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BOOK REVIEW: The Honeymoon Crashers (Unhoneymooners #1.5) by Christina Lauren

December 12, 2023 / Jen / 2 Comments

The Honeymoon Crashers (Unhoneymooners #1.5)
by Christina Lauren
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
A perfectionist maid of honor and a carefree, surfer-bro best man team up to plan a wedding and end up finding a spark of their own in the first audio original from author duo Christina Lauren, a full-cast sequel to their New York Times bestseller The Unhoneymooners.

Ami is determined to break the Torres family wedding curse. Her own disaster of a reception ended with all the guests getting food poisoning, and she left her cheating husband soon after. But even though she’s still processing her own divorce, Ami won’t let her twin sister Olive’s day be anything but perfect. Olive may think she wants a private ceremony in Maui, where she and her fiancé Ethan first fell in love, but Ami knows better and secretly flies the whole Torres family out to surprise the couple. Now she and her meticulously organized binder have less than two weeks to get everything together for the big day, thousands of miles from home.

Enter Brody, Ethan’s best man, who happens to be living in Maui and insists on helping with the preparations. His playfully elaborate schemes and happy-go-lucky attitude are the last thing Ami needs. When sparks start to fly, could it derail all her carefully laid plans?

Equal parts hilarious and swoon-worthy, this full-cast production is your ticket to the ultimate destination wedding, bringing to life both a captivating couple and an unforgettable family. The Honeymoon Crashers is Christina Lauren at their charming, hilarious best.

Review:

The Honeymoon Crashers was an opposites attract romance that was cute and fun, and had a little bit of steam. While I didn’t love it as much as the first, The Unhoneymooners, I enjoyed being back in this world. And while having a full cast was phenomenal to listen too, that also caused my issues too. The chapters where the narrators were doing their respective characters was perfect. But then when we would switch to a chapter that was only Brody talking, and he would do Ami’s voice. And then vice versa? That was a hard no. Each time that happened it was extremely jarring and pulled me out of the story. It made me not understand what the point was for the whole cast if they weren’t going to be used in every chapter? But besides that, it was a quick, cheesy, fun story.

BOOK REVIEW: The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

December 11, 2023 / Jen / 2 Comments

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.

In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.

Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last<The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.

In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.

Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.

Review:

I usually don’t read nonfiction, but I have been a fan of Britney since the beginning, and I devoured this audiobook in no time at all! Britney’s stories made me feel all of the emotions. I cried for her. I hurt for her. I also felt so much anger. From all the way back to when she was a child, so many had done her wrong over the years. Where was the love and protection? It didn’t ever exist. Those in her life were just users. So watching time and again as she put her trust in others, and then that trust was blown up? Ugh it hurt each time. Mental health, sexism, betrayal, and hurt bled from the pages and left me wishing I could just give her the hugest hug ever!

“There have been so many times when I was scared to speak up because I was afraid somebody would think I was crazy. But I’ve learned that lesson now, the hard way. You have to speak the thing that you’re feeling, even if it scares you. You have to tell your story. You have to raise your voice.”

Let it be known that I never liked Justin Timberlake. I didn’t understand why others adored his music or him. He always came across as creepy to me. This book shined a solid light on how he wasn’t a golden boy. It definitely solidified my feelings towards him and left me with so much anger and sadness. Justin was just yet another one, in a long string of people in Britney’s life, who left her damaged and alone. The way the media treated her was horrific. Not only did they paint her as the naughty girl, but as the villain too. So I was glad that she talked about the interview with Dianne Sawyer. It was just another example where her family or management allowed her to be put in yet another situation that would leave her hurt and damaged. Dianne used Britney for her ratings all the while leaving another scar on her soul. And what we learned of her family? Oh my gosh. You hope that your blood will do what’s best for you. Will always have your back. But from the moment she was a tiny little girl, she was alone while listening to her mom scream while her dad was drunk. She was alone when her babies were taken from her when they were still a few months old. Even though she was taking care of her family financially, they still left her out continually and she was alone. So when Britney got to the part of her story where her family locked her up multiple times, especially that last time? My heart shattered. Who needs enemies when you have family like that.

“I was treated like a criminal and they made me think I deserved that. They made me forget my self-worth and my value. Of all the things they did, I will say the worst was to make me question my faith. I never had strict ideas about religion, I just knew there was something bigger than me. Under their control I stopped believing in God for awhile. But then when it came time to end the conservatorship I realized one thing: You can’t fuck with a woman who knows how to pray. Really pray. All I did was pray.”

