She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan

Hecka brief over-simplified summary because the book is really new and I don't know how much y'all know (Reimagining of the founding of the Ming dynasty--Girl takes her brother's place and pretends to be a man because she wants to be great (there's more but that's where the book summary stops))

There's the Mulan and Poppy War vibes
The writing was really pretty, and like...there were just..quotes. They're iconic and fjkdlasjfkdlsaj. The wisdom
I love stories that are driven by character motivation, and we see so much of that.
I will personally pay for Ouyang's therapy..because he need it and he deserves to take care of himself. He is so angry and honestly, he should not have all of that inside of him. 
I'm here for Ma...and for Xu Da..
the yearning
Inserts Poetic Cinema meme
so there's that scene which is not safe for work... ok cool..
And...ok...yeah...ambition is a thing
Alexa play Olivia Rodrigo's "Brutal"
416 Pages

The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

Summary: Office romance, "hate" to love, fake wedding date tropes. 

I liked this book a lot! I just wish there wasn't so much of it - the author is wonderful, but she needed another round of editing to trim down some scenes. 

I don't even think they get to the wedding until halfway through the book. 

I look forward to her growth as an author and to see what she comes up with next!

473 - read that again 473 pages!!!

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Red Wolf by Rachel Vincent

It slapped. I feel like I don't need to say more, but I will. 
I love all the Little Red Riding Hood references (yes I know that's the point, shhh)
Grandma is great. Mom is great. The dad is great. The boyfriend is grrre--
You know when something bad happens, and everything starts snowballing, and you just...laugh....at the completely inappropriate time, but also like... use your brain, child. 
I'm here for the women who can be BA and also caring at the same time. 

I love Max. He's great. We stan. 10 out of 10. 
I just want more after. Give me like 20 epilogues. We all know why. I like what I like. 
368 Pages

The Flat Share by Beth O'Leary

....The one bed trope, but it's different.
Ok so can I fall in love with a guy by using sticky notes please, so that way by the time I meet him, my anxiety will be less. 
That first meeting, tho.
Hey look at the toxic relationship and the gas-lighting. Also I love how we're talking about trauma and PTSD and flashbacks. Because let's talk about it, instead of assuming that people just get over it.
Leon is just.. the best. I love him.
They had the audacity to talk about yarn and book publishing...and baking.... I feel attacked.
We stan friends who understand trauma and are supportive of other friends. Snaps for everyone. 
352 Pages

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Yeah I'm re-reading this series (because I don't think I ever finished it)
I love Butler.
The mystery. The coding. Children's literature. 
320 Pages

An Offer from a Gentleman by Julia Quinn

 

It's Benedict's turn to find his love and I'm here for it. Sophie is a great character and I loved that she stood up for herself and took care of herself. And anytime I get to see Violet Bridgerton is a treat. 

Pages: 390

The Guest List by Lucy Foley

 

A dreary, bog-filled island with a beautiful castle is the setting for this murder mystery. And what brings everyone to the island, a wedding! Every guest has a motive so I had a lot of fun trying to figure it out. 

To be honest, I had a few problems with the format of the book. It jumps from the night of the murder to the day before over and over so I lost a lot of the thrill and suspense while reading. It also just kinda ends and leaves you hanging there thinking that there should be a little more to wrap everything up. 

Pages: 330

The True Flag: Theodore Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and the Birth of American Empire by Stephen Kinzer

This is a great book talking about those in favor and those opposed to American expansion in the 20th century. Mark Twain vs. Teddy Roosevelt battling it out over the idea that America should expand around the globe to take Cuba and the Philippines and the ebb and flow of their movement.


320 pages

- Tim

All the Shah's Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror by Stephen Kinzer

A gripping tale about the American led overthrow of Iran’s president and the return of its unpopular shah. From Teddy Roosevelt’s grandson to the founding of the C.I.A. the cast of characters involved in or coming out of this event is simply breathtaking.



299 pages



-Tim

Killing the Mob: The Fight Against Organized Crime in America by Bill O'Reilly

Another in the long line of “Killing” books this one shows two major powers on their ultimate collision course, the Mafia and the F.B.I. From showing how the mob(s) was founded to its highly public downfall this book does a good job of keeping a rouges gallery of villains and heroes entertaining and understandable.



286 pages



- Tim

The Verge: Reformation, Renaissance, and Forty Years that Shook the World by Patrick Wyman

Host of the Fall of Rome and Tides of History podcast tells a gripping tale of the people (both high and low) who made the modern era. From Hapsburg princes and kings to English wool merchants this book does a great job of showing how everyone worked to change Europe (and with Columbus the world) during this tumultuous timeframe.

325 pages

- Tim

The Amulet of Samarkand by Jonathan Stroud

Me gonna preface this with I read this in junior high so I'm coming back to it because why not. Youth. Innocence. Hope. What odd feelings. 
 I loved that this book had footnotes and Bartimaeus' sense of humor.
Can people please just be nice to Nathaniel. Because trauma. Just like. This is how children grow up to do things and honestly just let my boy have some therapy. If anyone hurts him, I can't. 
Bro. keeps foreshadowing, and I don't appreciate it (because I've read the third book)
464 Pages

The Unraveling of Cassidy Holmes by Elissa R. Sloan

One of my favorite reads this year! Cassy Holmes, or Sassy Gloss as she’s known to her millions of fans, is a member of the hottest girl group around. This story switches between current time and back to the 90s when the group was formed. What is Cassy’s past or present would lead her to take her own life? The book always switches between Cassy and other band members Merry, Yumi and Rose as we get a raw peek into the lives of young pop stars and how those experiences impact their lives 15 years later.

