scores, student council elections, and even gym class pull-up contests. While Rowan, who secretly wants to write romance novels, is anxious about the future, she’d love to beat her infuriating nemesis one last time.

Tonight, she puts up with him.

When Neil is named valedictorian, Rowan has only one chance at victory: Howl, a senior class game that takes them all over Seattle, a farewell tour of the city she loves. But after learning a group of seniors is out to get them, she and Neil reluctantly decide to team up until they’re the last players left—and then they’ll destroy each other.

As Rowan spends more time with Neil, she realizes he’s much more than the awkward linguistics nerd she’s sparred with for the past four years. And, perhaps, this boy she claims to despise might actually be the boy of her dreams.

Tomorrow �� maybe she’s already fallen for him.]]> 364 Rachel Lynn Solomon 1534440240 reese ^^ 3
i’d like to start off by saying thank you, neil, for being 5��5. i am tired of tall men.

in the beginning i thought i wouldn’t like this at ALL, but it was fine. as a recent high school graduate i understood a lot of the emotions she was going through, so the book started to appeal more to me in that sense.

i just ������’t get over everyone around her making fun of romance books ]]> 4.04 2020
author: Rachel Lynn Solomon
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2023/01/08
date added: 2023/01/08
shelves:
review:
3.6 ⭐️ (i’ve changed this rating about 5 times)

i’d like to start off by saying thank you, neil, for being 5��5. i am tired of tall men.

in the beginning i thought i wouldn’t like this at ALL, but it was fine. as a recent high school graduate i understood a lot of the emotions she was going through, so the book started to appeal more to me in that sense.

i just ������’t get over everyone around her making fun of romance books
]]> 61313902 Eight hours.
Six friends.
One sniper . . .

Eighteen year old Red and her friends are on a road trip in an RV, heading to the beach for Spring Break. It’s a long drive but spirits are high. Until the RV breaks down in the middle of nowhere. There’s no mobile phone reception and nobody around to help. And as the wheels are shot out, one by one, the friends realise that this is no accident. There’s a sniper out there in the dark watching them and he knows exactly who they are. One of the group has a secret that the sniper is willing to kill for.

A game of cat-and-mouse plays out as the group desperately tries to get help and to work out which member of the group is the target. Buried secrets are forced to light in the cramped, claustrophobic setting of the RV, and tensions within the group will reach deadly levels. Not everyone will survive the night.]]> 391 Holly Jackson 0755504402 reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.09 2022
author: Holly Jackson
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 36337550
There are eight days, and eight witnesses for you to inhabit.

We will only let you escape once you tell us the name of the killer.

Understood? Then let's begin . . .

Evelyn Hardcastle will die. Every day until Aiden Bishop can identify her killer and break the cycle. But every time the day begins again, Aiden wakes up in the body of a different guest. And some of his hosts are more helpful than others . . .

The most inventive debut of the year twists together a mystery of such unexpected creativity it will leave listeners guessing until the very last second.]]> 432 Stuart Turton reese ^^ 0 to-read 3.78 2018
author: Stuart Turton
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 61280442 Two best friends fake date to reach their holiday happily ever after in this first romantic comedy in the Lovelight series.

A pasture of dead trees. A hostile takeover of the Santa barn by a family of raccoons. And shipments that have mysteriously gone missing. Lovelight Farms is not the magical winter wonderland of Stella Bloom’s dreams.

In an effort to save the Christmas tree farm she’s loved since she was a kid, Stella enters a contest with Instagram-famous influencer Evelyn St. James. With the added publicity and the $100,000 cash prize, Stella might just be able to save the farm from its financial woes. There’s just one problem. To make the farm seem like a romantic destination for the holidays, she lied on her application and said she owns Lovelight Farms with her boyfriend. Only…there is no boyfriend.

Enter best friend Luka Peters. He just stopped by for some hot chocolate and somehow got a farm and a serious girlfriend in the process. But fake dating his best friend might be the best Christmas present he’s ever received.]]> 416 B.K. Borison reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 3.94 2021
author: B.K. Borison
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/28
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 54814676
In this exquisite story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Michelle Zauner proves herself far more than a dazzling singer, songwriter, and guitarist. With humour and heart, she tells of growing up the only Asian-American kid at her school in Eugene, Oregon; of struggling with her mother’s particular, high expectations of her; of a painful adolescence; of treasured months spent in her grandmother’s tiny apartment in Seoul, where she and her mother would bond, late at night, over heaping plates of food. As she grew up, moving to the east coast for college, finding work in the restaurant industry, performing gigs with her fledgling band �� and meeting the man who would become her husband �� her Koreanness began to feel ever more distant, even as she found the life she wanted to live.

It was her mother’s diagnosis of terminal pancreatic cancer, when Michelle was twenty-five, that forced a reckoning with her identity and brought her to reclaim the gifts of taste, language, and history her mother had given her.

Vivacious, lyrical and honest, Michelle Zauner’s voice is as radiantly alive on the page as it is onstage. Rich with intimate anecdotes that will resonate widely, Crying in H Mart is a book to cherish, share, and reread.]]> 243 Michelle Zauner 0525657746 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.25 2021
author: Michelle Zauner
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/28
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 60321485 The author of The Charm Offensive returns with a festive romantic comedy about a woman who fakes an engagement with her landlord…only to fall for his sister.

One year ago, recent Portland transplant Ellie Oliver had her dream job in animation and a Christmas Eve meet-cute with a woman at a bookstore that led her to fall in love over the course of a single night. But after a betrayal the next morning and the loss of her job soon after, she finds herself adrift, alone, and desperate for money.

Finding work at a local coffee shop, she’s just getting through the days—until Andrew, the shop’s landlord, proposes a shocking, drunken plan: a marriage of convenience that will give him his recent inheritance and alleviate Ellie’s financial woes and isolation. They make a plan to spend the holidays together at his family cabin to keep up the ruse. But when Andrew introduces his new fiancée to his sister, Ellie is shocked to discover it’s Jack—the mysterious woman she fell for over the course of one magical Christmas Eve the year before. Now, Ellie must choose between the safety of a fake relationship and the risk of something real.