I am shocked that Britney has remained quiet for so long. Her politeness and kindness seemed to overrule her ability to stand up for herself. To out others who hurt her. Or to show the world that she wasn’t the villain as the media painted her. It hurt so much. So I’m grateful that she finally found her voice. That she shared her story with the world. It was an emotional one to get through! And while I’m sure there is still so much she could tell us, not only did she give us a look into her past, but she also gave us insight into her now. I now get why she makes the Instagram videos that she does. Why she will sometimes jokingly talk in a British accent. It all makes sense after listening to this book. I’m hoping she can find peace after letting this all out, and that she can finally be the woman and mother she always has hoped she could be!

And this quote right here created so many meaningful conversations with friends…

“Think of how many male artists gambled all their money away; how many had substance abuse or mental health issues. No one tried to take away their control over their body and money. I didn’t deserve what my family did to me.”

BOOK REVIEW: Every Time You Go Away by Abigail Johnson

December 4, 2023 / Jen / 4 Comments

Every Time You Go Away by Abigail Johnson
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Eight years ago, Ethan and Rebecca met, two troublemaking kids sharing secrets and first kisses in a tree house, until Ethan’s mom returned to take him away. Each and every visit, his only goodbye was a flower on Rebecca’s windowsill.

Four years ago, Ethan left for the last time to take care of his mother, who has struggled with addiction his whole life.

Two years ago, Rebecca was in a car accident that killed her father. She’s been learning to navigate life as a wheelchair user ever since.

Now, they discover if their hardships have torn them apart…or will bring them closer than ever.

Review:

Every Time You Go Away was emotionally powerful and a story I won’t ever forget. It was laced with joy and heartache. And was not only about finding yourself, but of forgiveness, forging your own path, and repairing the pieces inside you and the relationships around you too. It is a must read for those that love young adult.

“You used to come every few months. Why didn’t you come back?” And then, in a smaller voice that bleeds with hurt, “Ethan, I waited for you.”

That first chapter was set in the past, and it pulled me right in. The relationship Rebecca had with her parents as a little kid was complicated and also delicate. That summer while she was bored in her room, and her mom was working, she watched as a boy got dropped off at his grandparents’ house next door. His name was Ethan and his mom was leaving him. The first time of what would be many. Rebecca witnessed Ethan’s whole world explode. And this set the tone for the book. Each moment felt so real, like I was watching a movie. From there we got to alternate between Ethan and Rebecca in the present. With a few chapters in the past, scattered here and there. And our time with Ethan and Rebecca stole the breath from my lungs.

As suddenly as he’d shown up in my life, he’d be gone just as quickly.
And he never said goodbye.

When we jumped into the present, it had been years since Rebecca and Ethan had seen each other. And while they were hesitant at first, the core of their relationship was still there and strong. They had this unbreakable bond that was beautiful. Yet so much had changed. Ethan had grown, and seemed even more jaded. Rebecca was more withdrawn, yet she radiated this beautiful resilience and now used a wheelchair to get around. Both of their lives were so different since the last time they had seen each other years ago. So while they rekindled their friendship so easily, there were still moments were it felt like they were oceans apart from each other. And it left my heart aching.

It’s gonna hurt when I leave her. It’s already there, that feeling like I can’t take a deep enough breath, but what else can I do?

Ethan gutted me. His mother suffered from substance abuse, and he felt as though he had to fight her battles. To protect her from abusive boyfriends and keep her from overdosing. But over the years, his mom would send him to his grandparents. So she could temporarily fix herself. And yet again he found himself at his grandparents’ house. I loved how careful they were around him. How much they wanted to help, even though Ethan wanted no part of it. Ethan was strong willed, determined, and had such a huge heart. I hoped they would help him when his world exploded again. But then there was also Rebecca. And she too was someone who was always there for him too.

I lift a hand from the pool and watch water drip back down into tiny, dissipating ripples on the surface, then let my hand drop with a much more satisfying splash. “I never used to feel like I was just watching my life go by, but that’s all I do now. I barely make ripples, let alone a splash.”

Rebecca’s relationship with her mom hurt. Her mom could be so cold and distant, and she always seemed to keep Rebecca at arm’s length since the accident. Well, if she was even around. The accident had killed Rebecca’s father and she was now in a wheelchair learning to navigate her new world. So it pained me to hear Rebecca’s thoughts about her mom. How she just wanted to have her mom show she cared about her. It cut so deep. And while Ethan was Rebecca’s best friend, she also struggled with him too. He was who she confided in, had fun with, and could simply just be. Yet he proved time and again that he could be gone in the blink of an eye. When his mom came back, he left. So opening to him, since her life had changed so much, was hard. How can you let your whole soul be shown to someone who could just disappear from your life that next day?

