This centers around newly hired video game producer, Melody. The video game industry is-in large part- a male dominated field. Not only is Melody a female producer, she‘s also a Korean American, subjected to comments made by her ignorant coworkers. The title is actually a bigger statement on a culture that permeates many male dominated industries. This is not what I expected, but in terms of what it does for the genre- it could be a game changer.

Sadie and Will are new to town. One day a murder happens across the street. Evidence keeps piling up against Sadie, with time running out to prove her innocence. The biggest setbacks were a result of having too many irons in the fire. There‘s the bullied teenage son, the angry teenaged stranger, and of course, Will and Sadie themselves. The end result was messy. In other words, I‘d probably pick a thriller other than The Other Mrs.

Phoenix and Orchid are a new couple. Orchid leaves on business. A Good Samaritan act on Phoenix‘s part changes life as he knows it. He decides to push Orchid away. Phoenix struggles to put his life back together. Orchid struggles with what changed. A reunion and redemption story is sweeter when you feel like you took a journey with the characters. Despite this, I would recommend to anyone who likes stories about second chances and strong will.

I just got back from my trip to Moose Springs. Given the fun feel of the town, the scenery, and its cast of characters, it sounds like a place I would visit in real life. For Graham, the revolving door of tourists is getting old, no matter how successful his diner is because of them. Things look up though when Graham meets Zoey. This tourist strikes him as different from the rest. I loved the banter, but the insta love didn't leave me swooning.

A light-hearted commentary on our times, this centers around perfect PR savant, Jessica Bradley. Online Jessica curates a life worth envying, but in the real world she‘s struggling to keep it together. Everything Is Fine is a relatable story even without the social media backdrop. It reminds us everything is often anything but, and that not being fine with everything is just fine sometimes, too.

This takes place in the well respected town of Oak Knoll. Widowed Valerie and her son, Xavier have lived a quiet and happy life there for years. But new construction brings unwanted upheaval and questionable new neighbors. This book felt like a play. There was a narrator who would pop in, foreshadowing gloom and doom. It was built into parts that felt like acts. A harrowing tale, this attempts to shed light on our misconceptions about each other.

Simone is a woman at a crossroads. After years of symptoms, she has a diagnosis of MS. She won‘t let it redefine her life. One day a tragic event occurs, putting many of Simone‘s worries into perspective. This is an impressive novel. An MS warrior herself, I would imagine it to be cathartic to write about. MS does not define this novel. I can‘t wait for the world to read this and look forward to reading future works by @elissadickey

When Gavin met Thea, he thought he hit a home run. They had a whirlwind courtship, resulting in pregnancy. The news thrilled Gavin, giving him the courage to pop the question. A few years into their relationship and they are struggling to round first. One night they break up. Gavin is at a loss in how to win her back. So his teammates inaugurate him into The Bromance Book Club. There they teach him how to woo through the power of romantic words.

The Sun Down has had tragedy attached to it through the years. Lost souls and drifters are attracted to the Sun Down and it‘s eerie location. One day a young girl ends up there and stays after being offered a job. But strange things are happening. She investigates, only to disappear. Years later her niece comes in search of truth. As the mystery unravels, you see the past and present overlap, resulting in a satisfying climax to both timelines.

Cleo is a senator and single mom to her only son. After losing her parents and not having a relationship with her sister, she has prided herself on being on her own. Then Cleo‘s ex-friend writes an op Ed piece, threatening her rep, and run at the White House. Can she right her wrongs or will she repeat them? The premise of a Senator
out for redemption has potential for laughs. There is humor, but,the tone shifts when Cleo faces other decisions.

This is an historical fiction novel set in Sydney, 1946. Many are happy to get on post war, others have demons to deal with. Enter bold and fearless, Billie Walker. A reporter by trade, she is also a PI. It keeps her mind off the losses of her father and husband. One day, a woman enters her agency, frantic at her son‘s disappearance, thus setting the stage. If you like stories about war, the 1940s, or strong female characters, check it out.

This is a quick read that covers a lot. Marva is a teenager passionate about politics, pets, and racial inequality. Eager to vote, she arrives early and overhears a peer‘s struggle. We see Mia grapple with the breakdown of her relationship, the possible loss of a pet, and her desire to make the world better. In Duke we see loss, the outlet of music, and being a young black man in America. This is an important and attainable read to a generation.

