“Let them start their dreadful wars, let destruction rain down, and let plague sweep through, but I will still be here, doing my work, holding humankind together with love like this.” – 3.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: Greek gods, romances, war, music, and beautiful art.

It’s 1917, and World War I is at its zenith when Hazel and James first catch sight of each other at a London party. She’s a shy and talented pianist; he’s a newly minted soldier with dreams of becoming an architect. When they fall in love, it’s immediate and deep–and cut short when James is shipped off to the killing fields.

Aubrey Edwards is also headed toward the trenches. A gifted musician who’s played Carnegie Hall, he’s a member of the 15th New York Infantry, an all-African-American regiment being sent to Europe to help end the Great War. Love is the last thing on his mind. But that’s before he meets Colette Fournier, a Belgian chanteuse who’s already survived unspeakable tragedy at the hands of the Germans.

Thirty years after these four lovers’ fates collide, the Greek goddess Aphrodite tells their stories to her husband, Hephaestus, and her lover, Ares, in a luxe Manhattan hotel room at the height of World War II. She seeks to answer the age-old question: Why are Love and War eternally drawn to one another? But her quest for a conclusion that will satisfy her jealous husband uncovers a multi-threaded tale of prejudice, trauma, and music and reveals that War is no match for the power of Love.

A sweeping, multi-layered romance with a divine twist, by the Printz Honor-winning author of The Passion of Dolssa, set in the perilous days of World Wars I and II.

I almost DNF’ed “Lovely War” if I’m being frank with you. I wasn’t feeling the book’s theme, the super slow pace at the beginning, the weird connection between Greek mythology and World War I, or the boring romances. I still pushed through and ended up continuing the book, and fortunately, it got a little better.

As I said, I wasn’t captivated at first, but as the book progressed, I was able to connect a little more to the story and characters. Unfortunately, it still wasn’t a 4-star read for me.

I think the best part of this book was the ending, where the author left a note for the readers. In this note, the author talks about the real historical facts behind the book (characters inspired by real people, real events that were added to the book, etc.). Knowing the book was pieced together with different real events made the book way more interesting in my eyes!

At the end of the day, it just wasn’t very memorable in my opinion. I think it’s important for you to take my opinion with a grain of salt because this is probably just a personal preference. It’s not a bad book, it just wasn’t for me.

“The pain from kidney stones is known to bring macho, grown men to their knees. I should know, because it happened to me.” – 4/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: excruciating pain, new diets, minerals, oxalates, bad habits, and, of course, kidney stones.

In “Even Urologists Get Kidney Stones,” Dr. Evan R. Goldfischer provides an in-depth guide with everything you need to know about kidney stones–from causes to treatments to prevention. If you have experienced kidney stones and really, truly do not want to experience that pain again, it is important that you review the guidelines and information in this book.

Dr. Goldfischer has first-hand experience with kidney stones (he’s had two calcium-based stones), and he is able to apply personal experience, knowledge, and medical expertise to help kidney stone sufferers prevent future stones from occurring.

I was looking for books to read on the subject, and this quickly caught my eye for the title. An urologist getting a kidney stone? That’s unusual, or at least that’s what I thought.

The book starts with the author sharing the story of how he got his kidney stone and his experience with the terrible pain it comes with. After that, he explains what are kidney stones, the basic anatomy of the urinary tract, how kidney stones are formed, the factors that contribute to their development, and how you can treat the stones and prevent them from happening again. 

The part I appreciated the most was the diet part! If you tend to develop kidney stones, make sure you are eating the right foods. The author has a list of what you should avoid and what you can eat freely – that was very helpful!

It’s an easy and practical book to go through, and it uses simple terms so that everyone can understand what is being said. Worth checking out if you’re new to the condition and want to learn more information on what you can do.

