I posted my top 23 books of 2023 last week, but I left out my overall favorite, so it could get it’s own post. The Very Secret Society of Witches was a perfect blend of heart and humor. Every single character in this book is delightful and intriquing in their own way. There’s a feeling of hope and the value of small changes.
You can see my original review here.
Goodreads Synopsis:
As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules…with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos pretending to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.
But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.
As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn’t the only danger in the world, and when a threat comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for….
Reasons I loved this book:
Welcome to my weekly post where I look back at some of my four and five star reads before I started Nicole’s Nook.
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date: January 1, 2000
Date Read: November 22, 2008
Goodreads Synopsis:
Natalie and Tom have been best friends forever, but Tom wants them to be much more. When Natalie’s longtime boyfriend walks out on her just when she thinks he’s going to propose, Tom offers her a different and wildly romantic proposition. He suggests that they spend twenty-six weekends together, indulging in twenty-six different activities from A to Z, and at the end of that time Tom’s convinced they’ll be madly in love. Natalie, however, is not so sure. As Natalie’s touring the alphabet with Tom, her mother’s going through her own romantic crisis—while Tom’s unhappily married sister-in-law, Lucy, struggles with temptation. And over the course of six amazing months, three generations of passionate dreamers are going to discover that, no matter how clever they are, love—and life—is never as easy as A, B, C . . .
My Thoughts:
This as a fun friends to lovers story. Tom and Natalie alternate picking ideas for each weekend which coordinate with the letters of the alphabet. This was a fun concept and the different activities chosen helped to develop the characters in a unique way.
Welcome to my weekly post where I look back at some of my four and five star reads before I started Nicole’s Nook.
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: July 31, 2012
Dead Read: February 28, 2016
Goodreads Synopsis:
Paris
Breathtakingly beautiful, the City of Light seduces the senses, its cobbled streets thrumming with possibility. For American Cade Corey, it’s a dream come true, if only she can get one infuriating French chocolatier to sign on the dotted line…
Chocolate
Melting, yielding yet firm, exotic, its secrets are intimately known to Sylvain Marquis. But turn them over to a brash American waving a fistful of dollars? Jamais! Not unless there’s something much more delectable on the table…
Stolen Pleasure
Whether confections taken from a locked shop or kisses in the dark, is there anything sweeter?
My Thoughts
Cade is an heiress to a chocolate company which appears to be a thinly disguised version of Hershey. While they have some of the best selling chocolate in the world, it does not have the quality of French chocolate. She is determined to discover the recipe, even if it means breaking and entering. Sylvain is apalled by the plebian American chocolate and refuses to share his secrets. But, when the natural enemies meet, sparks fly.
This is a fun hate-to-love romance which is the first book in the Amour et chocolat series. While the characters are connected, they can be read as a stand alone. Warning: you will crave chocolate while reading this book
Welcome to my weekly post where I look back at some of my four and five star reads before I started Nicole’s Nook.
Publisher: Berkley Books
Publication Date: December 7, 2010
Date Read: December 11, 2010
Synopsis:
This sexy, funny new novel asks: Can a woman find a modern-day Mr. Darcy in Daytona Beach?
At thirty, Grace O’Bryan has dated every loser in Daytona Beach. After the ultimate date-from-hell, Grace decides to turn her dwindling book club into a Boyfriend of the Month Club, where women can discuss the eligible men in their community. Where are the real life twenty-first century versions of literary heroes such as Heathcliff and Mr. Darcy?
Could it be successful and handsome Brandon Farrell, who is willing to overlook his disastrous first date with Grace and offers financial help for her parents’ failing Florida gift shop? Or maybe sexy dentist Joe Rosenblum, who’s great with a smile but not so great at commitment? Unfortunately, like books, men cannot always be judged by their covers…
My Thoughts:
This is a fun contemporary romance for anyone who loves classic love stories. Grace and her book club categorize the men in their lives as Austen and Bronte characters. But real people are more complex. This results in some misteps on the road to true love. These modern characters made me look at their classic versions with new eyes.
Welcome to my weekly post where I look back at some of my four and five star reads before I started Nicole’s Nook.
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Publication Date: May 29, 2007
Date Read: September 14, 2012
Favorite Quote: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a thirty-something woman in possession of a satisfying career and fabulous hairdo must be in want of very little”
― Shannon Hale, Austenland
Goodreads Synopsis:
Jane is a young New York woman who can never seem to find the right man-perhaps because of her secret obsession with Mr. Darcy, as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of “Pride and Predjudice.” When a wealthy relative bequeaths her a trip to an English resort catering to Austen-obsessed women, however, Jane’s fantasies of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman suddenly become more real than she ever could have imagined. Is this total immersion in a fake Austenland enough to make Jane kick the Austen obsession for good, or could all her dreams actually culminate in a Mr. Darcy of her own?
My Thoughts
This is my favorite Jane Austen fan fiction that isn’t a retelling. While it pays homage to Austen, it’s really more of a tribute to Janeites. Which of us hasn’t dreamed of living in Austen’s world for just a moment? While this is a dream come true, it also brings in the reality of what it would’ve really been like to live at that time. Part of the reason there are so many busybodies running around is that gossip is the main form of entertainment. Since most of the characters in the book are actors catering to women’s Austen fantasies, the line between fantasy and reality is blurry, and keeps you on your toes throughout the book.
If you’ve seen the movie, it strays from the book, and I didn’t like it nearly as much.
“Everyone needs things that serve no greater purpose than to make them happy.”
