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The Rest of our Lives
8.0
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What's left when your kids grow up and leave home? When Tom Layward's wife had an affair he...
ClareR (6253 KP) rated The Rest of our Lives in Books
Jun 6, 2026
The Rest of Our Lives would appear to be another book that not too many other people enjoyed, but I did. It’s a book where big things don’t really happen and someone (in this case, Tom Layward) is pondering on his life.
Tom has dropped his youngest child at college for her first semester, and then keeps on driving. So, it’s a road trip of sorts. He visits people from his past, not really knowing what he wants from them or from himself. Tom is at a crossroads in his life: should he leave his wife as he promised himself 12 years ago when she had an affair? What’s he going to do about his job? And should he see a doctor about his health concerns?
It’s a meandering tale up to the point where he’s in hospital, and then the story would seem to have more purpose. I liked it, but then I’m one of those people who finds the minutiae of people’s lives quite interesting!
Tom has dropped his youngest child at college for her first semester, and then keeps on driving. So, it’s a road trip of sorts. He visits people from his past, not really knowing what he wants from them or from himself. Tom is at a crossroads in his life: should he leave his wife as he promised himself 12 years ago when she had an affair? What’s he going to do about his job? And should he see a doctor about his health concerns?
It’s a meandering tale up to the point where he’s in hospital, and then the story would seem to have more purpose. I liked it, but then I’m one of those people who finds the minutiae of people’s lives quite interesting!
Shake-speared in the Park (Bay Browning Mysteries #2)
Book
When Bay Browning helps direct the Flourish College summer theater production, "Shakespeare's...
Traditional Mystery Paranormal Twists Series
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2593 KP) rated Player Elimination in Books
Nov 13, 2025
Who Eliminated Wren’s Landlord?
Wren Winters is running the game story she and her late husband started in a small college town. Her biggest issue is her landlord, who is talking about doing something new with her building despite the fact that he uses the game store to try out new solo games himself. But one morning she arrives at the store to find the police there. Someone has murdered her landlord. But who?
I’ve gotten back into games the last couple of years, so I was hoping this would be a good cozy mystery with that theme. Sadly, it needed just a bit more. There is one character who uses they/them pronouns that I found distracting, but that’s probably mostly on me. Overall, the characters were a little flat. The mystery was uneven, although the ending was good. Even the games Wren and her friends played didn’t give us the details I was hoping to enjoy. Sadly, I don’t think I’ll continue this series.
I’ve gotten back into games the last couple of years, so I was hoping this would be a good cozy mystery with that theme. Sadly, it needed just a bit more. There is one character who uses they/them pronouns that I found distracting, but that’s probably mostly on me. Overall, the characters were a little flat. The mystery was uneven, although the ending was good. Even the games Wren and her friends played didn’t give us the details I was hoping to enjoy. Sadly, I don’t think I’ll continue this series.
Atancia (The Durand Duology #1)
10.0
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After watching a young boy die, college freshman Atancia Clark begins to have panic attacks. Her...
Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Frosty Relations (A Witch’s Night Out #2)
8.0
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Attorney Jack Frost never understood why holidays did weird things to people. His secretary went on...
Paranormal Romance Novella
Mark @ Carstairs Considers (2593 KP) rated Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide in Books
Jun 13, 2026
Planning the Perfect…Deletion
You’ve never heard of McMasters, the secret college that teaches adults of all age how to get away with deleting someone, what we uninitiated would call murder. This book, presented as an instructional book for those of us who can’t attend the university, has three case studies from three students in the 1950’s. They all need to delete their bosses for various reasons. Will they learn enough to help them?
I’d heard about this book for a while, and finally remembered to get it from the library. Parts of it were fun, like the word play. However, that didn’t carry on throughout the book, at least for me. My biggest gripe is that trying to juggle three students made it hard to focus on and remember who all the players were in all three stories. I think taking out one of the students would have helped. Still, I did have fun with this book. I’m glad I finally gave it a chance.
I’d heard about this book for a while, and finally remembered to get it from the library. Parts of it were fun, like the word play. However, that didn’t carry on throughout the book, at least for me. My biggest gripe is that trying to juggle three students made it hard to focus on and remember who all the players were in all three stories. I think taking out one of the students would have helped. Still, I did have fun with this book. I’m glad I finally gave it a chance.
The Quirky Quiz Show Caper
8.0
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Former teen idol Sandy Fairfax is a guest panelist on a TV game show—and the first category is...
