Reading Update #2: Just Finished & Currently Reading

Hey Y’all,

I’m back with another reading update.

♥Here’s my last one, in case you missed it.♥

This week, I finished The Hike (I honestly don’t know what genre to consider this), and I started The House on Half Moon Street (a Victorian era Historical Fiction).

Let’s chat about ’em.

Heads up: Affiliate links ahead, which means I could earn a small fee if you make a purchase using one of these links.

Just Finished

Title: The Hike | Author: Drew Magary | Genre: Fantasy ? Bizarro ?

Synopsis: We follow Ben, a married man and father of 3, who is away on business.

After checking into his hotel, Ben wants to go for a walk in the lush landscape. There’s a trail behind the hotel that suits his purpose, so he takes it.

This trail leads him to a strange, new reality where the rules of time and logic are upended.

His only chance of survival is to stay on The Path. But it’s fraught with perilous obstacles.

But Ben, wanting to return to his family, is determined to endure.

You can find the official synopsis here…

Book Review: Limelight (Contemporary Chick Lit Novel)

Could you love someone who seems unlovable? Even when they spurn your care? What about if they’re young, rich, and famous yet have no one who loves them?

Heads up: Affiliate links ahead, which means I could earn a small fee if you make a purchase using one of these links.

Synopsis (Spoiler-Free)

Book cover for Limelight by Amy Poeppel, a book review. — **Title:** Limelight | **Author:** Amy Poeppel | **Genre:** Women’s Fiction, Contemporary Fiction | **Published:** 2018

Allison, a woman, wife, and mother of three relocates from Texas to New York after her husband gets a promotion.

Soon after she arrives, she hits a car while dropping her son off at school, but the owner is nowhere to be found.

She leaves her contact information instead.

Days later, Allison receives a call, the voice on the other line demanding she drop off her insurance information to an address on Central Park West.

When she gets there, she discovers it’s the home of young, famous, pop-star: Carter Reid (her daughters’ favorite heartthrob).

But Carter isn’t all bubblegum and sunshine. He’s a mess who’s lacking love and guidance, as those around him take advantage. This concerns Allison.

Soon thereafter, she takes a job as his Personal Assistant.

Can Allison and her family make the adjustment to New York living? Can she help Carter get on a better path? Make better decisions? Not ruin his career? Trust again?

♥ Here’s the official synopsis…

What I Liked About It

Strong characterization. Take Carter, for instance. He was so expertly portrayed that I forgot he wasn’t a real person. His thoughts, actions, and motivations were so spot-on given his backstory. I felt like I knew him, and eventually felt an affinity towards him.

4 Exciting Book Releases in May & June 2019

We have 4 different books and 4 different genres: Women’s Fiction; African American Historical Fiction, Contemporary Romance, and a YA Fantasy Fiction.

Heads up: Affiliate links ahead, which means I could earn a small fee if you make a purchase using one of these links.

Disappearing Earth (Julia Phillips)

Disappearing Earth is a Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, novel that hits shelves on May 14, 2019.

What It’s About

Book Cover of Disappearing Earth by Julia Phillips, a women's literary fiction novel. — **TITLE:** *Disappearing Earth* | **AUTHOR:** *Julia Phillips* | **GENRE:** *Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction* | **RELEASE DATE:** *May 14, 2019*

Two sisters, ages 8 and 11, vanish off of a remote peninsula in Russia.

The police investigate the disappearance but nothing turns up.

Told during the course of a year, one months at a time, we heard from those affected by the disappearance: a neighbor, a detective, a witness, a mother.

See the official synopsis…

Why I’m Interested

Book Review: Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie (Realistic Teen Fiction Novel)

Important.

That’s the one word I’d use to describe this book.

Heads up: Affiliate links ahead, which means I could earn a small fee if you make a purchase using one of these links.

Synopsis

Book Cover of Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick, a teen, family fiction novel. — **Title**: Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie | **Author**: Jordan Sonnenblick | **Genres**: Teen Fiction, Family Fiction, Realistic Fiction | **First Published**: 2004

Meet 13 year old Steven Alper – he’s starting 8th grade, loves drumming, and has a crush on the cutest girl in school: Renee.

Steven lives with his mom, dad, and his annoying little brother: 4 year old Jeffery.

All is well.

Until it’s not, when Jeffery is diagnosed with cancer.

With their world upended, we follow the Alpers as they as they navigate this unexpected terrain.

And we experience it all through Steven’s eyes.

Reading Update: Just Finished & Currently Reading

Hey Guys,

I wanted to pop in and give you a reading update.

So, I finished The Good Byline (a Contemporary Cozy Mystery), and I started Shadow of the Fox (a YA Fantasy Novel).

Now, let’s talk about ’em.

Heads up: Affiliate links ahead, which means I could earn a small fee if you make a purchase using one of these links.

Recently Finished

Book Cover of The Good Byline by Jill Orr, a cozy mystery novel set in a small town.

I recently finished The Good Byline, a Riley Ellison Mystery by Jill Orr. It’s a stand alone Cozy Mystery, but the first in the Riley Ellison series.