― Kelley Armstrong, A Stitch in Time
Goodreads Synopsis:
Thorne Manor has always been haunted… and it has always haunted Bronwyn Dale. As a young girl, Bronwyn could pass through a time slip in her great-aunt’s house, where she visited William Thorne, a boy her own age, born two centuries earlier. After a family tragedy, the house was shuttered and Bronwyn was convinced that William existed only in her imagination.
Now, twenty years later Bronwyn inherits Thorne Manor. And when she returns, William is waiting.
William Thorne is no longer the boy she remembers. He’s a difficult and tempestuous man, his own life marred by tragedy and a scandal that had him retreating to self-imposed exile in his beloved moors. He’s also none too pleased with Bronwyn for abandoning him all those years ago.
As their friendship rekindles and sparks into something more, Bronwyn must also deal with ghosts in the present version of the house. Soon she realizes they are linked to William and the secret scandal that drove him back to Thorne Manor. To build a future, Bronwyn must confront the past.
My Thoughts
This book was a taste of all my favorite genres: romance, fantasy, historical fiction and mystery. It has the feel of a classic with a modern twist. I enjoyed the way Armstrong weaves in just enough small details to build suspense throughtout the story so that you’re guessing until the end.
Reasons I liked A Stitch in Time:
Welcome to my weekly post where I share some of the great books I read before starting Nicole’s Nook.
Today’s book: The Love Interest by Cale Dietrich
Publication Date: May 16, 2017
Date Read: April 15, 2018
My Star Rating: 4 Stars
Favorite Quote:
“I don’t exist to teach her a lesson, and it irks me that she thinks labelling me is okay now. Like, by liking guys, I automatically take on that role in her life. That I’m suddenly a supporting character in her story rather than the hero of my own.”
― Cale Dietrich, The Love Interest
Goodreads Synopsis:
There is a secret organization that cultivates teenage spies. The agents are called Love Interests because getting close to people destined for great power means getting valuable secrets.
Caden is a Nice: The boy next door, sculpted to physical perfection.
Dylan is a Bad: The brooding, dark-souled guy, and dangerously handsome.
The girl they are competing for is important to the organization, and each boy will pursue her. Will she choose a Nice or the Bad?
Both Caden and Dylan are living in the outside world for the first time. They are well-trained and at the top of their games. They have to be – whoever the girl doesn’t choose will die.
What the boys don’t expect are feelings that are outside of their training. Feelings that could kill them both.
My Thoughts:
The Love Interest had mixed reviews on Goodreads. The key is not to take it too seriously. It’s meant to poke fun at the overused tropes in YA romance. It is full of angsty romance and teen discovery. I enjoyed the concept of an agency manipulating major events through romance. I also liked the repeated analogy of life to a book as Caden fights to be the protagonist in his own life. Overall, it was a fun read with a good mix of romance and action.
This is week two of my new blog feature where I review books I read prior to starting the blog.
Publication date: January 1, 2004
Date Read: May 8, 2009
My Rating: 5 Stars
Favorite Quote:
“Your cat just got cat hair on me.” “It’s only fair,” Min said. “Your suit just got expensive suit lint on him.”
― Jennifer Crusie, Bet Me
Minerva Dobbs knows that happily-ever-after is a fairy tale, especially with a man who asked her to dinner to win a bet. Even if he is gorgeous and successful Calvin Morrisey. Cal knows commitment is impossible, especially with a woman as cranky as Min Dobbs. Even if she does wear great shoes and keeps him on his toes. When they say good-bye at the end of their evening, they cut their losses and agree never to see each other again.
But Fate has other plans, and it’s not long before Min and Cal meet again. Soon, they’re dealing with a jealous ex-boyfriend, Krispy Kreme donuts, a determined psychologist, chaos theory, a freakishly intelligent cat, Chicken Marsala, and more risky propositions than either of them ever dreamed of. Including the biggest gamble of all—true love.
This was one of the first books I discovered on goodreads. It was number one on a list of contemporary romances. It’s been fourteen years since I read Bet Me, and nearly twenty since it was published. It’s still the book I use as the standard for all other humorous contemporary romances. I was shocked to see how long ago I read it, because so many of the scenes are still so clear to me. This book is so funny, yet the romance is touching. Years later, there are still scenes that melt my heart just thinking about them. I love it when characters show small gestures that make them perfect for each other, like when Cal pulls a spoon out of his jacket for MIn’s ice cream.
“This was just a season, and there’s beauty in all seasons. Even if you are looking forward to the next one.”
Abby Jimenez, The Happy Ever After Playlist
Two years after losing her fiancé, Sloan Monroe still can’t seem to get her life back on track. But one trouble-making pup with a “take me home” look in his eyes is about to change everything. With her new pet by her side, Sloan finally starts to feel more like herself. Then, after weeks of unanswered texts, Tucker’s owner reaches out. He’s a musician on tour in Australia. And bottom line: He wants Tucker back.
Well, Sloan’s not about to give up her dog without a fight. As their flirty texts turn into long calls, Sloan can’t deny a connection. There’s no telling what could happen when they meet in person. The question is: With his music career on the rise, how long will Jason really stick around? And is it possible for Sloan to survive another heartbreak?
I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about this book. I really liked Sloan and Brandon’s relationship in The Friend Zone and his death felt unnecessaary to the plot (I later learned that Jimenez wrote this book first and went back and wrote The Friend Zone). While the relationship between Sloan and Jason moved quickly, it still respected Sloan’s history. Even thought Jason was all-in from the beginning, he understood that Sloan would need some time. At times I found the drama frustrating, but I think it was realistic to what it would be like to be in a relationship with someone in the public eye.
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