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated Always and Forever, Lara Jean in Books
Feb 1, 2018
In the final book of Jenny Han's "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" series, we find our heroine, Lara Jean, in her senior year of high school and facing some big changes: college choices; her dad's impending marriage (yay, Mrs. Rothschild!); and figuring out the fate of her relationship with her handsome high school sweetheart, Peter K. The plan, of course, is for Lara Jean and Peter to head to UVA together. Peter already has a lacrosse scholarship there, and Lara Jean's acceptance email should be arriving any day. Still, Lara Jean is worried about the possibility of change and if things do not go exactly according to her plans.
I can't remember how I stumbled across this series, beloved to me (a mid-thirties lesbian) and teen girls everywhere, but I do have such a soft spot for Lara Jean. My girl is all grown up now! *sniff sniff* I love this series even more because it's basically set in my hometown, and I get to read about references to Bodo's Bagels, UVA and the Rotunda, BBQ Exchange, and more.
The strength of Han's series certainly centers around Lara Jean. She's such a realistic and endearing character, and she's grown and progressed over the three books. I adore her spirit, her love of baking, and her fierce devotion to her family. Indeed, Lara Jean's family is very well fleshed out, and you can so easily visualize each of her sisters and their poor, beleaguered father. Everyone--even our additional supporting characters--feels like family by now.
The hardest part of this book was that it felt a bit like filler. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Han wrote a third book, and I'm happy to see what happened to Lara Jean, Peter, and the rest of the gang, but it sort of feel like we were killing time for the sake of killing time. There's no major plot impetus beyond college decisions and Mr. Covey's wedding preparations. It ties back to a thread in the first book involving Lara Jean's mom warning about not going to college with a boyfriend (remember Margot and Josh?), but it's a tenuous thread.
Still, this is a sweet book, and I enjoyed most of it, though Peter didn't always seem like his usual self. (I don't enjoy when "stress" is an excuse for guys to treat girls poorly.) I was glad to see Lara Jean stay true to her Lara Jean self: she's just so fun, spunky, and adorable. Han says definitively at the end that she won't write anymore about Lara Jean and even though I felt like this book was a little bit of fluff, I still felt sad reading that, because darnit, it was Lara Jean fluff, and I love her.
You can find my review of the first book <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1521015379?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">here</a>; and the second <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1521018057?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">here</a>;.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;
I can't remember how I stumbled across this series, beloved to me (a mid-thirties lesbian) and teen girls everywhere, but I do have such a soft spot for Lara Jean. My girl is all grown up now! *sniff sniff* I love this series even more because it's basically set in my hometown, and I get to read about references to Bodo's Bagels, UVA and the Rotunda, BBQ Exchange, and more.
The strength of Han's series certainly centers around Lara Jean. She's such a realistic and endearing character, and she's grown and progressed over the three books. I adore her spirit, her love of baking, and her fierce devotion to her family. Indeed, Lara Jean's family is very well fleshed out, and you can so easily visualize each of her sisters and their poor, beleaguered father. Everyone--even our additional supporting characters--feels like family by now.
The hardest part of this book was that it felt a bit like filler. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Han wrote a third book, and I'm happy to see what happened to Lara Jean, Peter, and the rest of the gang, but it sort of feel like we were killing time for the sake of killing time. There's no major plot impetus beyond college decisions and Mr. Covey's wedding preparations. It ties back to a thread in the first book involving Lara Jean's mom warning about not going to college with a boyfriend (remember Margot and Josh?), but it's a tenuous thread.
Still, this is a sweet book, and I enjoyed most of it, though Peter didn't always seem like his usual self. (I don't enjoy when "stress" is an excuse for guys to treat girls poorly.) I was glad to see Lara Jean stay true to her Lara Jean self: she's just so fun, spunky, and adorable. Han says definitively at the end that she won't write anymore about Lara Jean and even though I felt like this book was a little bit of fluff, I still felt sad reading that, because darnit, it was Lara Jean fluff, and I love her.
You can find my review of the first book <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1521015379?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">here</a>; and the second <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1521018057?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">here</a>;.
<center><a href="http://justacatandabookatherside.blogspot.com/">Blog</a>; ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/mwcmoto">Twitter</a>; ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/justacatandabook/">Facebook</a>; ~ <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/+KristyHamiltonbooks">Google+</a></center>;
Eleanor Luhar (47 KP) rated Fangirl in Books
Jun 24, 2019
I finished this book earlier today, and have been dying to sit down and get this review done!
The first book I read by Rainbow Rowell was Eleanor & Park, but I have to say that I loved this so much more! It's still a romance, but less so - as in, it isn't too romantic, and love isn't the only storyline.
