• Link to X
  • Link to Facebook
  • Link to Pinterest
  • Link to Instagram
The Bookish Libra
  • Home
  • Review Archive
    • Reviews by Author
    • Reviews by Genre
  • Review Policy
    • Review Policy
    • Review Ratings System
  • About Me
    • Contact Me
  • Click to open the search input field Click to open the search input field Search
  • Menu Menu
  • book blog
Previous Previous Previous Next Next Next
12

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Boyfriend & Original Twin

October 24, 2024/5 Comments/by Sharon

 

Welcome to another edition of Thriller Thursday with Sharon.  My reviews for this week are, The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden and Original Twin by Paula Gleeson. I enjoyed both of these books so much.

 

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Boyfriend & Original TwinThe Boyfriend Goodreads

Author: Freida McFadden

Publication Date: October 1, 2024

Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press

I can always guarantee that when I pick up a Freida McFadden book I am going to love it and her latest book The Boyfriend is no exception. I was very excited to read The Boyfriend and McFadden did not disappoint.

Sydney Shaw is a single thirty-year-old living in New York, and she has the worst luck with men. She has dated men who have stuck her with the check, lied on their dating profile, who are mama’s boys, and who won’t take no for an answer. Sydney believes she will never find Mr. Right. But then all that changes when she meets Tom, a charming, handsome doctor. Sydney thinks she has finally hit the jackpot. But when a young woman is brutally murdered and the prime suspect is a mystery man the woman dated, Sydney is on edge. She should feel safe dating Tom, but there are a few red flags that are starting to make Sydney suspicious that he may not be as perfect as she thought.  Sydney needs to get to the truth, or she could be the next victim.

The story is told in a dual timeline. In the present day we get Sydney’s POV as she navigates the dating world and tries to get the truth about Tom. And then we get Tom’s POV from when he was in high school.  In this POV we learn more about who Tom is.  I don’t want to say too much about what we learn from when Tom was in high school, I think getting that info as you read adds to the mystery and outcome of the story.

I liked Sydney for the most part, but I did think at times she made the worst decisions. She meets Tom, right after a young woman is murdered and yet she has no qualms about jumping right in. Sure, you are not going to just stop dating, but do a bit of research on the guy first. LOL!  I do give her points for what she does after she starts getting suspicious of Tom.

As always Freida McFadden created a story that had me engrossed from start to finish. As the story progressed and we got more info from Tom’s timeline, I really thought I had things figured out, and then McFadden threw in a twist that blew my theory out of the water.

The Boyfriend is another winner from Freida McFadden. If you have enjoyed her other books, then I believe you will enjoy this one as well.  And if you are looking for your first McFadden book, then definitely give The Boyfriend a read.   4 stars

 

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Boyfriend & Original TwinOriginal Twin Goodreads

Author: Paula Gleeson

Publication Date: June 1, 2024

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Original Twin is Paula Gleeson’s debut novel and what a debut it was. I am already looking forward to her next book that is due out next year.

May and June may be fraternal twins, but they are so different from each other. May is plain looking, quiet and withdrawn. Whereas June is beautiful, loud and outgoing. June went missing a year ago and at the time everyone thought it was just June being June. Now a year later they are having a funeral for June, even though she was never found. May doesn’t believe June is dead, but goes along with her father, aunt and grandmother to have the service. While she was looking through June’s things in her bedroom, May finds and old newspaper article from nineteen years ago. The article is about their mother who also vanished but turned up three weeks later. May had no idea their mother had also vanished at one time, but what really stands out is the date. Both June and their mother vanished on the same exact date. May now realizes that June was looking into the events of what happened to their mother. In order to find June and find out what happened to their mother, May has to follow the clues that June has left her. Following these clues will unbury a dark family secret.

I love how Gleeson unfolded this story. The book opens at June’s funeral, with May’s discovery of the newspaper article. And we then follow May as she finds more clues that June left her. With each clue that May finds, more questions are brought to life. We also get chapters from May and June’s mother, Diana. In these chapters we get bits of information on what happened to Diana when she was missing for those three weeks and the events that followed. And then there are chapters with letters that June wrote to Diana, who died the year before June went missing. In these chapters we follow as June investigates what happened to her mother all those years ago. I loved following each of these women and getting to know them, as well as trying to figure out both the mystery of what happened to Diana and what happened to June.

There were so many twists and turns in this story. I really thought I knew where things were going to go and then in comes a twist to turn things around. I was not sure who to trust while I was reading. I love when a story does that to me.

I thought all of the characters were well developed. They were all flawed and complicated. Original Twin was an amazing debut novel and I definitely recommend it.  4 stars

https://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Thriller-Thursday.jpg 800 800 Sharon http://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/trimmed-Copy-of-Bookish-Logo-copy.png Sharon2024-10-24 05:45:182024-10-23 10:43:32Thriller Thursday Reviews: The Boyfriend & Original Twin

Can’t Wait Wednesday – HER KNIGHT AT THE MUSEUM by Bryn Donovan

October 23, 2024/7 Comments/by Suzanne

 

“Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, which encourages fellow bloggers to spotlight upcoming releases that we’re excited about.  It is a meme that I have  loved participating in since I first started blogging, but as Jill is no longer actively posting, from now on I’ll be linking to Can’t Wait Wednesday, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, which is a spinoff of the original WoW meme.

