Month: September 2024

Books I Read Because of the Hype

Posted September 30, 2024 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 15 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! And happy October!! This week’s topic is: Books I Read/Avoided Because of the Hype (and did you make the right choice?). Hyped books usually go one of two ways for me: I either love it or I hate it.  Sometimes a synopsis sounds too good and the hype is so huge that I fear missing out on what everyone’s talking about and eventually give in. And sometimes I seriously don’t care. But I’m focusing this week on the books I read!

1. Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros (SO worth the hype.)
2. The Ravenels series by Lisa Kleypas (This is cheating since there are 7 books but oh well. Extremely worth the hype. My favorite of the series, Hello Stranger, is pictured.)
3. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne (I loved this at the time, but I don’t know if I still would now because I’ve had a major falling out with enemies to lovers.)
4. A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (This was so far off my radar until the book review world went bonkers. I begged the publicist for an ARC and she sent it, and it was amazing. I suppose I was part of the hype for this one!)
5. Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins (I saw the cover and thought no way. The title? Too cheesy. I wasn’t into YA contemporary romance at all. But I finally gave it and I LOVED it. And it changed my reading tastes forever!)
6. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (I thought the idea of teens killing each other while the entire world watched like it was a reality TV show made me sick, but I got way too curious. Loved it.)
7. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (I hate crying. I hate death. This one hurt me a lot, but it was beautiful.)
8. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (I LOVED IT. And it got me reading for fun!)
9. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling (I read this for the first time in 2014… and honestly, it was required reading for one of my classes in grad school so I guess I’m cheating here. lol. It was a cute story, but I have never had even an inkling of interest in continuing the series or watching the movies or falling into the fandom.)
10. Roomies by Christina Lauren (I read this for the authors, actually, and not the book itself. I’d been hearing about their books for so long! I love them!!)

Did you fall for the hype with any of these, too?
What’s one hyped book you thought was really worth the hype?

Top Ten Books on My Fall 2024 To-Read List

Posted September 23, 2024 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 21 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! And happy Fall! We’ve entered my favorite time of year! Now until Christmas is the best time of the year, and I’m so excited for everything that these next few months will bring! I am very much a fan of theme reading during this time of year. I love contemporary romances set during the Fall, gaslamp historical mysteries, atmospheric Gothic romances, and anything with a spooky feeling that doesn’t make me too afraid to cross the hall outside my bedroom to use the bathroom in the middle of the night. LOL. So here’s everything I’m excited to read for the next couple months! Once Thanksgiving hits I’m in full-fledged Christmas mode.

Paris, Pumpkins, and Puns by Marion De Ré

Paris in the fall.
The Eiffel tower, the blanket of colorful leaves on the ground of the Jardin du Luxembourg, the picturesque cobbled streets of Montmartre.
Sounds amazing, right? That’s exactly what I thought when my boss offered me to come here to critique restaurants.

Well, the reality is a completely different beast.

There is no accordion music playing in the street, the city smells like smoke, and I have yet to see a single guy wearing a beret! This was all a lie.

To top it all, I’m now a prisoner of this city because of a national strike keeping all planes on the ground and flooding hotels capacities. At least one cliché wasn’t false.

Enter Olivier Brun, chef of a Michelin star restaurant and as hot as a pizza oven who offers me a room and even cooks me breakfast.
So, when he asks me to pretend to be his date for his matchmaking mom’s birthday, I return the favor.

As we get to know each other through pun-filled cooking lessons, farmer’s market outings and autumn festivals, I start to fall in loaf with Paris… and Olivier.
Suddenly, the idea of relocating here isn’t as crazy.

But does Olivier feel the same? And if he does, will he be able to get past the fact that I lied about my job?

Paris, Pumpkins & Puns is a closed-door romcom with cozy autumn vibes, plenty of cooking puns and an irresistible Frenchman.

Haunted Ever After by Jen DeLuca

It’s love at first haunting in a seaside town that raises everyone’s spirits from USA Today bestselling author Jen DeLuca.

Small Florida coastal towns often find themselves scrambling for the tourism dollars that the Orlando theme parks leave behind. And within the town limits of Boneyard Key, the residents decided long ago to lean into its ghostliness. Nick Royer, owner of the Hallowed Grounds coffee shop, embraces the ghost tourism that keeps the local economy afloat, as well as his spectral roommate. At least he doesn’t have to run air-conditioning.