Synopsis: Riley Ellison has just moved back to her small town home after breaking up with her boyfriend of 7 years.

After she returns, she decides to re-connect with her childhood best friend, Jordan. There’s just one problem: Jordan died by suicide a few days earlier.

Not fully believing Jordan’s death was a suicide, and also being asked by Jordan’s mother to write her obituary, Riley begins to look into the matter.

Did Jordan actually die by suicide? Was it foul play? If so, who would want Jordan dead, and why?

E-books, Audiobooks, or Physical Books? My Thoughts

Today, I though it would be interesting to talk about how we like to read. Whether we prefer physical book, audio-books, or e-books.

They’re all valid ways to read, in my opinion, and though one isn’t better than another, we each have our preferred methods.

There is no right or wrong here.

To find out my thoughts on each, and learn which method(s) I prefer, keep on reading.

Book Review: A Heart in a Body in the World (Realistic Fiction YA Novel)

A searing, raw, honest, and unflinching portrait and exploration of grief.

Heads up: Affiliate links ahead, which means I could earn a small fee if you make a purchase using one of these links.

Synopsis

Book Cover of A Heart In A Body In The World, by Deb Caletti, a Young Adult Fiction Novel. — **Title:** A Heart In A Body In The World | **Author**: Deb Caletti | **Genre**: Young Adult Fiction | **Year Published**: 2018

17 year old Annabelle Agnelli has been through something BIG. So big that it’s upended her entire world.

Grieving, she decides to run from Seattle to Washington, DC.

Why? Because she has to do something.

Anything.

She runs because she’s tired of sitting still.

She runs because she has to keep on living.

Read the official synopsis…

Book Review: Murder on the Orient Express (Classic Detective Fiction Novel)

I bet ya can’t guess whodunit. Or can you?

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve heard of Agatha Christie. Fun Fact: She’s one of the best-selling authors of all time. And she wrote over 70 novels, during her lifetime, all of which are still in print.

Murder on the Orient Express was my introduction to her works.

I’m hella late, I know. But I am here now. 😛

Now, shall we get into the synopsis? Spoiler-free, of course.

Heads up: Affiliate links ahead, which means I could earn a small fee if you make a purchase using one of these links.

Synopsis

The Orient Express is en route to London when a passenger is found stabbed to death inside his cabin. By chance, world renown detective, Hercule Poirot, is aboard. We follow Poirot’s investigation as he searches for clues, collects his evidence, and ultimately learns the killer’s identity.

Here’s a better synopsis…

Book Cover of Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie, a Classic, Mystery Fiction Novel. — **Title:** Murder on the Orient Express | **Author:** Agatha Christie | **First Published:** 1934 (as Murder in the Calais Coach) | **Genre:** Mystery, Classic

Book Review: Scythe (YA Dystopian Fiction Novel)

Scythe features fascinating world-building and presents thought-provoking questions about the possible repercussions of human immortality.

Have you ever heard of this novel? If not, well allow me to bring you up to speed. Spoiler-free of course.

Heads up: Affiliate links ahead, which means I could earn a small fee if you make a purchase using one of these links.

Synopsis

**Title**: Scythe | **Author:** Neal Shusterman | **Published**: 2017

Set in the near-future, natural death has become a thing of past. As have war, hunger, and disease.

The Cloud is in control and provides for everyone’s needs from food to employment, housing, education, and anything else that may be required.

But this new reality must be preserved, and the population must not get out of hand, therefore, people still need to die.

Instead of by natural causes, death now comes by trained killers called Scythes. And two new apprentices have been chosen.

We follow teenagers Citra and Rowan, as they learn the art of kill-craft and discover what it truly means to be a Scythe.

Here’s the official synopsis…

Book Review: Kumquat (A Rom-Com)

If you want to laugh out loud or if you like awkward, quirky characters, then this book might be for you.

But before we get in to the review, let me tell you what it’s about. Spoiler-free, of course.

Heads up: Affiliate links ahead, which means I could earn a small fee if you make a purchase using one of these links.

Synopsis

Kumquat by Jeff Strand, A Book Review — **Title:** Kumquat | **Author:** Jeff Strand | **Genre:** Comedy, Romantic Comedy | **Published:** 2014

Would you take a road trip with someone you just met?

35 year old Todd certainly wouldn’t.

Todd plays life safe – content with a run of the mill job, unemployed-gamer roommate, and failed love life. That is, until he meets Amy at the Worst Film Festival of the Century.

She’s cute, quirky, and funny. She also doesn’t have much time to live.

Amy convinces Todd to step out of his comfort zone and the duo embark upon a 22 hour cross-country trip for an infamous hot dog.

Will they get their hot dog before her time runs out?

Also – there may or may not be giant gummy bear tractors, men with hooks for hands, suspicious looking hitchhikers, ornery old ladies, stolen or damaged property, a hospital stay, and some vomiting. Maybe.

A quirky, hilarious, and entertaining read.

Read an excerpt…