stephsbooktalk's reviews
772 reviews

Mini Audiobook Review: Thank you so much to Harlequin for the gifted copy of the book! 

 

I had not realized that this was a sequel when I received this book and I took a chance that this could be read as a stand alone and good news it could! 
 
 I thought this was a cute book and let me tell you I don’t know why but I was not expecting it to be as spicy as it was! And I felt like it happened fairly quickly which made it feel relatable as oppose to other romances where there are dates and build up for it to happen. In this one it just seemed like they were working closely one day and bam suddenly they were flirty and touching. 

 

I will say I thought it was fresh to see the female character be a firefighter and not only that but deal with the very real issue of burn out. I cannot imagine someone in that field and in this case Thea was one for 10 years, the stress and the fatigue of the job. It would take its toll on anyone. I was happy that the firehouse was able to find her a new position that should be less stress.  

 

I primarily read this via audio. It was just over 7 hours which made it such a quick listen. Moniqua Plante did the narration and I thought she was perfectly fine.  

 

I just didn’t feel super connected to the characters as much as I thought I would which is such a bummer! 

Mini Audiobook Review:  Thank you so much to Simon Books for the gifted copy of the book! 

 

I have noticed a pattern in some of the historical fiction books that I have read this past year. Authors are finding these important figures and breathing new life into them and introducing them to a new audience aka readers like me. 
 
 

In this case, author Harriet Constable wrote about the life of Anna Maria della Pieta who was an orphan turned violinist. The book gives us details about her early beginnings and how she became a child prodigy. She then was even taught by world renowned composer Vivaldi. 

 

I admire Anna Maria’s determination and strength to be better than anyone. To have that kind of confidence at such a young age, takes a special person. And she had the talent to back her up. I loved how the author talked about synesthesia (in her case seeing colors in music). I also loved that Anna Maria tried to be a positive influence on other violinist and warned of the men in the industry – even in the 1700s! 
 
 This very well could be my memory as I’m writing this review weeks later but I remember the beginning strongly but I cannot recall much of the middle or end. 

 

I primarily read this book via audio which was narrated by actress Emilia Clarke which was such a surprise! I thought she did a great job narrating. 

 

I would recommend this if you are looking for a historical fiction based on a real life figure & if you are into classical music. 

Thank you so much to Entangled Publishing for a copy of this book!

This book is out now!

Listen I am kicking myself for waiting to read this book. I absolutely LOVED this book and it is not getting the flowers it deserves.
This book is a mixed fiction & romance. The romance weaves throughout the book but we really don't see the characters fully connect until later in the book.

It is hard to put into words why I enjoyed this book so much. If you know me, you know I love pop culture and all things Hollywood, so that aspect really pulled me in. The way that Fleming wrote the characters and the chapters just had me tapping on my screen page after page. I am not a queer person so I appreciated getting Diana's inner monologue on how she struggled to be falling for a man. What frustrated me was how she kept suppression her feelings for Andy because of a failed relationship years and years ago and only dated non men since. And it frustrated me because all relationships have a chance of failing. Whether you are with a she, he or they, they all have a potential to fall apart.

Andy/Drew was the MMC of my book dreams. He was just such a gem throughout this book. And his mom was such a fun side character! He just was so drawn to Diana from the moment they met at a party and pretty much the whole book is him trying to convince Diana that he is the one for her. There was a moment where she texts him during a date and he suddenly appears with a requested cheese fries - SWOON. He just loved her for who she was. Diana was apprehensive about Andy from the very beginning. And I understood why she did not think the romance would not work. The public is very critical of bigger bodied women and if she would be ripped to pieces if she was seen dating a famous movie star.

I loved all the side characters in this book especially Chris. We went on a journey with Diana throughout the book (she is the star of the show) but a big part of this book is her relationship with Chris, Andy's best friend. And honestly I need a book about him.

This book snuck up on me as a favorite of mine this year. I highly recommend!