He inhales deeply and holds my gaze like a lifeline. “I know better than most people that the real scars, the deep ones, are always on the inside.”
His words pierce through me like an arrow, right where I never want anyone to see. I feel my eyes threaten to well up but blinking fast will only betray that fact, so I try and brush his words -his stare – off.

Rebecca and Ethan both had so much on their shoulders. And they both scarified pieces of themselves, because of others. It was important for them to please others, to make their lives easier. Yet it was at the expense of themselves, and what they wanted. So I loved watching them both grow from that first page to the last. That they both needed to figure out how to fight for what they wanted in life. Because I knew that whenever that happened, I would be so proud of them! I also loved the lighter moments too. That those were filled with laughter and smiles. We got to watch how deeply they cared for one another. And while their transition from friends to more was extremely slow burn, the sexual tension between them was done so well. You could feel it all the way through this story.

“You always acted like you were glad when she came back,” she says softly.
“Yeah, I was. ‘Cause she always came back clean. But I never wanted to go with her. I wanted her to stay with me.” I look away. It feels cowardly but I can’t stare at her face when I add, “So I could stay with you.”

This story ended with beautiful conversations, growth, hope, and finding your happiness. I loved seeing paths open for both of them. Yet, Rebecca and Ethan’s story was extremely emotional and made me cry multiple times. And there were two different twists that I didn’t see coming, they knocked me to the ground. So if you’re looking for a young adult story that is character driven and focuses on personal growth and friendship, then this is your book! While there was romance, it just took a little longer to get there then I’m used to. But it made my heart happy. I closed this book smiling and I can’t wait to discover more books by Abigail Johnson! She is an extremely powerful writer that will invoke all of your emotions. It was impossible to put down this book!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

BOOK REVIEW: Start Us Up (Park Avenue Promise #1) by Lexi Blake

December 2, 2023 / Jen / 2 Comments

Start Us Up by Lexi Blake
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Three young women make a pact in high school—
to always be friends and to one day make it big in Manhattan.

She’s a high-tech boss who lost it all…

Ivy Jensen was the darling of the tech world, right up until her company fell apart completely after she trusted the wrong person. Her reputation in tatters, she finds herself back in the tiny apartment she grew up in, living with her mom. When a group of angel investors offer her a meeting, she knows she has to come up with the new big idea or her career is over.

He’s an up and coming coder…

Heath Marino has always been fascinated with writing code. He’s worked on a dozen games and apps and is considered one of the industry’s more eccentric talents. But now he’s back in New York to spend time with his grandmother. She was known as one of the city’s greatest matchmakers, and he wants to know why. Surely there’s some kind of code in his grandmother’s methods, and he’s going to find them.

When Ivy meets Heath it’s instant attraction, but she’s got a career to get back to and he just might be her on-ramp. It could be a perfect partnership or absolute heartbreak.

Review:

Start Us Up was an adult romance that was a wonderful blend of family, friendship, love and finding yourself. Ivy had been successful, but let her boyfriend destroy her business in the tech world out in California. Back home in New York, and living with her mom, she was trying to find herself again. What her next project would be. How she could fix her name. And how to find happiness again. She had two best friends from childhood that she was still close with, and a struggling relationship with her mother. This book dove deeply into the relationships in Ivy’s life. And with strong found family vibes, I enjoyed reading this story.

I realize I’ve spent the last year so focused on getting back to the top that I haven’t let myself want anything else.
I want him. I want everything he can give me.

My favorite person in this story was Heath. From their first interaction, I was intrigued by him. He was kind, caring, patient, and when Ivy decided to go into business with him, I loved their negotiations. But the moment I realized how much I loved him was when he stepped in to protect Ivy. And sneak a dog a little goodie to make her like him haha. Ivy and Heath had a lot in common. They both worked in the tech world, were loving people and fascinated in the AI project they were working on together. Also they both didn’t want to fail their families. On top of Heath, I liked Ivy. She was so relatable and easy to click with. Together, they felt like the perfect match.

He leans forward and kisses my forehead, the gesture making my heart squeeze.
“I…I’ve given you every reason to push me away.”
He winks. “And still I didn’t. And that’s why you should speciously consider door number three.”

