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Good Spirits by BK Borison

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🔥🔥

When I woke up this morning I was incredibly surprised, delighted, and excited, to find this DRC waiting on NetGalley for me. BK Borison is an auto-buy author for me because she's literally never let me down.

And let me tell you, she certainly didn't with this one.

This book's premise is an adorable twist on A Christmas Carol, where the ghost of an Irish fisherman from 1902, named Nolan, has been given the afterlife career of Ghost of Christmas Past. In this world there's a whole Department of Ghostly Affairs that handle many ghostly issues(and I can't wait to see what mischief they all get up to). Nolan is sent to show antique shop owner and chronic people pleaser, Harriet, the error of her ways before the stroke of midnight on Christmas Eve. Except…none of Harriet's ways seem to have erred. 🤔

While both characters are very well fleshed out, we got a little more of Harriet's development than we did of Nolan's, and while the book definitely didn't suffer for it, I did find myself wishing to know more about him and his life in 1902.

The romance was so sweet and cozy, spicy (whew 🔥🔥), and lightly angsty, with absolutely no third act breakup and finishes with an absolutely lovely HEA.

I don't want to give much more away…but, be on the lookout for the most adorable kitty, candy canes galore, and multiple winky shout outs to everyone's favorite Christmas tree farm (which delighted the heck out of me everytime).

I genuinely can't wait to read this again when it's published and to listen to the audiobook over and over and over in the coming years.

Hoping book two comes to us soon because I am intrigued by the glimpses of possible MCs we got in this book and can't wait to see if it's Isabella (please let it be Isabella).

As always, thank you to Avon for providing this DRC for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are entirely my own.

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Sometimes I wish I could just be dead for a little while. Like...take the potion that Juliet took so I could wake up eventually, but also so my family could experience what it would be like to lose me.

Sometimes I feel so taken for granted and when I say something about it they tell me that I'm not, they don't take me for granted.

But if they don't...why do I feel that way?

So I wish I could die for just a little while so they could feel the loss and maybe understand a little better.

But knowing my luck they'd just cremate me, put my ashes in a ziploc bag, on a shelf in the closet and go on with their lives.

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Tonight, while at dinner with my family, I was told that I talk like I'm trying to hit a word count.

I'm still reeling.

I've always been a talker, and I've always been told that I give too much detail about things when I talk. But I'm also ADHD and I have a hard time figuring out what's important for someone to know in a story and what isn't, mostly because I like detail and so it's hard for me to understand or realize that other people don't.

I struggle with self editing.

I try. I really do...but it's been a lifelong struggle and I'm 42 years old now.

But tonight, I've laid in bed for almost three hours now, trying to get over this, trying to not feel hurt, trying to not cry...and I finally gave up, got out of bed and sat down to write this, hoping it will help me process the emotions and then maybe I can go to sleep.

I was just explaining to my husband about the new video game I started playing yesterday. And, to be honest, I didn't really feel like I was getting wordy. I hadn't been talking for long at all.

I was explaining that the game mechanics were a struggle to understand at first and that I spent the day trying to figure them out, but that just when I thought I had them, I discovered that I didn't. I was in the middle of giving an example when I was interrupted by my youngest son, who edited my conversation for me.

He basically said everything I'd already said, but more concisely and quickly and then he told me "You talk like you're trying to hit a word count." This made my oldest son laugh and say, "Yeah, it's like you're writing an essay." And my husband didn't chime in...but he also didn't tell them they were being rude, so then it kind of felt like he agreed.

And I'm sitting here wrestling with feeling like my entire family (who, it must be said are my only family. I have literally no one else) is uninterested in listening to anything I have to say. I feel stupid and foolish and like I want to sew my lips shut and never say another word to them ever again.

I'm scared now that I'm going to constantly worry about whether or not I'm talking too much, not only to them, but to everyone I talk to.

But worst of all, I feel unloved, unseen, and unknown, in my own family, by my own children.