Perfect for fans of Written in the Stars and One Day in December, Kiss Her Once for Me is the queer holiday rom-com that you’ll want to cozy up with next to the fire.]]> 368 Alison Cochrun 1982191139 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 3.83 2022
author: Alison Cochrun
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/28
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 55878999 Welcome to The Sunbearer Trials, where teen semidioses compete in a series of challenges with the highest of stakes, in this electric new Mexican-inspired fantasy from Aiden Thomas, the New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys.

“Only the most powerful and honorable semidioses get chosen. I’m just a Jade. I’m not a real hero.��

As each new decade begins, the Sun’s power must be replenished so that Sol can keep traveling along the sky and keep the evil Obsidian gods at bay. Ten semidioses between the ages of thirteen and eighteen are selected by Sol himself as the most worthy to compete in The Sunbearer Trials. The winner carries light and life to all the temples of Reino del Sol, but the loser has the greatest honor of all―they will be sacrificed to Sol, their body used to fuel the Sun Stones that will protect the people of Reino del Sol for the next ten years.

Teo, a 17-year-old Jade semidiós and the trans son of Quetzal, goddess of birds, has never worried about the Trials…or rather, he’s only worried for others. His best friend Niya―daughter of Tierra, the god of earth―is one of the strongest heroes of their generation and is much too likely to be chosen this year. He also ������’t help but worry (reluctantly, and under protest) for Aurelio, a powerful Gold semidiós and Teo’s friend-turned-rival who is a shoo-in for the Trials. Teo wouldn’t mind taking Aurelio down a notch or two, but a one-in-ten chance of death is a bit too close for Teo’s taste.

But then, for the first time in over a century, Sol chooses a semidiós who isn’t a Gold. In fact, he chooses two: Xio, the 13-year-old child of Mala Suerte, god of bad luck, and…Teo. Now they must compete in five mysterious trials, against opponents who are both more powerful and better trained, for fame, glory, and their own survival.]]> 352 Aiden Thomas reese ^^ 5
can niya conjure the second book with her gold bands, please?

i had SOSO much fun reading this. my mind is literally spinning right now so i ������’t make insightful commentary but yeah i just loved this.. i thought the world building was great and easy to follow, i came to love a few of the characters (sigh.. if you know you know), the representation was great (as expected), and i developed decade old generational feuds with a character a two. quite the success!

the last 50 pages or so had me screaming and spinning, it was a sight to see.

the only thing i didn’t really like was the modern references to instagram, youtube and other stuff, that really threw me off. some of the writing felt a bit repetitive as well, but other than that ]]> 4.32 2022
author: Aiden Thomas
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2022/12/28
date added: 2022/12/28
shelves:
review:
4.5 ⭐️ (or 4.25�� i don’t know)

can niya conjure the second book with her gold bands, please?

i had SOSO much fun reading this. my mind is literally spinning right now so i ������’t make insightful commentary but yeah i just loved this.. i thought the world building was great and easy to follow, i came to love a few of the characters (sigh.. if you know you know), the representation was great (as expected), and i developed decade old generational feuds with a character a two. quite the success!

the last 50 pages or so had me screaming and spinning, it was a sight to see.

the only thing i didn’t really like was the modern references to instagram, youtube and other stuff, that really threw me off. some of the writing felt a bit repetitive as well, but other than that
]]> 61242426
The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success �� not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone.

But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.]]> 296 Travis Baldree reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.05 2022
author: Travis Baldree
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/27
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 37570546 From a psychotherapist, and national advice columnist comes a thought-provoking new book that takes us behind the scenes of a therapist's world -- where her patients are looking for answers (and so is she).

One day, Lori Gottlieb is a therapist who helps patients in her Los Angeles practice. The next, a crisis causes her world to come crashing down. Enter Wendell, the quirky but seasoned therapist in whose office she suddenly lands. With his balding head, cardigan, and khakis, he seems to have come straight from Therapist Central Casting. Yet he will turn out to be anything but.

As Gottlieb explores the inner chambers of her patients' lives -- a self-absorbed Hollywood producer, a young newlywed diagnosed with a terminal illness, a senior citizen threatening to end her life on her birthday if nothing gets better, and a twenty-something who can't stop hooking up with the wrong guys -- she finds that the questions they are struggling with are the very ones she is now bringing to Wendell.

With startling wisdom and humor, Gottlieb invites us into her world as both clinician and patient, examining the truths and fictions we tell ourselves and others as we teeter on the tightrope between love and desire, meaning and mortality, guilt and redemption, terror and courage, hope and change.

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is revolutionary in its candor, offering a deeply personal yet universal tour of our hearts and minds and providing the rarest of gifts: a boldly revealing portrait of what it means to be human, and a disarmingly funny and illuminating account of our own mysterious lives and our power to transform them.]]> 415 Lori Gottlieb 1328662055 reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.36 2019
author: Lori Gottlieb
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/24
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 56898248 Ever After. As the most successful producer in the franchise’s history, Dev always scripts the perfect love story for his contestants, even as his own love life crashes and burns. But then the show casts disgraced tech wunderkind Charlie Winshaw as its star.

Charlie is far from the romantic Prince Charming Ever After expects. He doesn’t believe in true love, and only agreed to the show as a last-ditch effort to rehabilitate his image. In front of the cameras, he’s a stiff, anxious mess with no idea how to date twenty women on national television. Behind the scenes, he’s cold, awkward, and emotionally closed-off.

As Dev fights to get Charlie to connect with the contestants on a whirlwind, worldwide tour, they begin to open up to each other, and Charlie realizes he has better chemistry with Dev than with any of his female co-stars. But even reality TV has a script, and in order to find to happily ever after, they’ll have to reconsider whose love story gets told.

In this witty and heartwarming romantic comedy—reminiscent of Red, White & Royal Blue and One to Watch—an awkward tech wunderkind on a reality dating show goes off-script when sparks fly with his producer.]]> 354 Alison Cochrun 1982170719 reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.11 2021
author: Alison Cochrun
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 56978109 A teen girl navigates friendship drama, the end of high school, and discovering her queerness in Ophelia After All, a hilarious and heartfelt contemporary YA debut by author Racquel Marie.