If you enjoy behind the scenes of movie making, frenemies, friends to lover, diverse cast, queer rep and so much more!

Some of my favorite lines:
"I know fatphobia is a big issue for gay men, trans people and nonbinary folk too. And straight men don't have a pass from it, but life will always be easier for white, straight, cis men like Drew, even when they're fat."

"Grief had left me living in sweatpants for so long that I'd forgotten how much I loved making a statement as I walked into a room."

"I haven't felt this closeted since college. You'd think it would be easier, saying you're falling for a guy."

"You act this way every time you fall for someone, regardless of their gender. You go in the downward spiral of insecurity until you've convinced yourself there's no way this person could like you. Or if they like you, then there has to be something with them. Just stop already."

Thank you so much to Hambright PR & Lauren Blakely for allowing me to read an advance copy of this!

This book is out tomorrow!

I am a bad romance reader because this is my first Lauren Blakely book! And I learned from reading until the very last pages that she has written over 100 books - where have I been?! This will not be my last book by her that I will be reading.

"Each time I went on a date with someone from an app, from a setup, from anywhere, I believed in the possibility of big love. Hoped for it."

My Favorite Holidate is a mix of banter, holiday fun and sexy times! I felt that there was a perfect blend of all that you could want in a romance. This is a pretty lengthly book but I felt the pacing was great and I was able to breeze through it.

I became so invested in our FMC Fable and MMC Wilder's fake relationship. Wilder was CRAZY about Fable and they just worked so well together. This may have been my second billionaire romance and I think Wilder takes the cake on the swoony love interest. He just was so smitten by Fable. Though I will say the author was good at teasing their sexual attraction until they finally sealed the deal. Not complaining about the teasing because lord things were spicy! Fable was a great FMC, she was independent, the kind of girl that just goes with things, talented and she just loved Wilder.

"You're my favorite holidate."
"I'll be your favorite date every day of the year."

Blakely did a great job with all the side characters. They weren't overly done and used perfectly throughout the book. I loved Wilder's meddling Aunt Bibi and of course his daughter Mac. I was so happy how Mac was written. She was such a mature 11 year old and was more of an asset to the story than being put in the story just to have in there as an afterthought. And her relationship with Fable was just so cute! I was happy that she encouraged her dad to go after

This book was just so much fun and I love the element of the games leading up to Fable's sister's wedding. Wilder and Fable just made me smile the whole time. I just love their relationship and how they just played off of one another so well.

I read this with my eyes but if you are an audiobook fan, this book is a FULL cast on the audio. 11 of your favorite narrators all lend their voices to the audiobook!

If you are looking for a holiday book with dual POV, fake dating, billionaire single dad with fun side characters - give this one a try!

 Thank you so much to Penguin Teen for the advance copy of this book!
Thank you so much to PRH Audio for the complimentary ALC!

This book will be out on Nov 12th.

"I can't save your whole family, Ross, just you."
"Maybe I don't want to be alive if everyone in my family isn't -"

Last year I was fortunate enough to read an advance copy of Thieves' Gambit which took me for a ride and I really enjoyed!! Still anxious to see how it is adapted (should it happen). And now we have the sequel which also is a wild ride. Reading this one compared to the first one was a different experience. I am not quite sure how to pinpoint it but there was something so new and fresh with the first book and I love the game of it all that this one I kind of felt like the game was lost? This did still have a game but it just wasn't the same.

I will say I love how Devore is up to his same flirtatious ways towards Ross and this time we even got a kiss! I loved their relationship and how they are enemies but also friends and yet there is this chemistry that can't be denied. Just wish there was a little more. Either have more of it or none at all so it doesn't feel like an extra piece. I also liked how we got to see more of Ross's mom who was mentioned throughout the first book but played more of a role in this one. Along with Devore's mom, she also played an integral role this time around. One of my favorite scenes was when they were at the casino and the teamwork that was involved.