And I don't really know how to get over that.

A part of me just wants to leave them all. To just get in the car and leave and never come back. I know that's extreme...but that's how it makes me feel. I honestly feel, in this moment, like they wouldn't miss me at all. They're all asleep and I'm awake, feeling dismissed and hurt.

And I honestly don't know what to do now, because I said something to my son this evening when we were getting ready for bed. I told him that he'd really hurt my feelings and that now I kind of feel like none of them want to hear anything that I want to say and he didn't really apologize, but instead pretty much doubled down.

I guess I'm not sleeping tonight.

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A Rebel Without Claws by Juliette Cross

This is an ARC review of a book that won't be released until 2025. Proceed with reading my review at your own risk...you've been warned.

This was not up to par with what I'm used to from this author. The characters were very two dimensional and kind of flat. It was very "insta-lust" which I'm guessing is supposed to be explained away by the fact that they're mates, but there was very little chemistry between them to get us to that point. She walked in the door, he smelled her, and bing, bang, boom, MATES. I did enjoy Ronan's struggle with his past, but his insistence that he was okay without his wolf was weird and never really fleshed out, nor was his comfortability with his wolf once he made his appearance. What was that like for him? Did he keep shifting? Did he enjoy the shifting? Did he come to look forward to it? Did it change his personality at all? How does he manage his wolf now? Does it make it harder for him in the cage? These are all questions that could be answered in future books but I'd have rather had at least a few of them in this one. Celine was not at all interesting. Her past experience was sad but it felt very glossed over. We heard more about how her parents and brothers reacted to it than we did about how she felt about it aside from her reluctance to give Ronan access to her location on the Life365 app. All in all, I was hoping for more. But I'm also aware that this may be a rough draft and the things I was missing may be added/adjusted once ARC feedback is received. I'll still read the next book, hoping that it progresses the story a bit better but I'm oddly disappointed with this one and I didn't want to be.

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The Rest Is History by Sara Madderson

I'm going to be VERY salty in this review...You've been warned.

The below is ABSOLUTELY CHOCK FULL of SPOILERS.

I was convinced to read this because the MCs were history teachers and he was the head of department and also played Henry VIII at Hampton Court and when he hires the FMC as a substitute teacher while someone else is on Mat leave he immediately falls for her, but refuses to treat her kindly because he's got a secret and he can't allow himself to be in a relationship because of it. Wait until you hear the secret...it's a doozy.

BUT...then the woman playing Anne B at Hampton Court has to have surgery (I'm guessing Cynthia ended up needing something doing....that's what I told myself) and since he overheard girlie saying she needed more money because she moved down there from The City (gag) to help her twin sister raise her daughter after twin sister's husband left her abruptly (fucking MEN) he offers her the part of Anne...and WHOOPS...they get a little too into the roles.

Guess his "secret" though...

The reason this man can't have a relationship with this woman, even though he is full on lusting after her, dicking her down in all the rooms at Hampton Court, drooling over her neck, and comparing it to ANNE B'S (excuse me?!?!?). This mother fucker takes her to a BBQ at his older brother's house...intro's her to all of his nieces and nephews, his brother and ex sister in law and current sister in law (because the brother knows how to coparent and they're all very mature...which I appreciated actually) and then the next fucking day breaks up with her because HE'S STERILE. He can't give her babies. And I am dying. Of all the misogynistic bullshit.

Woe is him. 🙄

And he knows that she loves him...he knows that if he tells her she's going to choose him and he doesn't feel like that's fair. He doesn't want to LET her choose to be with him in spite of the fact that his sperms aren't sperming so he gives her no choice. Because of course he doesn't.

And the whole thing is resolved when his two SILs go to the FMC and tell her because he's REFUSING TO and she goes to his house and is like:

And then she reminds him that things like sperm donors and adoptions exist.

