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I enjoyed this more than I thought I would!

Unpopular opinion incoming! I did NOT like this one. I thought the plot was silly and thin, and moved along with the boring efficiency of a writer following a detailed outline. The characters were flat and underdeveloped, especially Heath. Only after finishing it did I see all the comparisons to Taylor Jenkins Reid books (not a fan) - if I had known this was in that vein, I would have avoided. I see most people loved this but it‘s not for me.

Katarina & Heath are friends, lovers & skating partners. Katarina is focused on winning. Heath is focused on Katarina. The story dives into the toxic culture that permeates elite figure skating. Alternating between Katarina‘s voice & excerpts from a documentary chronicling her career, the format keeps the pacing brisk & the tension high. The full cast audio production elevated the experience. A dark, compulsively readable story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ❤️📚🎧

Drama, drama, drama. Imagine Daisy Jones and the Six mixed with the ice skating (or ice dance in this case) intrigue of Tonya Harding. If you enjoy reading about messy interpersonal relationships (both romantic and friendship) and cutthroat athletic competitions, this one is for you. Framed as a documentary transcript, the story of Kat Shaw and Heath Rocha takes you from their Midwest roots all the way to the Olympics.

My March recap, a few days late 😳

I read 11 books in March. The Favorites was my top favorite, but I really loved several of the Harlequin romance titles I read too. I‘m flying thru HQN books lately because they‘re so easy to read and they have guaranteed HEA‘s.

From NetGalley: 5
From my own shelf: 2
From library: 2
HQN titles: 5
Featured dogs: 5

#March25

This was phenomenal on audio w/ an entire cast performing it! 4 stars! I listened to it for book club & wasn‘t sure what to expect since I‘ve never read the author & wondering if it was going to be anything like I, Tonya. I felt like this book was too long & so much back & forth of alliances that it can give you whiplash. To me the narrator who did Kat sounded at times like Amanda Knox did on her memoir (which I listened to). Random I know.

Oh, the drama! Katarina and Heath are so toxic yet so perfect for each other. But all of the back and forth and petty fighting did irritate me. And then all of that for that type of ending? Yeah...

Don't get me wrong, the audiobook was a fantastic production. I loved the documentary feel of it. I was just not satisfied with the ending.

3.5 ⭐️

If you love figure skating, villains, intense competition, and couples who are both terrible and perfect for each other, you‘ll love this book. I tore through it in just a couple of days. I‘m actually surprised by how much I loved it since I hate its inspiration, Wuthering Heights. Even though that classic doesn‘t work for me, this modern take and the nods to the original were really fun.

Switching to fiction now that my hold for this anticipated read came in from the library. A little March Madness in the background

Bravo!! A HUGE 5 ⭐️! This book is everything I love about reading. I‘ve loved ice skating since I was a child and have big memories of the Harding/Kerrigan incident years ago. I also love Wuthering Heights, and this book really leans into its retelling. So much backstabbing, secrecy, and drama. So much competition. Such toxic relationships. So, so good! The audiobook is an absolute DREAM and I was thrilled to hear Johnny Weir narrate parts of it!

Next up! I hope i don‘t run out of time on my loan for this one! I didn‘t realize it was over 400 pages.

The epilogue of The Favourites is a bit schmaltzy, but aside from that it‘s an excellent and gripping read (even for those of us who know absolutely nothing about ice skating or high-level competitive sport). Full review: https://keepingupwiththepenguins.com/the-favourites-layne-fargo-review/

Daisy Jones meets Tanya Harding in this Wuthering Heights retelling. We're hearing the story of ice dancers who become famous in interview snippets after the fact. Heath and Katarina have a toxic relationship and anyone who has read Wuthering Heights won't be surprised to hear that. It's incredibly entertaining on audio, but also exhausting as the characters are just horrible to each other.

What a juicy, gossipy, and thrilling ride! I loved stepping into the ice dancing world with all the intrigue, personalities, and drama. Complicated characters making passionate and often poor decisions in a wonderfully specific space and time made for a book that was really hard to put down. Released in January, I suspect we‘ll be hearing a lot about this one and oh how I‘d love to see it as a series :) So good!

It was a close call with Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix. But I think my favorite is The Favorites!
@Catsandbooks

I had no idea this was a modern retelling of Wuthering Heights (one of my all time fav classics!) until I read other reviews about it. No wonder I loved it so much. For those who remember the classic ice skating rivalries, this modern twist on star-crossed lovers is a page turner, filled with scandalous tidbits, and is extremely entertaining. I loved all the backstabbing, sniping, and love triangles.

Starting this one on audio 🎧 I‘ve heard great things!

📚📚📚

I have a pretty clear memory of watching Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding duke it out, but I wouldn‘t consider myself an ice skating fan. Fortunately, you don‘t need to be a fan to enjoy this book, and I didn‘t just enjoy it, I loved it! Very Daisy Jones and Six with the oral history type interviews between chapters and thoroughly entertaining. Highly recommend. Five glowing stars for me! 🏆

Excited to start this full-cast audio today! 🎧

And, it will give me a bingo! #bookspinbingo

Storm day means Lily and I are bundled up at home and I got to finish this book about ice dancers Kat and Heath, a sport I loved back in the day. Objectively not a fabulous book (it was a lot of telling and big things were resolved way too quickly and for two people who were supposed to be so passionate about each other, if felt a little sterile in the sex dept) and yet I loved every single second of it. Totally would watch the limited series.