Cassie Rutherford possibly overreacted to all her friends getting married and having kids by leaving Orlando and buying a flipped historic cottage in Boneyard Key. Though there’s something unusual with her new home (her laptop won’t charge in any outlets, and the poetry magnets on her fridge definitely didn’t read “WRONG” and “MY HOUSE” when she put them up), she’s charmed by the colorful history surrounding her. And she’s catching a certain vibe from the grumpy coffee shop owner whenever he slips her a free slice of banana bread along with her coffee order.

As Nick takes her on a ghost tour, sharing town gossip that tourists don’t get to hear, and they spend nights side-by-side looking into the former owners of her haunted cottage, their connection solidifies into something very real and enticing. But Cassie’s worried she’s in too deep with this whole (haunted) home ownership thing… and Nick’s afraid to get too close in case Cassie gets scared away for good.

Juniper Bean Resorts to Murder by Gracie Ruth Mitchell

Juniper Bean has big plans for her writing career. Swoony kisses, sigh-inducing happily ever afters—she’s going to write them all.

There’s just one problem: she can’t seem to stop killing off her main characters.

After accepting that a genre change is in order, Juniper sets out to do some research. What’s the best way to carry a dead body? How exactly does one pick a lock? Juniper is going to find out—with the unwilling help of her new roommate, Aiden.

But Juniper’s plans go haywire when she stumbles across an actual, real-life dead body—and before she knows it, she and Aiden are thrust into the middle of a murder mystery that seems suspiciously tied to Juniper’s past.

Who killed the girl in the woods? Can Juniper ever get the hang of mystery writing? And, perhaps the biggest question of all: Why the heck does Aiden look so good in a tweed jacket?

The Ravenswood Witch by Jenni Keer

‘There are a lot of shadows at Ravenswood, so you will need to be strong…’

The year is 1885 and a young woman is on the run, knowing if she’s caught, she’ll be hanged for murder. Moments from a safe haven, she collides with a gruff stranger, falling and breaking her ankle.

To her surprise, the man – Marcus Greybourne – convinces the local constable that she is his reclusive wife of ten years, Luna. He carries her back to the neglected and crumbling Ravenswood Hall, promising if she agrees to maintain this charade, he will keep her safe until her injuries have healed.

But the house is haunted by shadows and secrets. What’s more, the real Luna Greybourne is missing, without trace. Scratches and marks made by her around the house suggest witchcraft; and indeed Luna is known locally as the Ravenswood Witch; her reputation in tatters, like the wallpapers of the padlocked rooms she’d destroyed.

As strange happenings in the house continue, outside the screech of a raven echoes across oppressive woods that seem alive with dark magic. And the woman who is now pretending to be Luna can’t help but fear she’s escaped the noose for a far more terrible fate…

A completely compelling and unforgettable historical bookclub read – fans of Jane Eyre, Weyward and The Binding will be utterly spellbound.

Bitter House by Kiersten Modglin

Vera Bitter is dead, but her secrets have yet to be buried.

After the tragic death of Bridget’s parents, her grandmother took her in. Vera Bitter raised her from behind a closed door—cold and uncaring from the moment she arrived at Bitter House. After Bridget’s high school graduation, Vera kicked her out without so much as a goodbye, and Bridget never heard from her again. Which is why, when she receives word of Vera’s passing and discovers she’s inherited the family manor, she’s immediately filled with dread.

Those worries are amplified when she arrives at Bitter House after years away to find an enigmatic piece of her past waiting for her. Growing up, there was only one person Bridget distrusted more than her grandmother, and that was Cole Warner—the son of Vera’s house manager and the bane of her childhood existence. Now, he’s her new housemate.

Owning the house she was once forced to leave with a man she’s always despised forces Bridget to confront feelings and questions she’s been running from since the day she was driven away from Bitter House.

Then the first letter arrives.

And with it, a world of secrets, darkness, and deception is unlocked. Years ago, Bridget tried and failed to find sanctuary inside the shadowy halls of Bitter House, and as she struggles to imagine a future there now, she discovers a terrifying behind the iron gate and stone walls of the old estate, nothing is quite what it seems. Bitter House has secrets and, if she can’t decide whom to trust, danger lies in wait.

Perfectly Wicked by Lindsay Lovise

Charmed meets Ghost Hunters in this magically wicked paranormal romance, perfect for fans of Not the Witch You Wed and The Ex Hex.

Holly Celeste and her sisters make the best apple cider in Maine—courtesy of a magical secret ingredient—but even that hasn’t been enough to keep their orchard afloat. To save the family business, Holly accepts a proposal to let a ghost hunting series film an episode on her farm. Connor Grimm may be the sexy and down-to-earth TV host the nation loves, but to Holly he represents her greatest fear: exposure. Holly doesn’t mind if Connor chases down a silly ghost story—it’s their other secret she’s terrified he’ll reveal.

