So I chose to listen to I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy and oh man. I have so many thoughts that a review just doesn’t even do it justice. I yelled at people out loud in my home to just leave her alone, and for her to stop asking questions she knew the answer to (Spoiler: her mom is the worst). I honestly can say that I have never felt more relief than I did toward the end of the book when I was finally shouting “GOOD FOR YOU!” “YAS GIRL!” and “FINALLY!!!”. Jennette, and other child stars like her, deserve so much more.
I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
Rating: 5 out of 5 therapists
Oh man. How do you put stars or words on one persons life? Truly? Especially someone as honest and soul bearing as Jennette McCurdy was in this one. Jennette McCurdy was more than just Sam in iCarly (which, I must confess, I never actually watched). She was more than any of her roles and I feel for her and other child stars, especially those who were abused under Nickelodeon, because many of them were failed by everyone around them. There were so many times during her reading of her story (I made sure to listen to this as an audiobook, I needed her voice) that I was just so angry on her behalf. SO MANY PEOPLE failed her. All around her. And yet, she made it. She forged her own way, made her life her own in spite of those who, it seemed, just wanted yet another something from her. Her mother was the worst of them all. After listening to this, I understand, now, why her book is titled the way it is. It’s more than a gleeful “YAY SHE’S GONE” or a “ding dong the wicked witch is dead” type of title. It’s also a relief type of title, for both herself and her mother, who was battling stuff as well. Her relationship with her mother is so complicated, because of course she loves her but also she had to come to terms with all the abuse she suffered at her hands. This was just such an awe inspiring book. Ironically enough, it forced me to make an online appointment of my own for therapy. I can’t thank her enough for giving me that push. I really would love to meet her and just…hug her and tell her we are all proud of her. She’s truly amazing.
I had quite the time with reading this last week! I was on a mission to get some Goodreads Challenges done before the September 14th deadline and boy did I!
Up first: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
Rating: all 8 tentacles
What started as a book that I wasn’t sure I was going to finish, became a book that made me cry over it. Wow. What a story, about grief, about loss, about aging, about finding family. Just stunning. Marcellus was by far the best part of that story. His brief narrations were amazing. Tova’s story was so sad but she was a superstar. And Cameron, once I stopped being annoyed by him, really was just a guy who had a bunch of crap luck. The town and the area of Puget Sound seemed like just the perfect setting and I longed to be there so many times. This was just such a genuine and heartfelt book. I loved listening to it, the audio narrators were amazing. I chuckled, I gasped and I cried.
I really do want to watch this now, knowing that Sally Field is playing Tova.
Then: Dead Eleven by Jimmy Juilano
Rating: 5 out of 5 VCR’s
Now THIS is the creepy horror I was looking for this past weekend. Whew. I might be dreaming about dead things for a while. Willow and her grief…honestly, I’m not sure I wouldn’t be acting the same if it were me. My kiddo is my life. Clifford Island is a super creepy place. To be stuck in 1994 is a…choice. It kind of reminded me of the Wayward Pines trilogy, except you can come and go as you please on the island. The real creepy factor is the psychological aspect of it all. Of something evil preying on your grief and misery. Of never being able to escape it or move on from it. Lily was a firecracker of a character. I enjoyed her time with Willow. I loved the way the book was written, almost epistolary, which is my favorite way to read a book. Truly a great horror novel.
Finally: Every Summer After by Carley Fortune
Rating: 3 out of 5 pierogies
Well dang it all. This was an emotional gut punch the whole way through. I really enjoyed reading this as flashbacks and present time, with the present being at an age I could at least somewhat relate to, as I’m in my 30’s. A story about growing up and young love, and making mistakes and owning up to them, this had it all. I actually really appreciated seeing the growth that our FMC (Percy) had. I also appreciated seeing apologies happen and that they were meant, not just said to say them to be absolved. Percy and Sam really went through it and absolutely had some devastating things happen to them. I wish we had seen a little more of Delilah and Chantal, especially Chantal, because I think Percy really needed to have people on her side. Either way, this was such a beautiful story, some amazing lines that I HAD to highlight/tab, which I only really do on some books, but this one had some doozies. I think this was the author’s debut work and she really hit it out of the park.