Ophelia Rojas knows what she likes: her best friends, Cuban food, rose-gardening, and boys - way too many boys. Her friends and parents make fun of her endless stream of crushes, but Ophelia is a romantic at heart. She couldn't change, even if she wanted to.

So when she finds herself thinking more about cute, quiet Talia Sanchez than the loss of a perfect prom with her ex-boyfriend, seeds of doubt take root in Ophelia's firm image of herself. Add to that the impending end of high school and the fracturing of her once-solid friend group, and things are spiraling a little out of control. But the course of love--and sexuality--never did run smooth. As her secrets begin to unravel, Ophelia must make a choice between clinging to the fantasy version of herself she's always imagined or upending everyone's expectations to rediscover who she really is, after all.]]> 341 Racquel Marie 1250797306 reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.06 2022
author: Racquel Marie
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/23
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58842731 A debut novel about a queer Mexican American girl navigating Catholic school, while falling in love and learning to celebrate her true self.

Sixteen-year-old Yamilet Flores prefers to be known for her killer eyeliner, not for being one of the only Mexican kids at her new, mostly white, very rich Catholic school. But at least here no one knows she's gay, and Yami intends to keep it that way.

After being outed by her crush and ex-best friend before transferring to Slayton Catholic, Yami has new priorities: keep her brother out of trouble, make her mom proud, and, most importantly, don't fall in love. Granted, she's never been great at any of those things, but that's a problem for Future Yami.

The thing is, it's hard to fake being straight when Bo, the only openly queer girl at school, is so annoyingly perfect. And smart. And talented. And cute. So cute. Either way, Yami isn't going to make the same mistake again. If word got back to her mom, she could face a lot worse than rejection. So she'll have to start asking, WWSGD: What would a straight girl do?]]> 385 Sonora Reyes 006306023X reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.27 2022
author: Sonora Reyes
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 53401676 Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry by debut author Joya Goffney is the story of an overly enthusiastic list maker who is blackmailed into completing a to-do list of all her worst fears. It’s a heartfelt, tortured, contemporary YA high school romance with epistolary elements. Fans of Jenny Han’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and Kristina Forest’s debut I Wanna Be Where You Are will love the juicy secrets, leap-off-the-page sexual tension and the enemy-to-lover romantic arc.

Quinn keeps lists of everything—from the days she’s ugly cried, to “Things That I Would Never Admit Out Loud,�� to all the boys she’d like to kiss. Her lists keep her sane. By writing her fears on paper, she never has to face them in real life. That is, until her journal goes missing��

An anonymous account posts one of her lists on Instagram for the whole school to see and blackmails her into facing seven of her greatest fears, or else her entire journal will go public. Quinn doesn’t know who to trust. Desperate, she teams up with Carter Bennett—the last known person to have her journal—in a race against time to track down the blackmailer.

Together, they journey through everything Quinn’s been too afraid to face, and along the way, Quinn finds the courage to be honest, to live in the moment, and to fall in love.]]> 368 Joya Goffney 0063024810 reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.06 2021
author: Joya Goffney
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/21
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58784475 In this exhilarating novel, two friends—often in love, but never lovers—come together as creative partners in the world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality.

On a bitter-cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. For a moment, she pretends she hasn't heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom. These friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors, and, before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even twenty-five years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won't protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts.

Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin's Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is a dazzling and intricately imagined novel that examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love. Yes, it is a love story, but it is not one you have read before.]]> 401 Gabrielle Zevin 0735243344 reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.12 2022
author: Gabrielle Zevin
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58756420 From the New York Times bestselling author of One Last Stop and Red, White & Royal Blue comes a debut YA romantic comedy about chasing down what you want, only to find what you need...

Chloe Green is so close to winning. After her moms moved her from SoCal to Alabama for high school, she’s spent the past four years dodging gossipy classmates and a puritanical administration at Willowgrove Christian Academy. The thing that’s kept her going: winning valedictorian. Her only rival: prom queen Shara Wheeler, the principal’s perfect progeny.

But a month before graduation, Shara kisses Chloe and vanishes.

On a furious hunt for answers, Chloe discovers she’s not the only one Shara kissed. There’s also Smith, Shara’s longtime quarterback sweetheart, and Rory, Shara’s bad boy neighbor with a crush. The three have nothing in common except Shara and the annoyingly cryptic notes she left behind, but together they must untangle Shara’s trail of clues and find her. It’ll be worth it, if Chloe can drag Shara back before graduation to beat her fair-and-square.

Thrown into an unlikely alliance, chasing a ghost through parties, break-ins, puzzles, and secrets revealed on monogrammed stationery, Chloe starts to suspect there might be more to this small town than she thought. And maybe—probably not, but maybe—more to Shara, too.

Fierce, funny, and frank, Casey McQuiston's I Kissed Shara Wheeler is about breaking the rules, getting messy, and finding love in unexpected places.]]> 356 Casey McQuiston 1250244455 reese ^^ 3
paper towns but make it queer!
p.s. i adore smith parker, xoxo ]]> 3.87 2022
author: Casey McQuiston
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2022/12/17
date added: 2022/12/17
shelves:
review:
3.5 ⭐️

paper towns but make it queer!
p.s. i adore smith parker, xoxo
]]> 57789637
“Epic, romantic, and enthralling from start to finish.”—Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series

“An all-consuming work of literary fantasy that is breathtaking both for its beauty and its suspense."—BookPage, starred review

A captivating and romantic debut epic fantasy inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e, in which a young woman’s quest to free her mother pits her against the most powerful immortal in the realm.

Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is accustomed to solitude, unaware that she is being hidden from the feared Celestial Emperor who exiled her mother for stealing his elixir of immortality. But when Xingyin’s magic flares and her existence is discovered, she is forced to flee her home, leaving her mother behind.

Alone, powerless, and afraid, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a land of wonder and secrets. Disguising her identity, she seizes an opportunity to learn alongside the emperor’s son, mastering archery and magic, even as passion flames between her and the prince.