448 pages

- Robin

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

Cussy Mary is a packhorse librarian in the Kentucky Pack Horse Library Project, bringing books to the Appalachian community of Troublesome Creek. Cussy and her family are also the last of the blue-skinned people of Kentucky and not everyone approves of her having the job of book woman. 

320 pages 

To Sleep in the Stars by Christopher Paolini

when a story starts out happy... you just like...know someone HAS to die. 
I'm here for the animals. The pig...
Is that Han Solo I see?
Hey look. It's Christopher's sister.
So as a woman, I am cackling because...no. 
Ohhh the puns.
So yeah...at parts I thought about The Host by Stephanie Meyer. 
I'm getting Thorne from The Lunar Chronicles vibes from Falconi.
And I'm getting dalek vibes...The Star Wars references and the Star Trek references and the Doctor Who vibes
Aaaaand I called it. I called the thing (that I can no longer remember that I called) 
Christopher dropping words of wisdom that slap.
I love Gregorovich. I love him so much 
Gahh I have a character I like and I just want more
880 Pages

Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle

Summary: "Maybell Parish has always been a dreamer and a hopeless romantic. But living in her own world has long been preferable to dealing with the disappointments of real life. So when Maybell inherits a charming house in the Smokies from her Great-Aunt Violet, she seizes the opportunity to make a fresh start. Yet when she arrives, it seems her troubles have only just begun. Not only is the house falling apart around her, but she isn't the only inheritor: she has to share everything with Wesley Koehler, the groundskeeper who's as grouchy as he is gorgeous--and it turns out he has a very different vision for the property's future."

Maybell is me; I am Maybell. 

She literally had the same childhood books as I did! And her daydreams to escape reality...me. And Wesley...I can't.

308 pages

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Voice of Life by Melanie Cellier

Oh come on...you can't just mention a new color and expect me to let it go
....I'm suspicious 
The fluff, y'all.
I'm here for the plot and the friendship. Friendship is magic, y'all. I love how the magic is growing
It took me a couple of listens to finish the book because I was listening to it at night. 
362 Pages

"The Secret Bridesmaid" by Katy Birchall

Summary: "Katy Birchall's The Secret Bridesmaid is a modern British romcom about a young woman charged with pulling off the biggest aristocratic wedding of the year--and the misadventures that ensue. Sophie Breeze is a brilliant bridesmaid. So brilliant, in fact, that she's made it her full-time job. As a professional bridesmaid, Sophie is hired by London brides to be their right-hand woman, posing as a friend but working behind the scenes to help plan the perfect wedding and ensure their big day goes off without a hitch."

What a fun concept! I loved the texts, email exchanges about various wedding ridiculousness. 

Sophie was wonderful - she's a Taylor Swift fan, therefore she's a relatable heroine! :P

Don't get me started on Lady Cordelia. If I don't have anything nice to say about a character, I probably just shouldn't say it.

390 pages

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American Hit Radio: A History of Popular Singles From 1955 to the Present

 American Hit Radio: A History of Popular Singles From 1955 to the Present

by Thomas Ryan

Pages: 672

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars. 

This work arranges Top 40 hits chronologically. The essays about each one include information on the artist, inspiration for the songs and the cultural context of when the songs came out. The book begins with singles from 1955 since that is when the Top 40 charts came into existence. The book was printed in 1995 so, of course does not include more recent works. If only authors (and their editors) would choose to name books with From (date) to "the Present." Now if only all these facts I've been reading and learning about music and musical theater, would stick in my head and be recalled at the right moment during trivia games, etc.

Voice of Dominion by Melanie Cellier

I've enjoyed watching how the magic has evolved for Elena throughout the series.
Lucas is....a boy...which means he stupid sometimes.... it's fine.
Can we all stop being petty...please.
I'm here for the ship and the magic words...like actual magic words.
Also...when books follow a time schedule--like a school year.. excellent. consistency is great. I loves
We alls gon learn today....and by we I mean the children, and what they learn is...war.
Can adults just...stop.
Politics suck.
316 Pages

Voice of Command by Melanie Cellier

Alexa play "Gotta Get Back to Hogwarts" 
Elena...just...come on...use your brain. Stop being stupid
Ummmmm this plot hitting a little too close to home

Lucas is cool. He's stupid, but he's cool
266 Pages

On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn

On the Way to the Wedding by Julia Quinn

With a family like his, it would be impossible for Gregory Bridgerton not to believe in true love. When he meets her, he’ll just know. And that was exactly how Gregory felt the moment he laid eyes on Miss Hermione Watson.

Except Hermione Watson wasn’t the one. Hermione is in love with someone else, someone entirely unsuitable, and her best friend, Lady Lucinda Abernathy, is determined to save Hermione from herself. She forms an alliance with Gregory. Who better than Hermione’s best friend to help Gregory steal her heart?

Lucy had no plans to fall in love with Gregory, but that’s exactly what happened, despite the engagement arranged by her uncle. Even when Gregory finally comes to his senses and realizes Lucy is the one for him, there’s no going back. Once again, a Bridgerton must risk it all for love.

Book #8 in the Bridgerton series. 371 pages.