G. Bianco, 2019
 The third and final Blum’s Bees Book is here! Take a trip back to small-town Texas in Run For Your Honey, by Staci Hart, which came out on July 21st, where a mayoral race gets a bit romantic… Twelve years ago, Poppy Blum’s first and only love left town and never came back. But now Duke Daniels has returned, looking as handsome as ever, but there’s only one problem: he’s running against Poppy for mayor. Poppy will do whatever it takes to win and help unify her hometown, but Duke’s political goals are just as ambitious. Add in some unresolved feelings from both parties and things are sure to get interesting… I’ve been a fan of Hart’s novels for a while and this book is a great summer-themed read! While this is the third book in a series, you can definitely read it as a standalone (but I recommend reading the whole series)! I will admit that this book left me wanting a little more at the end and I felt some parts of the story were a little rushed, but this enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance is still a great binge-read for any warm summer day! While this book wasn’t my favorite of the series, I’ve really enjoyed reading about the Blum Sisters and look forward to reading whatever Staci Hart decides to write next! *I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. 
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 From debut novel to international phenomenon, Where the Crawdads Sing has been on bookshelves all over the world since its release in 2018. Now that its movie adaptation has just been released in theaters in the United States, I thought it’d be the perfect time to finally listen to all of the friends and family members who have recommended it to me and dive into Delia Owens’s beloved novel! For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet fishing village. Kya Clark is barefoot and wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when the popular Chase Andrews is found dead, locals immediately suspect her. But Kya is not what they say. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life's lessons from the land, learning the real ways of the world from the dishonest signals of fireflies. But while she has the skills to live in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens. This book took me quite a bit to get into but I ended up really enjoying this story. Kya’s story stirred up many different emotions for me: heartache, sorrow, joy, wonder, and many more. Her persistence at making a life for herself and her intelligence when it came to nature was so cool to read about and it gave me a greater appreciation for the natural world. The way this book mixed mystery, coming-of-age, romance, and many other genres into one book was impressive and made this book a unique read. If you appreciate super descriptive novels or ones that will have you guessing until the very end, then add this one to your list! Now I just need to see the movie...   One of my most anticipated reads of the year is finally here!!! Katherine Center’s latest romance, The Bodyguard is available as of July 19th and I cannot express how happy I am about it! If you're looking for a book that will make you smile, but will still tug at your heartstrings, then this is it! Hannah Brooks looks more like a kindergarten teacher than somebody who could kill you with a wine bottle opener. Or a ballpoint pen. Or a dinner napkin. But the truth is, she’s an Executive Protection Agent (aka "bodyguard"), and she just got hired to protect superstar actor Jack Stapleton from his middle-aged, corgi-breeding stalker. Jack Stapleton’s a household name—captured by paparazzi on beaches the world over, famous for, among other things, rising out of the waves in all manner of clingy board shorts and glistening like a Roman deity. But a few years back, in the wake of a family tragedy, he dropped from the public eye and went off the grid. When Jack’s mom gets sick, he comes home to the family’s Texas ranch to help out. Only one catch: He doesn’t want his family to know about his stalker. Or the bodyguard thing. And so Hannah—against her will and her better judgment—finds herself pretending to be Jack’s girlfriend as a cover. Even though her ex, like a jerk, says no one will believe it. Hannah hardly believes it, herself. But the more time she spends with Jack, the more real it all starts to seem. And there lies the heartbreak. Because it’s easy for Hannah to protect Jack. But protecting her own, long-neglected heart? That’s the hardest thing she’s ever done. This might be my favorite Katherine Center book to date (and I’m pretty sure I’ve said that before but I’m sorry! This time it’s true)! This is the fifth book of her’s that I’ve read and I definitely was not disappointed by this book! Honestly if she wasn’t already an auto-buy author of mine, this book would’ve changed that. In true Katherine Center fashion, this book is such a delightful read! The plot was adorable, the characters were amazing, and I laughed and cried my way through the whole book! I loved how the main message of this book wasn’t just about finding someone who loved you for you and not settling for anything less, but also about loving yourself. True love isn’t just found in another person; it’s found within yourself. I simply loved this book and all of the different backstories and plots surrounding Hannah and Jack’s romance and I cannot wait to read whatever Katherine Center decides to write next! *Thank you to Goodreads for the ARC and St. Martin’s Press for the finished copy in exchange for my honest review!   