“I don’t want to disappear. I want to exist in my body, with these new possibilities. Possibilities. Perhaps that is one of the main components of life lost to lack of representation. Options erased from the imagination. Narratives indoctrinated that we spend an eternity attempting to break. The unraveling is painful, but it leads you to you.” – 3.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: secret relationships, the media, mental health, and transitioning.

Pageboy is a groundbreaking coming-of-age memoir from the Academy Award-nominated actor Elliot Page. A generation-defining actor and one of the most famous trans advocates of our time, Elliot will now be known as an uncommon literary talent, as he shares never-before-heard details and intimate interrogations on gender, love, mental health, relationships, and Hollywood.

An interesting memoir.

As soon as I saw this was going to be released, I was immediately interested in it. There was something different about this actor that always intrigued me. The movie that introduced me to Elliot Page (Ellen Page, at the time) was Juno. It was such a weird movie, but it had its charm and I liked it for what it was. So when I found out he transitioned and wrote a book talking about it, I got very curious to see what it was all about and I quickly added it to my TBR.

I listened to this book in the audiobook format, narrated by the author. He talks in a deep, monotone voice, and I can see some people not loving that. I personally was okay with it, but keep that in mind if you decide to listen to the book instead of reading it because you can catch yourself closing your eyes from time to time.

I have a few conflicting feelings about this memoir. On the one hand, we get a glimpse of what his life was like, the changes he went through, and his struggles with mental illness. But on the other side, I kind of wish the focus of the book was on him instead of focusing so much on his romantic relationships. It seemed at times, the focus was just saying “I dated this famous person and this happened”, then “I also dated that famous person”. I understand it’s part of his story, but I wish the focus was mostly on him.

The writing was overall okay, but I have only one thing that I need to mention. If the book followed a timeline it would be easier to enjoy. This book is all over the place, and it’s difficult for the reader to not get lost when you’re constantly going back in forth. There were so many random small stories added that you keep thinking “Why did they add this?”. That made it difficult to enjoy, personally.

At the end of the day, I appreciate Elliot speaking his truth and sharing his experience with transitioning, dealing with the media, and discovering himself. Compared to other memoirs, it wasn’t great – but it was still okay.

“My friend Kira always said that life is like an extremely difficult, horribly unbalanced videogame. When you’re born, you’re given a randomly generated character, with a randomly determined name, race, face, and social class. Your body is your avatar, and you spawn in a random geographic location, at a random moment in human history, surrounded by a random group of people, and then you have to try to survive for as long as you can. Sometimes the game might seem easy. Even fun. Other times it might be so difficult you want to give up and quit. But unfortunately, in this game you only get one life. When your body grows too hungry or thirsty or ill or injured or old, your health meter runs out and then it’s Game Over. Some people play the game for a hundred years without ever figuring out that it’s a game, or that there is a way to win it. To win the videogame of life you just have to try to make the experience of being forced to play it as pleasant as possible, for yourself, and for all of the other players you encounter in your travels. Kira says that if everyone played the game to win, it’d be a lot more fun for everyone.” – 3.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: AI technology, conscious avatars, riddles, fancy headsets, vintage video games, a few more 80’s references, the OASIS, and a new hunt.

An unexpected quest. Two worlds at stake. Are you ready?

Days after winning Oasis founder James Halliday’s contest, Wade Watts makes a discovery that changes everything.

Hidden within Halliday’s vaults, waiting for his heir to find, lies a technological advancement that will once again change the world and make the Oasis a thousand times more wondrous—and addictive—than even Wade dreamed possible.

With it comes a new riddle, and a new quest—a last Easter egg from Halliday, hinting at a mysterious prize.

And an unexpected, impossibly powerful, and dangerous new rival awaits, one who’ll kill millions to get what he wants.

Wade’s life and the future of the Oasis are again at stake, but this time the fate of humanity also hangs in the balance.

Lovingly nostalgic and wildly original as only Ernest Cline could conceive it, Ready Player Two takes us on another imaginative, fun, action-packed adventure through his beloved virtual universe, and jolts us thrillingly into the future once again.

