Author and single mom Finlay Donovan has been in messes before―after all, she’s a pro at removing bloodstains for various unexpected reasons―but none quite like this. When Finlay and her nanny/partner-in-crime Vero accidentally destroyed a luxury car that they had “borrowed” in the process of saving the life of Finlay’s ex-husband, the Russian mob did her a favor and bought the car for her. And now Finlay owes them.
Mob boss Feliks is still running the show from behind bars, and he has a task for Finlay: find and identify a contract killer before the cops do. The problem is, the killer might be an officer themself.
Luckily, hot cop Nick has just been tasked with starting up a citizen’s police academy, and combined pressure from Finlay’s looming book deadline and Feliks is enough to convince Finlay and Vero to get involved. Through firearm training and forensic classes (and some hands-on research with a tempting detective), Finlay and Vero use their time in police academy to sleuth out the real contract killer to free themselves from the mob’s clutches―all the while dodging spies, confronting Vero’s past, and juggling the daily trials of parenthood.
My Review
This is a series that keeps getting better and better! All the books have been a hilarious breath of fresh air, and this one was no exception. I did not see the twists coming at all, which is always nice when reading a mystery. Vero and Finlay are like a train wreck you can’t look away from. I’m saying it again, these books need to be made into a show, people wouldn’t be able to look away from it either! Highly recommend these to everyone ♥️
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Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your average woman. In fact, Elizabeth Zott would be the first to point out that there is no such thing as an average woman. But it’s the early 1960s and her all-male team at Hastings Research Institute takes a very unscientific view of equality. Except for one: Calvin Evans; the lonely, brilliant, Nobel–prize nominated grudge-holder who falls in love with—of all things—her mind. True chemistry results.
But like science, life is unpredictable. Which is why a few years later Elizabeth Zott finds herself not only a single mother, but the reluctant star of America’s most beloved cooking show Supper at Six. Elizabeth’s unusual approach to cooking (“combine one tablespoon acetic acid with a pinch of sodium chloride”) proves revolutionary. But as her following grows, not everyone is happy. Because as it turns out, Elizabeth Zott isn’t just teaching women to cook. She’s daring them to change the status quo.
Laugh-out-loud funny, shrewdly observant, and studded with a dazzling cast of supporting characters, Lessons in Chemistry is as original and vibrant as its protagonist.
My Review:
If you are a woman, I am warning you now that you will find this book difficult to read, but it’s definitely 100% worth it! I laughed, I cried, and I fumed over all the injustices. I had to put it down several times, on days when the words struck a bit too close to home, but then I would take some deep breaths and dive back in. I am a dog person, and if you are one of those you will also love this book for that reason alone. I hate that I waited so long to read it. Amazing job Bonnie Garmus! All the awards this book has received and will receive are well deserved!
Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review, and all opinions on this blog are my own.
Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project – a literal dream come true – Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.
Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school – archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.
But when her equipment starts to go missing and the staff ignore her, Bee could swear she sees Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas… devouring her with those eyes. The possibilities have all her neurons firing.
But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there’s only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?
My Mini Review:
I enjoyed this one so much. Maybe a bit more than The Love Hypothesis. Except, there was a lot more of the “miscommunication” trope in this one for my liking. I loved the slow burn romance, the spice, and the side characters were amazing! Her assistant Rocio! I loved her. She was hilarious. I enjoyed the banter between the characters. I liked the plot twist at the end and the action. This book was just a perfect wholesome STEM Romance.
If you are interested in buying this book please visit my Pango Store!
Impossible love between two girls —one human, one Made. A love that could birth a revolution.
After the War of Kinds ravaged the kingdom of Rabu, the Automae, Designed to be the playthings of royals, took over the estates of their owners and bent the human race to their will.
Now, Ayla, a human servant rising the ranks at the House of the Sovereign, dreams of avenging the death of her family… by killing the Sovereign’s daughter, Lady Crier. Crier, who was Made to be beautiful, to be flawless. And to take over the work of her father.
Crier had been preparing to do just that—to inherit her father’s rule over the land. But that was before she was betrothed to Scyre Kinok, who seems to have a thousand secrets. That was before she discovered her father isn’t as benevolent as she thought. That was before she met Ayla.
Set in a richly-imagined fantasy world, Nina Varela’s debut novel is a sweepingly romantic tale of love, loss and revenge, that challenges what it really means to be human.
For fans of: An Ember in the Ashes, Lifelike, and Ash Princess
My Review:
If longing is madness, then none of us are sane.”