Connor Grimm’s life goal is to normalize the paranormal, which he does on his show, Grimm Reality. Except he isn’t only looking for a ghost at Wicked Good Apples. There have been rumors of rain during droughts and other inexplicable happenings that could only be attributed to something supernatural, and Connor plans to expose it on an episode that will take his show’s success to another level.

Intent on keeping Connor in the dark, Holly joins him as he interviews eyewitnesses, hunts for old records, and unearths a story even she didn’t know existed. Despite her resolution to dislike him, she begins to fall for the only man who’s ever made her feel like strange could be normal. Too bad a relationship with Connor could only be temporary; he moves to a new state every month, and there’s no room in his life for a woman with a pet hedgehog, a houseful of nosy aunts and sisters, and a failing apple orchard.

When Connor finally pieces together Holly’s greatest secret, he’s forced to choose between revealing his biggest paranormal discovery yet and propelling his show to the top of the charts, and giving it all up for the wicked woman who’s charmed his heart.

The Curse of Morton Abbey by Clarissa Harwood

Jane Eyre meets The Secret Garden in a gothic novel of romantic suspense set in 1890s Yorkshire.

Solicitor Vaughan Springthorpe knows perfectly well that Sir Peter Spencer’s offer of employment seems too good to be true: he hires her sight unseen, offering a suspiciously large salary to prepare the sale of Morton Abbey, his crumbling Yorkshire estate. But few people in late-Victorian England will entrust their legal affairs to a woman, and Vaughan is desperate to prove herself.

Once at Morton, Vaughan discovers that someone is determined to drive her away. An intruder tries to enter her bedroom at night, gunshots are fired outside her window, and an eerie crying echoes from the uninhabited second floor. Even Netherton, the nearest village, seems odd: the picturesque houses and perfect-looking families are haunted by dark secrets connected to Morton Abbey itself.

To complete her work and solve the mystery at the heart of Morton, Vaughan needs the help of Joe Dixon, the handsome gardener, and Nicholas Spencer, her employer’s irascible invalid brother. But with her questions diverted, her progress thwarted, and her sleep disrupted by the crying, will Vaughan escape Morton Abbey with her sanity intact or be cursed by the secrets within?

Fall I Want by Lyra Parish

The brokenhearted billionaire visits Cozy Creek to escape. I never expected to become his fake girlfriend or fall madly in love…but here we are.

My first impression of Zane Alexander isn’t great. The second is worse, but when he forces me to hang out with him, I can’t say no. We quickly go from familiar strangers to flirty friends.

When my ex returns, Zane flawlessly pretends to be my boyfriend to protect me. He’s so damn good at it, I almost believe it. Afterward, we devise a plan to fake date through the holidays. I become his plus one and he becomes mine.

I don’t know when our relationship moves from pretending to passionate, but I catch feelings. As our exes desperately crawl back into our lives like zombies, I realize there is only one man for me, and (f)all I want is him.

FALL I WANT is a spicy autumn-inspired small-town romantic comedy with a billionaire who falls first and harder. Grab a pumpkin spice latte, a warm fuzzy blanket, and make your way down to Cozy Creek. Each book in the series is a complete stand alone with a happily ever after.

Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks

Callum Flannelly would rather dive into an open grave than take a stranger to dinner and a movie. But he can only inherit the family undertaking business and carry on their legacy under one condition: He must marry before his 35th birthday. So it’s out of the mortuary and into the dating scene.

Lark Thompson would rather get crushed by a falling anvil than stay next to a funeral home during her stay in Galway, Ireland. The vivacious American cartoon creator and animator came here to embrace life, not be reminded of losing her husband.

When Lark learns of Callum’s dilemma and aversion to marrying out of necessity rather than love, she agrees to help the introverted mortician. Although sworn off love herself, she is optimistic that Callum can find The One and secure his inheritance.

But as the dating project progresses and their friendship grows, so does a mutual attraction. The more time she spends with serious, sarcastic Callum, the more she dreads finding him a match. And the more disastrous dates he endures, the more he dreads Lark’s imminent return to the states.

If they think it’s possible to ignore their connection, they’re dead wrong.

The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish by Paula Brackston

The Haunting of Hecate Cavendish is book one in New York Times bestselling author Paula Brackston’s new, magic-infused series about Hecate Cavendish, an eccentric and feisty young woman who can see ghosts.

