Tag: audiobook

Book Review: Before I Let Go (Skyland #1) by Kennedy Ryan

GoodeyReads2 Comments

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Kennedy Ryan
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: November 15th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Their love was supposed to last forever. But when life delivered blow after devastating blow, Yasmen and Josiah Wade found that love alone couldn’t solve or save everything.

It couldn’t save their marriage.

Yasmen wasn’t prepared for how her life fell apart, but she’s is finally starting to find joy again. She and Josiah have found a new rhythm, co-parenting their two kids and running a thriving business together. Yet like magnets, they’re always drawn back to each other, and now they’re beginning to wonder if they’re truly ready to let go of everything they once had.

Soon, one stolen kiss leads to another…and then more. It’s hot. It’s illicit. It’s all good—until old wounds reopen. Is it too late for them to find forever? Or could they even be better, the second time around?

ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE.

This book wasn’t initially on my radar until a trusted friend was talking about how much she loved it. I downloaded immediately, AND FELL IN LOVE.

I feel like this is a really hard book to put into words. It’s raw, human, and shows the lowest of lows alongside the highs. It’s complicated and shows how many things in life are not linear. We get knocked down, dragged around, and fight to stand back up. And that’s the amazing power of our souls.

Every single one of these characters had me wrapped up in their story. I loved the way the side characters were used to further the plot (and I Hope we get more stories from some of them???). I LOVED the children and the way divorce and therapy were discussed in regards to how it effects them. There’s a massive theme of mental health and I was teary eyed many times at the moments of despair and the moments of breakthroughs and triumphs.

I don’t have one bad thing to say. I loved this book. This was my first Kennedy Ryan book and it will definitely not be my last.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: multiple open; high explicit + high innunedo
  • Violence: low-medium
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: divorce, depictions of grief and depression, suicidal ideation, stillbirth

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Historical Fiction
Length: 435 pages
Author: Kate Quinn
Publisher: William Morrow
Release Date: March 29th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The New York Times bestselling author of The Rose Code returns with an unforgettable World War II tale of a quiet bookworm who becomes history’s deadliest female sniper. Based on a true story.

In 1937 in the snowbound city of Kiev (now known as Kyiv), wry and bookish history student Mila Pavlichenko organizes her life around her library job and her young son–but Hitler’s invasion of Ukraine and Russia sends her on a different path. Given a rifle and sent to join the fight, Mila must forge herself from studious girl to deadly sniper–a lethal hunter of Nazis known as Lady Death. When news of her three hundredth kill makes her a national heroine, Mila finds herself torn from the bloody battlefields of the eastern front and sent to America on a goodwill tour.

Still reeling from war wounds and devastated by loss, Mila finds herself isolated and lonely in the glittering world of Washington, DC–until an unexpected friendship with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and an even more unexpected connection with a silent fellow sniper offer the possibility of happiness. But when an old enemy from Mila’s past joins forces with a deadly new foe lurking in the shadows, Lady Death finds herself battling her own demons and enemy bullets in the deadliest duel of her life.

Based on a true story, The Diamond Eye is a haunting novel of heroism born of desperation, of a mother who became a soldier, of a woman who found her place in the world and changed the course of history forever.

WHOA.

Uh, why have I been apparently sleeping on Kate Quinn books?
WHY????????

This was incredible (also, audio is 1,000x the way to go here). I am hit/miss with historical fictions, I usually find the most enjoyment [reading wise] when they’re on a more unique focus and I found that here. A female Russian sniper with 300+ confirmed kills? TELL ME MORE.

What an stunning story. I was captivated from the get-go. It draws you in and every angle of this plot keeps things moving, keeps you guessing, keeps you wondering how in the world it’s going to end. I know some fictional liberties were taken, but they fit perfectly in with this novel. I love that Mila broke down barriers, and was stronger than I can ever imagine being. Her love for her son, and her country was palpable.

Many times my heart felt pulled right out of my chest. The middle of this book HURTS. The intricacies and pits of war are laid out in full view. I loved the complex nature of this dealings and seeing some of the war side in the United States with the Roosevelt’s. Even more so that the focus was on Eleanor and what part she played in Mila’s life (and vice versa). How a bonded female friendship was born from across two different nations.

This book was just something else. This experience was wholly encompassing and never let up. I LOVED it and will now be adding some Quinn backlist to my TBR.