This book was included inside one of my book subscription boxes back when it was first published, and it has been sitting there on my shelf ever since. I thought it would be a good idea to read it since it’s LGBTQ+ month, and this covers the romance in between two girls; one made and one human. The romance did not take center stage, which was okay with me. These two girls had to deal with a whole different set of prejudices and stereotypes; centered around the fact that they were a human and an automa in love, while also being in the middle of a rebellion between their two peoples.
The first half of the story was a bit slow. I’m also not a fan of court scheming and boring council meetings and there was a lot of that. The action does pick up a bit on the second half of the story, but I felt like not a whole lot happened. I realize this is the first book in a series, and there was a lot of scene setting, character development, and history that needed to be explained, but that was all the book really was. It just set the stage for the next book in the series. Usually I would expect this type of transitional content in the middle book in a series, not the first.
The writing was beautiful, and the scene setting was captivating and descriptive. This book really delved into what it really means to be human. I loved the explanation of human things like hearts, souls, and tears coming from Crier’s point of view, because Crier was not human. I enjoyed the small history lessons in the beginning of the book, and during the story. I could’ve done with a lot more action and a bit more closure at the end of the story, instead of it being so open ended. The ending was a bit of a cliff hanger, but it didn’t leave me wanting to immediately get my hands on the second book like a good cliff hanger usually would. I would recommend this to YA/Sci-Fi fans who don’t mind a fairly slow story, who enjoy stories centered around royalty, and a like a light romance.
Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review, and all opinions are my own. If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link (by clicking on the top or bottom pictures) and helping a fellow book blogger out 🙂
Lately I feel like the number of series I need to finish or catch up with has multiplied, so I’m mainly making this post to keep myself accountable. I’m planning to dedicate the month of July to catching up with all these series. I will do my best to follow through with this, but I am ultimately a mood reader and it’s hard for me to stick to a set TBR list, which is why I usually don’t make one.
Disclaimer: All opinions on this blog are my own. If you are interested in purchasing any of these books, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link by clicking on the pictures or the links under them.
One of Us is Next (One of Us is Lying, #2) by Karen M. McManus
I recently read One of Us is Lying, and it was a five star read for me. You can click on my link to read my review. I’ve been told this sequel is just as good, but since the first one had some closure to it I didn’t immediately feel the urge to continue with the series. I definitely will get to it soon. It has a 4.06/5 rating on Goodreads.
Here is the synopsis:
Come on, Bayview, you know you’ve missed this.
A ton of copycat gossip apps have popped up since Simon died, but in the year since the Bayview four were cleared of his shocking death, no one’s been able to fill the gossip void quite like he could. The problem is no one has the facts.
Until now.
This time it’s not an app, though—it’s a game.
Truth or Dare.
Phoebe’s the first target. If you choose not to play, it’s a truth. And hers is dark.
Then comes Maeve and she should know better—always choose the dare.
But by the time Knox is about to be tagged, things have gotten dangerous. The dares have become deadly, and if Maeve learned anything from Bronwyn last year, it’s that they can’t count on the police for help. Or protection.
Simon’s gone, but someone’s determined to keep his legacy at Bayview High alive. And this time, there’s a whole new set of rules.
Good Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, #1) by Holly Jackson
I just read A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, but again I didn’t immediately move on to the sequel (I need to stop doing that). I’ve also heard really good things about this one. It currently has a 4.59/5 rating on Goodreads.
Here is a synopsis:
Pip Fitz-Amobi is not a detective any more.
With the help of Ravi Singh, she released a true-crime podcast about the murder case they solved together last year. The podcast has gone viral, yet Pip insists her investigating days are behind her.
But she will have to break that promise when someone she knows goes missing. Jamie Reynolds has disappeared but the police won’t do anything about it. And if they won’t look for Jamie then Pip will, uncovering more of her town’s dark secrets along the way… and this time EVERYONE is listening. But will she find him before it’s too late?
Heart of Flames (Crown of Feathers, #2) by Nicki Pau Preto
I just finished Crown of Feathers and I really liked it. I’m looking forward to starting Heart of Flames. It currently has a 4.35/5 on Goodreads.
Here is a Synopsis:
You are a daughter of queens.
The world is balanced on the edge of a knife, and war is almost certain between the empire and the Phoenix Riders.
Like Nefyra before you, your life will be a trial by fire.