England, 1881. Hereford cathedral stands sentinel over the city, keeping its secrets, holding long forgotten souls in its stony embrace. Hecate Cavendish speeds through the cobbled streets on her bicycle, skirts hitched daringly high, heading for her new life as Assistant Librarian. But this is no ordinary collection of books. The cathedral houses an ancient chained library, wisdom guarded for centuries, mysteries and stories locked onto its worn, humble shelves. The most prized artifact, however, is the medieval world map which hangs next to Hecate’s desk. Little does she know how much the curious people and mythical creatures depicted on it will come to mean to her. Nor does she suspect that there are lost souls waiting for her in the haunted cathedral. Some will become her dearest friends. Some will seek her help in finding peace. Others will put her in great peril, and, as she quickly learns, threaten the lives of everyone she loves.

Do you find yourself looking for certain kinds of reads at different times of the year like I do?
What kinds of books do you like reading in the Fall?
Have you read any of my picks?

Top Six Book Characters Who Redeemed Themselves

Posted September 16, 2024 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 5 Comments


Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic is: Ten Characters Authors Surprisingly Redeemed, which was submitted by Deanna @ A Novel Glimpse! Which characters did you not like at first, but grew to love by the end of the book? This was a very tricky one for me because I tend to remember how I feel about the characters at the end of the book and not the beginning. But I tried! Most of these cannot be explained without spoilers, and I promise I won’t do that to you!

1. Rhys from the A Court of Thorns and Roses series by Sarah J. Maas
This is immediately who I think of when I think of this topic because the night and day difference between my hatred and love of him is the strongest I’ve ever experienced with a book. I hated him at first, but now I love him SO much. He’s at the top of my list of book boyfriends..

2. Xaden from Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
I can’t explain anything without spoilers!

3. The North Wind from The North Wind by Alexandria Warwick

4. Nova from Business Casual by B.K. Borison
She really came off as a stuck-up brat for me at first, but it all worked out and we’re best friends now!

5. Bettie from Just Like Magic by Sarah Hogle
I thought I’d hate spoiled Bettie forever. lol.

6. Lana from The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler
She starts off as very stuck-up, but I grew to love her throughout this book and rejoiced when she got her own book in the series later on!

I only got six, but that’s ok! I always say to make a topic work for you, and sometimes I have to do that for myself as well! Can you think of any characters you grew to love by the end of the book? Do you agree with any of my choices? Are you also someone who has a hard time remembering things like these? LOL.

Top Ten Books That Provide a Much-Needed Escape

Posted September 9, 2024 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 11 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! This week’s topic is Books That Provide a Much-Needed Escape. I love immersing myself in to whatever world my books take place in and fully escaping my own life when I sit down to read. I always find myself having more fun doing that with fantasy or dystopian novels than with other kind of book because those worlds are usually magical and/or exciting. These places sound like amazing places to visit (or even live!) and I highly recommend escaping life through them. The links will take you to my review.

1. Whistling Tor in Heart’s Blood by Juliet Marillier
The Tor is mysterious and mystical and atmospheric. It is home to beings trapped between life and death, and a pretty swoony man as well. There’s lots of little rooms and nooks and crannies to explore.

2. The Night Court in A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
Anywhere Rhysand goes, I go. But seriously, the Night Court and the secret, beautiful city of Velaris sound so perfect and magical. It sounds so dreamlike and enchanting. And the people that live there are wonderful.

3. Enchanted St. Petersburg in The Crown’s Game by Evelyn Skye
The Crown’s Game is about two enchanters who must battle one another through a series of magical tasks to ensure that the son of the Tsar has a memorable birthday. The winner becomes the royal enchanter, and the loser dies. The battle begins, and the beauty and opulence that encompasses St. Petersburg as a result of this magic is amazing. I absolutely must mention the intricate system of fountains and color-changing lights that fill the city’s canal system. That entire scene was beautiful, and is still my favorite in the entire book.

4. The city of Celestrus in Of Sea and Stone by Kate Avery Ellison
This city has, what I can only describe to be, glass spheres that are suspended in the water. Each sphere is a library dedicated to each of the different cities of Itlantis. You can see sea life swimming by and light from the surface dancing. The libraries are filled with books, foliage, sculpture, fountains, and walkways. I’d LOVE to visit!

5. Albion in Illusions of Fate by Kiersten White
I love this place called Albion. It seems to be kind of a conglomeration of the Regency era in England and historic New York City. There were times I felt like I was sitting in Central Park, and there were times when I felt like I was sitting in an Austen-esque sitting room with lavish couches and tea on the table.