Oh how disappointing this was. 

I fell in love with the first book and was amazed at the world-building and creativity… but this sequel just wasn’t as good. I truly believe reading this sequel ruins what was created in the first book.

The story gets picked right after Wade wins the contest in the first book. When I first started this, I was curious to see what the author was going to create next but unfortunately, I was quickly disappointed. To be honest, this sequel was completely unnecessary and added nothing to the story. 

There was also a hunt in this book (the “Seven Shards of the Siren’s Soul.”), but it felt forced and it wasn’t even close to being as good as the first one. Still, it was probably my favorite thing about the book. The pacing was very slow and I didn’t like how this book changes your view on Halliday. He went from a sweet, introverted nerd to a psychopathic stalker! As you can imagine, this revelation makes you think differently about the first book, which I did not appreciate.

Of course, I still liked the 80’s references and movies, but it wasn’t enough to take this book from a 3-star rating to a 4-star rating. It was just okay, with a few extra points for the retro references and movies – that Prince World was a little too weird for me though.

I wish I could delete this book from my mind.

“I created the OASIS because I never felt at home in the real world. I didn’t know how to connect with the people there. I was afraid, for all of my life, right up until I knew it was ending. That was when I realized, as terrifying and painful as reality can be, it’s also the only place where you can find true happiness. Because reality is real.” – 5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: vintage videogames, 80’s references, clues, hunts, cheaters, improbable friendships, stacks of trailers, easter eggs, the OASIS, and the “High Five”.

In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he’s jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade’s devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world’s digital confines, puzzles that are based on their creator’s obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. When Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade’s going to survive, he’ll have to win—and confront the real world he’s always been so desperate to escape.

This book was INCREDIBLE! It has been a while since I’ve read a book this good!

I was fully immersed in this book in a way that only readers could know. I had so much fun! The funny thing is I’m not even a science-fiction reader, but some dystopian books steal my heart once in a while and I just can’t resist their charm. And that’s exactly what happened with “Ready Player One”!

Ernest Cline created the most interesting world, full of retro videogames and 80’s references. The hunt made the story super interesting, the plot was captivating, the characters were great (I loved Wade as a main character) and the deep message behind this story is a very important one.

If you watched the movie adaptation, keep in mind that it’s very different from the book! Of course not everything is different and the gist of the plot – yes, not plot, but the gist of the plot – is the same, but the movie doesn’t do justice to the book. It would be almost impossible to recreate this book in a movie format because it’s very complex and there are so many cool elements that would be difficult to incorporate. Also, a big part of the movie plot is taken from the second book! So even if you watch the movie, I highly recommend you read this book, it’s so much better!

Unfortunately, the second book in the duology was not good and I wish I never read it, but I digress! My advice for you is to pick up this book, read it, love it (even reread it if you want to)… but after you finish it, don’t think about picking the second book. In my humble opinion, it destroys the awesomeness of the first book and you can’t look at it the same way after reading the second book. It’s not worth it!

After finishing “Ready Player One”,  I immediately knew I was going to reread this one day. I loved all the details, the complex hunt, the clues, the 80’s references, the videogames mentioned. It was such a complex, detailed, piece of art that can’t be read only once, but needs to be enjoyed more!

I had a wonderful time reading this, and I can’t recommend it enough!

“In your thirties something strange starts to happen. It’s a mere hiccup at first, an instant of hesitation. How old are you? Oh, I’m — you start confidently, but then you stop. You were going to say thirty-three, but you’re not. You’re thirty-five. And then you’re bothered, because you wonder if this is the beginning of the end. It is, of course, but it’s decades before you admit it.” – 4/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: senior homes, old memories, difficult routines, inexperienced vets, and of course, water for elephants.

When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.

Beautifully written, Water for Elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford.

I wasn’t even planning on reading this book anytime soon, but one day I saw it in my TBR and decided to give it a go!