* * * * *

My selection for this week is HER KNIGHT AT THE MUSEUM by Bryn Donovan.  This one caught my eye and I’m excited to read it since it sounds like it has the perfect blend of humor, fantasy, and romance.

HER KNIGHT AT THE MUSEUM by Bryn Donovan

by Berkley

Publication Date: November 12, 2024

 

Goodreads:

A centuries-long curse is no match for rom-com shenanigans when a medieval knight is brought to life in modern-day Chicago.

Forgotten by time and abandoned by hope, Sir Griffin de Beauford’s existence stretches out before him. Cursed by a ruthless enchanter to see, hear, and think, but never to move or speak, Griffin suffers the long, lonely centuries trapped in stone…until an unexpected kiss from a fair maiden breathes new life into his soul—and his body.

Emily Porter, a recently divorced conservator at the Art Institute of Chicago, is charged with the restoration of a statue of a medieval English knight. Breaking curses was not part of the job description. And yet, here he is, the man of her dreams come to life, resplendent in shining armor as he joyously barrels into priceless antiquities…and goes on to dismantle her defenses, wreak havoc on her senses, and tempt her to believe once more in happy-ever-afters.

But the modern age tries Griffin’s patience and pride, and Emily is a prime suspect in the investigation of the missing sculpture. In a complicated world, can they find their way to a fairy-tale ending?

 

* * * * *

I’d love to hear what upcoming book releases you’re waiting on this Wednesday? Leave me your link in the comments below and I’ll stop by and check out your CWW selection for this week. 🙂

https://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/knight-lg-scaled.jpg 2560 1660 Suzanne http://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/trimmed-Copy-of-Bookish-Logo-copy.png Suzanne2024-10-23 07:11:502024-10-23 07:11:50Can’t Wait Wednesday – HER KNIGHT AT THE MUSEUM by Bryn Donovan

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The House That Horror Built & The Swimmer

October 3, 2024/10 Comments/by Sharon

 

Happy Thriller Thursday! Sharon here with a couple of great books to read for spooky season.  🙂   This week I am happy to share my thoughts on Christina Henry’s, The House That Horror Built and Loreth Ann White’s, The Swimmer.   I hope everyone is getting some great reading in and if you have any recommendations for spooky season let me know. I love finding new authors.  😀

 

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The House That Horror Built & The SwimmerThe House That Horror Built Goodreads

Author: Christina Henry

Publication Date: May 14, 2024

Publisher: Berkley

I love Christina Henry, so I was very excited to read her latest book, The House That Horror Built. I am happy that I waited for spooky season to read this, as this book was perfect reading for this time of year.

Harry Adams is a single mother to fourteen-year-old Gabe. Harry loves horror movies and books, so no surprise that she takes a job cleaning the house of award-winning horror director Javier Castillo. His Chicago mansion, Bright Horses, is filled with props and costumes from not only his movies, but other horror movies as well. Javier lives as a recluse after a family tragedy five years ago. Harry keeps her head down and does her job, even though she swears she hears banging and voices coming from a locked room and is sure one of the props is moving and watching her. After being evicted from her apartment, Harry reluctantly moves with Gabe into Bright Horses with Javier, who has taken an instant liking to Gabe. But Harry soon realizes that moving in was a bad decision and she needs to get her and Gabe out of there before it is too late.  Javier is hiding secrets that put Harry and Gabe’s life in jeopardy.

OMG this book was so creepy and gave me the chills. As you know I also love horror, so I was instantly hooked. My first thought when I read the synopsis was, if my favorite horror director needed someone to clean their house, sign me up!  LOL!  But, If I started hearing noises coming from a locked room and the props started moving, I so would have been out of there. I have seen enough horror movies to know, that is not a good combination.

I love how Henry incorporated so many of my favorite horror movies into the story. There were so many mentions of my favorites, I would have loved to tour this house and see all the props. I also think Henry did a great job of creating Javier Castillo and bringing him to life. Being a horror director, he came across as odd and a bit quirky.

I really liked Harry and thought she was also a well-developed character, as well as her son Gabe. Harry does everything she can to give Gabe a good life. She has gone without things, just so he could have what he needs. She was a great mother. She instilled her love of horror in Gabe, so it was fun watching him in fan mode when he met Javier and toured the house.

I kind of figured out what Javier’s secret was, but there was a twist at the end I so did not see coming.

My only issue with this book is that I wish the end had more to it. It ended abruptly and I think there should have been at least one more chapter to explain things and tie everything up.  But all in all, I loved this book and if you are looking for a book to read this spooky season, I definitely recommend The House That Horror Built.  4 stars

 

Thriller Thursday Reviews: The House That Horror Built & The SwimmerThe Swimmer Goodreads

Author: Loreth Anne White

Publication Date: September 10, 2024

Publisher: Montlake

Loreth Ann White’s newest story, The Swimmer, is another winner.  This book had lots of twists and turns, characters I loved and characters I hated, as well as a few tearjerker moments.