I know infertility is an issue. I do. I know it's a sensitive topic and I don't mean to be rude about it. But it was insanely annoying that this man did NOTHING but beat himself up over it...even though he'd "been to therapy". It just felt so unrealistic to me that he wouldn't be able to discuss it with her. Like...who pulls the shit he pulled? (hide spoiler)]

TLDR: All in all...I was highly annoyed by this book and the writing. The plot was tenuously put together and I'm very glad that there was a blurb at the end of the book telling me that the author is also Elodie Hart and the author of the insanely BookTok popular Alchemy series...so I can avoid it.

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Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto

LOOK AT THIS COVER 😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱

Not Another Love Song by Julie Soto

My rating: 5 of 5 stars As a musician myself I couldn't wait to read this book. Almost my entire romantic history has been with other musicians and I fully understand how powerful the bond of music can be between two people. Musicians love differently, I think because we feel emotion in a slightly different way…but I digress. This book felt like watching Mozart in the Jungle all over again…and for me that's a HUGE compliment because I adore that show. I was super sexy (the spice was just the right amount…and just so beautifully and emotionally written), and lyrical, musical (which is odd to explain because obviously I couldn't hear it, but I made the choice to listen to a classical playlist, filled with concertos, that I'd put together…just to give myself the atmosphere), while also being superbly plotted and paced. All of the side characters were fleshed out fairly well and in such a way that I didn't feel like they were taking over the story, nor did I want to know more about them (except for Dom…and I'm hoping we get a future book with him) because they were exactly what they were supposed to be, support for the two MCs. All in all this entire book felt incredibly realistic to me, like it could actually be happening, like Alex and Gwen might actually be in NYC, playing music in his apartment while I'm typing this…and that's honestly the highest compliment I can give a book…When I can imagine the characters as real people that I might want to bump into on the street or go and catch a performance from, I know it's a good one. I use the CAWPILE Review method for my reviews ( see explanation here ) just to keep me honest and help me understand what exactly it was that I liked/didn’t like. My rankings and ultimate rating are below. Characters: 9/10 Atmosphere/Setting: 8/10 Writing: 9/10 Plot: 10/10 Intrigue: 10/10 Logic/Relationships: 10/10 Enjoyment: 10/10 total: 66/70 - divided by 7 = 9.4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️ View all my reviews

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"Sorry, is this alright?"

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My issue with the way they’re writing Lucy’s career advancement, stems from how they wrote Nolan’s advancement. Lucy and Nolan started out the same time but Nolan gets treated better because he’s “a good guy.” “He’s not like the other boys.” “ He’s someone you can talk to.” “He’s older and has life experience.”

Honestly if he was a TO without getting a golden ticket, I would’ve been fine with it. But nooooo the “main character” has to get the golden ticket. He’s doing a terrible job as a TO but he still gets praised. He gets praised for disrespecting orders too. He gets treated as an equal to Tim, Nyla and Angela. That in itself is wild considering that Lucy and Aaron are closer to being his equal.

It boils down to it’s not fair how Lucy’s career is treated versus Nolan’s. It gets me heated each time I think about it. I could say something about how gender and race play a role in this but I don’t have the energy to debate that.

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Elizabeth: When you saw me at Pemberley after I told you you were the last man in the world I’d ever be prevailed on to marry… were you angry?

Darcy: I was surprised. That took about (checks watch) thirty minutes to shake off. Then I wanted to marry you again.

