A Joanna Shupe historical romance is always a great read & this one may just be my favorite yet! With Anastasia vibes, this novel brings together a talented singer who knows nothing of her past with a slick con man who is determined to cash on her resemblance to a missing heiress. Sparks fly & I was sucked in right away. You‘ll swoon while rooting for these 2 knuckleheads even as you are wishing they‘d just talk about their feelings. Releases 8/26

This gaming romance follows two people who are new to D&D and find friendship while learning about the game, and each other, along the way. As a non-gamer, I found the storytelling via D&D fascinating and really enjoyed every part of those books. Filled with quirky side characters, real life and imagined, this was a great world to sink into while escaping our too real one. This came out a few days ago, make time to go and seek it out!

I enjoyed this so much! This author is new to me; I loved her premise, pace, & characters. Connor, an older than usual intern, joins a small newspaper publishing team, & surprises them with his dedication and smarts. Bel is a driven journalist & podcaster who discovers a juicy political cover up & when Connor stumbles into her cover story, fake dating ensues. The chemistry is electric, the story compelling, & the banter top notch. Releases Oct 7.

Read this over 4th of July weekend, finally posting. Loved it, Ms Beverly always hits the mark. Sexy and captivating (see what I did there?), her characters are authentic and jump off the page.

This psychological thriller follows an author whose wife has gone missing, or has she? Unreliable narrators abound and you spend much of the story not quite sure what is happening. I really liked the author/publisher perspective and I‘m always a fan of an isolated island filled with strange inhabitants. Fun on #audio

Was in Philadelphia for the American Library Association annual conference last week and came home with a few goodies. Many of these I will share with family and friends, there are a few I‘m really excited to keep 😊

Delightful! I giggled my way through this book! Picked up this ARC at the ALA conference and had to dive right in. This is the book for one of the Bearcat rookies, otherwise known as one of the “orgasm donors” 🤣 Releases in September. It also was my #BookspinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Hilarious! This was great on #audio and it surprised me how much I enjoyed every minute.

Loved this one, read nearly the whole thing while traveling and it was the right read at the right time. A therapist and the editor of her column have a true connection that neither of them are ready to explore. Until they do and I was happy to be along for the ride.

If you are trying to decide which #BOTM book to choose, I highly recommend These Summer Storms. Succession meets Elin Hilderbrand and the perfect summer read!

This was a lot of fun, I enjoyed the setting and the strong female characters.

Great fun on audio-the perfect steamy summer escapist read!

This powerful and raw exploration of queer love in the turbulent 80s doesn‘t pull any punches. Upsetting at times, illuminating at others, every moment meaningful. So thankful to have read this book, I‘ll be thinking about it for a long time. Fantastic on audio!

Wow! I went into this fantasy completely blind and I wish the same for you so I‘m not going to say much. Just that it was great fun, remarkable world building and a fascinating cast of characters. Can‘t wait to read the next one when it comes out this fall.

This thriller from the author of the Girl on the Train was strange, haunting, and complex. Set in the art world, it has a unique cast of characters that kept me guessing. It was tightly written and well paced and I‘ll be thinking about it for a while. A great summer read for someone looking for a little something different.

Ooooh boy (as I fan myself). Not for the faint of heart, this one pushes all the boundaries. This one is dark, steamy, snarky, spicy, funny, sexy. Great on #audio but beware listening in public. Did I mention it is hot?

This nonfiction history of the Disney channel, how it began and through its hey day was fascinating. The author explored the business side things, the creative minds working to create something new, and the young actors that made it all come to life. This made me angry, made me laugh, and made think about the channel that was on so often when my kids were tweens. Highly recommend if you watched in the 2000s-2015s.

This was a spooky romance full of ghosts with spark of mystery that was a fun, quick read. I enjoyed the Montana setting, the family dynamics, and the small town vibe. The newest from Lyla Sage, this releases on Sept 30th. The characters didn‘t charm me quite a quickly as in her last series, but they grew on me and I‘m looking forward to the next in the series. Thanks to netgalley for an ARC. #netgalleygroup @AllDebooks

Unexpected! This quirky romance between a curse breaker and an archeologist was charming and different and I really enjoyed it! Danan always surprises me with the way she approaches a story and it is always a great time.

This was a lot of fun! Witch and witch hunter, battle of good vs evil, but which is which? Or witch? I shouldn‘t have waited so long to read this one, it is a rip roaring fantasy-luxurious, layered, and lovely. Max also approved. #Bookspin @TheAromaofBooks

This had a great early twist that had me gasping! Also loved the #audio narration by Joanne Frogatt (Downton Abbey) and others. If you like a twisty thriller with great interpersonal relationships, this is for you!

Fortune has become an auto read for me. Her novels each summer transport me to small Canadian beach towns with delightful and complicated characters that you can help but root for. The setting is a big part of this one and our main characters are so lovely and misunderstood that it took my breath away. Blew through this one in 2 days.

This #chunkster was worth the wait (and the length)! Magical, lyrical, and haunting, this had mystery, whimsy, and true love. It felt perfect for the moment with queer love that triumphs all tests, brilliant characters that don‘t dull their truth, and lighthearted moments that keep it from getting too heavy. So good!

Italy, angsty, a will they or won‘t they romance, age gap thrown in for conflict. What could go wrong? Great banter, independent characters, fun pups, and a friend group you‘ll be jealous of make this a great getaway read. Hazelwood always delivers for me.

#BookspinBingo board is ready! I‘ve already started this great summer read and am enjoying it. Love all those lined up free spaces; looking forward to another month of great reading!

I can‘t resist a S.A. Cosby novel. I also have really enjoyed Julie Clark and I love a thrilling summer read. What #botm did you choose?

