#gretchensbooks 2024 - September

 

I am so, so terrible at DNF-ing books, but I managed to do it with two of them this month! I had a kindle book that I started for the sake of getting a digital book read, but I just could not get myself to read it (it wasn't the content though, it was the concept of reading digitally that didn't interest me, so I'll probably pick it back up eventually). I also had started an audiobook. I was two hours in, but kept listening to podcasts instead (so many good podcasts!) because I was so uninterested in the story. Finally I just stopped listening and chose something else instead. I was so proud of myself because usually I will make myself power through! That being said, I did only listen to one audio this month because I just could not find the steam to power through it for a lot of the time.

Book 81 of 2024 📖 Sync by Ellen Hopkins (4/5⭐️)

📚GENRE: YA Contemporary Fiction

🗓PUBLISHED: 27 August 2024

Seventeen-year-old twins Storm and Lake have always been in perfect sync. They faced the worst a parent could do and survived it together. In the wake of their mother’s rejection, they’ve spent the last five years moving from foster home to foster home—sometimes placed together, sometimes apart.

After being separated from his sister once again, Storm is devastated. He’s the older brother and promised to always take care of Lake. But after a stint in juvie, his newest placement has him feeling almost hopeful. His foster dad is kind, and his girlfriend, Jaidyn, is the first person other than Lake he feels he can trust. But when Jaidyn is sexually assaulted by a violent ex, it pushes Storm over the edge. He retaliates and lands back in lockup—and he fears this time it will be for good. He wishes he could talk to Lake, but he doesn’t know where she is, and he' s now feeling more alone and out of sync than ever before.

Lake, like Storm, has found her own happiness in a relationship with someone new—her fellow foster, Parker. Life with Parker is never boring, but Parker has her own scars. She can be withdrawn and unpredictable, and that can be dangerous, especially after Parker convinces Lake to run away from their Bible-thumping fosters after they are caught in a compromising position. With no money, shelter, or ID, they’re living on the streets. Lake thinks of Storm and his promise to take care of her, and wonders where he could be now.

Told in dual perspectives through unsent letters, at turns heartbreaking and always honest, this latest novel in verse from #1 New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins is a searing and unforgettable account of two teens caught in the teeth of the foster care system, fighting their way out and back to each other.

I loved reading the story and didn’t want to put it down, but I didn’t feel like it dug quite as deep as some of her others. I called the ending (though I wish it would have kept going to I could have seen how it played out!) There was definitely more sweetness in this story than I was use to from her.

Book 82 of 2024 📖 The Roommate (Nightmare Hall #2) by Diane Hoh (3.5/5⭐️)

📚GENRE: YA Horror

🗓PUBLISHED: 1 August 1993

Four very different roommates share a suite in the quad—beautiful Danni, shy Maureen, mysterious Margot, and wild Lacey—and soon one of them may be dead.

I finally got around to ordering (almost) all the Nightmare Hall books that I couldn’t get on kindle. (There are still more that are like $30+ on eBay, but I can’t rationalize that!) honestly the books are all the same, but they’re still enjoyable. Like the others, this story was written in a way where anyone could be the “bad guy,” and you don’t find out until the end.

(No link to this one because I had to dig deep into eBay to find a copy!)

Book 83 of 2024 📖 The Third Gilmore Girl: A Memoir by Kelly Bishop (4/5⭐️)

📚GENRE: Memoir

🗓PUBLISHED: 17 September 2024

Kelly Bishop’s long, storied career has been defined by landmark achievements, from winning a Tony Award for her turn in the original Broadway cast of A Chorus Line to her memorable performance as Jennifer Grey’s mother in Dirty Dancing. But it is probably her iconic role as matriarch Emily in the modern classic Gilmore Girls that cemented her legacy.

Now, Bishop reflects on her remarkable life and looks towards the future with The Third Gilmore Girl. She shares some of her greatest stories and the life lessons she’s learned on her journey. From her early transition from dance to drama, to marrying young to a compulsive gambler, to the losses and achievements she experienced—among them marching for women’s rights and losing her second husband to cancer—Bishop offers a rich, genuine celebration of her life.

Full of witty insights and featuring a special collection of personal and professional photographs, The Third Gilmore Girlis a warm, unapologetic, and spirited memoir from a woman who has left indelible impressions on her audiences for decades and has no plans on slowing down.

I really enjoyed Kelly Bishop’s memoir. I can honestly say that I did not know anything about her other than her starring in Gilmore Girls. I had no idea she had such a long history of dancing and theater. My only disappointment is that I wish there had been more about Gilmore Girls in this book. I understand that that was not a huge part of her career time-wise, but being that the book was literally named after the show, I did expect more. She did mention she had a different title originally in mind for the book, which I think would’ve made a lot more sense and would have been more in line with her life story.