Chloe Cooper has always been socially awkward. She is forty years old and for her whole life her mother has instilled in her to never draw attention to herself, and to trust her instincts. If something seems off, then it probably is.  Chloe spends her days caring for her ailing mother, as well as being a dog walker and bartender.  Chloe is also a people watcher. When new neighbors, Jemma and Adam Spengler, move in next door, Chloe is instantly drawn to watching them. One rainy morning while Chloe is walking her mother’s dog, she witnesses a swimmer get hit and killed by a jet ski. Chloe is sure that it was Adam on the jet ski and against her better judgement she calls the police and reports what she saw. In doing so, Chloe has put herself in the Spengler’s path. The Spengler’s are not the happy, carefree couple they portray to be, they are harboring secrets that has put Chloe’s life in danger.

The first part of the book is broken up into chapters labeled, The Hit-and-Run, and After-The-Hit-and-Run. The second part of the book is broken up into chapters labeled, Before the Murders and After the Murders.  And we also get chapters throughout the book from a true crime podcast called, It’s Criminal: The Chloe Cooper Story. I loved how Loreth Anne White created the story this way. It created so much suspense and mystery with lots of twists and turns added in. I found myself caught off guard so many times while I was reading.

I loved Chloe and had so much sympathy for her. I did find myself tearing up a few times while reading.  Being so socially awkward, Chloe did not always make the right decisions, and I found myself thinking “No Chloe don’t.” Especially when it came to Jemma. Chloe so wanted them to be friends and I hated how Jemma used that against Chloe. White did a great job in creating Chloe and having her jump off the pages.

White also did a great job in creating the other characters as well, especially Jemma and Adam. OMG! I loathed them both. LOL!

I really cannot say what happens in the story because I think it is best to go in blind and have the twists and turns blow your mind like they did mine.  If you are a Loreth Anne White fan, I recommend The Swimmer, I don’t think you will be disappointed.  4 stars

https://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Thriller-Thursday.jpg 800 800 Sharon http://thebookishlibra.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/trimmed-Copy-of-Bookish-Logo-copy.png Sharon2024-10-03 05:45:282024-10-02 10:11:04Thriller Thursday Reviews: The House That Horror Built & The Swimmer
Page 3 of 352‹12345›»

Follow Me on Social Media

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • Goodreads

About Me

me

Hi, I'm Suzanne. Proofreader by day, book blogger by night, devourer of books 24/7. My reading tastes: Basically you name it, I probably like it. I read a lot of contemporary and historical, both adult and YA, and I've also been enjoying more and more fantasy lately. Hobbies include: buying and hoarding of books, rambling about books to anyone who will listen, and trying to recommend books to my family and friends whether they are readers or not - because seriously, how can you not love to read books?

BOOKSTAGRAM

Thanks so much to @read_bloom for the gifted copy Thanks so much to @read_bloom for the gifted copy #partner.

🩵 Review - THE LAST SECOND CHANCE 🩵

Author - Lucy Score

Pub Date - Originally published 1/21/16, re-released by Bloom 5/6/25

Lucy Score is one of my go-to authors when I’m in the mood for a small town romance, and I’ve really been enjoying her Blue Moon series.  The Last Second Chance is the third book in the series, and this is Joey and Jax’s story.  I’ve been waiting for this one because it’s a second chance romance and whatever happened to drive them apart has been hinted at in the earlier books, but I’ve been dying to know the full story.

Joey and Jax were high school sweethearts, head over heels in love, but one night while out driving, they got into a horrific car accident that left Joey in the hospital. While Joey was still recovering, Jax abruptly left town and moved to Hollywood. Eight years later, he returns, a successful filmmaker, acting like no time has passed and looking to rekindle his romance with Joey. Joey hasn’t forgotten Jax and may still have strong feelings for him. Joey, however, most certainly has not forgiven him for the way he just abandoned her.

Their story actually made me more emotionally than I was expecting it to because their past is just so heartbreaking. Of course this is still a romcom though so there are plenty of humorous moments along the way as Joey makes Jax work his butt off to earn her forgiveness.  I loved that once he pulls his head out of his you-know-what, he’s willing to put in the work to try to win her back and has plenty of help from the townsfolk who also think he and Joey are meant to be together.  Between all of the romcom shenanigans and some very heartfelt, paintul but necessary conversations about what really happened eight years ago, this book just had me feeling so many emotions and I was right there with the good people of Blue Moon rooting for Joey and Jax to find their way to a happy ending. 

If you like small towns, second chances, horse farms, and lovable, quirky characters, you should check out The Last Second Chance and the Blue Moon series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - What are your favorite tropes?
Thanks for the free book & #gifted ALC @berkleyrom Thanks for the free book & #gifted ALC @berkleyromance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley & @prhaudio #prhaudiopartner

🩷 Review - OVERRULED 🩷

Author - Lana Ferguson

Pub Date - 7/1/25

Sparks fly between rival divorce lawyers both in the courtroom and between the sheets in Lana Ferguson’s new spicy romance novel, Overruled.

Danica “Dani” Pierce has no interest in love, as experience has shown it to be nothing but a source of heartache. She is solely focused on her career, specifically on making partner at her law firm. She can’t believe her luck when she lands a career-making case, only to learn her nemesis, Ezra Hart, will be her opposing counsel on the case. Not only will he make it hard for her to win the case, but she’s also secretly sleeping with him, which makes things even more awkward.  Ezra may have a winning record in the courtroom, but his charm has never worked on Dani.  He wishes she would see him as more than the playboy she seems to think he is. 

I had such a good time with this book! Enemies to lovers is my favorite trope, and I loved the twist of Dani and Ezra having this secret “enemies with benefits” arrangement. Lana Ferguson always delivers when it comes to writing spicy scenes so Dani and Ezra’s arrangement was pure fun.  Their chemistry was off the charts and their banter was hilarious, especially the nicknames they had for each other.  Dani had black cat energy and I cackled every time Ezra called her Sour Patch! 

Aside from being fun and spicy, this story also had some nice depth to it. I really enjoyed watching Dani and Ezra gradually grow closer. Dani is so fiercely independent and afraid of letting herself be vulnerable with another person. I was rooting hard for her to get past that because it was easy to tell that Ezra could be worth the risk and that he was not the playboy she thought he was. 

🎧I did an immersive read & thoroughly enjoyed the narration of Connor Crais & Samantha Summers, especially the way they made Ferguson’s banter pop off the page. I listened comfortably at 1.7x. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❓QOTD - If you had to pick an animal to describe your energy, what animal would you choose?

AOTD - Most days I’m a panda. 😂
🏖️ We can’t lie, we love JULY! 🏖️ Her 🏖️ We can’t lie, we love JULY! 🏖️

Here’s to the month of beaches, BBQs, and, of course, BOOKS with another round of our monthly spellstacks!

Summer is in full swing here, and while I don’t have any big travel plans, I’ll be spending July hanging out with my family, and especially, spending time with my son before he starts college this fall. 

Books featured in my July bookstack:

J - Jane and Edward by Melodie Edwards 
U - The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren
L - Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood 
Y - You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria 

Check out #JulySpellStack25 for a look at all our J-U-L-Y stackers, and if you see this, consider yourself challenged!

❓QOTD - Do you have anything fun planned for the month of July? 

Don’t forget to use #JulySpellStack25 to join us, and DM @cynsfictionaddiction to jump into our upcoming 2025 monthly SpellStack challenges.
📚 MESSY MONDAY - JUNE WRAP UP 📚 I’ll be s 📚 MESSY MONDAY - JUNE WRAP UP 📚

I’ll be sharing my July hopefuls sometime in the next day or so, but for today, here’s my June wrap-up. 

The company I work for does half day Fridays all summer long so I get quite a bit of extra reading time during those months. I read 22 books in June. Most were arcs but I also added two pretty thick books off my physical TBR, Quicksilver and Binding 13. 

With the exception of one book I DNFed after starting it three different times throughout the month and giving up each time, I really enjoyed everything I read, so I’d say it was a pretty good month. My photo features all of the physical copies I read, but I also read a few e-arcs and listened to several audiobooks as well. 

I got into such a groove with my reading that I got behind on my reviews so several of these reviews will be posting throughout the week. 

❓QOTD:  How was your reading month? What were some of your favorite June reads? 

❤️ 5 STARS ❤️

My Friends by Fredrik Backman
Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby
The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel

🧡 4.5 STARS 🧡

The Love Fix by Jill Shalvis
Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood
Sounds Like Love by Ashley Poston
Till Summer Do Us Part by Meghan Quinn

💛 4 STARS 💛

Finders Keepers by Sarah Adler
The Last Second Chance by Lucy Score
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware
Gold Coast Dilemma
Writing Mr. Wrong by Kelley Armstrong
Don’t Let Him In by Lisa Jewell
Quicksilver by Callie Hart
Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh
Slow Burn Summer by Josie Silver
Never Been Shipped by Alicia Thompson
Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage
Gloves Off by Stephanie Archer
Seas the Dating Coach by Laura Langa
Total Dreamboat by Katelyn Doyle

💚 3.5 STARS 💚

NONE

💙 3 STARS 💙

NONE

💜 2 or 1 STARS, or DNFs 💜

The Berry Pickers - DNF for now, may try again 

#bookstagram #bookstagrammer #books #bookish #booksbooksbooks #booklover #bookworm #booksta #moodreader #readersofinstagram #readmorebooks #igreads #igbooks #coverlove #booknerd #booksreadinjune #junewrapup #bookrecommendations
🩷 Match Your Bookmark Monday & What This Week 🩷

Is Match Your Bookmark Monday a thing?  If not, it should be! I’m obsessed with the color palette in this “Cozy Up with a Good Book” bookmark from @EmilyCromwellDesigns so I thought it would be fun to see if I could make a matching bookstack from the books on my shelves.  I think I got pretty close! 

Books Featured:

💙How to Hide in Plain Sight by Emma Noyes
💗Let’s Call Her Barbie by Renee Rosen
💚Wild Side by Elsie Silver
🩷Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood
💛Too Hard to Forget by Tessa Bailey
🧡This Could Be Us by Kennedy Ryan
💜Catching Feelings by Maren Moore

— WHAT THIS WEEK —

I honestly don’t have too much going on this week. It’s a short work week because of the 4th of July holiday but we don’t really have any big plans for that. We might do some grilling but otherwise I’ll just be taking advantage of the long weekend to get in some extra reading and review writing time. 