This thriller was really powerful and so compulsively paced, I couldn‘t put it down. This was a new author for me, I believe a debut, but you‘d never know it with the seamless way she crafted this story. An archeologist working for the Bureau of Indian Affairs is drawn into a mystery from her childhood that she thought she left behind. Set in Oklahoma and Rhode Island, this story was inspired by true events.

Fantastic non fiction about spies and counter intelligence from the UK and Russia during the cold war. Interesting and fast paced, I didn‘t want to stop listening. I will be thinking about this piece of history for a long time-I never would have imagined that crisps and nap pies could play such a key role in espionage. Highly recommended on #audio.

This was an absolute delight! Middle grade with Rick Riordan and Harry Potter vibes. Compelling and charming with some swashbuckling thrown in, it was hard to put down and I completely understand why Barnes &Noble named it their book of the year.This was my #Bookspin book and I loved every minute!

Dark, twisty, small town kidnapping/murder mystery/thriller. No one does it better than Karin Slaughter! Highly recommend as long as you aren‘t too squeamish. CW-child abuse and murder. Releases August 12 #netgalleygroup @AllDebooks

Really interesting! This nonfiction book from the MSNBC journalist is a spot on treatise on attention, politics, media, and human connection. Great on audio, read by the author. This one made me think!

Wonderful! Maybe my favorite of hers. I enjoyed diving into this without knowing the plot and enjoyed every minute.

My goodness! Fantastic! I completely understand accolades, awards, and astonishment that this book has received. I agree with others who have suggested this be taught alongside Huck Finn. Everett deftly managed to honor Twain‘s work while pointing out its flaws and shortcomings with care and love. #AAM #authoramonth @Soubhiville

June #BookspinBingo list! How is it nearly summer? @TheAromaofBooks

This vintage historical was so much fun! I love it when an independent woman knows what she wants and fights for it. 🥰

The Irish setting and quirky hostel crew make An Irish Summer a charming escape, even if the main character tests your patience. Chelsea spends much of the book grumpy and self-centered, which can be frustrating given the kindness she's shown. Still, the atmosphere and ensemble cast make this an enjoyable summer read. Releases July 1.

This warm, queer take on Notting Hill pairs a former child star trying to reinvent herself with a endearing, kind bookseller in the West Village. The story balances charm & authentic emotion, offering thoughtful moments around identity, vulnerability, and public vs. private selves. Katrina‘s messy, fame-tangled journey contrasts nicely with Jude‘s quiet stability, & their chemistry feels both playful and genuine. Highly recommend, releases June10!

When people talk about the history of romance, this historical is one of the ones they always mention and I finally gave it a go. The writing is compelling, the 12th century setting and circumstances fascinating, and the romance is steamy. It was hard for me to get through because the way these characters initially connect is pretty problematic. I kept reading and I‘m glad I did but I nearly put it down several times and it is hard to recommend.

Caught up with the series. Compelling, heartbreaking, hilarious. These poor kids, they have a lot to work through but I can‘t help cheering them on. Next book in the series is our May 27 and someone may have ordered the ebook. I got all the others from the library but I‘m just not waiting :)

May #Bookspin looking good! Left pretty broad but I‘ve got picks for #Roll100 , #AAM , and #netgalleygrou‘s go!!!!

8 Bingoes this month! Not bad considering it was a busy work month :)

If witchy, quirky characters are your jam, romance make you happy, and you need a little escape from the current messy world, this book may be perfect for you. Swoony, silly, and heartwarming, I was happy to be back in the world of Moonville and soend some more time with this family and friend group. So much fun!

This started out a bit slow but when it got going-my goodness. I couldn‘t stop listening! I both read and listened to this one so I could spend more time with the story-it was that good. She is such an amazing writer, really drops you into the historic world and the way she wove the different element together was masterful. Highly recommend! #AAM @Soubhiville #authoramonth

So good! Loved every minute of this and will avoid saying much so you can go into it without expectations. I will say that some of the descriptions about space, the natural world, and love will stay with me for a long while. Just fantastic! #Bookspin #Doublespin @TheAromaofBooks

My May #BookspinBingo list. May! How is it May? @TheAromaofBooks

I read this one before the first one, but I think that is okay, I think the stories stand alone. I really enjoyed each story and even more how they all fit together tangentially. Quiet, thoughtful, and beautifully written, I look forward to another.

In the last couple of weeks, I blew through this series. Pretty tough in parts, it is set in Ireland and follows young adults dealing with pretty difficult situations, physical and mental abuse in the home, bullying, and the financial challenges that existed in the late 2000s. Walsh writes with an intensity that kept me reading, even though most of these are 600 pages or more. Waiting in the next one to become available at my library :)

This was powerful, sad, and upsetting but I‘m so glad I read it. Hearing Eve Ensler‘s perspectives on the world, war, and the environment while she shares her backstory and cancer journey makes for a memoir unlike any I‘ve read. I was angry at times at the sheer horror that is the world but then was also lifted up by the ways we show up for each other. This is pretty short but still manages to pack a punch. I enjoyed on #audio, read by the author.

So behind on book reviews! I finished this one awhile back, sweet, funny and set in Austin, where I live, so that is always fun. A librarian who likes her quiet life makes a deal (fake relationship, anyone?) with an exuberant gubernatorial candidate and sparks fly. Great on #audio , a nice escape from the pit of despair that is Texas politics right now.

Made a visit to my beloved Lark and Owl bookstore in Georgetown Texas today for Independent Bookstore Day! Bought a couple of books for my grown kids and these goodies for me. And, in case you need a book or two, bookshop.org is doing free shipping through tomorrow!