The Name Curse by Brooke Burroughs

Unlike her great aunt Bernice she was named for,  Bernie isn't the adventurous type.  When her boss forces her to take a vacation,  she plans on helping her mom on the farm, but everyone pushes her to go to Alaska on a week-long hiking trip to Denali. Due to a mixup on the paperwork with them thinking "Bernie" to be a man, she is teamed up with Matthew, a struggling screenwriter looking for inspiration.  Forced to share a tiny tent and rely on each other throughout the trip,  Matthew is disgusted with her lack of camping skills,  and Bernie is fed up with his know-it-all attitude. But attraction grows when he doesn't flinch at her snoring or her stinky feet,  and she actually liked one of his screenplays.
I loved the camping humor in this story,  from Bernie's attempts to set up a tent,  to her toileting disaster, and the problematic bear can. This is a hilarious rom-com adventure!
I received an advance reader copy of this book through Netgalley. My review is given voluntarily.

 

One Last Kiss by Kat Martin

Liberty Hale grew up on a farm in Kansas until a tragic accident killed her parents when she was 12. Her great uncle Marty took her in and raised her and she became a successful model in New York. But after her uncle's death, she finds out that she has to spend a month working at a Colorado ranch to receive her inheritance. 

Sam Bridger would have done a favor for longtime friend Marty for free, but to earn the fifty thousand dollars his ranch badly needs, he's ordered to treat Libby the same as his other ranch hands. But at his first sight of her, he knows he has his work cut out for him. Then as time goes on, he realizes there's more to her than a pretty face. The ranch brings back memories of her childhood on the farm, and she finally works through her grief of losing her parents so young. And her budding relationship with Sam is an added bonus. But on a three day packing trip, their lives are in danger from a threatening guest.

I swear if I had to read how pretty Lint was one more time I was going to scream. Regardless of that, I liked the chemistry between her and Sam. I loved how strong and capable (and patient) Sam's character was. The ranch was described so beautifully. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the Blood Ties series. 

I received an advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley. My review is given voluntarily.

The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams

This is a beautiful book about books... how they can help enlighten, guide, heal, and become an escape. Where two unlikely troubled souls connect and become like family over a shared list of books that help them overcome the trouble in their lives.  Where a small- town library brings people together into a community. 

I loved this story. I love how books change Mukesh from a grieving old man, stuck in his routine, to a thriving confident man in his community. And how reading through the list brings Aleisha and her mother a connection that's been missing for years. I've read all but one of the books on their reading list (A Suitable Boy) and my experience with these books brought even more understanding and depth to the characters in this book.

I received an advance review copy of this book through NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers.  

Witchy Coffee by Erin Ritch

After being fired from her barista job in Portland,  Florence MacKenzie returns to her small hometown of Windia on the coast for the holidays. She helps out in their family coffee shop, lovingly nicknamed the Yurt by the town's residents. Shortly after arriving,  she discovers that another coffee shop is trying to take over... none other than the son of the company that fired her. When the Yurt is forced to try a new coffee blend,  suddenly the town is going crazy for coffee. When new and unexpected couples start falling in love,  the slogan on their new coffee takes on new meaning, "There's magic in every bean". Has the Yurt been serving up a love spell to the whole town? Is this the cause of her attraction to her rival,  Samson Richards?

This snuggly holiday romance is perfect to cuddle up with on a cold day with your favorite cup of coffee. The rivalry between the MacKenzie ladies and Sam is laugh-out-loud funny at times and great fun. I wish my small town had The Yurt too.

I received an advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley. 

What You Never Knew by Jessica Hamilton

June Bennett remembers idyllic childhood summers on her family's private island with her older sister May and her best friend Ezra. But the summer she was 12, her father disappeared never to be found again and they never returned to Avril Island. Her mother told her and May that the island had been sold years ago, but now 30 years later after May's traffic death in a car accident, June finds out that the island was never sold and now belongs to her. But when she decides to go there, she finds out her father didn't disappear, he was believed to be murdered and the case is now cold. Then strange things start happening on the island... getting locked inside her bedroom, creaking on the stairs in the night, her father's missing watch reappearing. Is the island really haunted or does someone not want her to find the truth?

I felt so bad for June after losing her mother and sister so close together, she then finds out she was lied to all these years. It was almost like another death...her childhood memories. Then the shocking truth in the end threw me for a loop!

I received an advance review copy of this book through Netgalley. This review is given voluntarily.