The side characters in this book were definitely shining stars. Between Heath’s grandma and roommate who I both loved. To Ivy’s best friends who felt so real. To even Cece and Ivy’s mom. They rounded out the story so wonderfully. But I did struggle with two things. While tech fascinates me, those parts about work felt dull. And there was almost too much talk about feelings. Yet while there were some lags in this story, at the base of it was wonderful friendships, and a love story that had a little bit of steam. This was an interesting book to discuss with my book club, and I am interested in trying another book by Lexi Blake!

BOOK REVIEW: Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood

November 30, 2023 / Jen / 4 Comments

Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Mallory Greenleaf is done with chess. Every move counts nowadays; after the sport led to the destruction of her family four years earlier, Mallory’s focus is on her mom, her sisters, and the dead-end job that keeps the lights on. That is, until she begrudgingly agrees to play in one last charity tournament and inadvertently wipes the board with notorious “Kingkiller” Nolan Sawyer: current world champion and reigning Bad Boy of chess.

Nolan’s loss to an unknown rook-ie shocks everyone. What’s even more confusing? His desire to cross pawns again. What kind of gambit is Nolan playing? The smart move would be to walk away. Resign. Game over. But Mallory’s victory opens the door to sorely needed cash-prizes and despite everything, she can’t help feeling drawn to the enigmatic strategist....

As she rockets up the ranks, Mallory struggles to keep her family safely separated from the game that wrecked it in the first place. And as her love for the sport she so desperately wanted to hate begins to rekindle, Mallory quickly realizes that the games aren’t only on the board, the spotlight is brighter than she imagined, and the competition can be fierce (-ly attractive. And intelligent…and infuriating…)

Review:

It pains me to say that I struggled to find anything to love within these pages….besides Nolan. If the characters would have been older, I would have labeled this Women’s Fiction on Goodreads. Sigh. So here are the top three reasons I struggled with this book……

“You’re not being fair to either of us,” he says calmly. Maybe he’s right, but I’m past caring.

Nolan, the romantic interest, was barely a side character….
I adored Nolan. The tiny bit of time we got to spend with him in this book made me realize he was kind, thoughtful, caring and understanding. Unfortunately time would fly by and we wouldn’t see or hear from him. Three weeks here. Two months there. Etc. We barely got to see, let alone spend time with Nolan. And it felt like we spent less time with him than side characters in so many other countless stories. That’s why this book gave me strong Women’s Fiction vibes, other than the ages were all wrong.

“Ah. I’ve seen your press conference, by the way. Nice job making it look like you totally despise him even when he said nothing but super- nice things about you.”
“I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did,” Darcy and Sabrina say in chorus, without tearing their eyes from the TV.

I didn’t like Mallory….
From page 10 and her slamming gluten sensitivity, I was hoping that that was just a weird fluke with me not liking what she was saying or how she acted. Yet I never found that connection to her, or the ability to like her. Even though she helped her family and was financially responsible for her mom and two younger sisters. Yes she gave up her dreams, but her words, actions and lack thereof made me just not like her. She ran away from situations. She lied to others. She could be so harsh. And when others helped her, she lacked the simple common decency to say thank you. And there was a situation at the end of Chapter 17 that just left an ick factor and a bad taste in my mouth towards her. Granted she is 18, but there are so many YA books where the character is immature or has qualities about them I don’t like in the beginning of the story. Yet they show growth as the story progresses, and by the end of the book I am so proud of how far they have come! Yet by page 263 she took a step. And then by page 334 she seemed to to grow a little. But at those points it felt like it was too little too late, and also not enough.

“He’s cute,” Mom whispers while I’m loading the dishwasher.
“Cole Sprouse?”
“Nolan.”
I huff. It doesn’t come out as indignant as I’d like. “No, he’s not.”
“And he seems to have great taste.” “Because he ate a stomach- pumping amount of your meat loaf?”
“Mostly that. Only secondarily because he doesn’t seem to be able to look away from my most oblivious daughter.”

The naming was just too much….
I read to escape reality. And while reality can bleed a little into the pages for me, I prefer not to have political people or pop references throughout a book. A few I have no problems ignoring. But when they’re in almost every single chapter and multiple times within that chapter, I just can’t anymore. By page 25 we already heard Obama, Harry Styles, and I’m forgetting what else. And it continued that way till the end. But here’s the thing, I need a break from the real world at times *cries*. And this book definitively didn’t allow me to have that.

So what did I love besides Nolan? I loved Nolan’s friends. And Oz. Especially on page 281! That scene right there had me clapping my hands for Oz! Also, for me this book was NA. It’s set in the summer after she graduated High School, and her friend was leaving for college. And then it followed her life through what would have been her first year of college, if she would have accepted. For me, that’s NA. So yup. This one definitely didn’t work out for me.