Basically, twins Cath and Wren have just started college, staying in separate rooms for the first time. Instead, Cath shares her dorm with Reagan - a chronically angry-looking girl with about five boyfriends - and Wren with Courtney, her new party buddy.
For years, Cath has been writing Simon Snow fanfiction with her sister, and has become internet-famous. She signs up for Fiction-Writing class, and continues to work on her main fic - Carry On, Simon. But when Professor Piper accuses her of plagiarism when she turns in a piece of fanfic, Cath isn't sure she's cut out for the class. Not to mention the fact that the final Simon Snow book is soon to be released.
As if these problems aren't enough, the girls' father ends up back in a mental hospital after they leave home, and their mother - who left when they were just eight years old - is trying to get in touch again. Oh, and Cath's close friend and writing partner uses a joint piece of work for an assignment, without giving Cath any credit.
Throughout all this, Cath breaks up and makes up with her sister, and her relationship with Reagan's ex-boyfriend is a crazy ride. Levi and Cath are clearly becoming an item, until Cath turns up at Levi's party and finds him kissing some other girl. So much for that.
I can't say I know what college is like, but Cath really reminds me of me and my friends. For one, I'm a total introvert and would never leave my room, let alone ask someone where the cafeteria is... And two, my friends are all the internet type, many of which also love to read a bit of fanfiction every now and then. Some of her insecurities and worries are incredibly similar to my own, which kind of gave me a sense of relief. (Phew, it is normal to worry about that!)
I love the relationship between Wren and Cath, and how it addresses the issues that siblings face. And the situation with their parents, which I'm sure lots of people can relate to. Basically, I love how this isn't just a simple college book, where guy-meets-girl and everything's great. It's far more realistic than that, with an appropriate hint of humour.
The characters themselves are also all imperfect in some way. Cath compares Levi to her ex-boyfriend and admits that he may not be quite as attractive, yet she still likes him more. Not to mention how she comments on the little things she notices, but not in a negative way.
I sped through this book, which I wasn't expecting with a book this length. It's funny, it's realistic, and it's a great read. Not to mention, it's now on my favourites list. Five stars!
BookMarked
The first book I read by Rainbow Rowell was Eleanor & Park, but I have to say that I loved this so much more! It's still a romance, but less so - as in, it isn't too romantic, and love isn't the only storyline.
Basically, twins Cath and Wren have just started college, staying in separate rooms for the first time. Instead, Cath shares her dorm with Reagan - a chronically angry-looking girl with about five boyfriends - and Wren with Courtney, her new party buddy.
For years, Cath has been writing Simon Snow fanfiction with her sister, and has become internet-famous. She signs up for Fiction-Writing class, and continues to work on her main fic - Carry On, Simon. But when Professor Piper accuses her of plagiarism when she turns in a piece of fanfic, Cath isn't sure she's cut out for the class. Not to mention the fact that the final Simon Snow book is soon to be released.
As if these problems aren't enough, the girls' father ends up back in a mental hospital after they leave home, and their mother - who left when they were just eight years old - is trying to get in touch again. Oh, and Cath's close friend and writing partner uses a joint piece of work for an assignment, without giving Cath any credit.
Throughout all this, Cath breaks up and makes up with her sister, and her relationship with Reagan's ex-boyfriend is a crazy ride. Levi and Cath are clearly becoming an item, until Cath turns up at Levi's party and finds him kissing some other girl. So much for that.
I can't say I know what college is like, but Cath really reminds me of me and my friends. For one, I'm a total introvert and would never leave my room, let alone ask someone where the cafeteria is... And two, my friends are all the internet type, many of which also love to read a bit of fanfiction every now and then. Some of her insecurities and worries are incredibly similar to my own, which kind of gave me a sense of relief. (Phew, it is normal to worry about that!)
I love the relationship between Wren and Cath, and how it addresses the issues that siblings face. And the situation with their parents, which I'm sure lots of people can relate to. Basically, I love how this isn't just a simple college book, where guy-meets-girl and everything's great. It's far more realistic than that, with an appropriate hint of humour.
The characters themselves are also all imperfect in some way. Cath compares Levi to her ex-boyfriend and admits that he may not be quite as attractive, yet she still likes him more. Not to mention how she comments on the little things she notices, but not in a negative way.
I sped through this book, which I wasn't expecting with a book this length. It's funny, it's realistic, and it's a great read. Not to mention, it's now on my favourites list. Five stars!
BookMarked