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A Deadly Éclair (A French Bistro Mystery, #1)
A Deadly Éclair (A French Bistro Mystery, #1)
Daryl Wood Gerber | 2017 | Mystery
10
8.8 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Mimi Rousseau is preparing for a celebrity wedding at her bistro and inn, but before things can really get underway, her mentor and financial supporter is found dead on the premises. With him gone, Mimi is under no obligation to repay the funds he had lent her to get her business started, so that makes her look mighty suspicious in the eyes of the law. Afraid that she’ll lose both her business and her freedom, Mimi decides to get to the bottom of things.

Daryl Wood Gerber (aka Avery Aames) is one of my favorite cozy authors, so I jumped at the chance to read the first book in her new mystery series. I was not disappointed. Good food, great friends, and plenty of intrigue keep this story moving along. It’s a well-plotted mystery with lots of delicious sounding recipes included at the end. Culinary cozy fans will not want to miss this one.

<i>NOTE: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of the book.</i>
  
The Night Circus
The Night Circus
Erin Morgenstern | 2015 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.1 (106 Ratings)
Book Rating
Where to start... oh where do I start?

I found myself entranced with this novel but I still struggled to finish it. If I didn't have to read it for a book club I might have put it down.

The writing style was not my favorite. I found myself frustrated with the constant use of "He, She, They, It, or the character's name" starting every single sentence.

The book was hard to understand. The constant changing of time was unique to me, and challenging at the same time. It would have been nice to have an outline of what happened and when.

I will say that the reason I gave this novel a 4 star review instead of a 3 star review is that I loved the plot line and the idea behind the novel. I loved the characters (though I would have liked to have had more depth to them) and I loved the plot line.

I did struggle with the writing but ultimately, I found the novel enjoyable.
  
Love Her Wild
Love Her Wild
Atticus | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
5
5.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
"She was afraid of heights
But she was
much more afraid
Of never flying."
So I went into this book with no idea of who the author is or where they started. For background, I have been on a major poetry kick this year. I have been devouring books of poetry faster than I can find new authors. This book had some amazing moments for me, and some eh moments. It was a super quick and light read. I spent less than an hour to go through the entire thing. I loved the pictures as I thought they were beautiful, but I didn't love that there were so many of them in between poems as I felt like they were almost using it as filler. About 90 % of the poems were incredibly short, averaging about one sentence in length. However, the ones I liked really stuck with me. I think it was an overall really great collection, just maybe not my cup of tea. I think I would have to say part 3 is my favorite section.
  
Dirty Love (Dirty Girl Duet, #2)
Dirty Love (Dirty Girl Duet, #2)
Meghan March | 2016 | Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
OMG this series!!! HOT as hell! One day read!
OMG this series!!! HOT as hell! One day read.. couldn't put it down!? Quickly making her way up my favorite authors list, Meghan March killed it again with Dirty Love. Sucking me in from page one, after feeling broken and shocked at the end of Dirty Girl, I had to see where Greer and Cav headed to next. After one crazy night of drinking and a drunken tweet later, Greer finds Cav back in her life again, sweeping her off her feet to their own private paradise in attempt to win her back and move beyond their past. Family, secrets and past debts constantly working against them. Without giving up any spoilers, Ill just say this book (& series) was absolutely amazing. A roller coaster of emotions, I cried happy tears, laughed my a$$ off and just didn't want it to end. Fabulous writing, interesting storyline and lovable characters. HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommended book/series/author - I'll surely be back for more!!!
  
Red Sparrow (2018)
Red Sparrow (2018)
2018 | Mystery, Thriller
Clever espionage thriller
While Jennifer Lawrence may not be my favorite (or I haven't seen a lot of her films), I thought she held her own and did an amicable job (maybe the accent not so much) through this heavy plot in a slightly too long thriller.

She plays a ballet dancer who is forced t work for the government in trade for state sponsored benefits for her and her mother to continue.

The plot gets a little muddled and confusing as to who is on which side in the middle of the film. People keep switching sides or double crossing each other so it becomes hard to follow at times.

It felt like the film could've lost like 20 minutes and been more coherent and quicker paced. Having not read the book, I cannot compare it (although differing from the book does not make it worse). I'll go to my grave defending that point.

I was never bored while watching and would definitely recommend.

  
Grace After Henry
Grace After Henry
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This was a lovely and often heartbreaking book about love and loss. Grace and Henry have just bought a house together when he dies, leaving Grace bereft. She moves into their new home and one day Henry shows up to fix the faulty boiler. Only it isn’t Henry, of course; the look-alike man’s name is Andy, and suddenly Grace’s life is turned upside down.

This is a different sort of story—sometimes predictable but often not. It’s touching and sad and captures grief and love quite wonderfully. Grace is an excellent, real character, and her ache for Henry is so true and honest. There are plenty of funny moments, too; her parents’ battles with the moths in their home was my favorite. The supporting cast is simply wonderful, particularly Grace’s friends from the cemetery (you read that right) and her elderly neighbor, Betty.

This isn’t always the easiest book to read, as it so well portrays grief and heartache, but it’s very well-done, and I appreciated reading such a heartfelt and loving story. Definitely worth picking up.
  
How to Hang a Witch (How to Hang a Witch, #1)
How to Hang a Witch (How to Hang a Witch, #1)
Adriana Mather | 2016 | Young Adult (YA)
8
8.3 (4 Ratings)
Book Rating
Great mix of history and fiction.
I kept saying this around Halloween and I finally got around to reading it. I got to be honest I wasn't expecting much sounded a little trophie but I got to be honest I really did enjoy it from start to finish. The author is apparently related to the actual guy in the book which was a really cool take I really love the setting of Salem the author really got the detail down great and made for really interesting story. I got to be honest the plot was probably my favorite part it was a great mix of historical fiction and YA high school drama with the perfect amount of a good old myster novel.

Really my only complaint was the really tired love triangle storyline I really didn't feel like it was needed she could have easily have just been friends with one of them but that's just my personal opinion because I honestly I absolutely hate love triangles.

I'm definitely going to be chexking out book 2.