Book 84 of 2024 🎧 Pucking Around (Jacksonville Rays #1) by Emily Rath (3/5⭐️)

📚GENRE: Romance (🌶️)

🗓PUBLISHED: 20 March 2023

My name is Rachel Price, and two months ago, I walked away from the perfect man. Sweet and funny, and so hot it should be illegal—we shared one magical night. No names. No strings. I never thought I'd see him again.

I was wrong. It turns out Mr. Perfect is the playboy grinder for the Jacksonville Rays, the NHL's hottest new hockey team . . . and I'm his new physical therapist. Oh, and the jerk doesn't even recognize me!

This fellowship is going to be the longest ten months of my life. Mr. Perfect Mistake will do anything to get back on my good side. Meanwhile, his best friend is the surly new equipment manager always riding my case. Worst of all, I've got an uncooperative goalie who thinks I can't tell he's hiding an injury!

This is my chance to prove myself, and I'm not risking it for anything. But with one unexpected night, one secret revealed, these men are ready to test all my limits. I can't fall for a player . . . let alone three. But if love is a game, these guys are playing to win.

Bonus content: Audio edition includes the spicy prequel novella That One Night.

Well. I have some thoughts about this book. Most of which I won’t share. What I will share is as follows….when I started this book, I thought for sure I would DNF it. The beginning bored me. But then the spice picked up. WHOA did it pick up. Almost too much? I feel like this book was too long, and some of the sex scenes should have been edited out. I understand the point of the book, but it felt like too much. Also listening to it on audio was so cringey sometimes. I just couldn’t handle the dialogue - or especially the male performers voicing the female character - it was blegh. Almost 20 hours in and if I hadn’t have invested that much time, I WOULD have DNF’d it. This is the only audiobook I listened to this month because it was so darn long and I kept putting it aside and listening to podcasts instead.  I like spice, but I like a storyline, and though this book technically had one, it was so scattered in all the spice scenes that it felt almost irrelevant. I have the next book on audio, but honestly I think I’m going to remove it from my TBR. If someday I get to it, cool, but it’s definitely not a priority.

Book 85 of 2024 📖 The Scream Team (Nightmare Hall #5) by Diane Hoh (3/5⭐️)

📚GENRE: YA Horror

🗓PUBLISHED: 1993

Delle dreams of becoming a cheerleader for Salem University, but she soon discovers the horrifying truth about what happened to last year's cheerleaders, and she realizes she may die if she makes the squad.

I feel like I keep saying this, but there is nothing I can say about this book that I haven’t said about the others. The resolution was predictably unpredictable. The story is short, but enjoyable, though probably more so out of nostalgia than anything.

(No link, again, due to my eBay deep dive).

*This post may contain affiliate links, which means when you purchase something through that link, you're helping support this blog (and my reading addiction!) at no additional cost to you!*

(Summaries are from Amazon, but all thoughts about them are my own!)

Reading Challenge: 85/120 books read in 2024

You can find previous book reviews here and add me on Goodreads here! Also, if you use StoryGraph, you can add me here!

#gretchensbooks2024 - August

 

Reading definitely has not been a priority this year, which I hate, but I also know that I've made other important things a priority, so I can't be too upset. This month was very audiobook heavy.  I also didn't get in my ebook this month. I had one picked out, and I did start it, but I just wasn't feeling the reading from a device this month and so I decided not to force it.

Book 73 of 2024 🎧 What Lies in the Woods by Kate Alice Marshall (4.5/5⭐️)

📚GENRE: Thriller

🗓PUBLISHED: 17 January 2023

Naomi Shaw used to believe in magic. Twenty-two years ago, she and her two best friends, Cassidy and Olivia, spent the summer roaming the woods, imagining a world of ceremony and wonder. They called it the Goddess Game. The summer ended suddenly when Naomi was attacked. Miraculously, she survived her seventeen stab wounds and lived to identify the man who had hurt her. The girls’ testimony put away a serial killer, wanted for murdering six women. They were heroes.

And they were liars.

For decades, the friends have kept a secret worth killing for. But now Olivia wants to tell, and Naomi sets out to find out what really happened in the woods―no matter how dangerous the truth turns out to be.

I saw this recommended on Instagram and I was shocked that it was available so quickly in Libby! Wow, this was a good one! There were so many twists and I had so many guesses as to how things would go. The main character wasn’t always likeable, but I was still rooting for her!

FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

Book 74 of 2024 🎧 The Spare Room by Andrea Bartz (3.5/5⭐️)

📚GENRE: Thriller

🗓PUBLISHED: 9 July 2024

Kelly’s new life in Philadelphia has turned into a nightmare: She’s friendless and jobless, and the lockdown has her trapped in a tiny apartment with the man she gave up everything for, who’s just called off their wedding. The only bright spot is her newly rekindled friendship with her childhood friend Sabrina—now a glamorous bestselling author with a handsome, high-powered husband.

When Sabrina and Nathan offer Kelly an escape hatch, volunteering the spare room of their remote Virginia mansion, she jumps at the chance to run away from her old life. There, Kelly secretly finds herself falling for both her enchanting hosts—until one night, a wild and unexpected threesome leads the couple to open their marriage for her.

At first, Kelly loves being part of this risqué new world. But when she discovers that the last woman they invited into their marriage is missing, she starts to wonder if they could be dangerous . . . and if she might be next.

Oof. This one had a lot of unexpected turns (though I did predict one of the big ones pretty early). I was hoping for more spice in this one, but all the potentially spicy times were built up, and then over with no real detail. I appreciate the authors who used 2020 as inspiration for their stories; I think it’s neat how some could take the craziness and run with it. Overall I liked the story, but I think it would have been better with spice!

Book 75 of 2024 🎧 Home is Where the Bodies Are by Jeneva Rose (3.5/5⭐️)

📚GENRE: Thriller

🗓PUBLISHED: 30 April 2024

After their mother passes, three estranged siblings reunite to sort out her estate. Beth, the oldest, never left home. She stayed with her mom, caring for her until the very end. Nicole, the middle child, has been kept at arm's length due to her ongoing battle with a serious drug addiction. Michael, the youngest, lives out of state and hasn't been back to their small Wisconsin town since their father ran out on them seven years before.

While going through their parents' belongings, the siblings stumble upon a collection of home videos and decide to revisit those happier memories. However, the nostalgia is cut short when one of the VHS tapes reveals a night back in 1999 that none of them have any recollection of. On screen, their father appears covered in blood. What follows is a dead body and a pact between their parents to get rid of it, before the video abruptly ends.

Beth, Nicole, and Michael must now decide whether to leave the past in the past or uncover the dark secret their mother took to her grave.

I randomly came across this and immediately borrowed because I’ve enjoyed her past work. This was a good one too! Not overly suspenseful, but I didn’t expect the story to turn out like it did. Also I listened to the whole thing within like a 36 hour window, so that must count for something!

Book 76 of 2024 🎧 The Perfect Child by Lucinda Berry (4/5⭐️)

📚GENRE: Thriller

🗓PUBLISHED: 1 March 2019

Christopher and Hannah are a happily married surgeon and nurse with picture-perfect lives. All that’s missing is a child. When Janie, an abandoned six-year-old, turns up at their hospital, Christopher forms an instant connection with her, and he convinces Hannah they should take her home as their own.

But Janie is no ordinary child, and her damaged psyche proves to be more than her new parents were expecting. Janie is fiercely devoted to Christopher, but she acts out in increasingly disturbing ways, directing all her rage at Hannah. Unable to bond with Janie, Hannah is drowning under the pressure, and Christopher refuses to see Janie’s true nature.

Hannah knows that Janie is manipulating Christopher and isolating him from her, despite Hannah’s attempts to bring them all together. But as Janie’s behavior threatens to tear Christopher and Hannah apart, the truth behind Janie’s past may be enough to push them all over the edge.

All the twists in this story and I was afraid I would be let down with a cop out ending (spoiler: I wasn’t). I had bought a physical copy of this book from the bookstore but forgot, so then I bought a cheap audible copy as well which is how I ended up reading it. The story absolutely ended in the right place (after a giant shocker), but I still wanted to know what happens next!

FREE with Amazon Prime subscription.

Book 77 of 2024 🎧 Perfect Strangers by J.T. Geissinger (2.5/5⭐️)

📚GENRE: Contemporary Romance

🗓PUBLISHED: 29 September 2019

Author Olivia Rossi hasn’t been able to write a word since tragedy struck two years ago and ripped her world apart. Heartbroken and still haunted by the past, she accepts an offer to spend the summer at a friend’s apartment in Paris in search of healing and her lost muse.

What she finds instead is James, an enigmatic stranger who ignites in her an unexpected and all-consuming passion.

Agreeing to tell each other nothing more than their first names, Olivia and James embark on a torrid affair. But the more time they spend together, the more Olivia begins to realize her summer fling is turning into a powerful connection…and that the magnetic man she’s falling in love with might not be what he seems at all.

Ugh. I listened to this whole book without pause, but I’m not confident it was good. In fact the first 3/4 were pretty bland. Now I can’t decide if the way it ended redeemed the story, or made it that much worse.

FREE on Kindle Unlimited!

Book 78 of 2024 📖 This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune (4/5⭐️)

📚GENRE: Contemporary Romance

🗓PUBLISHED: 9 May 2024

Lucy is the tourist vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island. Felix is the local who shows her a very good time. The only problem: Lucy doesn’t know he’s her best friend’s younger brother. Lucy and Felix’s chemistry is unreal, but the list of reasons why they need to stay away from each other is long, and they vow to never repeat that electric night again.

It’s easier said than done.

Each year, Lucy escapes to PEI for a big breath of coastal air, fresh oysters and crisp vinho verde with her best friend, Bridget. Every visit begins with a long walk on the beach, beneath soaring red cliffs and a golden sun. And every visit, Lucy promises herself she won’t wind up in Felix’s bed. Again.

If Lucy can’t help being drawn to Felix, at least she’s always kept her heart out of it.

When Bridget suddenly flees Toronto a week before her wedding, Lucy drops everything to follow her to the island. Her mission is to help Bridget through her crisis and resist the one man she’s never been able to. But Felix’s sparkling eyes and flirty quips have been replaced with something new, and Lucy’s beginning to wonder just how safe her heart truly is.

This was a great summer read, and while I enjoyed it and felt many emotions while reading it, I still think Every Summer After was her best book! I liked the characters, but I didn’t feel like the problem that sent the MC to Prince Edward Island was dramatic enough to make it such a big part of the book. I liked that the story was told between present and past.

Book 79 of 2024 🎧 The Way I Am Now by Amber Smith (3/5⭐️)

📚GENRE: YA Romance

🗓PUBLISHED: 7 November 2023

Eden and Josh never had a fair shot at a healthy relationship. When they dated in high school, they each had their own problems getting in the way of the deep connection they felt toward one another. Unbeknownst to Josh, Eden was carrying the burden of a devastating sexual assault, while Josh was dealing with his own private struggle of having an alcoholic father.

Months after Eden and two other girls publicly accuse their rapist, Eden is starting college while her case goes to trial. Now when she and Josh reconnect, it seems like it might finally be in the right place at the right time for them to make it work. But is their love strong enough to withstand the challenges and chaos of college and the crushing realities of a trial that will determine whether Eden gets the justice she deserves?

I really loved the first book in this series, so I was excited to see a sequel had come out. I have to say, I was disappointed in the sequel. I liked the ending, but the rest of the story was pretty dull. I know this is meant to be more of a YA read, but I usually get into YA books, so even so, I think this one was a let down.

Book 80 of 2024 📖 The Racketeer by John Grisham (4/5⭐️)

📚GENRE: Legal Thriller

🗓PUBLISHED: October 23, 2012

His body is found in his remote lakeside cabin. There is no sign of forced entry or struggle. Just two dead bodies: Judge Fawcett and his young secretary. And one large, state-of-the-art, extremely secure safe, opened and emptied.

Who is the Racketeer? And what does he have to do with the judge’s untimely demise? His name, for the moment, is Malcolm Bannister. Job status? Former attorney. Current residence? The Federal Prison Camp near Frostburg, Maryland.

On paper, Malcolm’s situation isn’t looking too good these days, but he’s got an ace up his sleeve. He knows who killed Judge Fawcett, and he knows why. The FBI would love to know. And Malcolm Bannister would love to tell them. But everything has a price—especially information as explosive as the sequence of events that led to Judge Fawcett’s death. And the Racketeer wasn’t born yesterday.

Nothing is as it seems and everything’s fair game in this wickedly clever novel from John Grisham, the undisputed master of the legal thriller.

I'm rapidly approaching the point in Grisham's writing where I know I have read the book because I bought it as soon as it was published. In fact, I'm probably already there. Despite this, I did not remember this story, so it was fun to re-read! I really enjoyed the storytelling and manipulating in this novel. I loved the main character and was constantly rooting for him to be living his best life!

*This post may contain affiliate links, which means when you purchase something through that link, you're helping support this blog (and my reading addiction!) at no additional cost to you!*

(Summaries are from Amazon, but all thoughts about them are my own!)

Reading Challenge: 80/120 books read in 2024

You can find previous book reviews here and add me on Goodreads here! Also, if you use StoryGraph, you can add me here!