*I ended up editing this review on Goodreads and I want to add that edit here*
editing my review once I’ve had some time with this…I realized that while I liked it, I liked it precisely because it was very similar to another book and I kept thinking “I know romances tend to be similar but this is another thing entirely, why does it seem familiar?” and BOOM – because it’s just like Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren, which I LOVED (I still think about it occasionally too). I also have to agree with others that the twist was kinda…there in plain sight, though I disagree with readers that it’s SOLEY on Percy…Charlie had a hand in that too. But the end was definitely rushed, and I feel like, even though Sam forgave a long time ago, there should have been just a little more in the present, since Percy didn’t know. The makeup was just…to swift, I think. So rating moved to 3 stars from 5. Also, I’m noticing that for the show, I feel like the actors they chose look SO YOUNG, and I thought they were supposed to be in their 30’s?? And why does the guy who plays Sam look…nothing like the description in the book??? Same with Charlie? Am I missing something?? (edited review ends here).
I did not realize that this was a series on Amazon Prime and now I am intrigued and want to watch it…
Now, I am currently listening to I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy, and it’s…whew. That’s going to need it’s own review when I’m done. Everyone let this poor woman down. I’m surprised she is still standing.
Had some horror over the weekend and wanted to share them with you! One was more body gore, definitely worth heeding the trigger warnings, and one was more traditional horror.
ONWARD!
First up: You Weren’t Meant To Be Human by Andrew Joseph White
Rating: 4 out of 5 worms
There were Trigger Warnings aplenty on this work. ALL OF THEM NEEDED HOLY MOLY. I’m good, I don’t usually need them, but boy am I glad they were there!
Yea. Uh. This is gonna stay with me for a long while. This was absolutely brutal and beautiful. It is VERY graphic and so trigger warnings should be heeded. I read a handful of them and was still struggling with some of it. I cannot possibly imagine what kind of dysmorphia of body and mind must happen in trans individuals. That kind of horror for them, to not understand or be seen is something I don’t have to worry about but I deeply care for my trans community and it hurt my heart to know that these scenarios are something that they contemplate or deal with. Pregnancy is scary anyways but to do so while you are feeling like you’re in the wrong body must be exhausting and terrifying all at the same time. And that’s not to say that those in the community who choose that don’t feel it or anything, I would never assume anything about that. But this book…wow. Just dark and bleak and yet beautiful and hopeful. The pain I felt for Crane was unmatched. Levi was…quite possibly the most horrid being I’ve ever encountered in a novel. Stagger….grew on me. Jess….oh Jess. And Tammy….i don’t know whether to like her or hate her. These characters were so polarizing but I think that was the point. So that by the end, you could absolutely say that Crane did everything he was supposed to do, with the information and tools he had.
Gosh. I don’t even know what to do with myself now that this is over.
Final weekend book: The House That Horror Built by Christina Henry
Rating: 3 out of 5 movie props
This was definitely not as scary as I had hoped it would be. It was enjoyable but I just wanted…more, ya know? I had most of it figured out around the middle, and really there was only one scene that ACTUALLY made me go “Oh! Didn’t see THAT!” But even then, that was the only time. I really did like the characters though, Harry and Gabe and even Javier and Daniel. They were fully fleshed out. The flashback scenes were perfect in establishing their characters and their personalities and the WHY for their motives. It was all great there. The missing thing for me was the actual horror. Maybe I was too fresh off of another horror that was very explicit in its gore and such, but this wasn’t as atmospheric as I wanted it to be. Promising premise but the end fell flat for me.
Overall, a great weekend for reading! I was able to do so by having a mini road trip to spend the weekend with my cousins, a little in state vacation!
Hey there! Here’s some more fun! I have a few books (ok, more than a few), but I swear, I’m going to get better at this!
UP FIRST: Student Union by Julie Murphy
Rating: 4 out of 5 fake marriages
I really needed this palette cleanser, a HEA after the roller coaster of emotions I’ve been on the last week and half. Bennett Graves is a snotty Rich Kid and Clover Walsh is decidedly not. But their history is something that Clover decides to lean on when she realizes that her housing situation at college needs to be changed and quick. So she asks him to marry her for the housing perk. Thus begins the whole trope of former friends to lovers, one bed, forced proximity, etc. I did enjoy seeing the characters fully fleshed out, though sometimes they acted both older than their ages and exactly their ages. Bennett was definitely a dick for a good portion of the book, but I think he was also just trying to protect himself from more pain. Clover gave as good as she got though. They both hurt each other but Bennett needed to grow up to learn how to apologize to Clover for the pain he caused her when they were young. I did really enjoy this though. It was a quick read for me (finished in a day, few hours at most) and I will likely go ahead and read the next book in the series.