I read this randomly near the end of the year 2023… and I just can’t stop thinking about it. I didn’t know the story or anything about it before picking it up, so I was completely in the dark – in the end, I ended up giving it a 4-star rating! It was a fascinating and well-made story. I have to say I found the animal abuse scenes disturbing and upsetting to read, but I get why they were important to the story. 

I’m not sure if this was popular when it came out, but if it wasn’t, this deserves all the hype! It was a very heartbreaking read, but there is something very special about this book that has stuck with me. 

Also, a few weeks after finishing the book, the movie version was on TV and I ended up seeing it! If you saw the movie, I would say that you don’t necessarily need to read the book because I thought they did a good job adapting the story to the big screen. But of course, there’s always something that is lost so if you like the story, I would say to read the book anyway!

“My heart is not mine to give because it is already yours.” – 3.25/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: old friendships, witches, fishermen, mermaids, princes, 3 days, true love, a first kiss, drownings, and… revenge.

Everyone knows what happens in the end. A mermaid, a prince, a true love’s kiss. But before that young siren’s tale, there were three friends. One feared, one royal, and one already dead.

Ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. A freak. A curse. A witch.

A girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears offshore and, though the girl denies it, Evie is convinced that her best friend actually survived. That her own magic wasn’t so powerless after all. And, as the two girls catch the eyes—and hearts—of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after.

But her new friend has secrets of her own. She can’t stay in Havnestad, or on two legs, unless Evie finds a way to help her. Now Evie will do anything to save her friend’s humanity, along with her prince’s heart—harnessing the power of her magic, her ocean, and her love until she discovers, too late, the truth of her bargain.

Some people may want to read this book knowing this is a Little Mermaid retelling, and if that’s the case, I need to tell you this. While the story progressed I kept thinking “…how is this a Little Mermaid retelling?”. That kept going on for a while and eventually, my question was answered and I finally understood what the resemblance was. For this reason, I want to tell you to keep in mind that this is still very different from the story we all know. If you’re a fan of the Disney version and want to read this book for that reason, let me tell you straight up: you’ll be disappointed!

The writing was okay. There are two timelines here, but I personally was not confused by that format. The author uses two timelines to explain the main event and also the “present”, 4 years after. The pacing is on the slower side, especially during the first half of the book. Things took a while to start moving and I admit my attention was starting to get lost.

Still, there were a few elements in this book that kept me interested and wanting to keep reading – like the mystery surrounding Anna -, but other elements were a little too repetitive – for example, the fact they kept repeating the main event that started it all in different perspectives.

The characters in this book are a little bland, and even though there is some romance in here, the story feels a little flat. I liked the “main” romance, but the “secondary” romances felt a little too insta-lovey for my taste.

Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it – it was okay. I think there are better mermaid stories out there, so I wouldn’t exactly recommend this one. With that being said, it’s not a bad story and it was entertaining at the end of the day.

“Hell with you sounds like heaven to me.” – 4.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: ugly paintings, offices, libraries, nights out, threats, homemade videos, recognizable shoes, skiing, redheads, a ton of angst, and an enemies-to-lovers trope.

He hates her…almost as much as he wants her.

Gorgeous, cocky, and fast on his way to becoming a hotshot doctor, Josh Chen has never met a woman he couldn’t charm—except for Jules f**king Ambrose.

The beautiful redhead has been a thorn in his side since they met, but she also consumes his thoughts in a way no woman ever has.

When their animosity explodes into one unforgettable night, he proposes a solution that’ll get her out of his system once and for all: an enemies with benefits arrangement with simple rules.

No jealousy.

No strings attached.

And absolutely no falling in love.

**

Outgoing and ambitious, Jules Ambrose is a former party girl who’s focused on one thing: passing the attorney’s bar exam.

The last thing she needs is to get involved with a doctor who puts the SUFFER in insufferable…no matter how good-looking he is.