To save her mother, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest, confronting legendary creatures and vicious enemies. But when treachery looms and forbidden magic threatens the kingdom, she must challenge the ruthless Celestial Emperor for her dream—striking a dangerous bargain in which she is torn between losing all she loves or plunging the realm into chaos.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic, of loss and sacrifice—where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.]]> 503 Sue Lynn Tan 0063031302 reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.08 2022
author: Sue Lynn Tan
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/05
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 58724801 Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with her bare hands. But the truth is, she's an elite bodyguard and she's just been hired to protect a superstar actor from his stalker.

Jack Stapleton's a Hollywood heartthrob - captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, rising out of the waves in clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity.

When Jack's mom gets sick, he comes home to the family's Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn't want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah - against her will and her better judgment - finds herself pretending to be Jack's girlfriend as a cover.

Protecting Jack should be easy. But protecting her own heart? That's the hardest thing she's ever done...]]> 302 Katherine Center 1250219396 reese ^^ 0 to-read 3.94 2022
author: Katherine Center
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/12/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 40642172 , a young woman and a young man must choose whether to become heroes or villains—and friends or enemies—with the future of their home at stake. The first of two books.

Kate Harker and August Flynn are the heirs to a divided city—a city where the violence has begun to breed actual monsters. All Kate wants is to be as ruthless as her father, who lets the monsters roam free and makes the humans pay for his protection. All August wants is to be human, as good-hearted as his own father, to play a bigger role in protecting the innocent—but he’s one of the monsters. One who can steal a soul with a simple strain of music. When the chance arises to keep an eye on Kate, who’s just been kicked out of her sixth boarding school and returned home, August jumps at it. But Kate discovers August’s secret, and after a failed assassination attempt the pair must flee for their lives.]]> 469 Victoria E. Schwab reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 3.98 2016
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/12
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 26856502 A super-powered collision of extraordinary minds and vengeful intentions��#1 New York Times bestselling author V. E. Schwab returns with the thrilling follow-up to Vicious.

Magneto and Professor X. Superman and Lex Luthor. Victor Vale and Eli Ever. Sydney and Serena Clarke. Great partnerships, now soured on the vine.

But Marcella Riggins needs no one. Flush from her brush with death, she’s finally gained the control she’s always sought—and will use her new-found power to bring the city of Merit to its knees. She’ll do whatever it takes, collecting her own sidekicks, and leveraging the two most infamous EOs, Victor Vale and Eli Ever, against each other.

With Marcella's rise, new enmities create opportunity--and the stage of Merit City will once again be set for a final, terrible reckoning.]]> 462 Victoria E. Schwab reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.13 2018
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/12
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 29939230 Witness the fate of beloved heroes - and enemies.

THE BALANCE OF POWER HAS FINALLY TIPPED...
The precarious equilibrium among four Londons has reached its breaking point. Once brimming with the red vivacity of magic, darkness casts a shadow over the Maresh Empire, leaving a space for another London to rise.

WHO WILL CRUMBLE?
Kell - once assumed to be the last surviving Antari - begins to waver under the pressure of competing loyalties. And in the wake of tragedy, can Arnes survive?

WHO WILL RISE?
Lila Bard, once a commonplace - but never common - thief, has survived and flourished through a series of magical trials. But now she must learn to control the magic, before it bleeds her dry. Meanwhile, the disgraced Captain Alucard Emery of the Night Spire collects his crew, attempting a race against time to acquire the impossible.

WHO WILL TAKE CONTROL?
And an ancient enemy returns to claim a crown while a fallen hero tries to save a world in decay.]]> 624 Victoria E. Schwab 0765387468 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.30 2017
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/12
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 20764879
Now, restless after having given up his smuggling habit, Kell is visited by dreams of ominous magical events, waking only to think of Lila, who disappeared from the docks as she always meant to do. As Red London finalizes preparations for the Element Games--an extravagant international competition of magic meant to entertain and keep healthy the ties between neighboring countries--a certain pirate ship draws closer, carrying old friends back into port.

And while Red London is caught up in the pageantry and thrills of the Games, another London is coming back to life. After all, a shadow that was gone in the night will reappear in the morning. But the balance of magic is ever perilous, and for one city to flourish, another London must fall.]]> 512 Victoria E. Schwab 0765376474 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.20 2016
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.20
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/12
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 22055262
Kell was raised in Arnes—Red London—and officially serves the Maresh Empire as an ambassador, traveling between the frequent bloody regime changes in White London and the court of George III in the dullest of Londons, the one without any magic left to see.

Unofficially, Kell is a smuggler, servicing people willing to pay for even the smallest glimpses of a world they'll never see. It's a defiant hobby with dangerous consequences, which Kell is now seeing firsthand.

After an exchange goes awry, Kell escapes to Grey London and runs into Delilah Bard, a cut-purse with lofty aspirations. She first robs him, then saves him from a deadly enemy, and finally forces Kell to spirit her to another world for a proper adventure.

Now perilous magic is afoot, and treachery lurks at every turn. To save all of the worlds, they'll first need to stay alive.]]> 400 Victoria E. Schwab 0765376458 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.04 2015
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2015
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/12
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 57190453
It’s 1931 in Shanghai, and the stage is set for a new decade of intrigue.

Four years ago, Rosalind Lang was brought back from the brink of death, but the strange experiment that saved her also stopped her from sleeping and aging—and allows her to heal from any wound. In short, Rosalind cannot die. Now, desperate for redemption from her traitorous past, she uses her abilities as an assassin for her country.

Code name: Fortune.

But when the Japanese Imperial Army begins its invasion march, Rosalind’s mission pivots. A series of murders is causing unrest in Shanghai, and the Japanese are under suspicion. Rosalind’s new orders are to infiltrate foreign society and identify the culprits behind the terror plot before more of her people are killed.

To reduce suspicion, however, she must pose as the wife of another Nationalist spy, Orion Hong, and though Rosalind finds Orion’s cavalier attitude and playboy demeanor infuriating, she is willing to work with him for the greater good. But Orion has an agenda of his own, and Rosalind has secrets that she wants to keep buried. As they both attempt to unravel the conspiracy, the two spies soon find that there are deeper and more horrifying layers to this mystery than they ever imagined.]]> 528 Chloe Gong reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.22 2022
author: Chloe Gong
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.22
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/12
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 60099660 actually invisible.
��
When her parents drop the news that they can no longer afford her tuition, even with the scholarship, Alice hatches a plan to monetize her strange new power—she’ll discover the scandalous secrets her classmates want to know, for a price.
��
But as the tasks escalate from petty scandals to actual crimes, Alice must decide if it’s worth losing her conscience—or even her life.