Have you ever read a book that just hits you and leaves you wanting more? That was me with A Heavy Dose of Allison Tandy by Jeff Bishop. This YA novel, which comes out July 12th, mixes reality with a touch of the supernatural to weave a gorgeous, moving, and funny story. The summer after senior year should have been a time for Cam to party and hang out with his friends. It should also have been a time for him to win back the love of his life, Allison Tandy, who'd dumped him so brutally the year before. But it quickly becomes clear that this summer is going to be worse than a failure for Cam. It's going to be a tragedy. Ally is left comatose after a terrible car crash, then Cam tears his ACL in a basketball accident. The operation leaves him in agony, confined to his couch and ruminating over the fact that his ex may not survive. But when (after taking his medication) Cam starts seeing Ally, he starts to think: 1. He may be headed for a complete mental breakdown and 2. This summer might just be interesting after all. Wow wow WOW was this book one of the best books I’ve read in a while! I absolutely adored Cameron’s narration. It made the story that much more relatable and entertaining, especially when he spoke directly to the reader. The supernatural element gave this YA coming-of-age contemporary novel a fun twist that will have you flipping the pages to see what is going to happen next. However, this book isn’t just about teens ending high school and one guy still dealing with the breakup with his ex from months earlier; it’s about first love, heartbreak, and living life despite knowing things could go wrong at any moment and weaving your way through the unpredictable. This story is so much deeper than two exes trying to get over one another and Bishop really makes you feel invested in the story and I’m not ashamed to admit that I bawled like a baby during certain parts of the story. Simply put: I adored this novel and I’m very happy that a sequel seems to be in the works! For anyone looking for a unique and fantastic YA book this summer, READ. THIS. BOOK! *I received an ARC from Penguin Teen in exchange for my honest opinion.  A small-town romance that can never work? Mental health representation? All set around bingo games? As unique as it sounds, Jamie Wesley’s Bet on It features all of the above and you can read all about it when the book comes out on July 12th! The first time Aja Owens encounters the man of her dreams, she’s having a panic attack in the frozen foods section of the Piggly Wiggly. The second time, he’s being introduced to her as her favorite bingo buddy’s semi-estranged grandson. From there, all it takes is one game for her to realize that he’s definitely going to be a problem. And if there’s anything she already has a surplus of, it’s problems. In Walker Abbott’s mind, there are only two worthwhile things in Greenbelt, South Carolina. The peach cobbler at his old favorite diner and his ailing grandmother. Dragging himself back after more than a decade away, he’s counting down the days until Gram heals and he can get back to his real life. Far away from the trauma inside of those city limits. Just when he thinks his plan is solid, enter Aja to shake everything up. A hastily made bingo-based sex pact is supposed to keep this…thing between them from getting out of hand. Especially when submitting to their feelings means disrupting their carefully balanced lives. But emotions are just like bingo callers—they refuse to be ignored. This book was a great read. I liked the emphasis it put on mental health and how both our MCs have issues that they’re dealing with yet are able to realize how sharing their burdens with others and letting themselves feel things and embrace the unknown can make them stronger. In addition to the romance, the small-town southern charm in this novel was fun to read about and I’m kinda a sucker for a good bingo game, so I totally understood Aja’s love of attending the bingo hall! There were a few things I was missing in terms of plot. For example, there wasn’t much of a backstory for Aja and some of the time jumps were all over the place. Additionally, I wanted more vulnerability for Walker with his grandma. Besides those little one offs, I thought it was cute! While the plot was a little predictable, the mental health rep made this book a bit more interesting! Ultimately, I think this was a quick and cute summer read that any romcom lover will appreciate! *I received an ARC from St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest opinion. |
AuthorHi! My name is Elisa and my bookshelf is quite literally overflowing! Join me in my journey of reading as many books as humanly possible! Archives
February 2023
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