Mia Bell has amassed a following that pays her to sell good vibes and unattainable happiness. But days before she‘s to get married, her fiancé breaks up with her, leaving Mia‘s world, both virtual and literally crashing down. At the same time, a follower makes a comment, suggesting self harm-alerting her estranged sister. Through a series of self discovery and missteps, their lives intersect. Along the way each learns what their happiness is.

After reading (and loving) The Overdue Life of Amy Byler, I‘m so excited to start this one!

This is a book that never would have happened without Covid. I know, who wants to reminded of the epidemic when most of us read to escape? Pandemic aside, quarantine is excellent fodder for meet cutes and long distance pining. This is 9 short stories with a YA slant, written by different authors. It‘s a great way to sample an author‘s writing. While each story had the same theme, each author had their own approach to making quarantine their own.

Courtesy of Net Galley, here‘s my next read!

If someone was to pay you to sit the home of your dreams, would you do it? You can‘t have visitors or speak to the neighbors. You can‘t take pics. You must sleep there each night. Oh and the place may or may not be cursed. Now would you? In this story, opportunity knocks for Jules. She‘s jobless, homeless, and near penniless, so she agrees to the terms. This fun ride full of eccentric characters and a spooky locale was my favorite Sager novel yet.

Squeezing in one more spooky read for October!

Three estranged siblings take a road trip to painstakingly (and confusingly) recreate a road trip taken with their grandfather after his death. The siblings leave important details out to keep their significant others from knowing the whole truth. They are also far from being truthful with each other. There is literally no one to root for here, taking family dysfunction a whole new level.

I‘ve been seeing a lot of buzz for this one. Let‘s find out if it‘s worth the hype!

This is a compelling read about a young nanny who finds herself alone. The very same night she‘s fired, she meets Drew. He is rich, charming, and ready to rescue- but they can‘t talk about the past. What made me like this story was the knowing something was off, but not knowing what it was. It was clear they were damaged and drawn to each other. This story wrapped up some questions, but my truth be told, I felt a little letdown in the end.

This was like a whip-smart pilot about 1st year lawyers. Think Grey‘s Anatomy with courtrooms. No surprise it‘s already optioned as a series. This centers around Alex Vogel. Alex is smart, eager and a female in a male dominated field. She‘s also a little naive. The lines between personal and professional blur. I enjoyed Alex, but I grew disappointed in her decisions. I really loved reading this and can‘t wait to see the characters come to life!

I posted this a few weeks ago, but I‘m posting again. I‘d love to engage with some of you more than Litsy allows. If you‘re on IG and haven‘t found me yet, please do. Same handle, different channel!

Reviewing my last read tomorrow. This one is next!

Next up!

Clara is a good girl, but she has a problem. She‘s been infatuated with the same guy forever. So when he suggests she be his roommate a la Felicity following Ben, she jumps. He bails and she gets a different roomie who is also a well known porn star. Things get steamy, but the characters are likable. If books with covers that do a bait and switch bother you, I‘d avoid this. But if you‘re down with a well done romcom with heat, I‘d give it a try.

I‘m going to be totally honest and say I‘m totally in love with the cover of this book. Let‘s see if the inside is just as good!

This is about an extended family of sorts who gather every Christmas. There are MANY characters, (too many) but the focus narrows. Mae has been in love with Andrew forever but it‘s complicated. Everything is further compacted by her reliving the vacation over and over. Surprisingly, the trademark heat was missing until about 50% in. I still love CL, but I felt like that kid on Christmas, whose most wanted gift ended up being a bit of a letdown.

Christmas came early! 🎄I‘m so excited to read this next!

Pippa is a girl who decides things for herself. So when everyone in town assumes a murder is solved, she sets out to prove otherwise. This was part crime podcast, part Nancy Drew. Pippa is a good girl, but she‘s also bad ass. The format is part narrative, part testimony. I found the testimonials to be dry, but the narrative kept things moving. This is a decent whodunnit for fans of the genre. I just prefer more drama mixed in- no crime in that.

Book club pick for October!