The Drowning Kind by Jennifer McMahon

Creepy and atmospheric, this story is based on a natural spring that's rumored to grant wishes. People come from all over to be healed from crippling injuries or to have their wishes granted, not expecting the heavy price in exchange. And with every drowning, the spring only grows stronger.
Jax and Lexie spent their childhood summers at their grandmother's estate, where a natural spring has been made into a private pool. Lexie always loved the pool and wished to become a stronger swimmer. Later in life she suffers from bipolar manic episodes and it's nothing new for her to call Jax at all hours. When she gets several voice mails from Lexie, each crazier than the last she ignores them only to find out that her sister was found drowned in the pool. She travels to the estate to follow the clues her sister left behind only to find a startling truth about the pool.
I love this author's books and they keep getting better and creepier! I couldn't put this one down and I know this story will be stuck in my nightmares for awhile.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir

How has it come to this? The fate of humanity rests on one man, who woke from a coma with no memory of his own name, much less the reason why he is hurtling through space on a mission he can't remember.
Originally a crew of three, Ryland Grace is the only surviving crew member of the Hail Mary research mission. He needs to discover how to kill a parasite called Astrophage that is feeding off the energy from the sun, slowly killing it and potentially threatening all life on earth.
This book has a lot of science and technology that Weir has a magical way of explaining that makes it fascinating to this average reader. I'm left staring up at the stars, my brain overloaded with sciency information, wondering if we're really alone in the universe. This was such a great book and I can't wait for his next one!
I received a free advanced reader copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are given voluntarily.

Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian

Chris Bohjalian created another winner! I've loved every book of his that I've read so far and this one was no exception. His characters are fascinating and the story is still playing in my head long after I finished it. Mary Deerfield, a young Puritan woman, second wife to a man twice her age, is victim to his alcoholic rages. She seeks a divorce, but due to circumstances surrounding his most violent attack, the court focuses more on the accusations of witchcraft. In a male- dominated society, and with no witnesses to his cruelty, is there any chance to escape him without landing her in the noose?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Poison Keeper by Deborah Swift

Giulia Tofana is the daughter of a skilled apothecary, but her mother refuses to take her as an apprentice. After her mother is arrested and executed for supplying poison for the Duke deVerde's failed murder, Giulia is forced to flee her home and live the life of a courtesan in her aunt's establishment in Naples. Vowing revenge on the Duke for her mother's death, she takes a job as an apothecary assistant to learn the trade while secretly studying her mother's book of poison recipes. Aqua Tofana is undetectable but will cause the victim to sicken and die over time. Now Giulia is helping women all over Naples to free themselves from abusive marriages.
I didn't realize until the author's note at the end that this was based on a true historical figure. Giulia Tofana confessed to killing 600 men with her poisons in Rome. The story was truly fascinating and had me riveted until the end.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Lucky Escape by Laura Jane Williams

This book starts with what should be the happiest day of Annie's life, but she ends up heartbroken and alone when her fiance Alexander texts the wedding planner that he's not coming. Leaving Annie with no explanation, no apology, and no contact for weeks. The only stress outlet that seems to work is exercise, so Annie joins a gym, where she runs into a former friend from summer drama camp days as teens. Patrick is just a happy cheerful guy that bring laughter back to her day. She enjoys hanging out with him so when her former in-laws offer the honeymoon to to Australia to her and a friend, she decides to bring Patrick. As they spend time together, her attraction for him grows. But is it too soon to start a new relationship? Is it just the romantic atmosphere of their trip, or can they make things work at home with the complications of work and family?
I enjoyed this fun getaway. I love the way Annie learns to stand up for herself and go after what she really wants instead of living her life making everyone else happy. And Patrick... he's just a wonderful, supportive, and happy man that deserves a happily ever after.
Thank you to Netgalley and HarperCollins for the free advanced reader copy of this book. My review is given voluntarily.

It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey

Piper Bellinger is the typical LA socialite, living off her step-dad's fortune and partying like a spoiled rich girl. When she ends up getting arrested, of course, her family bails her out. Her only punishment... to spend three months in the small town of Westport, running her late father's bar. He was a crab fisherman tragically lost in the Bering sea. From her arrival, the locals make it obvious that she doesn't belong there, none more than Brendan Taggert. It's impossible to avoid each other in this small town, but how can they give in to their attraction when she's not staying and he's in it for the long haul?
Picture Paris Hilton on deck with the crew of Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch and you'll get this laugh-out-loud rom-com. I just wanted to roll my eyes in disgust at her airheaded vanity at the beginning of the book, so I was really glad that got toned down when she was forced into"real life". I never really grew to like her character at all, but Brendan totally made up for it. Who wouldn't love a brooding, gruff, hot fisherman?! I stayed up way too late to finish this book!
I received an advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley. My review is given voluntarily.

Such a Quiet Place by Megan Miranda

This story started out slow with the return of Ruby Fletcher after she is proclaimed innocent and released from prison. Fourteen months earlier, this quiet idyllic neighborhood was rocked when the Truetts were found dead in their home. Secrets and suspicions added up, pointing to Ruby, and the only one on her side was homeowner and roommate Harper. But now that Ruby is back and threatening revenge, Harper is afraid for her life.
This was a slow build, describing the neighborhood, the closeness of the community, and the many secrets they try to hide. Everyone seems a little too involved in each other's drama. I was imagining a whole neighborhood of interfering busibodies peeping out the window blinds at each other. This book truly makes me thankful to live in a rural area!
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. My review is given voluntarily.