✨What I’m Reading - I’m reading Overruled, Rose in Chains, and Cake this week. 

✨What I’m Watching - Honestly nothing. I can’t even remember the last time I watched anything.

✨What I’m Listening to - My hold for the audiobook of Lights Out just became available so I’m starting that tonight.

✨What I’m Snacking on Lately - Popcorn and the occasional Snickers bar.

❓QOTD - Answer one of the above prompts.
✨25 in 2025 Read #12 - BELLADONNA by Adalyn Grac ✨25 in 2025 Read #12 - BELLADONNA by Adalyn Grace ✨

I don’t read much YA these days, but Belladonna is one that had caught my attention and I’m glad I read it because I ended up really enjoying it. I loved the unique premise of the story, particularly that of Signa, this girl who is unable to die even though death seems to be all around her and even when she actively seeks it out by ingesting poison. I also loved that Death is an actual character in the story, a shadowy alluring presence who is never far from Signa’s side.

When the story opens, Death has entered Signa’s home and killed her parents and all of their friends during a party. Signa, who is an infant at the time, is the sole survivor. Every family member Signa is then sent to live with also dies, leaving Signa angry and resentful of Death because she just wants somewhere she can call home. 

Signa fascinated me because she clearly has some kind of powers that protect her from dying as well as a most unique relationship with the character of Death. When Signa moves in with her last living relatives and soon realizes that someone is trying to kill her cousin, she confronts Death because she’s tired of losing her family. 

She gets Death to agree to help her figure out who is after her cousin and he also agrees to help her understand her powers, which brings Signa closer to Death than she has ever been before and she finds herself drawn to him.

I enjoyed that Belladonna was part mystery, part slow-burn paranormal romance with atmospheric Gothic vibes. I thought that kept things interesting and I loved all of the unexpected twists and turns as Signa and Death set out to find the would-be killer, and I also really enjoyed the character growth of Signa as we watch her grow from a vulnerable lonely child to a young woman who is ready to embrace and learn more about her mysterious powers. 

I wasn’t entirely sure if I would be into a romance where one of the characters was Death but the author sold me on it and I’m looking forward to continuing the series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - What are you reading this weekend?
📫 Forever Friday - Hannah Brown Book Mail 📫 📫 Forever Friday - Hannah Brown Book Mail 📫

Thanks so much to @readforeverpub for this fun bookmail.  Hannah Brown’s latest book The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain just came out this week and I’ve been seeing some great reviews for it, so I’m excited to have the opportunity to read it, along with Hannah’s debut novel, Mistakes We Never Made. 

🩵Synopsis for Mistakes We Never Made:

An epic coastal road-trip gives two lifelong rivals a second chance at love in this debut novel from The Bachelorette  star and  New York Times  bestselling author Hannah Brown. 

Perfect for fans of Emily Henry, MISTAKES WE NEVER MADE reminds us it’s never too late to risk falling in love, because being true to your heart is never a mistake. 

🩷 Synopsis for The Four Engagement Rings of Sybil Rain:

Forgetting Sarah Marshall meets Anyone But You in this novel from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author and The Bachelorette star Hannah Brown.

Sybil can’t wait to escape to a tropical paradise, all expenses paid. Well, technically the expenses were paid—last year, when she was supposed to honeymoon in Hawaii with her then-fiancé, Jamie. But she nearly plunges backwards into the infinity pool when she sees Jamie there, too…

Desperate to save face in front of the ex who broke her heart at the altar, Sybil accidentally-on-purpose blurts out that she’s vacationing with her boyfriend. But what starts as a harmless lie soon spirals into an ex-fiancé fiasco when Sebastian—the second of Sybil’s three failed engagements—pops by, fresh off a photography gig…

Sybil does her best to juggle two ex-fiancés. But it’s becoming clear that her past of broken promises must be reckoned with once and for all—including that first fiancé, Liam, the one she never talks about . . .

Is the notorious free-spirit, life-of-the-party, runaway bride Sybil Rain ready to heal from her three past engagements and make room in her heart for a fourth and final chance at love?

❓QOTD - Do you have any fun weekend plans?
Thanks to @simon.audio for the #gifted audiobook. Thanks to @simon.audio for the #gifted audiobook. #partner (Physical copy was purchased by me)

✨ Review - MY FRIENDS ✨

Author - Fredrik Backman

Pub Date - 5/6/25

I always find Fredrik Backman’s books hard to review because I feel like I never have the words to express how special they are. His latest book, My Friends, is an incredibly moving story that is at times heartbreaking, but also filled with warmth and humor.

One thing Backman does so well is he always makes me care deeply for his characters, to the extent that I’ll still vividly remember them years after reading one of his books. Louisa is an 18 year old artist whose best friend has recently died. Both were orphans in the foster system, so now Louisa is alone. She meets a man in an alley, not realizing he’s a famous artist. She tells him about her favorite painting, not realizing he’s the artist and the painting is of his best friends. When the artist dies, his friend Ted finds Louisa and gives the painting, the start of a life changing journey for her.