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2024: Book 53 - Here For the Cake

Here For The Cake by Jennifer Millikin My rating: 5 of 5 stars I took a huge risk on this book and actually didn't read the reviews for it beforehand, just the blurb. I think I've only read one book by this author and while I rated that book 3 stars, I don't remember reading it at all…even though it was only three years ago. But this book…WHEW! I was at 38% in when I was already texting my bestie, telling her that I thought this was going to be a five star read for me…and it was. It so was. Everything about this was amazing. The communication between the MCs, Paisley and Klein, was impeccable. I thought for SURE I was going to be reading the dreaded miscommunication trope…but no…the thing that was miscommunicated was made clear very early in the story and both parties moved on…accepting it for what it was…a simple miscommunication. Both characters had issues to work through and both characters accepted the validation and affirmations they were being given by the other. It was a perfectly lovely relationship. All of the drama was extraneous to their relationship and it was so realistic and believable. The banter between Paisley and Klein was IMMACULATE and created incredible tension that held me in a chokehold. There were texts that had me giggling and blushing because they were so cute and flirty. Additionally, I very much appreciated the spice. It was spicy, but without all the crude euphemisms, which have their place…don't get me wrong…but they would have been weird in this particular setting. I honestly did not want this book to end and that's rare for me. I use the CAWPILE Review method for my reviews (see explanation here), just to keep me honest and help me understand what exactly I liked/didn't like. My ratings are below. Characters: 9/10 Atmosphere/Setting: 8/10 Writing: 10/10 Plot: 9/10 Intrigue: 9/10 Logic/Relationships: 9/10 Enjoyment: 9/10 Total rating 63/70 divided by 7 = 9 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 🌶️ 🌶️ View all my reviews

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2024: A DNF - A Matter of Temptation

A Matter of Temptation by Stacy Reid This is the second book by this author that I've tried because the blurbs sound so good…but I ended up DNFing them before I could even really get into them. The issue here is the stiltedness of the dialogue for me. For example: "I am to fight in a duel," he rushed out. "A duel!" He eyed her warily. "Yes." Bewilderment rushed through her. "What you say makes little sense. What do you mean you are to fight in a duel? Is this why you are heading to London?" He grimaced. "No, I plan to go back to London after the duel. I must leave soon or I will be branded a coward. We would be irretrievably ruined with no way forward if I am to develop such an indecent reputation." Mina padded closer to her brother, a tight feeling of panic gripping her. "Anthony, this is absurd. Dueling is illegal! If I recall correctly, they were made illegal many years ago. Just participating in a duel is a crime, and the risk to your person cannot be so lightly dismissed. How did you get involved in such a matter?" He gave her a longsuffering glance. "There are secretive, underground duels, Mina. Gentlemen have not stopped taking part in honor challenges because it was made illegal. Your naivete frustrates me." And that's where I stopped. Not seven pages in… SECRET UNDERGROUND DUELS?!?! Dueling is illegal IIRC? And then she has to go further to explain to him what illegal means?! No. No I can't. Forget about the lack of contractions…which is the peeviest of my pet peeves…because people USE contractions in real conversations. No one walks around talking to each other saying "No, I will not." "You cannot duel." "You should not risk your life this way" They use "won't", "can't" and "shouldn't"…But forget about that…Even with contractions this would have been the most ridiculous nonsense. So I DNF'd. I'm sorry to people who enjoy this author's work. I really am. Maybe it gets better? Is this an early work of hers? I did not (😏) check. I just noped out of there as fast as I could return it to the library. View all my reviews