NEXT UP: Where You See Yourself by Claire Forrest
Rating: 5 out of 5 ADA Compliant Colleges
As a non disabled person, I will never have to navigate the challenges of the world they way those that are will have to. I am very grateful and thankful for that. Reading this, though, made me so much more aware of all the way we let our disabled community down. I work at a university. A MAJOR university, where I know we still have plenty of work to do to make people of all backgrounds feel seen and supported and valued. This book highlighted challenges that I would have never even thought of. I want to be challenged and I want to be able to be a better ally. I never want to make someone feel the way Effie did about navigating the world. She shouldn’t have to feel that way. I loved her little community, her parents and her sister were quite possibly the best humans in the world. I loved that she fought and made up with her bestie, Harper. I did that in high school too and now I’m still friends with mine 20+ years later. And I love that she figured out (with some nudging) how to truly advocate for herself and for future students. She was amazing. Wilder was great too, that he saw her chair but didn’t see it as something negative, it was just a part of her. He never made it seem like it was a burden. He was an amazing young man. I honestly would love to see this as a sequel, her first year in college, maybe coming home for the summer and seeing her friends and family. Just so we can see her growth and her view on the world. This was a phenomenal book. 100/10 would read again and again.
NEXT: Heated Rivalry and The Long Game by Rachel Reid
Ratings: 3 out of 5 Stanley Cups (HR) and 5 out of 5 GOALS (TLG)
Heated Rivalry: Well I have to say, I definitely think the second half of the book made up for the absolute mess of the first half. I’m all for smut and smut for smut sake but this was supposed to also be them like falling in love and stuff and…we didn’t really get there? Like I loved their banger and some of the sex was super hot but really it was all lust and anger and then BOOM they love each other and I just…didn’t buy it. I wish the slow burn that happened at the end had happened in the middle. It would have given the story more substance. I’ll probably still go read their next part of the series, but this one wasn’t as strong as other hockey romances I’ve read, or even other MM romances.
The Long Game: Ok I liked this one WAY MORE than the first one. There is so much more character development and the dive into mental health and homophobia with hockey culture was so good. Ilya is a precious cinnamon roll and I will hear no slander. Also, Anya is the best puppers. I also appreciated that Shane got his mess together, because he was really starting to get on my nerves but again, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT! It was all here in this one. The smut and spice was still hot but it was also so tender. I just really really liked this one so much more. I’m glad I read the first one so that I could get here to this part of Ilya and Shane’s story. I can’t believe I have to wait until June for the next one. 😩
ALMOST DONE: In Stormy Weather by Chelsea Curto
Rating: 5 out of 5 crazy storms and podcasts
OBSESSED. I love a good “guy is ultimate simp for FMC” and LORDY IF SEBASTIAN WASN’T THE BIGGEST SIMP! 😍😍😍Quincy and Sebastian’s banter with each other had me cracking up laughing and sometimes just blushing-I can’t believe it took her so long to figure it out! I knew my boy was down bad for her from the beginning! This was like the ultimate pulling on the pigtails because he likes you. There were a few times in the beginning that I was like “ugh he better not be a huge jerk that has some crazy turn around and boom we have to like him”. No. No he was just obsessed with Quincy the whole dang time. I really loved, though, how much time we get with each Quincy and Sebastian with their friends. It really fleshed out the friend and friend group too, which I loved. Yes, they are side characters, but they also had substance. I really hope we get more books with Harlow and Mia and Cooper and Nate. Above all, I’m always down for a good disaster movie or documentary and having all that sprinkled into the plot?! Sign. Me. UP! I absolutely devoured this. It’s definitely on my favorite list for summer reading. Maybe even the year so far. If only all the world loved like these two did. 💜 What a story.
FINALLY: Icebreaker by Hannah Grace
Rating: 4 out of 5 skating rinks
I almost gave this a 5, and I did really enjoy it. It was a fun, easy read. I think the big reason why it’s not a 5 is because I kind of feel like there are some plots that don’t really get resolved. Like, we get a hint of Nate’s dad and him talking out what happened but then…nothing. Same with Anastasia and Aaron. Like, there’s sort of a resolution but it wasn’t satisfying for me. There were definitely parts of the book that were a little tedious (honestly, Anastasia annoyed me sometimes) but I did appreciate the mental health inclusion and the body image/food issues that women face. Having that worked out in a healthy way was amazing. I honestly think there were some parts that seemed excessive to the story, but overall, it was a decent book.
OK – I swear, I’m not going to leave this so long again! I’m currently listening to the audiobook of Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt and I am loving it. Hope to have a review for that soon!
So after being gone for FAR TOO LONG (I’m sorry, please forgive me), I have a few book reviews to give you. I also just went to the Emily Rath book tour here in Detroit for her new release DEVOUR ME and OMG it was the best time! I love her books so much. Was able to get some signed books and chat with both her and B.B. Reid, it was amazing! Now, on to the reviews!
Willing Prey by Allie Oleander
Rating: 4 out of 5 lawyers
I have to admit that I wasn’t sure what I expected from this book but boy did I like it! Came out swinging right out the gate and it was HOT!🥵 The first time we meet Shane, I was ready to be just like Claire! Then as the story goes, and we see these two figure out that they are falling for each other, you realize that yea, these two work in a fun way. Keith is a jerk and Claire was too good for him. Margot and Gretchen though were hilarious. I wish we would have had more of Claire’s bestie but since Claire was “living” with Shane, it makes sense to have just had those in that household. I feel like the ending was a bit rushed but I’m glad we got an epilogue…not gonna lie, I wish some of the epilogue showed some of the aftermath of Keith but I also understand that that storyline was done.
Good book and I will most likely read the next one when it’s out!
First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison
Rating: 4 out of 5 late-night radio calls
I loved this book. The four stars instead of 5 are for two reasons: 1) I struggled with the MMC name bc…it’s my son’s name. So that was hard to get around lol. 2) there was all this build up between Aiden and Lucie, and we got to see Lucie interact a TON with her side crew (Maya, Greyson, Mateo, even the guys at the shop) and we got like…barely anything with Aiden and his crew until the end, nor did we get much interaction between him and Lucie’s crew or vice versa. As someone who dates while raising a kid, that interaction is SO important and I feel like it was just barely included. I know women shouldn’t all be reduced to being a mom but like, dating someone, bringing them around? That’s usually HUGE for a parent and I really feel like we missed out on some golden opportunities for Aiden to not just fall in love with Lucie, but with Maya and even the silly family they have with Greyson and Mateo. Watching Lucie and Aiden fall together was so worth it though.
Overall, this was very sweet and I definitely smiled pretty much the whole way through. It is definitely also a slow burn with not a ton of smut, so if you’re looking for that, this isn’t really your book. I will absolutely venture and read the others by this author and would recommend this to someone who believes in the magic of love or who needs to find that magic again. 💜
And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison
Rating: 5 out of 5 post it notes
This is everything I wanted First Time Caller to be. More development of the characters, more interactions with their respective friends and families, more…everything. Again, if you’re looking for a tone of spice, you won’t find it here but this is such a great love story. Jackson is the epitome of a hot nerd and I loved, nay, absolutely adored, Delilah. Her personality was just what Jackson needed to help him realize that it is ok to have life be a little chaotic. His sisters were hilarious though. And the tv crew that Delilah worked with (minus Keith, that absolute jerk) were the best kind of found family.
All in all, a fantastic and heartwarming story. 10/10 would read again.
Note: I got all of these as part of my Probably Smut monthly subscription, so I had to find these pics of those covers specifically because LOOK AT THEM!!!!
Now I am off to go read a MASSIVE backlog of books I have. Toodles!
Whew. This too me WAY too long to listen to. I have to admit that the author himself as a narrator is not the most exciting to listen to. I had so many days in between listens but because it’s a memoir, there wasn’t really a loss of pace. I do wish he had gone deeper into some of his stories, especially in college, and I have to wonder…did any of those professors or people around him in his stories reach out to him after? Like that one prof in the narrative class?? She seemed awful so I wonder what she thinks about his perspective on it.