Louisa confesses to Ted she’s homeless and he offers to help her sell the painting. As they travel by train to make that happen, Ted and Louisa bond & he tells her the full story of the friends in the painting - Ted, Joar, Ali, and “the artist” - and just how important they were to each other. We see flashbacks of their lives, which were often so hard, they were almost painful to read in some cases. The teens’ friendships were such a beautiful contrast to all of the ugliness that surrounded them & I was so invested in their story, as was Louisa, who prodded Ted to continue every time he paused. I adored the bond between Ted and Louisa. They were so funny and in tune with one another, like Louisa had found her people. 

If you know me, you know I love the found family trope & with My Friends, I feel like Backman has written  the ultimate found family story. As heartbreaking as the story could be at times, there’s a beautiful underlying message about the power of friendship & having people believe in you.

Marin Ireland narrates the audiobook & turns in a phenomenal performance that had me feeling all the emotions!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓Last 5 star read?
Thanks to @hambright_pr and @jillshalvis for the # Thanks to @hambright_pr and @jillshalvis for the #gifted review copy!

🩷 Review - THE LOVE FIX 🩷

Author - Jill Shalvis

Pub Date - 6/24/25

Lexi Clark hasn’t been back to Sunrise Cove since she was a child. Her mother Daisy’s gambling addiction drove their family apart back then and Lexi moved away with her father.

The Lexi we meet when the story opens has since been fired from her job, cheated on, and has put walls up around her heart. Lexi has now reluctantly returned at the request of her stepsister Ashley to fulfill the last request of Daisy, who passed away a year ago. Shortly before her death, Daisy won the lottery and as a way to thank some people who helped her when her life hit rock bottom, she has divided the winnings into six envelopes and wants Lexi and Ashley to deliver them together, one a week until they’re all delivered. 

I started to get emotional as soon as I realized what Daisy was really trying to do with this seemingly odd request. I loved watching the sisters bond as they carried out Daisy’s wishes and how what starts out as a trip Lexi didn’t really even want to make turns into such a journey of healing for her. 

In addition to allowing her to bond with her stepsister, coming home allows Lexi to reconnect with Heath, her childhood rival now something more.  Their romance is a slow burn, but every interaction between them is just perfect. Heath has grown up to be this charming guy, and whether Lexi wants to admit it or not, she can’t get enough of him, even if he drives her crazy. While he may like to tease her, Heath understands all she has been through and is incredibly patient with her.  I loved the two of them together and was really rooting for both he and Ashley to knock all of those walls down around Lexi’s heart so that she could have the relationships she had been denying herself by closing herself off for so many years.

The Love Fix is the eighth and final book in Jill Shalvis’ Sunrise Cove series, and while I’m sad to see it end, Shalvis ends the series on a beautiful note, filled with warmth, humor, love, and family. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❓QOTD - Jill Shalvis is one of my auto-buy authors. Who are some of yours?
Thanks to @readforeverpub and @hachetteaudio for t Thanks to @readforeverpub and @hachetteaudio for the #gifted book and ALC! #partner

💜 Review - WRITING MR. WRONG 💜

Author - Kelley Armstrong

Pub Date - 6/24/25

Writing Mr. Wrong immediately appealed to me in that it’s both a hockey romance and it’s a book about books. 

Gemma is a romance author and when we meet her, she is promoting her debut novel, a novel where she has written the male lead to be a jerk, inspired by her first crush in high school, Mason Moretti, a now famous but aging hockey player. 

When the cover art for the book is revealed, a mean girl from high school who now happens to anchor a talk show offers to help Gemma promote her book. What she doesn’t tell Gemma is that she recognizes Mason and because she clearly hasn’t outgrown her mean girl ways, decides to blindside Gemma on live TV by inviting Mason to her show as well. 

Mason catches on to what Ms. Mean Girl is up to, thankfully, manages to turn what could have been a nightmare into a public lovefest for himself and Gemma instead, which then leads to their publicists suggesting some fake dating might help both of their careers.

I had such a good time with this story!  I love fake dating and a second chance romance, and since Gemma and Mason clearly still had feelings of some sort for one another, I was dying to know what happened between them in high school to inspire Gemma to put him in her book the way she did. 

I also loved that Mason read Gemma’s book since he knew he had inspired the male main character and that he actually learned from it. I already loved Gemma from the start, after learning that she was divorced and now making it on her own as an author, but Mason really stepped it up with some amazing character growth. 

I just really enjoyed the way Armstrong wrote this relationship. They supported each other as they figured things out. It felt very healthy and had me rooting for them as a couple all the more.