In this genre-bending YA debut, a Chinese American girl monetizes her strange new invisibility powers by discovering and selling her wealthy classmates�� most scandalous secrets.]]> 346 Ann Liang 1335915842 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.01 2022
author: Ann Liang
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/11/12
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 58885776 Alternate cover edition of ISBN 9780593336489.

Florence Day is the ghostwriter for one of the most prolific romance authors in the industry, and she has a problem—after a terrible breakup, she no longer believes in love. It’s as good as dead.

When her new editor, a too-handsome mountain of a man, won’t give her an extension on her book deadline, Florence prepares to kiss her career goodbye. But then she gets a phone call she never wanted to receive, and she must return home for the first time in a decade to help her family bury her beloved father.

For ten years, she’s run from the town that never understood her, and even though she misses the sound of a warm Southern night and her eccentric, loving family and their funeral parlor, she ������’t bring herself to stay. Even with her father gone, it feels like nothing in this town has changed. And she hates it.

Until she finds a ghost standing at the funeral parlor’s front door, just as broad and infuriatingly handsome as ever, and he’s just as confused about why he’s there as she is.

Romance is most certainly dead... but so is her new editor, and his unfinished business will have her second-guessing everything she’s ever known about love stories.

A disillusioned millennial ghostwriter who, quite literally, has some ghosts of her own, has to find her way back home in this sparkling adult debut from national bestselling author Ashley Poston.]]> 368 Ashley Poston reese ^^ 3
i mean, overall the story was cute and i thought it was very touching at times. but we get it.. benji is tall. you want to climb him. let’s move on! ]]> 3.90 2022
author: Ashley Poston
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2022/11/12
date added: 2022/11/12
shelves:
review:
3.75 ⭐️ !!

i mean, overall the story was cute and i thought it was very touching at times. but we get it.. benji is tall. you want to climb him. let’s move on!
]]> 52814139 THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING SERIES
The highly-anticipated finale to the A Good Girl's Guide to Murder series, the instant bestsellers that read like your favorite true crime podcast or show. By the end of this mystery series, you'll never think of good girls the same way again...

Pip is about to head to college, but she is still haunted by the way her last investigation ended. She’s used to online death threats in the wake of her viral true-crime podcast, but she ������’t help noticing an anonymous person who keeps asking her: Who will look for you when you’re the one who disappears?

Soon the threats escalate and Pip realizes that someone is following her in real life. When she starts to find connections between her stalker and a local serial killer caught six years ago, she wonders if maybe the wrong man is behind bars.

Police refuse to act, so Pip has only one choice: find the suspect herself—or be the next victim. As the deadly game plays out, Pip discovers that everything in her small town is coming full circle . . .and if she doesn’t find the answers, this time she will be the one who disappears. . .]]> 565 Holly Jackson 140529860X reese ^^ 0 dnf-d 4.24 2021
author: Holly Jackson
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at: 2022/09/15
date added: 2022/10/31
shelves: dnf-d
review:

]]> 51824384
Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry—and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car—supposedly by accident. Yeah, right.

Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen—and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore—and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.]]> 400 Talia Hibbert 0062941283 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.07 2021
author: Talia Hibbert
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/07/06
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 49976087 Talia Hibbert returns with another charming romantic comedy about a young woman who agrees to fake date her friend after a video of him “rescuing�� her from their office building goes viral...

Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom.

When brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and ex-rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Now half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out, his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse?

Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf’s secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his... um, thighs.

Suddenly, the easy lay Dani dreamed of is more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?]]> 400 Talia Hibbert 0062941259 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 3.98 2020
author: Talia Hibbert
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/07/06
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 43884209
�� Enjoy a drunken night out.
�� Ride a motorcycle.
�� Go camping.
�� Have meaningless but thoroughly enjoyable sex.
�� Travel the world with nothing but hand luggage.
�� And... do something bad.

But it’s not easy being bad, even when you’ve written step-by-step guidelines on how to do it correctly. What Chloe needs is a teacher, and she knows just the man for the job.

Redford ‘Red�� Morgan is a handyman with tattoos, a motorcycle, and more sex appeal than ten-thousand Hollywood heartthrobs. He’s also an artist who paints at night and hides his work in the light of day, which Chloe knows because she spies on him occasionally. Just the teeniest, tiniest bit.

But when she enlists Red in her mission to rebel, she learns things about him that no spy session could teach her. Like why he clearly resents Chloe’s wealthy background. And why he never shows his art to anyone. And what really lies beneath his rough exterior…]]> 384 Talia Hibbert 0062941208 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 3.79 2019
author: Talia Hibbert
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/07/06
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 27883214 A legendary competition.
A mesmerizing romance.
An unbreakable bond
between two sisters.

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval . . . beware of getting swept too far away.]]> 407 Stephanie Garber 1250095255 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 3.97 2016
author: Stephanie Garber
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/07/06
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 40874032 A masterful tale of ambition, jealousy, desire, and superpowers.

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

In Vicious, V. E. Schwab brings to life a gritty comic-book-style world in vivid prose: a world where gaining superpowers doesn't automatically lead to heroism, and a time when allegiances are called into question.]]> 402 Victoria E. Schwab reese ^^ 5
victor vale might be a new favorite character..

i honestly LOVED everything about this book.

the plot, the way the ExtraOrdinaries�� powers develop, the found family, the writing, the timelines, the morally grey characters, the ending, dol and sydney <3

vengeful is coming in the mail soon and now i’m even more excited :) ]]> 4.17 2013
author: Victoria E. Schwab
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.17
book published: 2013
rating: 5
read at: 2022/07/06
date added: 2022/07/06
shelves:
review:
“there are no good men in this game.��

victor vale might be a new favorite character..

i honestly LOVED everything about this book.

the plot, the way the ExtraOrdinaries�� powers develop, the found family, the writing, the timelines, the morally grey characters, the ending, dol and sydney <3

vengeful is coming in the mail soon and now i’m even more excited :)
]]> 58690308 One summer. Two rivals. A plot twist they didn't see coming....

