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ARC Book Review: House of Thorns by Isabel Strychacz

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Rating: ★★★★☆
Audience: YA Horror
Length: 304 pages
Author: Isabel Strychacz
Publisher: Simon Teen
Release Date: August 20th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In the vein of The Haunting of Hill House , a teen returns to the mysterious house from her past to search for her missing sister and uncover the truth of Brier Hall in this atmospheric and eerie modern gothic novel.

Lia Peartree is haunted—by memories, by her past, by secrets, by the ones she left behind. Five years ago, the Peartrees fled their home—the infamous ancestral Brier Hall—and never looked back. But her oldest sister went missing that night, and there’s been no sign of her since.

In the aftermath, the Peartrees are traumatized and get by however they can. Lia’s remaining sister Ali says yes to any bad idea, and Lia tries so desperately to be the perfect daughter that it’s tearing her apart. But as the five year anniversary of the night they left nears, Lia begins seeing her missing sister everywhere, and memories of Brier Hall won’t leave her alone.

When Ali disappears with no warning except a cryptic phone call—“don’t follow me when I’m gone”—Lia is sure she’s gone back to Brier Hall. Lia must go home one final time and face what haunts her in an effort to find her sisters and uncover the truth of her past.

Thank you to the author for an eARC.

ABSOLUTELY CREEPY.

This is the first book in a long time that I can remember feeling genuinely creeped out by. I loved this haunted house and its many layers. The writing was incredibly atmospheric and built the scene so well I felt it. I was wrapped up in this gothic tale waiting to see what would happen next.

It’s a short book so the pacing moves quickly which keeps the entire situation from being bogged down. I would have loved just a little more build up of the characters backgrounds and relationships but that was my only minor issue.

This was lyrical and cinematic. As someone who doesn’t read a lot of the horror genre I think this is a great balance of scary with still being able to read it at night. I loved trying to solve the secrets of Brier Hall and the mysteries that it held. It’s incredibly eerie and made me crave all things autumn.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Horror
  • Language: low-moderate
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: Woke Up Like This by Amy Lea

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA/Adult Contemporary Romance
Length: 273 pages
Author: Amy Lea
Publisher: Mindy’s Book Studio
Release Date: October 1st, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

For two high school seniors, it’s seventeen going on thirty—overnight—in a magical romantic comedy about growing up too fast and living in the moment. Planning the perfect prom is one last “to do” on ultra-organized Charlotte Wu’s high school bucket list. So far, so good, if not for a decorating accident that sends Charlotte crash-landing off a ladder, face-first into her obnoxiously ripped archnemesis J. T. Renner. Worse? When Charlotte wakes up, she finds herself in an unfamiliar bed at thirty years old, with her bearded fiancé, Renner, by her side. Either they’ve lost their minds or they’ve been drop-kicked into adulthood, forever trapped in the thirty-year-old bodies of their future selves. With each other as their only constant, Charlotte and Renner discover all that’s changed in the time they’ve missed. Charlotte also learns there’s more to Renner than irritating-jock charm, and that reaching the next milestone isn’t as important as what happens in between. Navigating a series of adventures and a confounding new normal, Charlotte and Renner will do whatever it takes to find a way back to seventeen. But when—and if—they do, what then?

READ IT.

This might be my new favorite Amy Lea book (I’ve read them all at present). Gosh this was so incredibly CHARMING. It had 13 Going On 30 vibes but with a rivals to lovers angle. And BOTH of them end up in a different year together. I thought this was the perfect set up to bring out the FEELS and it delivered.

I loved the banter and snark. It’s that perfect balance of sass while also noticing the intense chemistry between Charlotte and Renner. I was obsessed with them from the get go.

There were also some great themes woven in too. I loved how Charlotte and Renner learned to look deeper and had more understanding towards each other and their situations. I loved them Charlotte learned what it meant to not be walked over by a friend and how to stand up for herself. I loved that this book brought such joy balanced with the heartache that life can be.

This is a charming delight.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: Kisses; low innuendo
  • Content Warnings: mentions of divorce, loss of a parent

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Book Review: Summer Romance by Annabel Monaghan

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Annabel Monaghan
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s
Release Date: June 4th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Benefits of a summer romance: it’s always fun, always brief, and no one gets their heart broken.

There aren’t enough labeled glass containers to contain the mess that is Ali Morris’s life. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember. She’s a professional organizer whose pantry is a disgrace.

No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her in the same way he claimed his favorite of her three children: by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. The last thing Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little Summer Romance. Is there?

JUST WHAT I NEEDED.

I haven’t been getting along with contemporary romances lately and this was the gem I needed to remind me of the goodness they can bring. I loved this book so much!! It was full of heart and doing the hard things and breaking off what isn’t working anymore to find what could be.

The romance had me absolutely smitten. This is how you craft a summer romance. I loved Ethan, he was such a sweetheart and was so KIND. Gosh it was soul melting. And I loved seeing Ali grow and expand and realize how confined she had been for too long. I loved the motherhood aspects as well as the acknowledgement of what she needed as a person to be the best Ali.

There were so many lovely moments throughout. It’s a fast read and an amazing one. I think this is my new favorite from Monaghan. It is a must for summer TBRs!!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: low-moderate
  • Romance: fade to black
  • Content Warnings: loss of loved ones, depictions of grief, FMC is going through a divorce

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Book Review: The Deal (Off-Campus #1) by Elle Kennedy

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: NA Sports Romance
Length: 360 pages
Author: Elle Kennedy
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: February 24th, 2015
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

The international bestseller! A standalone novel* from New York Times and international bestselling author Elle Kennedy!

She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy…

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

…and it’s going to be oh so good

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

IT WAS ADDICTIVE.

I binged this sucker in under a day. And it DELIVERED. Definitely by no means a perfect book and I could easily pick out a few things I didn’t love, but it gets all the points for wrapping up my attention and delivering me Garret Graham.

Garrett Graham is going to be living rent free in my mind for the foreseeable future. I LOVED him. He was a nice balance of being the cocky all-star hockey player while also being respectful and protective of Hannah and her needs. The longer this book went on the more smitten I became. And that ending?? I’m a sucker for grand-ish gestures like that and I adored it.

I also loved Hannah. She was incredible and was such a light. I liked that she bantered so beautifully with Garrett. But was the shoulder to lean on and the support he needed through his issues too. I just loved them both.

The drama of this new adult romance + college life seemed a little far fetched at times, but lets face it. I didn’t really care. This was an escape. I’m obsessed.

Overall audience notes:

  • NA Contemporary Sports Romance
  • Language: strong
  • Romance: 5+ open; high explicit
  • Violence: moderate
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: multiple mentions of rape (recounted from Hannah), child and domestic abuse (physical and emotional, recounted by Garrett), slut-shaming, alcohol consumption, death of a parent (off page)

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