Patricia Santomasso & Sean Patrick Hopkins narrate the audiobook and I enjoyed their performances because they really had me feeling the chemistry and the history between Gemma & Mason.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - Do you enjoy books about books? Have a favorite?
Thanks for the free book and #gifted ALC @berkleyr Thanks for the free book and #gifted ALC @berkleyromance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley & @prhaudio #prhaudiopartner

💛 Review - FINDERS KEEPERS 💛

Author - Sarah Adler

Pub Date - 6/24/25

When we meet Nina, she is going through some things. She has just lost her teaching job, her boyfriend, and she has had to return to her hometown and move back in with her parents. The situation is not ideal, to say the least, especially when Nina realizes that Quentin, her estranged childhood best friend who she also had a crush on, is also back in town, and living next door. After an awkward reunion, Quentin convinces Nina they should revisit a treasure hunt they were in the middle of the last time they saw each other nearly 20 year ago, a treasure hunt that actually ended their friendship.

I love a second chance romance and I love it even more when it features childhood best friends. It was really sweet to watch these two reconnect. They clearly have so much history and I enjoyed how they interacted with one another once they got past their initial awkwardness and started to remember all of the things they loved best about each other. The treasure hunt added a fun little adventure to help reestablish that connection between them and I loved all of the banter between them while they were hunting.

The romance is a slow burn because there are things that need to be dealt with first. Not only is Nina still dealing with all of those things that drove her back home in the first place, but seeing Quentin again has reopened old wounds and the two of them have to work through what happened in their own past if they want to explore any of the new feelings they’re experiencing towards one another after all these years.

Overall, I thought it was a fun read with plenty of humor and heart. When I saw that Mara Wilson was narrating the audiobook, I had to do an immersive read and I thoroughly enjoyed Wilson’s performance.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - Favorite read so far this month?
🗝️ Review - DON’T LET HIM IN 🗝️ Autho 🗝️ Review - DON’T LET HIM IN 🗝️

Author - Lisa Jewell

Pub Date - 6/24/25

Thanks to @atriabooks for the #gifted e-arc & @simon.audio for the #gifted audiobook. #partner

After her husband is tragically killed when a mentally ill man pushes him into the path of an approaching train, Nina receives a condolence gift in the mail from a man named Nick Radcliffe, who says he was a friend of her husband’s.  Nick soon starts coming around and eventually he and Nina start dating.  Nina’s adult daughter Ash is immediately suspicious of Nick. Something about him just seems too good to be true, and since her mother won’t listen to her, Ash decides to do some digging into Nick’s past on her own. 

In a neighboring town, Martha is feeling a little suspicious towards the man in her life as well. Martha is a florist who is juggling running her business and raising an infant daughter, alongside Alistair, her usually devoted husband. Lately, however, Alistair has been more absent than he has been present. He always has a plausible excuse, usually something work related, but the longer his behavior goes on, the less Martha trusts him and suspects something more is going on.

What I always love about Lisa Jewell’s thrillers is watching how seemingly unrelated threads slowly start to weave themselves together as the plot moves along.  In the case of Don’t Let Him In, I was captivated watching to see how the lives of Nina and Martha would slowly start to become connected even though the two women have never met one another, if the men in their lives were as suspicious as they seemed to be, and I was eager to see what Ash would uncover as she started digging into Nick’s past. What I knew I could count on with Lisa Jewell was that it would be a creepy and twisty ride and I was not disappointed! 

I did an immersive read with the e-arc and ALC and while I enjoyed both formats, I think the full cast narration on the audiobook was fantastic. I did get confused and had to backtrack a couple of times but I think it was me up too late reading because this was such a page turner! 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - What are you reading this week?
Thanks to @macmillan.audio #MacAudio2025 #macmilla Thanks to @macmillan.audio #MacAudio2025 #macmillanaudio  for the gifted ALC.

🎧 Review - TOTAL DREAMBOAT 🎧

Author - Katelyn Doyle

Pub Date - 6/24/25

Even though Hope could really use a vacation from the job she hates and from her failed relationship, cruises just aren’t her thing. She has only agreed to come along and keep her influencer bestie company. Felix is a chef who probably needs a vacation as well, but he’s a workaholic and never takes time off. He’s only on the trip because his family gifted him the ticket and he felt too guilty to say no.

This book was such a good time! I love the premise of a cruise ship rom-com, but this one especially grabbed my attention since neither Hope nor Felix really even wanted to be on the cruise and they definitely weren’t looking for love.  There’s an instant attraction when the two of them meet and an easy banter between them, and their first thought is a ten-day fling with no strings.  They have amazing chemistry so even though I’m not usually into insta-love, I could easily get behind a vacation fling.  That said, the more time they spent together, the easier it became to root for them to try to turn their fling into something more meaningful because they start to form a deeper, more emotional bond and become more vulnerable with one another. If you enjoy a balance between comedic elements and more emotional ones, this book has that.

I also liked the way the story unfolds because it actually starts with a dramatic scene where Hope and Felix have somehow both missed getting back aboard the ship at one of the ports and it has sailed off without them. Things are clearly tense, almost hostile, between them as they must figure out what to do. and then the author takes us back to the beginning to let us see how they got to that point.  I just loved that! 

The audiobook is narrated by Russ Bain and Kelli Tager and I really enjoyed them as Felix and Hope. They really captured the chemistry between the two characters as well as all of that tension when things weren’t going so well between them.  It was a great performance. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

❓QOTD - If you could take one now, where would you go?
☀️ 🏖️ FLATLAY FRIDAY - SUMMER VIBES 🏖️☀️

Happy Friday, book friends!  Since today is not only Friday, but it’s also officially the first day of summer, I thought it would be fun to do a flatlay featuring some of my favorite book covers with summery vibes.  I highly recommend all of these books if you’re looking for reads to take to the beach or on vacation.

