Hello Book Friends and happy mid October! I am so late with the last of my September round up! Some days it’s hard to find words, you know what I mean? We are finally hitting cooler temps and I think I am done with my hammock for the year and that makes me really sad but hopefully I can start having fires soon so I can take cozy pics that way. How did everyone’s September go? Did you get to read all the books you wanted too?
Beard Science by Penny Reid – 5 Stars Ahhh Cletus, my absolute favorite of the Winston’s. He is sneaky and conniving and has a huge heart for those he loves. I love he thinks he has planned his life one way but then the Banana Cake Queen comes and blackmails him! Their relationship is one of my favorites and I always love re-reading their story. I am so glad that their story is continued in a new cozy mystery spinoff!
Take A Hint Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert – 4 Stars Another fun buddy read with friends! I absolutely loved the first book in this series, Get A Life Chloe Brown so I had high hopes foe this one. this is the second book and we are following Chloe’s sister Dani. Dani is not looking for a serious relationship but she is looking for someone to have “fun” with. Durning a routine fire alarm drill, Dani is trapped inside the elevator and security guard Zaf comes to her rescue and carries her out. Now a social media sensation the two decided to have a fake relationship to help out things in their lives. While I din’t like this one as much as the first it was still a fantastic and fun read. Zaf was the cutest and I wanted to cuddle him the entire book!! If you like some steam, a headstrong woman and a sweetheart of a guy in your books then definitely pick this one up. Can’t wait for Eve’s story next!
Summer at Firefly Beach by Jenny Hale – 2 Stars The only reason why I finished this book was because I was buddy reading with instagram bookclub. I had a very hard time connecting to the writing and the characters. We follow Hallie who has just lost her great aunt and they are spending the summer at the house she grew up in. She asks her best friend Ben to come with her even though he has his own life! I felt everything was way too convenient for Hallie, even with it being a book. I also felt like her entire family took advantage of Ben in different ways throughout the story. I have started the next book with my ig bookclub so here’s hoping its better!
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman – 5 Stars This book really snuck up on me. I was reading this as a buddy read with some friends because I got the audio from librofm and I was expecting that it would just be an ok read. Backman’s books have intimidated me in the past because of how well loved they are and the genre, it’s not what I typically read. So imagine my surprise when I binged this audio in about a day! It was so good and I could not put it down! I am now needing a physical copy so I can highlight all the great quotes that were in this book!
Beard in Mind by Penny Reid – 5 Stars This series is such a comfort read for me, no matter how many times I have read them they still give me all the feels! What I love about these books is that all the characters are so different and yet relatable. In this book the main character Shelly has OCD and it was so interesting to read a character with this. I could also relate to her at times with her anxiety and irrational fears, as I have those as well. Highly recommend this series, can’t get enough!!
I Was Told It Would Get Easier by Abbi Waxman – 4.5 Stars The only reason why this did not get a full 5 star for me was because I needed more at the ending. I am not one of those readers who lies vague endings. Give me an epilogue so I know how everyone is doing!! Jessica is a successful lawyer but she worries about her 16 year old daughter Emily. They are both going on a week long trip of colleges on the East Coast. The two both worry about their relationship and on this trip they really learn a lot about each other. I feel like at this point that Abbi Waxman can’t write anything that I won’t like.
One By One by Ruth Ware – 3.5 Stars This was my second Ruth Ware book and while it was better than the first I still didn’t think it was great. The plot is an Agatha Christie And Then There Were None Trope and I feel like that is over done. I read Shari Lapena’s An Unwanted Guest and thought it was way more enjoyable. I had the killer figured out really early in this one and the twists at the end just weren’t enough to make up for that. I will say the audio was good and that is the one of the reasons I finished the book.
The Simple Wild by K.A. Tucker – 4 Stars Some day I will go to Alaska and it will all be because of this book. While one of the overall themes in this book is grief and anger and learning to deal with that, it also describes the beauty that is the wilds of Alaska. Since I first read this book I have found some other books set in Alaska and they just further my curiosity for one day seeing this place. I recently read the sequel and that one will pop up in a round up soon and I can not wait for the Christmas story dealing with these two characters that is coming out soon!
Until Next Time, Happy Reading!
BeckyBookstore 