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2024: Book 52 - Dust Storm

Dust Storm by Maggie C. Gates My rating: 4 of 5 stars I was hesitant going into this book because so many people were negative about the FMC, Cassandra, in their reviews…but I gave it a shot anyway and I’m glad I did. I enjoyed it very much. However…I do have a few gripes. Cass was indeed prickly and short, but there was no real explanation as to why, other than her fiance and a brief mention of her parents and family and how they weren’t very affectionate. I’m not sure that’s enough to make me buy that someone had a chip on their shoulder the size of the one Cass had. But I kind of invented a backstory for her in my head that didn’t work against the story and that was that…however, I wish I’d been given something a little more fleshed out for her. She was a fun character and I really enjoyed the way she grew, I just wanted to understand her better. Christian, on the other hand, was very well fleshed out. He was so well fleshed out, his backstory so strong, that some of it didn’t make a lick of sense to me at all and I just told myself I had to just go with it. I don’t fully understand why he felt everything that happened to anyone he cared about was his fault in particular, but I also know that sometimes our mental health issues just don’t make a lick of sense. The only thing I could actually see him thinking was his fault was his first wife passing…It was in no way his fault, he didn’t cause it, but I can see where he’d think he could have. I enjoyed the interactions with the kids on all sides and I didn’t think it was weird. Cass is open about the fact that she’s not a “kid person” and she shouldn’t be forced to become one. Some people don’t understand or enjoy children and there’s nothing wrong with that, as long as they aren’t bringing children into the world. All in all the book was interesting and fun and well paced. My only other issue was with the spice. There was something missing for me. All of the encounters were short and felt stilted and not as enjoyable as I wanted. But that’s a personal choice. I use the CAWPILE Review method for my reviews (see explanation here) just to keep me honest and help me understand what exactly it was that I liked/didn’t like. My rankings and ultimate rating are below. Characters: 8/10 Atmosphere/Setting: 8/10 Writing: 8/10 Plot: 8/10 Intrigue: 8/10 Logic/Relationships: 8/10 Enjoyment: 10/10 total: 58/70 - divided by 7 = 8.2 View all my reviews

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Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy being like, "I am 100% committed to respecting your 'no', but I heard you wouldn't promise my aunt not to marry me so I had to come and check just one (1) more time."

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2024: Book 33 - Catching Feelings

Catching Feelings by Maren Moore My rating: 4 of 5 stars I remember reading this and enjoying it very much…unfortunately that's about all I can remember at the moment…So, I'll need to come back and re-review this when I reread it.

I'm positive it wasn't anything wrong with the story, because I do have my CAWPILE ratings (see below) but for some reason my mind is blanking on this book…and I hate that because the CAWPILE says I really liked it. I use the CAWPILE Review method for my reviews (see explanation here), just to keep me honest and help me understand what exactly I liked/didn't like. My ratings are below. Characters: 8/10 Atmosphere/Setting: 6/10 Writing: 8/10 Plot: 7/10 Intrigue: 8/10 Logic/Relationships: 8/10 Enjoyment: 8/10 Total rating 53/70 divided by 7 = 7.5 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ View all my reviews

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2024: Book 32 - The Other Side of Disappearing

The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Clayborn My rating: 4 of 5 stars Kate Clayborn has some kind of magic in her mind that allows her to write stories about people who feel so real that it almost seems like you could pick the phone and text one of them and they'd respond. This book was deeply emotional, touching on themes of abandonment for both Jess the FMC and Adam the MMC as well as Jess's little sister Tegan. A road trip with a podcast crew kicks off the journey of emotions and revelations as Jess, Tegan and Adam, along with the host of the podcast that Adam works on, follow the clues left behind in five postcards sent to Jess by her mother. Everyone involved has a different end goal and they're all diametrically opposed…but somehow it stops mattering as the revelations star coming and the group connects in a deep and meaningful way, all five realizing they'd also been duped in different ways by the conman they were chasing. I'm not usually the type to compare authors because every author's voice is different to me and I love so many of them…but Kate Clayborn and Emily Henry feel very similar to me. Both explore more than just the romantic connections between their MCs and both usually come up with interesting premises to drive the story. All I know is that a new Kate Clayborn will always result in a pre-order and a day spent with new friends who I'm always sad to say goodbye to when the last chapter ends. I use the CAWPILE Review method for my reviews (see explanation here), just to keep me honest and help me understand what exactly I liked/didn't like. My ratings are below. Characters: 8/10 Atmosphere/Setting: 8/10 Writing: 10/10 Plot: 9/10 Intrigue: 10/10 Logic/Relationships: 9/10 Enjoyment: 10/10 Total rating 62/70 divided by 7 = 8.8 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 🌶️ 🌶️ View all my reviews