I did appreciate learning about what it must have been like in the growing up in the 80’s in Detroit, it was such a special time in the history of Detroit. I think Chin did a really good job of showing us Detroit in a way that is meaningful but real. As a native Michigander, Detroit is one of my favorite cities, and I hate when people tear it down. I also appreciate his perspective in the intersectionality of being a gay Asian boy in the 80’s, at the height of the AIDS epidemic and the Vincent Chen case in Detroit. What I didn’t like…was his crazy hold on the Republicanism but also his hold on liberal ideas…like he was definitely confused growing up and it felt like he only felt that way to spite his parents. It was…weird.
However, I’m giving this a 2 star because I became so disinterested that I finally would work while listening, just to have sound in the background. Ultimately, his story just didn’t resonate with me (which, valid, I’m a 38 year old mixed race Mexican American who grew up in the 90’s) but it wasn’t because it wasn’t interesting, but because it COULD have been interesting and he just…didn’t make it so? It’s hard to describe. Like there were so many places where he could have extrapolated more on parts of the history, or on his family, and yet, he would just cut off a story and never come back to it. I finished it and realized that I don’t even know if he told his family he was gay?? That’s how dissociated I became from his story. I appreciate that he is the co-founder of the Asian American Writers Workshop (that is, actually SO COOL) and that he found inspiration for writing though poetry, but honestly, his prose was so dry and chock full of the very stereotypes he hated, that I have a hard time believing that he did that. Also, why wouldn’t he have found inspiration from all the letters to the editor he had been writing since he was a child?? That would have made more sense to me.
Anyways, this was just ok, and I wish it was better, but hey. It’s his story. Who am I to judge, really? Thank you, Curtis, for sharing your life with us.
I read. A lot. Hence the blog, and the many other avenues of social media attempts to become more bloggerish. I’ve been a huge reader since about the third grade. I was introduced to chapter books then, and I fell in love. Finally, I could read LONG STORIES!!! From there, I read just about anything I could get my hands on. When I was 10, my mom died. Books were my only solace. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Sorry UK folks), was my lifeline (fu*k you, JK Rowling). I still re-read that in my darkest of times, when I’ve had other losses. But I would go on to read all the major books like Twilight, The Maze Runner, Divergent, Fifty Shades, etc. I even manage to get my hands on Flowers in the Attic and Forever, way before I probably should have been able to read them. I read Goosebumps, RL Stine, Ask Alice, Animorphs, Tamora Pierce…the list goes on. Safe to say, no genre was off limits, I even read the Dear Diary series and the American Girl books. Nancy Drew? Yep. Baby Sitters Club? You got it! SO many books, so little time in life.
All this is to say: I read books yes. I listen to them, I e-read them. But I also am a voracious Fan Fiction reader. I will NEVER let anyone besmirch fan fiction. I think it is such an integral part of reading and the art of creative writing. Many books start, occasionally, as fan fics (notably Twilight and Fifty Shades, from my list above). I started in Live Journal, moved to FFnet, and have been with Archive of Our Own (AO3) since 2013. AO3 is FINALLY out of Beta!!! I can’t believe I’ve made it through all these years of different versions of Fan Fic, and have lived to see the biggest archive of them all make it here. It’s been such a privilege to read these amazing authors, some who I follow religiously, and some who I find for the first time, very frequently!
So for this musing, I say: be a reader. Be a voracious, hungry reader. Read everything. Go out of your comfort zone. Find new authors. Indulge in your tried and true authors. Do reading challenges. Participate in the Dewey 24hour Readathon! Check out local book clubs. Hold authors accountable for their morals, because reading IS political. Hold YOURSELF accountable to your own morals. Expand your horizons. Listen to an audiobook, read an e-book, read a paperback or a hardcover. Support your local libraries! Support your local indie bookstores! Read new; read old. Just READ.
Whew! I missed ALL of February…I meant to read so much but I just…didn’t. I think I needed a break. It does mean I missed out on the challenge for February on Goodreads, but it’s ok, I’m good with that. I did read a few more books in January, and you can find those reviews under my Goodreads Challenge here. Now, on to the first book of March! I feel like I really should have read Go Luck Yourself here, but…oh well.