Nora Stephens�� life is books—she’s read them all—and she is not that type of heroine. Not the plucky one, not the laidback dream girl, and especially not the sweetheart. In fact, the only people Nora is a heroine for are her clients, for whom she lands enormous deals as a cutthroat literary agent, and her beloved little sister Libby.

Which is why she agrees to go to Sunshine Falls, North Carolina for the month of August when Libby begs her for a sisters�� trip away—with visions of a small-town transformation for Nora, who she’s convinced needs to become the heroine in her own story. But instead of picnics in meadows, or run-ins with a handsome country doctor or bulging-forearmed bartender, Nora keeps bumping into Charlie Lastra, a bookish brooding editor from back in the city. It would be a meet-cute if not for the fact that they’ve met many times and it’s never been cute.

If Nora knows she’s not an ideal heroine, Charlie knows he’s nobody’s hero, but as they are thrown together again and again—in a series of coincidences no editor worth their salt would allow—what they discover might just unravel the carefully crafted stories they’ve written about themselves.]]> 377 Emily Henry 0593334833 reese ^^ 3

i appreciate certain aspects of this book. it touched me in a lot of different ways. i really like nora and charlie, i enjoyed their banter very much and think it was really well written. (i believe the book was well written over all)

unfortunately i just ������’t say that i loved this. i found it very dull in many parts and some aspects were pretty repetitive to me, while others were just a miss. while i liked nora and charlie’s relationship, i couldn’t grow attached to the characters themselves. we were reminded of nora’s “shark like�� personality so much throughout the book i started getting tired of it... and while i understood her intentions & reasonings behind her actions, it was kind of annoying for me to read.
]]> 4.09 2022
author: Emily Henry
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2022/05/29
date added: 2022/06/03
shelves:
review:
3.5 stars.


i appreciate certain aspects of this book. it touched me in a lot of different ways. i really like nora and charlie, i enjoyed their banter very much and think it was really well written. (i believe the book was well written over all)

unfortunately i just ������’t say that i loved this. i found it very dull in many parts and some aspects were pretty repetitive to me, while others were just a miss. while i liked nora and charlie’s relationship, i couldn’t grow attached to the characters themselves. we were reminded of nora’s “shark like�� personality so much throughout the book i started getting tired of it... and while i understood her intentions & reasonings behind her actions, it was kind of annoying for me to read.

]]> 25322449
What if everything you set yourself up to be was wrong?

Frances has been a study machine with one goal. Nothing will stand in her way; not friends, not a guilty secret �� not even the person she is on the inside. Then Frances meets Aled, and for the first time she's unafraid to be herself.

So when the fragile trust between them is broken, Frances is caught between who she was and who she longs to be. Now Frances knows that she has to confront her past. To confess why Carys disappeared��

Frances is going to need every bit of courage she has.

Engaging with themes of identity, diversity and the freedom to choose, Radio Silence is a tour de force by the most exciting writer of her generation.]]> 496 Alice Oseman reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.18 2016
author: Alice Oseman
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2016
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 58437812 She’s All That meets What If It’s Us in this swoon-worthy hate-to-love YA romantic comedy from #1 New York Times bestselling coauthor of Five Feet Apart Rachael Lippincott and debut writer Alyson Derrick.

Alex Blackwood is a little bit headstrong, with a dash of chaos and a whole lot of flirt. She knows how to get the girl. Keeping her on the other hand…not so much. Molly Parker has everything in her life totally in control, except for her complete awkwardness with just about anyone besides her mom. She knows she’s in love with the impossibly cool Cora Myers. She just…hasn’t actually talked to her yet.

Alex and Molly don’t belong on the same planet, let alone the same college campus. But when Alex, fresh off a bad (but hopefully not permanent) breakup, discovers Molly’s hidden crush as their paths cross the night before classes start, they realize they might have a common interest after all. Because maybe if Alex volunteers to help Molly learn how to get her dream girl to fall for her, she can prove to her ex that she’s not a selfish flirt. That she’s ready for an actual commitment. And while Alex is the last person Molly would ever think she could trust, she ������’t deny Alex knows what she’s doing with girls, unlike her.

As the two embark on their five-step plans to get their girls to fall for them, though, they both begin to wonder if maybe they’re the ones falling…for each other.]]> 384 Rachael Lippincott 1534493794 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.09 2022
author: Rachael Lippincott
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 40916679
Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.]]> 433 Holly Jackson 1405293187 reese ^^ 4 4.30 2019
author: Holly Jackson
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2021/06/18
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves:
review:

]]> 55624056
Tarisai is determined to survive. Or at least, that's what she tells her increasingly distant circle of friends. Months into her shaky reign as empress, child spirits haunt her, demanding that she pay for past sins of the empire.

With the lives of her loved ones on the line, assassination attempts from unknown quarters, and a handsome new stranger she can't quite trust . . . Tarisai fears the pressure may consume her. But in this finale to the Raybearer duology, Tarisai must learn whether to die for justice . . . or to live for it.]]> 336 Jordan Ifueko 1683357205 reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.25 2021
author: Jordan Ifueko
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 50158128 343 Jordan Ifueko 1419739824 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.32 2020
author: Jordan Ifueko
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 28243032 You go through life thinking there’s so much you need��

Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother.

Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend, Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit, and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.]]> 236 Nina LaCour 0525425896 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 3.94 2017
author: Nina LaCour
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 44650326 if she hadn’t fallen in love first.��

Now Ayla has pledged her allegiance to Queen Junn, who can help accomplish the human rebellion’s ultimate goal: destroy the Iron Heart. Without its power, the Automae will be weakened to the point of extinction. Ayla wants to succeed, but ������’t shake the strong feelings she’s developed for Crier. And unbeknownst to her, Crier has also fled the palace, taking up among traveling rebels, determined to find and protect Ayla.

Even as their paths collide, nothing can prepare them for the dark secret underlying the Iron Heart.]]> 400 Nina Varela reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.23 2020
author: Nina Varela
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 35224992 A story of love and duty set in San Francisco's Chinatown during the Red Scare.

“That book. It was about two women, and they fell in love with each other.�� And then Lily asked the question that had taken root in her, that was even now unfurling its leaves and demanding to be shown the sun: “Have you ever heard of such a thing?��

Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu ������’t remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller walked under the flashing neon sign of a lesbian bar called the Telegraph Club.

America in 1954 is not a safe place for two girls to fall in love, especially not in Chinatown. Red-Scare paranoia threatens everyone, including Chinese Americans like Lily. With deportation looming over her father—despite his hard-won citizenship—Lily and Kath risk everything to let their love see the light of day.]]> 409 Malinda Lo 0525555250 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.21 2021
author: Malinda Lo
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.21
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 35522836
Darby Thorne is a college student stranded by a blizzard at a highway rest stop in the middle of nowhere. She’s on the way home to see her sick mother. She’ll have to spend the night in the rest stop with four complete strangers. Then she stumbles across a little girl locked inside one of their parked cars.

There is no cell phone reception, no telephone, no way out because of the snow, and she doesn’t know which one of the other travelers is the kidnapper.

Who is the little girl? Why has she been taken? And how can Darby save her?]]> 287 Taylor Adams 1912106760 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 3.98 2017
author: Taylor Adams
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 53141419 Courtney Gould’s thrilling debut The Dead and the Dark is about the things that lurk in dark corners, the parts of you that ������’t remain hidden, and about finding home in places―and people―you didn’t expect.

The Dark has been waiting for far too long, and it won't stay hidden any longer.

Something is wrong in Snakebite, Oregon. Teenagers are disappearing, some turning up dead, the weather isn’t normal, and all fingers seem to point to TV’s most popular ghost hunters who have just returned to town. Logan Ortiz-Woodley, daughter of TV's ParaSpectors, has never been to Snakebite before, but the moment she and her dads arrive, she starts to get the feeling that there's more secrets buried here than they originally let on.

Ashley Barton’s boyfriend was the first teen to go missing, and she’s felt his presence ever since. But now that the Ortiz-Woodleys are in town, his ghost is following her and the only person Ashley can trust is the mysterious Logan. When Ashley and Logan team up to figure out who—or what—is haunting Snakebite, their investigation reveals truths about the town, their families, and themselves that neither of them are ready for. As the danger intensifies, they realize that their growing feelings for each other could be a light in the darkness.]]> 368 Courtney Gould 1250762014 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 3.93 2021
author: Courtney Gould
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 56732449
That man is none other than Adam Carlsen, a young hotshot professor--and well-known ass. Which is why Olive is positively floored when Stanford's reigning lab tyrant agrees to keep her charade a secret and be her fake boyfriend. But when a big science conference goes haywire, putting Olive's career on the Bunsen burner, Adam surprises her again with his unyielding support and even more unyielding... six-pack abs.

Suddenly their little experiment feels dangerously close to combustion. And Olive discovers that the only thing more complicated than a hypothesis on love is putting her own heart under the microscope.]]> 356 Ali Hazelwood 0593336828 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.11 2021
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 36206591 The story of the heart can never be unwritten.

Macy Sorensen is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older, financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away.

But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos—the first and only love of her life—the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve. Once upon a time, Elliot was Macy’s entire world—growing from her gangly bookish friend into the man who coaxed her heart open again after the loss of her mother...only to break it on the very night he declared his love for her.

Told in alternating timelines between Then and Now, teenage Elliot and Macy grow from friends to much more—spending weekends and lazy summers together in a house outside of San Francisco devouring books, sharing favorite words, and talking through their growing pains and triumphs. As adults, they have become strangers to one another until their chance reunion. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years ago, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s decade-long silence, and will have to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love.

Love, loss, friendship, and the betrayals of the past all collide in this first fiction novel from New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Autoboyography, Dating You / Hating You).]]> 432 Christina Lauren 1501190539 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.23 2018
author: Christina Lauren
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.23
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 39338454
As a mixed-race girl living in the slums of Ho Chi Minh City, Esme Tran has always felt out of place. When the opportunity arises to come to America and meet a potential husband, she ������’t turn it down, thinking this could be the break her family needs. Seducing Khai, however, doesn’t go as planned. Esme’s lessons in love seem to be working…but only on herself. She’s hopelessly smitten with a man who’s convinced he can never return her affection.

With Esme’s time in the United States dwindling, Khai is forced to understand he’s been wrong all along. And there’s more than one way to love.]]> 320 Helen Hoang 0451490827 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 3.80 2019
author: Helen Hoang
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 35068705
When Rin aced the Keju—the Empire-wide test to find the most talented youth to learn at the Academies—it was a shock to everyone: to the test officials, who couldn’t believe a war orphan from Rooster Province could pass without cheating; to Rin’s guardians, who believed they’d finally be able to marry her off and further their criminal enterprise; and to Rin herself, who realized she was finally free of the servitude and despair that had made up her daily existence. That she got into Sinegard—the most elite military school in Nikan—was even more surprising.

But surprises aren’t always good.

Because being a dark-skinned peasant girl from the south is not an easy thing at Sinegard. Targeted from the outset by rival classmates for her color, poverty, and gender, Rin discovers she possesses a lethal, unearthly power—an aptitude for the nearly-mythical art of shamanism. Exploring the depths of her gift with the help of a seemingly insane teacher and psychoactive substances, Rin learns that gods long thought dead are very much alive—and that mastering control over those powers could mean more than just surviving school.

For while the Nikara Empire is at peace, the Federation of Mugen still lurks across a narrow sea. The militarily advanced Federation occupied Nikan for decades after the First Poppy War, and only barely lost the continent in the Second. And while most of the people are complacent to go about their lives, a few are aware that a Third Poppy War is just a spark away . . .