But the more she gets to know him, the more she realizes there’s more than meets the eye to the man she’s hated for so long.

Her best friend’s brother.

Her nemesis.

And her only salvation.

Theirs is a match made in hell, and when the demons from their past catch up with them, they’re faced with truths that could either save them …or destroy everything they’ve worked for.

Twisted Hate is a steamy enemies with benefits/enemies to lovers romance. It’s book three in the Twisted series but can be read as a standalone.

Warning: It contains explicit content, profanity, and topics that may be sensitive to some readers. For details, please see content notes inside the book. Recommended for 18+.

My favorite book from the series so far!

I’m a sucker for a good enemies-to-lovers story, so I was excited and hopeful about this one – although I wasn’t exactly expecting a lot from it after reading the previous book because I ended up being disappointed. The plot is a pretty typical one for a modern romance: the story of a girl who is running away from her past and mistakes, so she moves to another town to start over. But of course, her past catches up with her and she even starts getting blackmailed – then the guy comes and saves her. It’s not exactly a groundbreaking plot, but not necessarily a bad one in my eyes!

I really liked Josh Chen as the romantic interest, and to be honest, he’s probably the reason why I liked this book as much as I did. In comparison to the first two love interests (Alex and Rhys), Josh is more… normal? He seems like a good, outgoing guy, as opposed to Ale, who has a “too much” gene, and Rhys who is overly grumpy. I also liked Jules as a main character, and how fierce and strong she was! She was also very different from the previous two main characters with her fiery red hair and attitude!

The romance was pretty good! I’m a big fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope, so this was a treat for me. There’s a lot of anger, angst, and sexual tension behind their clever banter, which I loved! Also, I really liked the nicknames Josh gave Jules, my favorite one being JR (Jessica Rabbit) – and the one she hated the most.  

As a side note, I’m also glad that Josh and Alex were working things out in this book. I still think they have a long way to go, but I’m glad things are moving forward. Good for you Josh! It was also fun to see the girls together now and then, and the author took the opportunity to introduce Stella, the main character of the next book. It was a smooth transition to the next book!

The writing is okay and it is easy to follow. The books are on the bigger size, but it’s super easy to read without feeling demotivated. The plot itself wasn’t bad and I was fairly entertained, so I think this series is a good option if you just want to read an easy romance/smut book.

To finish this review, I feel like I have to mention the hype around these books: I do believe this series is a little overrated. I don’t think the books are bad… just not great as most people promote them. They’re entertaining but I still think they lack something. Maybe plot-wise or weird pacing, I can exactly pinpoint what it is.

Like I said, from the three books I’ve read from the series, this is so far my favorite. I had high expectations when I started Bridget’s story because I thought that would be closer to what I like in romances, but I felt like something was missing. Then I thought about what went right with this book, and the answer is: the characters made this book. If they didn’t have great personalities, I don’t think this book would have worked for me. Josh and Jules had chemistry and great banter, so I believe that’s the reason why this was my favorite.

Ok, only one book missing now… I can see the finish line!

“Why do you think it’s so popular? The missing-woman story?”
“Because who can resist a damsel in distress?” – 3.25/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: letters, non-bio sandwiches, caves, fake names, and a lot of sneaking out.

A couple’s fifteen-year marriage has finally gotten too interesting…

Our love story is simple. I met a gorgeous woman. We fell in love. We had kids. We moved to the suburbs. We told each other our biggest dreams, and our darkest secrets. And then we got bored.

We look like a normal couple. We’re your neighbors, the parents of your kid’s friend, the acquaintances you keep meaning to get dinner with.

We all have secrets to keeping a marriage alive.

Ours just happens to be getting away with murder.

I’ve been wanting to read this book for years! It’s funny how I barely pick thrillers anymore, but this was probably the only one I had on my TBR that I really wanted to read for the synopsis. A couple that spices up their boring lives and marriage by killing women together? That sounded so different and interesting!