Veronyka finally got her wish to join the Riders, but while she’s supposed to be in training, all she really wants to do is fly out to defend the villages of Pyra from the advancing empire. Tristan has been promoted to Master Rider, but he has very different ideas about the best way to protect their people than his father, the commander. Sev has been sent to spy on the empire, but maintaining his cover may force him to fight on the wrong side of the war. And Veronyka’s sister, Val, is determined to regain the empire she lost—even if it means inciting the war herself.
Such is your inheritance. A name. A legacy. An empire in ruin.
As tensions reach a boiling point, the characters all find themselves drawn together into a fight that will shape the course of the empire—and determine the future of the Phoenix Riders. Each must decide how far they’re willing to go—and what they’re willing to lose in the process.
Scythe, the first book in this series, was a five star read for me. I really need to move on to Thunderhead, and eventually The Toll. This one has a 4.49/5 rating on Goodreads.
Here is a Synopsis:
Rowan has gone rogue, and has taken it upon himself to put the Scythedom through a trial by fire. Literally. In the year since Winter Conclave, he has gone off-grid, and has been striking out against corrupt scythes—not only in MidMerica, but across the entire continent. He is a dark folk hero now—“Scythe Lucifer”—a vigilante taking down corrupt scythes in flames.
Citra, now a junior scythe under Scythe Curie, sees the corruption and wants to help change it from the inside out, but is thwarted at every turn, and threatened by the “new order” scythes. Realizing she cannot do this alone—or even with the help of Scythe Curie and Faraday, she does the unthinkable, and risks being “deadish” so she can communicate with the Thunderhead—the only being on earth wise enough to solve the dire problems of a perfect world. But will it help solve those problems, or simply watch as perfection goes into decline?
I read the first two in this series: Truly Devious and The Vanishing Stair a very long time ago. I really need to finish this last one in the series and hopefully have the mystery solved. The last two books were both cliff hangers. This is a nice YA/Mystery series, this last one has a 4.22/5 rating on Goodreads.
Here is a Synopsis:
Ellingham Academy must be cursed. Three people are now dead. One, a victim of either a prank gone wrong or a murder. Another, dead by misadventure. And now, an accident in Burlington has claimed another life. All three in the wrong place at the wrong time. All at the exact moment of Stevie’s greatest triumph . . .
She knows who Truly Devious is. She’s solved it. The greatest case of the century.
At least, she thinks she has. With this latest tragedy, it’s hard to concentrate on the past. Not only has someone died in town, but David disappeared of his own free will and is up to something. Stevie is sure that somehow—somehow—all these things connect. The three deaths in the present. The deaths in the past. The missing Alice Ellingham and the missing David Eastman. Somewhere in this place of riddles and puzzles there must be answers.
Then another accident occurs as a massive storm heads toward Vermont. This is too much for the parents and administrators. Ellingham Academy is evacuated. Obviously, it’s time for Stevie to do something stupid. It’s time to stay on the mountain and face the storm—and a murderer.
In the tantalizing finale to the Truly Devious trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Maureen Johnson expertly tangles her dual narrative threads and ignites an explosive end for all who’ve walked through Ellingham Academy.
This series I also started a long time ago and I need to finish. The first two books were: Ash Princess and Lady Smoke. They are really great books and I really don’t know why I haven’t finished this last one. Like I said before, I am a major mood reader and I regularly switch between genres so that I don’t land myself in a reading slump. This one has a 4.10/5 rating on Goodreads.
Here is a Synopsis:
Princess Theodosia was a prisoner in her own country for a decade. Renamed the Ash Princess, she endured relentless abuse and ridicule from the Kaiser and his court. But though she wore a crown of ashes, there is fire in Theo’s blood. As the rightful heir to the Astrean crown, it runs in her veins. And if she learned nothing else from her mother, she learned that a Queen never cowers.
Now free, with a misfit army of rebels to back her, Theo must liberate her enslaved people and face a terrifying new enemy: the new Kaiserin. Imbued with a magic no one understands, the Kaiserin is determined to burn down anyone and everything in her way.
The Kaiserin’s strange power is growing stronger, and with Prinz Søren as her hostage, there is more at stake than ever. Theo must learn to embrace her own power if she has any hope of standing against the girl she once called her heart’s sister.
P.S. My 30th birthday is this week. If you would like to enter my Instagram Birthday Giveaway go follow my account and follow the steps. I’m giving away two $15 Amazon gift cards. Open internationally ♥️
The Breakfast Club meets Pretty Little Liars, One of Us Is Lying is the story of what happens when five strangers walk into detention and only four walk out alive. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has something to hide.
Pay close attention and you might solve this.