The Entanglement of Rival Wizards by Sara Raasch
Rating: 5/5 Invisible Nicks
I have already decided that Sara Raasch is a new fave of mine. After meeting her at a book signing for this book specifically…then not reading it right away…to reading her OTHER books first (Go Luck Yourself and Nightmare Before Kissmas)…I am still singularly blown away by how well she makes these characters. They have flaws, they have deep seated (need therapy and go to therapy) issues, and they are all queer and I love it. I love that this was a story of a rivalry (because who doesn’t love that) between two guys (a half fae and a human) taking place in college between grad students (who I know from some second hand experience are stressed TF OUT) but also a rivalry between morality…or is it? That last part is crazy, and it’s certainly where something like “don’t judge a book by it’s cover” would certainly come into play.
We meet our human, Sebastian, as he is getting ready to compete for a grant, and his competitor is Elthior Taurel, of the infamous Taurel family who is…decidedly not nice in this world. They are from two competing departments, Conjuring and Evocation, who have a long rivalry in the university. Sebastian has had a horrible past with the Taurel family (justifiably so as we later learn) and so his mistrust with Thio is epic. Thio, on the other hand, also has a horrible past with his family…but hasn’t really told anyone about it. The best part? They now have to work together, as they BOTH get the grant. Will they overcome their own obstacles? Or will their project blow up in their faces?
Considering its a romance, we all pretty much know it’s a HEA, but watching them get there was the most fun and worthwhile journey. We meet Orok, Seb’s bestie and their dynamic is so sweet. Oh and I can’t forget Nick! I wish there was more of him, tbh. I can’t wait for the next book!
Whew! We made it to 2026…even though it feels like we have stepped back into the 1950’s here in the US. But that’s a tangent for another day. I was so proud of myself for 2025 that I UPPED my reading goal from 50 books to 75! I’m already two books into 2026 so let’s get this party started! I’ve also planned on participating as much as possible with the Book Riot 2026 Read Harder challenge, so this will be so fun! If I read a book on that challenge, I’ll be sure to denote it here as well! If you would like to participate, the challenge is linked here. I would encourage, if you can, to also become a Book Riot member. They do send you 2 book ideas for the different challenges for free if you are not a member, but you get more if you are! Anyways, here are my first two reads of 2026!
Pucking Strong by Emily Rath
3 hockey pucks
Well. That was certainly a ride for the first book of the year! I have enjoyed the Jacksonville Rays series, Pucking Around and all the rest, and I really enjoyed this one too. For me, what makes this not a 4 or even 5 star is the unrealistic look at grief, especially for a young girl losing her mom, who is an only child to a single mother. I should know, I was one. My single mother died when I was 10 years old. It was the single most devastating moment of my life. It still is and I’m 37. I get that the story was going to be about the MMC’s love, but if Emily Rath is going to have this cataclysmic event happen to this little girl, then proceed in only showing her happy and well adjusted, then I’m afraid I have to call bullshit. Again, I get showing her going through therapy and everything isn’t fun or cute but it felt like her grief was glossed over to the point that it even seemed like Henrik and Teddy didn’t even care. She not only was there when it happened but also suffered her own injuries and trauma and the only time we see her is as an accessory or so happy it’s all sunshine and rainbows. Yes, there are some good days, but I can promise you, unless you hated your mother, no little girl losing their whole world in an instant would be so well adjusted.
Outside of that, Teddy and Henrik’s story was alright. I appreciated that it was a slow burn and not just jump into the sex and spice. The way they actually established their relationship was nice, even when I cringed when Teddy basically laid out all his feelings to Henrik at their pap dinner. Like, I get he was trying to make a point but that’s also a good way to get someone to never step up. Also, Teddy’s family, specifically his mother, sucked. Not a single one thought to actually ask him about how it all went down, they just assumed, then his mother basically disrespected him in front of Henrik?! Like the actual f?? And also, there was so much more about Henrik’s family life than Teddy’s which made the book feel very unbalanced.
Gosh, maybe I didn’t like this book as much as I thought. Which is a bummer since I liked the rest?? Ugh. Maybe I need to rest on it more or something. Either way, I didn’t hate it, it had its great moments, the epilogue stole my breath away, it was very sweet.