This was so great! I could not stop listening. I have really enjoyed the authors thrillers and now she has written a beautiful messy love story with found family and ice dancing. Loved it! 5⭐️

It has been quite a week. If tomorrow weren‘t Friday I might cry. Thankfully I‘ve had this soapy book about figure skating to distract and entertain me. Secrets, scandal, romance, and sequins abound on every page and I enjoyed every dramatic moment of it.

Devoured this one! Loved the mix of classic storytelling & interviews. So much drama, little bit of mystery, lots of romance; so much to like! If you followed skating at any point in the last 30-40 years, you will love this book!
#botm

Such a fun January #BOTM! With a similar faux-documentary style like DAISY JONES & THE SIX, the central figures here are ice dancing modernizations of WUTHERING HEIGHTS. With great Illinois detail (minus the impossibility of Lake County property tax), this high-drama & sequin-filled read is impossible to put down! Totally entertaining & enjoyable, I hope the screen optioning rights pan out well because this definitely has cinematic flair! So fun!

Suspenseful, competitive, romantic. Love a book that has a different story. Great read!

I finished 7 books in January. I usually only read a couple non-fiction a year, so I've already hit my quota! Just kidding, I don't know if I'll keep it up, but I already have another non-fiction checked out from the library that I want to read.

This will definitely be one of my favorite reads of the year. It is done in the style of Evelyn Hugo and Daisy Jones but follows the cutthroat world of Olympic ice dancing. The author used Wuthering Heights for her character inspiration, and the whole book read as a car accident I couldn't look away from. I can't remember the last book I was so absorbed in. I needed to know if they ever won the gold. #highlyrecommend #bestof2025

4.75⭐
A searing look at the world of Ice Dance featuring a troubled romance, fraught with heartbreak both on and off the ice. It was a slightly slow start but once it took off, I was hooked. The full-cast narration with interview commentary was perfectly performed and one of the book's highlights. I highly recommend this for anyone who loves Taylor Jenkins-Reid…it was like a mash-up between Daisy Jones and the Six and Carrie Soto is Back.

My February #BookspinBingo list! There are several I‘m really looking forward to!

Drama, romance, a touch of suspense-all in a mock-umentary style? Yes, please! If you enjoy Taylor Jenkins Reid, add this to your TBR! @Eggs

Purple spredges? Obviously, I caved.

Wish that gorgeous cover wasn‘t ruined by the stupid blurb "sticker" though!

Katarina and Heath are an ice dance couple.

She is obsessed with winning.

They are obsessed with each other.

I am obsessed with this book!!!! SO GOOD!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The Favorites” dazzles as an audiobook; I could see it being an awesome limited TV series. While it‘s reminiscent of Daisy Jones and Carrie Soto, it didn‘t make me feel for or believe in the characters quite as much as Taylor Jenkins Reid can. Still, it was an epically entertaining read - completely immersive and packed with juicy drama. 🎧

I was just a couple chapters into the tagged when I was pretty sure it would be my clear favorite of this reading grid. I was completely immersed in skating beauty and drama for years and this book took me back!

5* = Loved It, want to shout out loud about this book! I do/will own/keep a physical copy. A+
4*= I liked it, would love to discuss. Solid B
3*=Meh, no need to discuss. Avg C
2*=Nope D
1*=DNF F

This may be my favorite book of 2025 and I know it just started. This pulled me right back in to my competitive skating days. So compelling and ultimately an amazing ending. #botm

I followed figure skating religiously for 30+ years and can‘t name why I quit keeping up with it in the 2010s. This fictional retelling brought me right back to all that drama, and I loved my stereo experience of printed word and full-cast audio. If you are reading and think Ellis is giving you Johnny Weir feels - good call as Johnny narrates Ellis in the audio😀

Wednesday's are my evening shift at the library. I'm home now, supper is eaten and Peri is walked. Now I can relax and start The Favorites. ⛸️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
BOTM is starting out strong in 2025 with this January pick..I already see this as being a book of the year contender!! Absolutely loved all the drama, scandal and intense love story!!❤️⛸️❄️🔥

What new releases are you most excited for this week (and last)? https://youtu.be/AISUCQzbbxE

Hello my beauties!! My BOTM box arrived and I couldn‘t be happier!! 😍🤩🤩

This was fun and juicy.

The Favorites by Layne Fargo is my #BOTM January selection. It came today and I already selected a bookmark to use while reading. Now to read it this month instead of June 2035!! 🤣

I think BOTM did a fabulous job with their picks for January. I ended up picking four.

The January BOTM selections are up. I choose The Favorites. What did you choose?
My goal is to read this in January. Fingers crossed.

#BOTM ##JumpStart2025 @Lizpixie #Read2025 @DieAReader