On Monday afternoon, five students at Bayview High walk into detention. Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing. Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher. And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High’s notorious gossip app.
Only, Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon’s dead. And according to investigators, his death wasn’t an accident. On Monday, he died. But on Tuesday, he’d planned to post juicy reveals about all four of his high-profile classmates, which makes all four of them suspects in his murder. Or are they the perfect patsies for a killer who’s still on the loose? Everyone has secrets, right? What really matters is how far you would go to protect them.
My Mini Review:
This was a very fast paced and entertaining read. It had me guessing who the killer was for a while. I also really enjoyed the audio book because it’s voiced by four different characters. It was interesting learning about the story from different perspectives, and not knowing what kind of information was being withheld from me. It was also refreshing and fun having four unreliable narrators.
My favorite character was Nate, I loved his humor and the way he handled the cards he was dealt in life. I also thought Addy had a very impressive character arch, and she went from being one of my least favorite characters to my favorite at the end. I highly recommend this book to fans of books such as A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder and YA/Thriller/ Mystery fans. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series, One of Us is Next, which was published January 7, 2020.
If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link (by clicking on the top or bottom pictures) and helping a fellow book blogger out 🙂
Disclaimer: I was provided a free copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are entirely my own.
Synopsis from Goodreads:
Amy has a normal life. That is, if you were to go by a definition of ‘no immediate obvious indicators of peculiarity’, and you didn’t know her very well. She has good friends, a good job, a nice enough home. This normality, however, is precariously plastered on top of a different life. A life that is Amy’s real life. The only one her brain will let her lead.
My Review:
This was a very important and necessary read which dealt with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), anxiety, and crippling depression in a very relatable and simplified way. The story was captivating and entrancing from the very beginning. I read it in two sittings. At first, the first person narrative and the unusual wording were a bit confusing, but once I got used to it I became completely immersed in Amy’s world.
Being inside Amy’s mind was interesting to say the least. As we follow her through her daily routine we are shown the importance of being kind to strangers, and the fact that sometimes offering a simple smile can make someone’s day. We never know what kind of demons others are facing, even our closest friends. Riva also shows us the importance of having a good support group and surrounding ourselves with people who care about us when we are going through tough times. Her book reminds us to check on our friends from time to time, and make sure they are really okay.
Even though Amy is dealing with a debilitating mental illness, she still fights it every day and shows signs of having developed some coping mechanisms, such as deep breathing and being thankful for the little things in life. She thanks the sun several times for its warm rays on her face, and wistfully stares at the brilliant blue sky as well. Eventually when it all becomes too much, she does get the professional help she so desperately needs. Riva did a good job showing the importance of seeking professional help and medication when necessary. No one should try to deal with mental illness on their own. I highly recommend this book to everyone, because we all know someone like Amy.
If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link (by clicking on the top or bottom pictures) and helping a fellow book blogger out 🙂
Publishes: June 9, 2020 (Book of the Month early release)
ISBN: 1538716623
Synopsis from Goodreads:
USA Today bestselling author Farrah Rochon launches a new series about three young women who become friends when the live Tweeting of a disastrous date leads them to discover they’ve all been duped by the same man.
Samiah Brooks never thought she would be “that” girl. But a live tweet of a horrific date just revealed the painful truth: she’s been catfished by a three-timing jerk of a boyfriend. Suddenly Samiah-along with his two other “girlfriends,” London and Taylor-have gone viral online. Now the three new besties are making a pact to spend the next six months investing in themselves. No men, no dating, and no worrying about their relationship status . . .
For once Samiah is putting herself first, and that includes finally developing the app she’s always dreamed of creating. Which is the exact moment she meets the deliciously sexy, honey-eyed Daniel Collins at work. What are the chances? When it comes to love, there’s no such thing as a coincidence. But is Daniel really boyfriend material or is he maybe just a little too good to be true?
My Mini Review:
I think the world would be a better place if more people reached out to help others.”
I really wanted to love this book. I thought the whole boyfriend project idea was a nice concept and I was excited that there would be more books about the other women involved in the story. It gave me a lot of Kiss Quotient and The Bride Test vibes, and I loved those books. But by the middle of the book, the story became annoying and repetitive. The characters still couldn’t make up their minds about whether they should date or not, and by the time they did the relationship and feelings felt rushed and unrealistic.