Rin’s shamanic powers may be the only way to save her people. But as she finds out more about the god that has chosen her, the vengeful Phoenix, she fears that winning the war may cost her humanity . . . and that it may already be too late.]]> 545 R.F. Kuang 0062662597 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.16 2018
author: R.F. Kuang
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 45047384
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.]]> 394 T.J. Klune reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.37 2020
author: T.J. Klune
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 13414446 371 Marie Lu 0399256768 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.24 2013
author: Marie Lu
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 9275658
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths—until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Alternate Cover edition for ISBN 9780399256752
]]> 305 Marie Lu reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.16 2011
author: Marie Lu
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 50531218 Intrigue, riches, and romance abound in this thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestselling The Inheritance Games perfect for fans of Karen McManus and Holly Jackson.

The Inheritance Games ended with a bombshell, and now heiress Avery Grambs has to pick up the pieces and find the man who might hold the answers to all of her questions - including why Tobias Hawthorne left his entire fortune to Avery, a virtual stranger, rather than to his own daughters or grandsons.

Thanks to a DNA test, Avery knows that she's not a Hawthorne by blood, but clues pile up hinting at a deeper connection to the family than she had ever imagined. As the mystery grows and the plot thickens, Grayson and Jameson, the enigmatic and magnetic Hawthorne grandsons, continue to pull Avery in different directions. And there are threats lurking around every corner, as adversaries emerge who will stop at nothing to see Avery out of the picture - by any means necessary.

With nonstop action, aspirational jet-setting, family intrigue, swoonworthy romance, and billions of dollars hanging in the balance, The Hawthorne Legacy will thrill Jennifer Lynn Barnes fans and new readers alike.]]> 380 Jennifer Lynn Barnes 0241480744 reese ^^ 0 to-read, physical-tbr 4.19 2021
author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/06/01
shelves: to-read, physical-tbr
review:

]]> 52867387 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.]]> 400 Emily Henry 1984806734 reese ^^ 5 3.99 2020
author: Emily Henry
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/05/18
date added: 2022/05/18
shelves:
review:

]]> 50027029 When your nemesis also happens to be your fiancé, happily ever after becomes a lot more complicated in this wickedly funny, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy debut.

Naomi Westfield has the perfect fiancé: Nicholas Rose holds doors open for her, remembers her restaurant orders, and comes from the kind of upstanding society family any bride would love to be a part of. They never fight. They're preparing for their lavish wedding that's three months away. And she is miserably and utterly sick of him.

Naomi wants out, but there's a catch: whoever ends the engagement will have to foot the nonrefundable wedding bill. When Naomi discovers that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare.

But with the countdown looming to the wedding that may or may not come to pass, Naomi finds her resolve slipping. Because now that they have nothing to lose, they're finally being themselves--and having fun with the last person they expect: each other.]]> 368 Sarah Hogle reese ^^ 5
“We met in a house called Ever After, the second time we were strangers. And I am one hundred percent in love with the transformation of us.��

this was just the book for me. i am in love with naominicholas and their journey!! ]]> 3.90 2020
author: Sarah Hogle
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2020
rating: 5
read at: 2022/04/03
date added: 2022/04/03
shelves:
review:
“How did Nicholas and I meet?��

“We met in a house called Ever After, the second time we were strangers. And I am one hundred percent in love with the transformation of us.��

this was just the book for me. i am in love with naominicholas and their journey!!
]]> 45857086 The exciting end to The Poppy War trilogy, R. F. Kuang’s acclaimed, award-winning epic fantasy that combines the history of twentieth-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating, enthralling effect.

After saving her nation of Nikan from foreign invaders and battling the evil Empress Su Daji in a brutal civil war, Fang Runin was betrayed by allies and left for dead.��

Despite her losses, Rin hasn’t given up on those for whom she has sacrificed so much—the people of the southern provinces and especially Tikany, the village that is her home. Returning to her roots, Rin meets difficult challenges—and unexpected opportunities. While her new allies in the Southern Coalition leadership are sly and untrustworthy, Rin quickly realizes that the real power in Nikan lies with the millions of common people who thirst for vengeance and revere her as a goddess of salvation.��

Backed by the masses and her Southern Army, Rin will use every weapon to defeat the Dragon Republic, the colonizing Hesperians, and all who threaten the shamanic arts and their practitioners. As her power and influence grows, though, will she be strong enough to resist the Phoenix’s intoxicating voice urging her to burn the world and everything in it?��]]> 622 R.F. Kuang 0008339147 reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.29 2020
author: R.F. Kuang
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/04/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 41118857
With no other options, Rin joins forces with the powerful Dragon Warlord, who has a plan to conquer Nikan, unseat the Empress, and create a new Republic. Rin throws herself into his war. After all, making war is all she knows how to do.

But the Empress is a more powerful foe than she appears, and the Dragon Warlord’s motivations are not as democratic as they seem. The more Rin learns, the more she fears her love for Nikan will drive her away from every ally and lead her to rely more and more on the Phoenix’s deadly power. Because there is nothing she won’t sacrifice for her country and her vengeance.

The sequel to R.F. Kuang’s acclaimed debut THE POPPY WAR, THE DRAGON REPUBLIC combines the history of 20th-century China with a gripping world of gods and monsters, to devastating effect.]]> 658 R.F. Kuang reese ^^ 0 to-read 4.36 2019
author: R.F. Kuang
name: reese ^^
average rating: 4.36
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/04/03
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> 59420717
Christmas, with its pressure to meet familial expectations, is looming when a drunk Bettie plays a vinyl record of “All I Want for Christmas Is You�� backwards and accidentally conjures Hall, an unexpectedly charming Holiday Spirit in the form of a man. Once the shock wears off, Bettie knows she’s stumbled upon the greatest gift: a chance to make all her holiday wishes come true, plus a ready-made fiancé.

But as the wiles of magic lose their charm, Bettie finds herself set off-kilter by Hall’s sweet gestures. Suddenly, Bettie is finding her heart merry and light. But the happier she gets, the shorter Hall’s time on earth grows. Can Bettie channel the Christmas spirit and learn to live with goodwill toward all men? Or will her selfish ways come back as soon as the holidays are over?

From the author of Twice Shy comes a sprightly Christmas novel, a rollicking romp through the absurdity of family holidays and the hope of new love.]]> 368 Sarah Hogle 0593539850 reese ^^ 0 to-read 3.48 2022
author: Sarah Hogle
name: reese ^^
average rating: 3.48
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2022/04/02
shelves: to-read
review:

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