☀️This Summer Will be Different by Carley Fortune
🏖️Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
☀️One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
🏖️Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez
☀️It Happened One Summer by Tessa Bailey
🏖️Luck & Last Resorts by Sarah Grunder Ruiz
☀️The Beach Trap by Ali Brady
🏖️Until Next Summer by Ali Brady
☀️Beach Read by Emily Henry
🏖️Happy Place by Emily Henry
☀️It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan
🏖️Same Time Next Summer by Annabel Monaghan

❓QOTD - Have you read any of these?  Or what are some of your favorite books to recommend as beach or vacation reads
Thanks for the free e-arc and #gifted ALC @berkley Thanks for the free e-arc and #gifted ALC @berkleyromance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley & @prhaudio #prhaudiopartner

🎶 Review - SOUNDS LIKE LOVE 🎶

Author - Ashley Poston

Pub Date - 6/17/25

(Physical copy purchased by me)

Sometimes magical realism can be hit or miss for me in contemporary romance books, but Ashley Poston just gets it right every time, including in her latest novel, Sounds Like Love. 

Joni Lark is a successful songwriter who has developed a case of writer’s block.  She is returning to her North Carolina hometown in hopes that inspiration will strike, but attends a concert the night before she leaves. At the concert, Joni meets and shares an impulsive kiss with Sebastian, a handsome but gruff musician who has issues but still makes an impression on her. 

Once Joni arrives back in NC, inspiration does not strike. Instead, she finds herself struggling even more now that she can see firsthand how far her mom’s dementia has progressed and when she learns that the family business has been struggling and is closing. 

Nothing feels right and on top of all that, Joni suddenly finds that she has an unfinished melody stuck in her head, and a man’s voice.  No one else can hear the melody or the man’s voice, but he apparently can hear the melody as well.  The man is also a musician, and he’s funny, charming, and he has a plan - they should finish writing this song together.  He comes to her in NC, and Joni is shocked that it’s actually Sebastian of all people. 

I loved that the music connected the two of them and allowed them to grow closer because Sebastian and Joni really do have great chemistry, and it brought tears to my eyes when we eventually learn where the melody they were hearing originated. 

The romance is beautifully written and I loved it, but what really made this a special read for me was the emotional depth of the family relationships. This book just made me feel so much!

I had to do an immersive read with the e-arc and ALC once I realized Patti Murin was narrating the audiobook & as always, she did an incredible job & had me feeling all the feels!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

❓QOTD - Last song you had stuck in your head?

AOTD - Pink Pony Club
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Other Places to Follow Me

Follow The Bookish Libra on WordPress.com

Follow

Recent Book Reviews

The Co-op by Perfect Fit by Holding the Reins (Silver Pines Ranch, #1) by Fragile Sanctuary by Catherine CowlesA Very Bad Thing by The Hitchcock Hotel by Under Loch and Key by Lana FergusonHer Knight at the Museum by Bryn DonovanThe Boyfriend by Original Twin by

Giveaways

Stay tuned for my next giveaway!

Professional Reader

Reviews Published50 Book Reviews
Professional Reader80%
 

Currently Reading

Suzanne (The Bookish Libra)'s bookshelf: currently-reading

The Girl Who Escaped from Auschwitz
The Girl Who Escaped from Auschwitz
by Ellie Midwood
tagged: currently-reading
A Reaper at the Gates
A Reaper at the Gates
by Sabaa Tahir
tagged: currently-reading
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
by Ron Chernow
tagged: currently-reading

goodreads.com

Goodreads Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge

2024 Reading Challenge
Suzanne (The Bookish Libra) has read 11 books toward her goal of 175 books.
hide
11 of 175 (6%)
view books

2024 Goal – Read More Books From My Own Shelves

I have read 3 books from my bookshelves so far this year. My goal is to read at least 70.

4 %

Categories

  • Audiobook Review (2)
  • Author Interviews (1)
  • Blog Tours (48)
  • Bookish Tags and Memes (347)
  • Challenges and Readathons (19)
  • Discussion Posts and Lists (46)
  • Giveaways (9)
  • Personal (3)
  • Reviews (624)
  • Uncategorized (2)

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Privacy Policy

View Our Privacy Policy, last updated May 21, 2018.

Categories

  • Audiobook Review
  • Author Interviews
  • Blog Tours
  • Bookish Tags and Memes
  • Challenges and Readathons
  • Discussion Posts and Lists
  • Giveaways
  • Personal
  • Reviews
  • Uncategorized

Archives

SEARCH

Search Search
© 2016-2025 - The Bookish Libra - powered by Enfold WordPress Theme
Scroll to top Scroll to top Scroll to top

This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies and our privacy policy.

OKLearn more

Cookie and Privacy Settings



How we use cookies

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

Essential Website Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

Other external services

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

Privacy Policy

You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.

Privacy Policy
Accept settingsHide notification only