With that said, I did enjoy the developing friendship between the three women, and the fact that they were supportive of each other’s decisions and accomplishments. I liked that they were not catty and did not bring each other down; despite having met under such unusual circumstances such as being cheated on by the same man. Rochon also successfully tackled hard issues such as racism, sexism, and discrimination in schools and in the work place. I also enjoyed the criminal aspects of the story, as well as learning about coding and app development. Overall, this was an okay read and I would recommend it if you are looking for a light romantic escape, but don’t go in expecting anything new or life changing.
This was my first Book of the Month pick. If you want to try out Book of the Month for $10 including shipping, consider using my affiliate link. I get a free book credit every time someone signs up with my code 😊
If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link (by clicking on the top or bottom pictures) and helping a fellow book blogger out 🙂
It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the 10th annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to out charm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.
The odds are against him. He’s been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined – every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute… and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.
My Review:
Snow lands on top”
❄️
I am a big Hunger Games fan, so when they announced that this book was being released I decided I would read it no matter what, even if it was about President Snow. I honestly don’t know where to even start with this one, so I am doing something a bit different and separating my review into likes and dislikes.
Dislikes:
We all know Coriolanus Snow turns out to be an evil bastard, but what I wanted to know was how? What was the turning point in his life? What made him into HIM? Unfortunately, for approximately ninety percent of the book all I got was a story about a regular, albeit ambitious guy who had to make hard choices when he was put into tough situations. Then, in the last ten percent of the book I was not even remotely prepared for the changes in his character, and I had whiplash by the time I was done. I feel like these changes should have been more gradual.
I also cannot go into detail when it comes to Coriolanus’s relationship with Lucy Gray without giving away any spoilers, but I did not like the way it was handled at all. Just like his character arch, their relationship would have benefitted from a more gradual development, and then a steady decline. This is not what I got. Instead, at the end of their story I felt like I had been slapped with this random unsatisfying ending and left with a LOT of unanswered questions.
Likes:
Okay, now that I got all that off my chest. I did enjoy the non-stop action in this book, and it was very emotional being back in the Hunger Games and experiencing the very beginning when the games were not as elaborate and immersive as they later became. I really liked finding the little Easter eggs along the way, which were in the form of familiar characters, animals, items, and songs from the original Hunger Games. It was nice finding out how certain aspects of the later Hunger Games came to be.
I liked that the mentors had their own side game going on as well, and that they were being put through almost as much as the tributes were. My favorite character, and in my opinion the only one with any redeeming qualities, was Tigris. I admired her resourcefulness and loyalty to her family, especially to Coriolanus. I enjoyed learning about many of the behind the scenes workings of the Hunger Games, from the way tests were performed on people and animals at the lab, to how the Peace Keepers were trained.
My whole initial rant aside, if you are a Hunger Games fan you won’t want to skip this one. Like I told someone on Instagram recently, just keep telling yourself “He’s the villain, he’s the villain,” and you shouldn’t have as much of a shock as I did. I highly recommend this book to all Fantasy/YA fans, and Hunger Games fanatics should definitely read it.
If you are interested in purchasing this book, please consider using my Amazon affiliate link (by clicking on the top or bottom pictures) and helping a fellow book blogger out 🙂
The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it.
But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn’t so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?
My review:
If a villain can be made, then he can be unmade.”
I picked up this book after seeing it recommended all over the bookstagram community, and now I see why. About twenty percent into the book I thought I had the killer figured out and I was so disappointed, but then everything changed and I wasn’t so sure anymore. This same scenario repeated itself throughout the story and I was kept guessing until the end. This book would make such a great TV series or movie, but I think a show would do the plot more justice.
Pip, the main character, was likeable and I enjoyed witnessing her character progression and changes in her personality. By the end of the story she still hadn’t quite figured out who she was, but lets be real here, does any seventeen year old know who they are? She certainly did know herself and her limitations better. I found myself screaming at these characters a lot. Things like “why are you going in there alone?” and “don’t do that!” Which I believe it’s the whole point in mystery/thriller books like this one, so I will call it a job well done by the author.
I enjoyed the fact that there was no “killer point of view” in the story, which always ruins the plot for me. I like when I can keep guessing who the killer is until the big reveal. I am a 911 dispatcher and have a degree in Forensics, and I was happy that the 911 call placed in the book was very realistic. Also, the criminal and legal aspects of the case were genuine as well. I really enjoyed all the recorded interviews, case notes, and other tidbits included in the book. I highly recommend this story to all Mystery/Thriller fans out there, and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series which was just released April 30, 2020.
Disclaimer: I was not paid for this review. However, if you click on my link and end up buying the book Amazon will pay me a small fee. Thank you for supporting a small blog like mine 🙂
Dee’s Reading Tree 