While there‘s a common thread weaved throughout Acevedo‘s books that I‘ve read thus far, CWYL is unique- written in stanzas that take a moment to adjust to. The story is a tear jerker, inspired by true events. There are no villains, just victims of circumstance. You fall in love with both girls, not only for who they are, but who they strive to become. I understand the praise for Acevedo‘s writing. I look forward to seeing where she “lands” next.

Library hold just came in on this one!

This centers around a house known for horrible and inexplainable events. Maggie‘s family moved in, not knowing the house‘s history. Strange things start happening, so they flee. Later, Maggie‘s father writes a tell all book. Now she wants to know the truth. This felt a bit like The Shining. Family takes over remote estate where dad write. The end redeemed itself a bit. I see why a lot of readers would be drawn in, but this remains a fixer upper.

It‘s close enough to October to start reading this, right? 😉

I don‘t know how she does it, but CoHo always manages to break my heart. Following a similar path as most of her books, this story deals with fierce, first love set amongst turmoil and tragedy. The characters overcome impossible odds. One complaint... it was too short! I wanted more! As a result, I devoured this quickly. If you‘ve never read CoHo i wouldn‘t necessarily pick this as a starter. However, I‘m so glad it‘s not her final act.

It‘s finally happening!!!

In this story we meet Nora, a women at a crossroads, full of regrets. It‘s in this state that she enters the library, a purgatory of sorts, that allows her to experience roads not taken. It reminded me a bit of the Choose Your Own Adventure books. More recently, it reminded me of Oona Out of Order, another take on parallel lives. Stories like these are fun, but also serve to remind us us we control our happiness, no matter the dimension.

If you follow let me know so I can return the love!

It may feel like a lifetime ago, but soaps were a BIG deal. Growing up, I was fascinated. That‘s why it‘s perfect I found this book. This is the story of a girl, unsure what to do with her life. She decides to kill time as a soap extra. It reminded me of Soapdish. It both pokes fun and pays compliment. The only other book that did this was a teen soap series, All That Glitters. I enjoyed this so much I‘d want to check out the rest of the series!

Have you ever read a story expecting it to be different than what it was? That‘s the feeling I got while reading Perfect Tunes. In fact, even after I‘m still not so sure what it‘s about. We meet a young girl, believed to be undiscovered talent. But this isn‘t the focus of the book at all. Suddenly it morphs into a character study that spans a decade. The music is still there- though oddly enough, it only seems to be playing in the background.

I‘m a sucker for books about music and look, ma! Last read to make it to my Goodreads Challenge for the year!

I‘ve been waiting to read this and it didn‘t disappoint. The richmommy vibe is big since reality TV and social media. Is this going to be another book about overzealous moms, or will it say anything new? The good news is it‘s the latter. One refreshing aspect of this bored housewives play group is its humanization of these women. Not all of them play prime roles, but somehow that makes sense. It throws a few twists in to keep the readers guessing.

Onto yet another book I‘ve been dying to read!

Ok y‘all, I finally finished the book that nearly broke every bookish platform I utilize and I‘m here to say, it wasn‘t what I expected. Did you ever listen to the podcast, Serial? This reminded me of that. There are many twists and turns, but having both cases happen in the same town sort of gave away an eventual connection. It also should be noted this book deals with what could be triggering subject matter, but with some great talking points.

Pool season might nearly be over, but there‘s still time to read this book!

This semi-sequel to Waiting For Tom Hanks was cute, but missed that certain something to grab my attention. The first book sort of sets up the second a little *too* well. The second reason this one didn't grab me as much was because the hook of the original was predicated on the Tom Hanks/pop culture obsession. I connected with this aspect. That being said, Winfrey is definitely carving a path for a patented blend of sweet tooth romantic comedies.

Keeping it moving with this fun series!

If you are a fan of "chick flicks", then this is the book for you! This highly readable story engaged me from the start. Winfrey and I could be friends. I chuckled a lot and found so many moments to be relatable AND quotable. Ground breaking? No. Predictable? Yes. But romcoms are the comfort food of pop culture. They aren't deep, they are fun. Given those conditions, Winfrey delivered what was promised. And really, who doesn't love Tom Hanks?

I mean, who doesn‘t like Tom Hanks? #fallreads #romcomreads #nextup #september2020 #womensfiction