Unfortunately, this wasn’t what I expected and the story ended up disappointing me a little. I was hoping we would see their dynamic together while kidnapping and killing the women, but we get almost nothing of the sort. A big portion of the book is focused on the kids and the parents thinking about how their actions are affecting them. Also, I thought this would be a dual POV since the couple is doing it together, but instead, we only get the husband’s POV. There’s a lot of “what is my wife doing to the women behind my back” and not a lot of “this is what we are doing to the women”.

There’s a bit of a plot twist at the end, but I didn’t think it was surprising. You kind of see it coming as the story progresses. Also, the pace is on the slower side, so coupling this with the fact there’s almost no action… it gets a little boring.

It wasn’t a terrible book and part of me was entertained, but I thought the story would be a little better and more engaging. Oh well, at least I’ve finally read it!

“We want you to be better than us. Because if our kids don’t grow up to be better than us, then what’s the point of all this? We want you to be kinder, smarter, more humble, more generous, and more selfless than we are. We want to give you the very best circumstances we can possibly provide. So we follow sleeping methods and go to seminars and buy ergonomic bathtubs and push car-seat salesmen up against the wall and shout, ‘The safest! I want THE SAFEST, doyouhearme?!’ (Not that I’ve ever done that, of course; you shouldn’t pay so much attention to what your mother says.)” – 3.5/5 stars!

Attention! This book contains: starting bands, strong women, masculinity, justice, IKEA, teams, helpful (and unhelpful) advice, and tons of poop.

Things My Son Needs to Know About the World collects the personal dispatches from the front lines of one of the most daunting experiences any man can experience: fatherhood.

As he conveys his profound awe at experiencing all the “firsts” that fill him with wonder and catch him completely unprepared, Fredrik Backman doesn’t shy away from revealing his own false steps and fatherly flaws, tackling issues both great and small, from masculinity and mid-life crises to practical jokes and poop.

In between the sleep-deprived lows and wonderful highs, Backman takes a step back to share the true story of falling in love with a woman who is his complete opposite, and learning to live a life that revolves around the people you care about unconditionally. Alternating between humorous side notes and longer essays offering his son advice as he grows up and ventures out into the world, Backman relays the big and small lessons in life, including:

-How to find the team you belong to
-Why airports explain everything about religion and war
-The reason starting a band is crucial to cultivating and keeping friendships
-How to beat Monkey Island 3
-Why, sometimes, a dad might hold onto his son’s hand just a little too tight.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Man Called Ove shares an irresistible and moving collection of heartfelt, fictional, humorous essays about fatherhood, providing his newborn son with the perspective and tools he’ll need to make his way in the world.

Reading this small book felt like reading a heart-warming love letter. This is such a beautiful and loving dedication from the author to his newborn son, and I’m glad he decided to share it with the world as well.

I would describe this small book as a collection of essays, where the author describes to his newborn son his first time experiencing fatherhood. He says to his son that he will fail a lot as a parent and how much he is trying. He also gives him “practical” advice on multiple everyday things – which was very funny considering the chosen topics! And yet, there’s a lot of love and wisdom behind his words – and that’s not only directed to his son but to his wife as well. She also received her fair share of love letters from this small book, and it was a joy to read about it!

I’ve read a few Fredrik Backman books before this one, and I can see his familiar humor shining through. I just love how funny this was! Fredrik Backman has a great sense of humor and I’m glad we got to see it not hidden behind his works of fiction.

It’s not often you see a fiction author open up a window like this to their personal lives. Sometimes in the world of fiction, we easily to forget that authors are real people who live real lives and have real experiences. This book made me think about my favorite authors and the kinds of lives they’re living and what challenges they are dealing with daily.

It was a book that made me feel very happy and warm inside. Also, it was a very easy read and I read it in one sitting! I would recommend this one to Fredrik Backman fans, but I’m sure if you have kids this would be a very special read anyway.