I did the audio of this one and once again Jade Wheeler is back and had done a fabulous job!

If you are looking for an action pack duology, consider checking this one out! 

 Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press & Sourcebooks for the complimentary copy of this book!

This book is out now!

Please check trigger warnings.

I am torn on how I feel about this book. I thought it started off strong & I was pulled into the story but then the more it went on, the more confused I became. I am not sure if it was my mental space just wasn't grasping at what was happening. There were just a lot of moving pieces towards the end and I know the whole first half of the book was leading up to the moment.

There was a mystery within the mystery. Meg & Esther's sister Claire is found in an old house they visited as kids where she committed suicide but Esther cannot fathom that she had done this herself. She is convinced that she was murdered. They also try to unwrap the mystery of their other sister Julie's death as well. At the heart of all the thrills & mystery in the book, this book is about sisters. The relationships of when they were young and how it evolves & (can) become complicated as you enter adulthood.

This book is told from two timelines - the past and the present with dual timelines between the sisters Meg, Esther & Claire. I think bouncing from the different timelines kept the story going and allowed us into their past which ultimately shaped their future. I really felt for Esther as she was having such paranoia thoughts and her husband was trying his best to keep her steady.

I primarily listened to this audiobook and perhaps had I followed along with the book, I would have been able to capture more of the story than just with my ears. Mara Wilson has become a recent favorite narrator over the last year and I thought she did well navigating through each POV. Her voice is such a natural talent & I did enjoy listening.

I would check this book out if you are looking for a book centered around sisters and a creepy abandoned house. 

Thank you so much to PRH Audio for the complimentary audio!

This book will be out Nov 5th, 2024.

Once again Lyla Sage has done it again! She has this way of creating this ranch environment and curating this group of individuals that you can't help but love and care about.

Gus and Teddy have been enemies since the start of this series. Gus just did not take her seriously and always tried to distance himself from her. Teddy also tried her best to just stay out of his way. That is until Gus forgets to pick up his daughter and calls his sister to help out and his sister calls Teddy. But the relationship really started to take shape was when Teddy started to work for Gus as his daughter's caretaker.

The chemistry between Gus & Teddy was *chef's kiss* Gus became so protective of Teddy very quickly. Teddy has such a great relationship with Gus's daughter Riley which I think help propelled his feelings for her. I loved their nights when they cuddled on the couch - sigh. What was also nice is that Lyla gave us a peeked into their past and what caused the tension that was between them.

I also have to give kudos to Lyla for keeping these books on the shorter side. This could easily be read by eyes or ears in a day. You can't help but to get caught up in this world. The narrators Jason Clarke and Samantha Brentmoor were SO good as their characters! Jason's voice had been swooning for Gus. I could just listen to them both for any kind of dual POV

I just really loved this one and perhaps my favorite of the 3 so far!

This book ends perfectly as it sets us up for the 4th book coming out in the Spring! Bring on Camille & Dusty!

Thank you so much to Simon Teen for a free copy of this book!

This book is out now!

"And even though I have quiet my worst insecurities when we're together, I can tell he has insecurities too. I'm worried about letting him see the outside of me. Three is worried about me seeing the inside of him.

This is my 2nd time reading a Samantha Markum and boy did I enjoy this one!! At first I wasn't sure if I was going to be into it but quickly I found myself not wanting to stop listening to the book. I think I was nervous because I thought it was going to be high school but turns out it was a college romance.

I love the relationship between Wyn and Three! They were frenemies throughout most of the book and secretly communicating on a dating app. They both were competitive in their journalism aspirations but they found out a lot more about each other which made them realize that they really didn't know anything about one another.

It just was a lot of fun to listen to. Ellen Quay was a great narrator and made listening so enjoyable!

If you are looking for a cute YA frenemies to lovers romance centered around journalism - give this a read!