His Grace, The Duke by Emily Rath
3 whole men
Ok so let’s get gone thing out of the way: Emily Rath can absolutely write spice. She can even write drama!!! But for some reason, between book one and book two she couldn’t write the love between all the players in this book. There is no way that Tom the sailor was too in his head about sexuality. None. Even if he didn’t experiment, he would have seen things. Now Burke and James I get. I could see that Burke loved James and James loved Burke. And I still think that Burke really loved Rosalie. What I don’t believe is the torch Tom held for Burke. I think he certainly could have held one for James, given he always came to Alcott Hall when he was home from being away. I don’t know. I feel like in the end it was all very rushed. While I liked the book and duology as a whole, there were definitely parts that could have been fleshed out more. But in the end, it is what it is. A good romp.
Ah! I can’t believe I made it out of my reading slump this year and read 100 books!! I am so proud of myself!! I neglected, however, to update here, simply because I didn’t want to get my computer up and running! But here are the last books of 2025 for me!
Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch
5 Shamrocks!
Oh goodness. I freaking loved this! I was so happy to finally read Kris’s story, especially with how badly he seemed to be in the book with Coal and Hex. This was such fun and yet, so much happened. The progression of hate from Loch and his one sister to them both absolutely adoring Kris was hilarious. I really loved Loch’s character too. He knew what he wanted and also knew he couldn’t have it? Very different from Hex, who was a very submissive character. Even Kris wasn’t that bad. I will definitely keep these as Christmas book rotations in the coming years.
Big Nick Energy by Morgan Elizabeth
4 Christmas Stockings!
Well this was adorable. For a novella, there was plenty of character arc for both Nick and Shae, and the epilogue gave us more to tie up any loose ends. I kinda wish we had more of a tie up for what happened to Shae’s ex, but I did love the conclusion of the mean girl Molly-she redeemed herself there, I think. Overall, super cute, pretty spicy but can definitely hold triggering plot lines so definitely make sure you’re in the correct space for that. The author does a great job of listing them in the beginning of the book, which is great, but I’ll add them here in case you are looking BEFORE you even decide to pick it up.
TW: domestic violence (not on page but described) including both verbal, physical and mental abuse.
Automatic Noodle by Annalee Newitz
3 Robots
This was…unexpected. Cute, hints of social discourse, lots of bots making noodles and figuring out their place in the new world they woke up to. Definitely could have been fleshed out more, made into a longer book, as there are some themes that kind of…fall off? Enjoyable and quick read.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST
Chasing the Boogeyman by Richard Chizmar
5 freaking stars!!!
I have a love/hate relationship with true crime novels. Sometimes I feel like they are either over complicated, with legalese meant to confuse the reader and make the author feel like they are so much smarter than than the reader, OR , they are so dumbed down that I get bored very easily. This was neither of these. By the time I was halfway through the book, I had forgotten that this was a piece of fiction and not an ACTUAL true crime book. Chizmar does an excellent job of making the reader feel like we are indeed looking for a killer, that all of this actually happened. He keeps the idyllic nature of the small town in tact, while simultaneously showing the absolute horror that small towns can endure.
Richard Chizmar is a 20-something guy coming back to live with his parents in the summer of 1988, a few months before his wedding. He’s freshly graduated from college and his marriage to fiancé Kara is going to be in January. The timeline for all of this is important, since the murders happen during that summer. 4 young teen girls are abducted and murdered. All but 1 are sexually assaulted before death. But the police and FBI are completely stumped as there is no evidence at any of the sites. Chizmar and his friend Carly Albright, an up and coming journalist, begin to have their own investigation around the cops. Eventually, they are even stumped. 30 years later, the man is found and you will not even begin to believe who it is. Or will you?
I do have to admit I figured out who it was about halfway through but seeing it all spelled out still shocked me. And then I get to the authors note and am reminded that OH YEA! This didn’t actually happen but holy moly did the book feel like it did!!! I really really enjoyed this one. I would absolutely recommend you folks who like true crime and thrillers. This was a heck of a read.
Thank you to everyone who has read this blog in 2025! As always, to see other reviews, please check out my Goodreads page and follow me there too! On to 2026!!
Lupe's Book Nook 