Overall audience notes:

  • Historical fiction
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: closed door
  • Violence: high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: teenage pregnancy and marriage, war themes, gun violence, colonialism, antisemitism, racism, sexism, slut-shaming, attempted murder

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

ARC Book Review: Just My Type by Falon Ballard

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Falon Ballard
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s
Release Date: February 7th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

To win the job of her dreams, a relationship-prone journalist needs to learn how to stay single in this heartwarming and hilarious new romantic comedy from the beloved author of Lease on Love.

Lana Parker has never been single for long. After a disastrous break-up with her high school boyfriend, Seth Carson, Lana’s bounced from long-term relationship to long-term relationship. She’s an expert girlfriend, even acting as the resident dating and relationship columnist for one of Los Angeles’s trendiest websites. But now, at the age of thirty, Lana suddenly finds herself single again, and she’s determined to stay that way, no matter how challenging.

That is, until her high school ex, Seth, now a journalist in his own right, takes an assignment at Lana’s site. Ready to put down roots after years of traveling and freelancing, Seth becomes not only Lana’s colleague but also her competitor. With their combative relationship history–and undeniable chemistry–they quickly find themselves pitted against each other in a battle of wits: writing an article series that goes against dating type. For Lana, that means writing about staying single and embracing it. For Seth, it’s learning to settle down and become boyfriend material. Whoever’s is most popular wins a highly coveted columnist spot that either could only dream of. But when the two square off against one another, it’s not only their careers on the line–it’s also their hearts.

Thank you to PRH Audio for the gifted audiobook.

NOT MY FAVORITE.

Audiobook review notes: I had no issue with the audiobook! I liked the narrator and thought it was well paced. I was able to keep up with the story easily.

After enjoying this author’s first book, I was hoping to like this one too. Aaaand I did not.

This was a poor execution of both enemies to lovers and second chance romance. I thought both Lana and Seth acted pretty childish for most of the book and I hardly saw any growth. I don’t mind a hot mess type of character to start with, but Lana needed a lot more change by the end for me to like her. And I never found that moment.

Themes of positive therapy and mental health were the high points here. There were multiple therapy conversations and working through past trauma that allowed the relationship to at least develop by the end. This also helped the weird boss situation that I’m not sure was ever truly resolved??

I wish at some point I felt like cheering on this couple. I’m feeling all sorts of disappointment over this let down. Lack of true chemistry, lack of character arcs and that competition just didn’t do it for me.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: two open door
  • Violence: low
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: emotionally unavailable parent, sexual harassment, parental abandonment, alcohol consumption

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: The Wedding Season by Katy Birchall

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Fiction
Length: 384 pages
Author: Katy Birchall
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Release Date: May 3rd, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Freya Scott is getting married. Her wedding to Matthew, her long-term boyfriend, is the first of eight in her calendar this year, and as someone who prides herself on being meticulously organized, Freya is intent on making it the perfect day to remember.

But when Matthew calls things off hours before they walk down the aisle, Freya’s entire life plan goes up in smoke. Humiliated and heartbroken, the last thing she wants is to attend a summer of other peoples’ nuptials on her own.

Fortunately, her friends have an idea: together they devise a series of outrageous challenges for Freya to complete at each event, designed to distract her from Matthew and what might have been. From getting stuck in an old church bathroom and needing to be rescued by the vicar to making out with a barman at a French chateau, Freya realizes that despite herself, she might just be having fun.

By the time the final wedding arrives, she will discover that the road to a happy ending sometimes has unexpected detours, that “I do” is only the beginning––and that perhaps her own love story isn’t over just yet.

GREAT READ.

I’m not really a fiction reader. I either lean towards fantasy or romance, but I picked this up on a friends recommendation and it did not disappoint!

I really loved the vibes of this entire book. I found myself laughing out loud and cheering Freya on after a devastating break up at very much the wrong time.

Her friends were lovely and they were incredibly supportive and just there for her. I looove a good friend moment and this delivered. There’s also a subtle romance that had me smiling too.

I do wish the ex plot line didn’t take up the ENTIRE book. I thought we had essentially moved past his awfulness until he showed up late in the game which made me give a big sigh.

Still a great read about moving on when plans drastically change. Leaning in to the chaos of life and trying new things, and just maybe falling in love.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary fiction
  • Language: some strong
  • Romance: make-outs

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph