Miranda in Retrograde by Lauren Layne

 

The plot:  Dr. Miranda Reed, PhD, is a popular astrophysicist and professor at Nova University, with a high IQ and a long waiting list for her astronomy classes. She's bright and pretty and has been on Jeopardy! seven times; she's also a star when it comes to talking science on the morning shows. And she always has a plan, especially for her life's trajectory. So when she's denied tenure she's stunned. And confused. And a little lost. 

Granted a yearlong sabbatical, she decides to explore another side her life besides the science side by studying astrology, figuring out her rising sign, and following her horoscope for one year. What Miranda doesn't predict is how her Horoscope Project will bring her not only new experiences and a new perspective, but a new friend in the cute artist next door, the possibility of a new dream for her life, and maybe even love. 

My thoughts:  What a charming romance! Miranda is such a fun character. I really enjoyed her love of science and her personal journey to explore a new side of herself; I especially enjoyed her slow burn friendship with Archer (the artist next door). Their interactions were humorous and entertaining. And I appreciated that there's no sex in this one...just a few sweet and swoony kisses. With both stars and art this story truly sparkles.  

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Force of Nature by Joan M. Griffin

 "I gazed down the way we had come. The magnitude of the feat we had accomplished flooded in with the crisp air as I surveyed the vastness of the valley and the distant ranges. Patience and determination had carried us up and over the obstacles to that cloud-high perch, to a view usually reserved for eagles and angels. ... Only a few people ever are given the opportunity, or accept the challenge, to climb a thirteen-htousand-foot mountain. Few ever a chance to see that sublime view, breathe that pristine air, overcome those formidable obstacles, or feel that joy-filled exhilaration. And I was one of them."

 

The John Muir Trail:  211 mile hiking trail that runs from Yosemite Valley through the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the contiguous United States. 

Three women in their fifties, and one in her twenties.

Four weeks of adventure:  river crossings, alpenglow, lightning, snow, mountain passes, mosquitoes, wild flowers, peaks and valleys, beautiful lakes, beauty, struggle, friendship, and joy. 

"Succeeding at such a huge personal challenge changes a person. ... When we take on the nearly impossible and succeed, the impossible begins to look approachable."

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Thoughts:  I love hiking memoirs like this one. It's immersive, transportive, and inspiring. It made me wish I had adventurous hiking buddies like Joan's! Because this is the kind of adventure I've always dreamed of doing. I honestly don't know if I could handle the mosquitoes, or sleeping on the ground, not to mention having no bathrooms; and I don't know if my knees could take hiking up all those steep peaks only to then have to hike back down them. But wouldn't it be awesome to accomplish something this amazing and challenging? 

As John Muir wrote:  "Fear not, therefore, to try the mountain-passes. They will kill care, save you from deadly apathy, set you free, and call forth every faculty into vigorous, enthusiastic action." 

Happy Reading!

Out of Air by Rachel Reiss

 Five friends.

One last summer diving adventure.

A spectacular hidden underwater sea cave.

And a curse.

My thoughts:  This novel is immersive, unexpected, and compelling. I really liked Phoebe and her four friends--Gabe, Will, Lani and Isabel--who call themselves the Salt Squad, and who love to spend all their free time diving and exploring the ocean. And I quickly got up caught up in their unbreakable friendship and all their underwater adventures. Especially when they discover that cursed cave, and strange and scary things start to happen to Pheobe and Gabe. It made for an unputdownable read. And all the scuba diving parts felt so real! I could tell Reiss has a lot of experience diving herself.  And I loved how Reiss builds tension throughout the story. She kept me guessing about what was going to happen to Phoebe and her friends right up until the end, and I loved that. I'm so glad I won a copy of this book from Goodreads! It's a fast-paced and fun book.  If you're looking for an entertaining summer thriller, grab some popcorn and a beach chair, and check this one out!  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Until Next Summer by Ali Brady

 "...there's something magical about summer camp."

How it begins:  "When I was a kid, I had a button on my backpack that read I LIVE TEN MONTHS FOR TWO. When people noticed it, I'd get one of two reactions: total confusion, or a knowing smile. The ones who smiled would inevitably ask one question. A question that let me know without a doubt, that they were my kind of people:  'So where'd you go to camp?' "

The plot:  For Jessie, Camp Chickawah always felt like home...the one place she truly belonged. It's where she met her best friend, Hillary, though the two aren't in touch any more. So being Chickawah's camp director has been her dream job. Only the camp hasn't been making money. And now the owners want to sell it to developers. And Jessie has only one summer left. To make the most of it, she invites all of  Chickawah's past campers to come back for a memorable and nostalgic adult summer camp experience. Every week will have a different theme. They'll relive all their favorite camp moments. And when Hillary shows up with an idea that could save Camp Chickawah, Jessie is all in. 

"(Because) once a camp person, always a camp person." 

My thoughts:  There is something magical about summer camp. My summer camp experiences were never eight weeks long, but they were always fun. And I always wished I could go to a place like Camp Chickawah with a lake, swimming and canoeing, archery, arts and crafts, hiking, scavenger hunts, color wars, and summer camp friendships and memories that last a lifetime. That's probably why I love reading books with a summer camp setting so much. And this one really captures all that magic. It has both humor and heart. I loved seeing Jessie and Hillary rekindle their friendship. Jessie's romance with a reclusive writer named Luke, and Hillary's summer fling with the camp chef were both sweet and swoony. And all the camp activities were so fun. This book just made me happy. To quote Jessie, "It was Chicka-wonderful!" And one I wouldn't mind owning so I can read it again every summer. 

"...camp people never say goodbye; we say 'see ya next summer.' "

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

Crow Talk by Eileen Garvin

 

The main characters:

FRANKIE O'NEILL--a graduate student grieving the death of her father and struggling to finish her master's thesis; she's come to her family's small summer cottage on June Lake to try and pull her life together. 

"Bird song, wind in the trees, the rhythmic lifting and clanking of the dock in the waves, the water lapping the shore. Sounds as familiar as her own breath. It was a comfort to hear them, as she'd hoped. But the feeling wouldn't last....Because she was not a girl at home in the woods and falling in love with birds for the first time. She was twenty-six, homeless, and staring down a host of uncomfortable new firsts in her life. She was unemployed and unemployable. Bereft of friends and allies, she was out of options, out of ideas, and out of places to go."

ANNE RYAN--Irish musician, young wife and mother; she's dealing with her own grief and struggling to connect with her five-year-old son, Aiden, who no longer speaks to her or her husband, Tim. She, Aiden and Tim have come to June Lake hoping to reconnect. 

"Nobody tells the truth about having children, Anne knew. ...Nobody ever admitted that being a mother is an epic of failure. There were just so many opportunities to fail: when your baby won't eat, or sleep, or stop crying, or won't look at you, or won't speak to you. Or stares at his hands and won't respond when you say his name. Or screams unconsolably for some unknown reason. Or when you take your attention off him for one minute and he vanishes into thin air."

My thoughts:  I loved this book. The quietness. The beautiful prose. The tentative friendship between Frankie and Anne's young son, Aiden. The baby crow Frankie saves and returns to its family. Hers and Anne's separate journeys through loss and grief, and the friendship and healing they find along the way. I loved the remote setting, and all the talk and descriptions of crows. It's such a transporting and captivating novel. A perfect read for the end of summer. 

My rating:  ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  

Happy Reading!

 

I also really enjoyed reading Garvin's The Music of Bees. 

The Women by Kristin Hannah

 "Women can be heroes."

The first part:

"Frankie had never thought about nurses in Vietnam; the newspapers never mentioned any women. Certainly no one talked about any women at war. ... But could she? Really? ... How did you know if you had the strength and courage for a thing like that? ... She could earn her place on the heroes' wall, and not for marrying well. For saving lives in wartime."

 The second part: 

"She'd joined the Army to find her brother and found herself instead; in war, she'd found out who she really was and who she wanted to be, and as tired as she was of all the death and destruction, she was also more than a little afraid to go home. What would life look like stateside?" 

My thoughts:  Frances Grace McGrath's journey from her quiet, well-bred life on Coronado Island, California, to hot, steamy and war-torn Vietnam is both powerful and poignant. Dealing with the wounded and other horrific aspects of war is hard enough, but coming home is even harder for Frankie where she faces hostility, indifference and her own PTSD. Her strength and courage is tested at every turn. As is her heart. I found her to be a remarkable and memorable heroine. And Hannah's writing is very compelling. I liked getting to see the Vietnam War and its aftermath from the viewpoint of a combat nurse. (Certain parts really reminded me of that TV show China Beach, which I loved.) This novel is a moving tribute to all the brave women who served in Vietnam, and to the unspoken struggles they faced when they came home. 

My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Happy Reading!

 

What You Are Looking For Is In The Library by Michiko Aoyama

 

What it's about:

Five lost souls, each with a yearning inside them to be or do something more. And a wise community librarian who guides them to the book that will help them see a path forward to seizing opportunities and fulfilling their dreams. Each book is different. But then so are the five characters. There's Tomoka, who is a young sales assistant in a department store; Ryo, who wants to open his own antique store; and Natsumi, a former magazine editor who is struggling to balance motherhood and her career. I really liked those three, but I think the last two were my favorite:  Hiroya, an unemployed artist who feels like a failure; and Masao, who just retired from his job of forty-two years and now doesn't know what to do with his life. Every chapter introduces another character, another book, another dream. I enjoyed their individual journeys and their moments of intersection. 

My thoughts:  

This was a bittersweet read for me. Don't get me wrong, I loved this quiet literary novel, but it's the book I was supposed to read this month with Melody. We planned it back in February. And I kept wanting to talk to her about it, ask her which character she liked best, compare notes, hear her thoughts and insights. I know she would have loved the Japanese setting and how books played a role in each character's journey. I really wish I could have read this book with her. I bet she would have given it 5 stars. I did. 

Happy Reading!

The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer

 

First line:  The first time I watched someone die, I was five.

Setting:  New York City, present day

Main Character:  Clover Brooks, a death doula who has dedicated her life to helping people as they reach the end of theirs. She keeps a record of all their regrets, but ignores her own. Because while Clover is very good at dealing with death, she's not so good at dealing with her own life.  "I didn't expect to get to my mid-thirties and still have only one friend. That's the thing about loneliness:  no one ever chooses it."

 My thoughts:  Clover's journey is one of uncertainty, love, fear, hope and second chances. She's a bookish introvert who struggles to make friends. And she's never been in love. I liked her a lot. And the people she meets along the way are so great. They each help her expand her small world in some unique way. I got caught up in this story right from the first page and didn't want to stop reading. This book made me feel all the feels: it's moving, humorous, charming, sad, satisfying, and heartwarming. 

Favorite Quote:  "The secret to a beautiful death is to live a beautiful life. Putting your heart out there. Letting it get broken. Taking chances. Making mistakes." 

Here's to living a life with fewer regrets.

Happy Reading!

The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore

 

From the blurb:

"Sloane Parker lives a small, contained life as a librarian in her small, contained town. She never thinks of herself as lonely...but still she looks forward to that time every day when old curmudgeon Arthur McLachlan comes to browse the shelves and cheerfully insult her. Their sparring is such a highlight of Sloane's day that when Arthur doesn't show up one morning, she's instantly concerned. And then another day passes, and another.

"Anxious, Sloane tracks the old man down only to discover him all but bedridden...and desperately struggling to hide how happy he is to see her. Wanting to bring more cheer into Arthur's gloomy life, Sloane creates an impromptu book club. Slowly, the lonely misfits of their sleepy town begin to find each other, and in their book club, find the joy of unlikely friendship. Because as it turns out, everyone has a special book in their heart—and a reason to get lost (and eventually found) within the pages."

My thoughts:

This book is aptly named. The five members of Sloane's and Arthur's book club are all experiencing loneliness in their lives, although most would never admit it out loud. As they share books and food together they find more than friendship, they find family. And that's what I loved so much about this one. All their awkward interactions, humorous banter, personal struggles, and honest caring about Arthur and each other, tugged at my heart. The books they read together, and the importance each of the novels plays in each character's life, made me love this book even more. It's a poignant, captivating and heart-warming novel. And another one for Susan's Bookish Books Reading Challenge.   ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Happy Reading!

The Banned Bookshop of Maggie Banks by Shauna Robinson

 "Cover the bookstore while I'm out." Her voice became more animated. "From August to December. You could stay with me, get away from your parents, and work at the store. You could use the time to figure out what you want to do next."

 Maggie Banks is at loose ends. So when her friend, Rochelle, needs someone to work at her bookstore while she's out on maternity leave, Maggie heads to Bell River, a small town near Washington D.C. Maggie's not much of a reader; she especially doesn't like reading classic novels, which is all that the Bell Society will allow Cobblestone Books to sell.

But Maggie's never been one to follow the rules. She begins sneak-selling more modern books...first romances, then mysteries. Then, to bring in more revenue, she starts hosting literay mashup events. And she's having a lot of fun. But if the Bell Society finds out, Rochelle might lose the bookstore. 

What I loved about this novel:

• Maggie learning to love books and reading...even a few of the classics.
• The banter between Maggie and Malcolm, the Bell Society's 'spy', and their slowburn friendship. (Their 'dates' are very entertaining.)
• The clever mashup events Maggie hosts with local authors who turn Moby Dick into a romance and The Great Gatsby into science fiction.
• Maggie's exuberance and ability to connect with so many people in town.
• The humor and the happy ending. 

This is a very charming bookish book...perfect for Susan's Bookish Books Reading Challenge.

Happy Reading!

The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa

 

"Natsuki Books was a tiny secondhand bookshop on the edge of town. The shop didn't lose enough money to be considered a liability, nor did it make enough to be considered a fortune. It wasn't much of an inheritance." 

But the bookshop is all Rintaro Natsuki has left after his beloved grandfather dies. Rintaro is an awkward and reclusive high school student who spends most of his days skipping school and hiding out among the books he loves. Not even Rintaro's pretty classmate, Sayo Yuzuki, can lure him outside. Then one day a talking tabby cat shows up in the bookshop and talks Rintaro into going on several strange and fantastical quests to rescue books. Though, in the end, maybe it was Rintaro himself that needed rescuing.  

My thoughts:  It was the title and cover of this Japanese novel that first made me want to read it. Then finding out it had a talking cat, too? I couldn't resist checking it out right then and there. And I'm glad I did. This is a quirky and enchanting little book. Rintaro's struggle to articulate his love for books and reading made him such an endearing character. The tabby cat was blunt and often rude, but he made Rintaro step outside his shell and that was good. And Rintaro's interactions with outspoken and spunky Sayo made me smile. I liked their friendship a lot. But what's at the heart of this bookish novel is the idea that books truly are more than mere words on paper and are therefore very much worth saving. And I completely agree. 

Happy Reading!

This book counts as one of my reads for Susan's Bookish Books Reading Challenge.

The Mostly True Story of Tanner & Louise by Colleen Oakley

"In life, there were two kinds of friends: friends who would wish you well on  your journey to battle, and friends who would jump in the trenches with you."

I won a copy of this book on Goodreads and I absolutely loved it! Total opposites, Tanner and Louise are such unique and memorable characters. At 84, Louise has definite views on just about everything. She hates the indignities that come with growing old. And she has a secret past. Tanner, on the other hand, is just 21. She lost her soccer scholarship because of a leg injury, and now she spends her days playing video games so she doesn't have to deal with her rage or grief. She's also Louise's new live-in caretaker. 

Together these two are hilarious. They so don't like each other at the beginning. I loved the wit in Oakley's writing and the banter, the humorous interactions between Tanner and Louise, their different POVs, their snark and sarcasm, and their unexpected friendship. And when they end up on the run together because of Louise's past? Talk about a madcap cross-country adventure. This book is entertaining, amusing, surprising, and heartwarming. A definite 5-star read!

Happy Reading!

Similar read: 

The Big Finish by Brooke Fossey

The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson

 

The plot:  June Jones once dreamed of attending Cambridge University and becoming a writer. Instead, she ended up staying in the small English village where she grew up, working at the Chalcot Library as an assistant librarian. She's 28 and shy, one of those introverts who would rather get lost in a good book than go out, though several library patrons count her as their friend. When she finds out that the county council might close the library for good, June doesn't know if she has the courage to join in the fight to save it. But in fighting to save the library, she just might save herself.

My thoughts:  This is a novel about the power of books to change lives, as well as a love letter to libraries. It's got humor, and charm, delightful and eccentric characters, unexpected friendships, and even a bit of a romance. I loved how June classified everyone by the books they read, and how she had her own favorite books that she turned to when needing escape or comfort. And I liked how she found her voice and her fighting spirit with a little help from her friends--friends who range from a crossword-loving elderly gentleman to a precocious 8-year-old boy. Everything about this book made me smile, including the predictable twist at the end. It's a truly lovely read.

Happy Reading!

P.S. This book also counts as one of my reads for Susan's Bookish Books Reading Challenge.

The Dragon's Promise by Elizabeth Lim

 "A promise is a promise. Not a kiss in the wind, to be thrown about without care. It is a piece of yourself that is given away and will not return until your pledge is fulfilled."

 

Plot summary:  Princess Shiori promised her stepmother that she would return a cursed dragon pearl to its owner. That promise takes her first to Ai'long, the underwater court of the sea dragons. But they want the pearl for themselves. As do the demons threatening Kiata, Shiori's homeland. So Shiori, her six brothers, and her betrothed, Takkan, must journey even farther from home to return the pearl and to find a way to defeat the demons. It's a journey that will take all of Shiori's forbidden magic, and might even cost her her life. 

My thoughts:  I read the first book in this young adult fantasy duology, Six Crimson Cranes, back in March with Melody (@ Melody's Reading Corner). And we've both been looking forward to reading this sequel ever since. Shiori's such a fun character: stubborn and determined, fiesty and fearless. And she never gives up on her quest. 

In The Dragon's Promise, Shiori has to conquer many different enemies, including the scary demon king Bandur, and survive many dangers, including attempts by people in her own homeland to kill her. Which means that this novel has a LOT of action in it. At times it felt like the author was trying to combine too many different threads in one book. All those different threats and dangers got a little convoluted, especially at the end. Poor Shiori never had time to even catch her breath. But I was rooting for her and Takkan all the way. I really love the two of them together; they're my favorite part of this novel. There's a fairy tale quality to this book that I also liked. All the magic, and the curious legends from the sea dragons and their promises, to the magical red thread that connects Shiori to Takkan, to Shiori being a bloodsake whose magic can loose the trapped demons, to the Lady of the Moon herself, added to the fun. Despite its flaws, this turned out to be a magical and entertaining adventure. And I'm very glad that I got to read it with Melody. Be sure to check out her review.

Happy Reading!

Melody's questions to me...and my answers:

Q. Among all the characters, who do you wish the author should explore more and why?

A. I'd love to get to know more about Shiori's brothers, especially her youngest brother who ends this story with one of his arms still a crane's wing; and I hope Lim writes a abook about Elang because I'd love to see him be able to resolve his half-dragon/half-human dilemma and get a happy ending. 

Q. What do you think is the strength and weakness of this story?

A. For me, the strength is in Shiori's relationships...with her friend, Seryu; with her six brothers; and with Takkan, the man she loves. Those are my favorite moments in this book. The weakness in this story is that the author tried to do too much...between the conflict with the dragons, and then the demons, and everything else going on around Shiori it's just too much for one book. 

Same Time, Same Place by David m. Barnett

Daisy is the night security guard at the Manchester Museum of Social History. She's rigid and guarded, doesn't relate well to others, and likes to follow the rules and stick to her routine. She and her sister live with their mother, who is dying from cancer, so that they can take care of her. And because of a childhood trauma, Daisy doesn't believe she deserves happiness in her life. 

Nate works the day shift at the same museum. He's garrulous and friendly and likes to joke around with Daisy in the fifteen minutes their shifts overlap, but his life is far from perfect. He's divorced, and while he's determined not to be like his own abusive and alcoholic father, he's struggling to connect with Ben, his ten-year-old son.

My thoughts: I really liked both of these characters! They're so different but both a bit broken, and the way their lives intersect throughout this book made me smile. A small mystery involving some missing items at the museum brings them together resulting in some humorous and heartwarming interactions. I loved how they found hope and happiness together. This is an entertaining and fun story, and Daisy's and Nate's quiet romance is sweetly captivating. 

Happy Reading!

Similar read:  Bear Necessity by James Gould-Bourn

The Music of Bees by Eileen Garvin...

The 3 main characters:

Jake Stevenson sports the tallest mohawk in Hood River County. He's also a talented trumpet player. And he's a paraplegic. One year ago, just before he graduated from high school, he cracked his back in a stupid accident and now he's confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Now everything is messed up and he feels like he's "just killing time in the jail that was his life. This life (that) had replaced the life he was supposed to have--one of music and promise, the other life that now felt like something he had imagined."

Alice Holtzman is forty-four years old. She's a beekeeper, and still grieving the death of her husband. And recently she's been struggling with panic attacks. She tries not to let anyone see that she "was made of a million tiny broken pieces held together by cookies, solitary driving, and the sheer determination not to go crazy in public."

Then there's Harry Stokes, twenty-four, balding, and riddled with a paralyzing social anxiety. He struggles to talk to people, to find a job, to make decisions. He's good at writing lists, but his lists never seem to help him figure out life.

The rest of it:

These three characters are an unlikely trio of misfits that somehow form a family, first as Alice teaches Jake all about her bees, and then when they draw Harry out of his shell. They work together, and help each other; and when Alice's bees are threatened, they join with the community to try and save them. In the process, they find friendship, hope, newfound peace, and joy. 

What can I say? I loved this book. I loved all the quirky characters, and the bees, and the happy ending. The Music of Bees is poignant, touching, uplifting, and heartwarming. And I definitely recommend it. 

Happy Reading!

From my TBR shelf...

 

Home With the Dead by PJ Dziekan

I like zombie apocalypse books, and I bought this one after reading Dziekan's first book, Walking With the Dead. It continues the story of Sarah and Mick, Ryan and Becca and the others. Zombies are still a threat, but so are other humans. And finding enough food and other needed supplies in order to stay alive is becoming a problem. To add to their worries, Sarah just found out she's pregnant.

This novel is action-packed and edge-of-your-seat suspenseful. Sarah, as the leader of their group, is strong, independent, stubborn, and tough. I like her a lot; and I love her relationship with Mick. There's a lot of language and zombie gore in this one, but there's also friendship, family, loyalty, survival, and hope. If you like a good zombie read, this is an entertaining one. (Though you should probably read Walking With the Dead first.)

Happy Reading!

P.S. This book counts towards the Backlist Reader Challenge hosted by The Bookwyrm's Hoard.

The Book Charmer by Karen Hawkins...

 

First line:  On the Saturday after her seventh birthday, a book spoke to Sarah May Dove. 

Plot summary:  The small town of Dove Pond is in financial trouble. Businesses are closing, people are leaving. But Sarah Dove, Dove Pond's librarian, has hopes that things are about to change. Because Grace Wheeler has just moved to Dove Pond with her eight-year-old niece, Daisy, and her former foster mother, Mama G, who's struggling with Alzheimer's. For Grace it's a temporary move, but the books are whispering to Sarah that Grace is just what Dove Pond needs. She might be just what Sarah's gruff neighbor and best friend, Travis, needs, too.

My thoughts:  Like its title suggests, this book is a charming and heartwarming read. The town of Dove Pond is full of quirky, fun characters--I mean, who could resist a character that can speak to books, or a library full of books that know just who needs to read them but won't always say why? Grace is another easy-to-like character. I had a lot of sympathy for her as she struggled to deal with her grief over her sister's death, and be a good mom to her niece. And I loved her relationship with Mama G! And I loved how the entire town of Dove Pond turned out to help them when they needed it. Her reluctant friendship with Travis also made me smile.  There's a bit of magical realism in this one, too, which just added to the enchantment. Family and friendship, humor and heart...this book has it all. 

Happy Reading!

Lockdown on London Lane by Beth Reekles...

 Nothing tests a relationship like being quarantined together in a weeklong lockdown. That's what's happened to the residents of London Lane Apartment Building C. 

• Isla's only been dating Danny for a month; she thinks she might be falling in love with him, but she's not ready for him to move in with her. He hasn't even seen her without her make-up on.
• Olivia's weekend bridesmaids' party just turned into a very long week with one worried bride and  two more bridesmaids crammed into her one-room apartment. An apartment that used to be clean and quiet.
• Zach and Serena have been together for four years, but Serena just found out that Zach likes pineapple on his pizza and it freaks her out, making her wonder what else she doesn't know about him, and if they're really meant to be together. 
• For Imogen, her one-night stand just turned into one long awkward week with Nate. He doesn't look thrilled about it either, especially when he catches her 'borrowing' his favorite Ramones t-shirt without asking.
• Then there's Ethan. He wishes his girlfriend, Charlotte, was in lockdown with him. But she's stuck at her parents' house. And missing her makes him realize just how much he loves her.

This book was unexpectedly romantic, funny, and entertaining. There are embarrassing moments, explosive arguments and some very honest and heartfelt conversations. Imogen and Isla and their interactions with Nate and Danny made me laugh. Seeing Serena's and Zach's relationship start to fall apart made me sad. I had a lot of sympathy for the very introverted Olivia as she tries to navigate her company. And Ethan's happy ending made me smile. I got caught up with all of these characters and their stories, and having the pandemic in the background just made it feel more real. I ended up really liking this one. 

Happy Reading!

   

The Future is Yours by Dan Frey

"If you had the chance to look one year into the future, would you?"

Best friends since college, Ben Boyce and Adhvan Chaudry have created a startup company to build a quantum computer that uses quantum entanglement to connect to the future. It's Adhi's idea; he's the genius in this partnership. Ben brings unrestrained enthusiasm and the marketing savvy they'll need to get their business off the ground. They both believe in their prototype, The Future, but neither foresees the negative consequences of their revolutionary technology. Or the cost it will have on their friendship.

This is an entertaining and thought-provoking science fiction thriller. It's told through a series of emails, texts, blog posts, and transcripts from the Senate Hearings investigating The Future device. And I loved it. But then I'm a huge fan of epistolary novels, so this book totally worked for me. I liked the science of it, too, and the ethical questions that got raised as beta testers began looking into their futures. I also liked Ben and Adhi; both of these characters have their flaws, and some of their decisions made me shake my head, but their loyalty and friendship is what really drives this story. Not only is this novel innovative and unexpected, it's also compelling and reads fast. I even loved that crazy ending. I'd give this one 5 stars. 

Happy Reading!