Happy Tuesday & happy belated 7th Anniversary to the Show Us Your Books link-up!

I’m so glad Steph and Jana started this series seven years + 1 month ago. I have found so many wonderful reads thanks to them and the community they’ve cultivated. I missed their anniversary link up, but I still wanted to give them a shoutout!

I hit my GoodRead’s goal of 15 books this year! A small but satisfying achievement. Next year we’re upping it to 20 books.

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney | Thriller | ★★★★/5
I chose this as my BOTM pick because nothing else caught my eye. Honestly, it was a left-field choice for me; I’ve mentioned I don’t read a ton of thrillers. I tend to try to figure out the twists the entire time I’m reading- I never just enjoy the ride. In this one, I DID figure it out early on, but kept reading because a) I was sucked in and b) I wanted to see if I was right. The characters were shady (but not unreliable) and the setting was spooky, so it had all the components of a good thriller IMO. It was a solid 3.5 star read for me, but I round up.

Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena | Thriller | ★★★★★/5
There was nothing mind-blowing about this one to make it 5 stars, but I also had 0 problems with it, flew through it, and enjoyed the ride. So… I had no reason not to give it top marks. No one was likable- especially the dad. You were a little glad that the dead people were dead. And you also wished some of the non-dead people were dead. LOL. *Fun fact- I am Audrey and I also have a brother named Fred. He’s not a dick like the Fred in the book, though.

The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling | Romance | ★★★★/5
I found this one as cute as nearly everyone said it was. Based on the description, I was a little worried it’d just be a comedy of errors with nothing going right for the pair. I’m glad I was wrong. I liked Rhys, loved Vivi, and adored her little family and town. I could’ve used more backstory on some of the people/situations, but it was a solid little Halloween romance.

As M grows and cultivates her personality, I’ve started reading parenting books on behavior, discipline, and happiness. I take all parenting books with a massive grain of salt.

No Bad Kids: Toddler Discipline Without Shame by Janet Lansbury | Parenting | ★★★/5
All parenting books should be taken with a grain of salt… and the understanding that every kid is different and will react differently. There were things in this book that I found very valuable: remaining calm when your child is not, talking to your kid like they’re a real human, allowing them the big emotions with the safe boundaries. But then there was stuff that made me go “Ehhhh”, too. I’m interested in listening to her podcast, though.

Moo Reads

A Mischief of Monsters by Roger Priddy
This one is a new fav in our household. Lots of sounds and colors. M LOVES it.

I meant to have more M reads, but time got away from me. She’s been a reading machine lately, so I’m sure this category will get bigger soon!

What did you read this past month?

-Aud

Book Day! Linking up with Steph and Jana for the best day of the month!

This month I knocked out three books 📚

Loch Down Abbey by Beth Cowan-Erskine | Mystery | ★★★★/4
This felt like a Downton Abbey knockoff mystery. It was ok and I gave it four stars on Goodreads, but now that I’m writing about it I realize how forgettable it was. I solved one mystery pretty early on. I hated one of the resolutions. Most of the people were terrible humans. But I breezed through it and it held my interest the entire time- honestly can’t ask for much more.

Coldhearted Boss by R.S. Grey | Romance | ★★/5
Nope. Didn’t like it. Usually I’m a big fan of Grey’s steamy romances, especially the enemies to lovers. This one was weird. The dude was vindictive and cruel… until he suddenly wasn’t. And the girl was like, “I hate you… and maybe love you… but hate you. Oh- you love me? Ok, I love you.” Yeahhh… not my cup of steamy tea, thanks. Very unbelievable and, honestly, unhealthy in my opinion.

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid | Fiction (Historical?) | ★★★★★/5
Another gem from TJR. I know some people weren’t into it, but I loved this one. I loved the siblings and June. I loved how it flowed and I was hooked all the way through. I didn’t like Daisy Jones because of the era but this 80s surfer vibe was perfect for summer. I was into it from start to finish. And I loved the ending. A beautiful journey for each Riva sibling. (Mick can eat glass TBH.)

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I’ve read nothing from Erin’s Book Challenge yet.

What did you read this month?

Happy Book Day! Linking up with Steph and Jana for a few recent reads on this glorious Show Us Your Books Day!

I have 3 (YES, THREE!) books today. Woot woot!

A Vow So Bold and Deadly by Brigid Kemmerer | Fantasy | ★★★★/5
This is the final installment in the Cursebreakers trilogy. Before I picked it up I saw some negative reviews, but I enjoyed it! I was sad that a few characters got the short end of the stick. It didn’t feel super creative as far as how the results shook out… but it was realistic and natural. I love Grey and have since the start- so I enjoyed his development over this book and the last two. It’s a worthwhile series with a slightly lackluster ending- but still a great world with great characters.

The Sanatorium by Sarah Pearse | Thriller | ★★★/5
I picked this one up for book club- I don’t read a bunch of thrillers. It was fine and I breezed through it. There were definitely some unrealistic moments. I highly disliked the main character Elin and often doubted her abilities as a detective. The creepiness of the setting was fantastic and I think there was a lot of potential… but I don’t think the author got it quite right. But I read it quickly and was engaged- so I’m just being picky.

White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for… by Robin DiAngelo | Nonfiction | ★★★★/5
Sheesh… it took me long enough to finally finish this one. I found this book interesting and I think it’s helped open my eyes to some racial disparities that I hadn’t noticed. I didn’t agree with absolutely everything DiAngelo said, though. And the idea of a nice white lady breaking down race for another nice white lady doesn’t escape me. It’s opened the door for me to pick up other books on racial inequality, though. Most definitely not a waste of time.

I’ve had so many three star books this year. It was nice to get a few four-ers. Still waiting for that magical five star read. I think I’m extra picky and judgmental this year. Lol.

Give me a five star recommendation!