City of Time and Magic by Paula Brackston

In this latest installment in the Found Things series, the story picks up where we left off with Xanthe desperately searching for an item that will return her to Victorian England, where her boyfriend Liam was left behind. Mistress Flyte, who Xanthe trusted as a friend, snatched him away from her in the last book when Xanthe was time spinning them home. Then she finds three items at the same sale... but if she chooses incorrectly, she could waste precious time away from Liam's rescue. She finally arrives in the correct time only to discover that Lydia Flyte was using Liam as bait for the Visionary Society, a group of spinners that use their gifts for evil purposes that could change the course of the future. Xanthe and her friends, both old and new, must fight to stop this ruthless group.
I love this whole series, so I was really excited to get chance to read it now as an ARC through NetGalley! Each book makes me more excited for the next, and this one didn't disappoint. Liam just makes an excellent match for Xanthe, putting his own life in the line to help her. I'm so excited that she brought Elizabeth, her main character from the Witch's Daughter series, into this book. I look forward to even more exciting things to come.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

The Keepers of Metsan Valo by Wendy Webb

Anni Halla and her twin Theo grew up spending summers at Metsan Valo, the estate on the shores of Lake Superior that has been in the Halla family for generations. Some of their favorite memories are of their grandmother's storytelling of ancient Nordic folklore, of the Vaki, spirits of the forest and water who can heal or harm. After their grandmother's unexpected death, the Halla family gathers at Metsan Valo for the reading of the will. But when strange and sinister things start happening, Metsan Valo seems less welcoming and more warning. Could the old folktales be true?
I've read several of Wendy Webb's books now, so I was excited to get a chance to read this before it publishes. I was happy that it was set near the town of Wharton where some of her previous books took place and this book even includes some of those characters! The descriptions of the forest and estate were both beautiful and eerily sinister. The circumstances throughout the book leave just enough doubt that it could all be a dream... but "there's no such thing as a coincidence". I couldn't put this book down and finished it in one day!
Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult

Diana's life is almost perfect. She is about to make an art acquisition that will earn her a promotion at Sotheby's. And on a planned trip to the Galapagos Islands, she expects her boyfriend Finn to propose. But then, there are rumors of a new novel virus starting to hit the US and Finn, as a surgical resident, is needed in his NY hospital. He urges Diana to go anyway... she'll be safe from the virus on an island. But she arrives on the island as everything is shutting down, and she becomes dependent on complete strangers for her very survival. Meanwhile the messages from home become more desperate and grim as Finn is on the frontlines working directly with covid patients.
I was so excited when I was invited to review this book from one of my favorite authors! A lot of this book hit close to home for me. As a CNA on the rehab unit in a nursing home, I was there when everything started to shut down. We kept Covid at bay for months but then the inevitable cases started to show up. I remember the terror of bringing this deadly virus home to my loved ones, so I was isolated and stressed for months. I worked directly with the covid patients with limited PPE. When I caught Covid, I remember even walking from the chair to the bathroom was exhausting and took my breath away. I was off work for 7 weeks trying to recover. This book covers the most terrifying and depressing details of the pandemic, but also the moments of hope and triumph.
I received an advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

Shards of Earth by Adrian Tchaikovsky

A pulse pounding space opera with great world building, strange creatures,  and plenty of action.  What a great start to a new series!

I received an advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley. My review is given voluntarily

The Seaside Cocktail Campervan by Caroline Roberts

In a time that is nearly impossible to travel, this book was the perfect getaway. Set in Northumberland, Lucy just started her business All Fired Up, a traveling pizza stand where she makes her papa's recipes. Her family thinks she's crazy, but she needs a break after her fiance left her and she was forced to move. Now traveling to fairs, weddings, birthdays, and village market days feels like a fresh start. At her first event, she notices the bright red cocktail campervan and the typical flirty charming barman. Just out of a bad relationship, she gives this player, Jack, the cold shoulder at first. But the more events they work together, the more she realizes he's a more shy and reserved man than the barman persona he shows in public. And she really likes that man! Add in a quirky dachshund, plenty of yummy drinks, and of course pizza, and it's a lighthearted fun read. It really makes me want to drop everything and travel around to events too. 

I received a free advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley. This review is given voluntarily. 

Under Glass and Stone by A.N. Willis

Evelyn has been obsessed by the Victorian house across the street for a long as she can remember. She could stare for hours across at the window in the tower. But one day, when the housekeeper starts screaming and police and an ambulance show up, Evelyn discovers that the owner has died. Now his family all show up, including Alex, a boy her age, who she swears she knows, but just can't remember. And he seems to be the only one who believes her that Milo, the boy who went missing, was last seen by her in the tower window. Now as they investigate the mystery, the house just becomes even more sinister and mysterious.

This book was so spooky. The characters at times seems a bit young and naive to me, but since this is supposed to be YA, and I'm over 40, I'm not exactly the target audience. Overall I really enjoyed this 2- book series.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.