6. Venisia in What Is Hidden by Lauren Skidmore
This city is basically Venice, but not. There are canals and water taxis, though, and any book that takes me to Venice or a Venice-like place is welcome on my shelves. The descriptions of the scenery in this book are beautiful.

7. Caltrey in The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst 
I’m still reading this one, so the link will take you to Goodreads. I love the island of Caltrey! It’s home to merhorses, forest spirits, and enchanted plants. The island has beautiful forests, pristine beaches, and crystal clear water that shimmers in the sun. There’s also a cozy bakery and a jam/spell shop. The people who live on the island consider themselves to be one big family, and they’re all so sweet and kind to each other. Take me here!

8. Marin in Captivate by Vanessa Garden
I think maybe I like underwater worlds… Marin is a gorgeous and colorful and sparkling city on the ocean floor. The city has rivers and gondolas and a modern colosseum where people go to watch criminals get thrown to the sharks in a big aquarium-like tank. When they look up to the sky they see the ocean instead. Their world is lit and warmed by light crystals that sparkle, and oxygen is brought down to them through air shafts. There’s a garden and a park with real grass. I could go on and on. I’m in love with this place.

9. The futuristic Russia in Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
My absolute favorite thing about Shadow and Bone is the world Leigh created for us. I love all of it, from its setting in futuristic Russia, to the elaborate keftas, to the mysterious Shadow Fold (a dark and barren wasteland filled with volcra, which I swear are some kind of dragon on steroids), and all the awesome talents of the Grisha. This world is complicated and complex with its own language. It’s amazing.

10. Atlantia in Atlantia by Ally Condie
Atlantia is a beautiful, self-sustaining, world under the sea that actually sounds a lot like Venice. They have canals and gondolas, and the city is colorful with lots of shops and places to visit. There’s a market in the depths of the city, plus an arena for after-curfew swimming competitions. Basically, the city is unique and very fun to read about.

Can you recommend any other books with amazing worlds I should read?

Top Ten Books Involving Food

Posted September 2, 2024 by Jana in Top Ten Tuesday / 13 Comments

Welcome to another TTT! And happy September! This week’s topic was submitted by both Cathy at WhatCathyReadNext and Hopewell’s Public Library of Life, and is “Books Involving Food”. You can do a lot with this topic: foods in the title, foods on the cover, foodie characters, or noteworthy scenes involving food. I’ve chosen to do the latter because I don’t like it when my books make me hungry so I don’t read many food-centric books (but you’ll see that they sneak in sometimes)!

Also, I’d like to draw your attention to the schedule of upcoming TTT topics where you’ll notice I’ve updated the schedule through January 2025! We’re coming into the busiest time of the year and I wanted to give the planners ample time to get their posts ready! Anyway, on to this week’s list!

Say Yes to the Marquess by Tessa Dare
There’s a pretty sexy scene involving cake!

The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morgenthaler
There’s a really sweet moment between the two main characters surrounding snowman shaped sandwiches, but food also plays a role throughout the story. At one point, two of the characters experienced food insecurity and the emotional toll that took on them. The hero’s little girl is also in kidney failure and is on a very strict diet, which is discussed between the love interests often.

Four Weekends and a Funeral by Ellie Palmer
The female lead really loves Thin Mints Girl Scout Cookies and tries to keep them in stock in her fridge year round. But the male love interest always makes sure he orders homemade ones for her from the local bakery just in case she runs out!

Mixed Signals by B.K. Borison
The main character owns a really cute bakery with lots of yummy treats that made me so hungry to read about!

My Phony Valentine by Courtney Walsh
The female lead owns and runs her own restaurant, and the male lead hires her to be his grandmother’s personal chef. Lots of fun conversations happen between all three of them while she’s over at his place cooking for his grandma.

Snowflakes at the Little Christmas Tree Farm by Jaimie Admans
The male lead is a pumpkin farmer whose mom always wants to make sure the female lead is well fed. Plus, there’s yummy food at the Christmas tree farm!

Cabin Crush by Kasey Stockton
The two families spend their time at the cabin watching Christmas movies, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows around the fire, baking and decorating cookies, eating lots of other yummy food!

The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler
Graham befriends a moose named Ulysses, who loves yummy baked goods!

The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman by Louise Plummer
Kate’s family has this huge traditional Swedish Christmas with lots of yummy food. Can you tell I am so in the mood for Christmas right now?

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst
I’m reading this right now, and I am starving. There’s so many pastries and jams and yummmmmm.

What books can you think of that involve food?