Mini Audiobook Review: Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for the advance copy of this!
Thank so much to PRH Audio for the complimentary ALC!

This book will be out November 12th.

Like the rest of the nation, I too got swept up in the hoopla of pickleball in recent years. And guess what, it is actually fun! Granted I would play with my husband and sometimes we wouldn't keep score and I'm sure we would do things incorrectly. It was a great work out especially because of it being 1:1, lots of running around on the court. So it was only a matter of time before a contemporary romance came out with pickleball as the center of the story.

I thought this was a cute read! I had not read what the synopsis was prior to reading and I was reallly hoping it would be a cliche read where the two folks are on the same pickleball team. Turns out our FMC Meg meets hottie Ethan at a cafe and the sparks are immediate until they fizzle as he is the one incharge of demolishing her home pickleball courts! There's a lot that happens inbetween including a pickleball tournament that involves her ex husband and new girlfriend. A bright spot in this book is Meg's relationship with her best friend Annie and Rooster. I loved anytime the characters in a scene!

I primarily read this one via audio and I was surprised to see that the author was the narrator! And honestly I thought her voice fit the book. I had heard mixed things about how Annie's part was played but it worked out perfectly for me. I thought she was able to bring the life each of the characters.

This was the author's debut novel and I would check out another book from her.

Check this book out if you are looking for a light fluffy read that centers around pickleball; this would be a good palate cleanser after an intense read!

**I do not rate NF books**

Thank you so much to Dey Street Books for the advance copy!

This book will be out on November 12th.

"An eternal law of pop music: anything halfway cool that's ever happened is because teenage girls made it happen."

I have been a fan of Rob Sheffield ever since I was a tween and watching him on all the VH1 music shows. and reading his pieces in Rolling Stone, And I have been reading his books ever since his first book came out back in 2007. I trust his judgment and just fascinated by his music knowledge. What makes me love him even more than I do (besides his friendship with fellow RS journalist Brittany Spanos) is his love for Harry Styles and the leading lady of this review Taylor Swift.

Look I understand why people do not like Taylor Swift (and a lot of it has nothing to do with her herself), heck I even have my moments where I question my opinions towards her. But ultimately what always brings me back is her music. Specifically her lyrics. I am two years older than Taylor but I felt as if I grew up with her. I will admit she lost me in the Lover era because of "ME!", "London Boy" and "Paper Rings" but then "Folklore" dropped and brought me right back in.

This book dives into the Taylor background showcasing some notable moments but also talks about her lyrics, inspirations and connections to other songs. This is where Rob's music knowledge really shines especially in the New Romantics chapter. I think he could have even gone deeper talking more about her songwriting by album instead of pivot to talking about her current (but soon ending) Eras Tour. Which I will say, as an Evermore stan, I wanted him to talk more about the album and the songs and the production as opposed to talking about the performances from the Tour and ultimately digressing away from Evermore completely.

This book is for the longtime fan who wants to indulge in all things Taylor. And I like to think more Taylor fans respect Rob and his work and would appreciate the thoughts he had throughout the course of her career. I did learn a few new things that I don't believe I ever knew before such as Taylor essentially stealing a line from another performer's song for her anthem "All Too Well". I do feel as if Taylor does not get enough credit for her songwriting. Much like fellow pop icon Mariah Carey, Taylor is such a smart lyricists. And she somehow can make you connect to her feelings because we all have experienced similar feelings.

It is hard to imagine where Taylor goes from here. Rob himself even questions it in the beginning of the book, "How can she keep getting bigger? How can so many people keep hearing themselves in these songs?" I have no clue what Taylor does from here but you bet I will be on the ride to see what she does and what she has to say.

This book was a quick read (under 300 pages) and I recommend reading while listening to Taylor Swift (because duh)! If you are not a Swiftie, you probably would not enjoy this book BUT if you want to read a high level short biography of Taylor Swift to impress your kids, your partner or the water cooler, give this book a read!