Browsed by
Author: Jess

June Book Reviews

June Book Reviews

Ghosters 3: Secrets of the Bloody Tower by Diana Corbitt 4/5 StarsThis is a great example of a middle-grade beach read. It is fun and interesting (even for an adult!) without being heavy. While Kerry, Theresa, and Joey do take risks, they do so in smart and responsible ways and really think about something before they do it. This book mostly takes place in London and the feel of the city really came through. I highly recommend this book and…

Read More Read More

May Book Reviews

May Book Reviews

Book Lovers by Emily Henry 5/5 StarsI love Emily Henry! I’m not even really a fan of the romance genre and I got into reading her books through A Million Junes, a magical realism book, but I’ve loved every book of hers that I have read. I don’t relate to the choices Nora makes but Emily takes the time to explore the reasons why her characters make the decisions they do and I SEVERELY appreciate that. It’s the difference between…

Read More Read More

April Book Reviews

April Book Reviews

Alone Time: Four Seasons, Four Cities, and the Pleasures of Solitude by Stephanie Rosenbloom 4/5 StarsI really liked this book and the exploration of solo traveling, or alone time, was interesting to me. I value alone time a considerable amount and have always wanted to travel to a familiar place by myself (mostly, Paris). Stephanie’s exploration of her own travels as well as the studies, quotes, and other accounts of solo travels presented came together beautifully here. There were sights…

Read More Read More

March Book Reviews

March Book Reviews

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts 100/5 StarsAs a general rule I am morally opposed to excessively long books. It is almost 1,000 pages long and the audiobook is just over 43 hours. I believe it is the longest book I’ve ever read and it is absolutely beautiful. It took me a long time to listen to the audiobook (the narrator is fantastic), not only because of the many hours but because I wanted to savor the story and the magic…

Read More Read More

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

5/5 Stars The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea is one of those books where you don’t want to say too much and spoil it for future readers. I loved everything about it- descriptions, setting, the lovable characters, the plot twists. I was delighted by surprises at the end. The end of this story has left me wanting more inspiration from this world: images, recipes, clothes. I can’t help but feel that an illustrated edition or comic adaptation would be…

Read More Read More

January Book Reviews

January Book Reviews

The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec 5/5 StarsThis book is heartbreakingly beautiful. I love a good story about gods or ancient figures I know little about and the drama that only they can bring. I also really enjoyed the mindful, seasonal aspect, and Angrboda’s relationship with her children. I would have liked to see a little more about her past but it’s a small grievance. Highly recommended. Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 4/5 StarsI like a lot about…

Read More Read More

Top 9 Books Read in 2021

Top 9 Books Read in 2021

In reading order: Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy The Puma Years: A Memoir of Love and Transformation in the Bolivian Jungle by Laura Coleman We Are What We Eat: A Slow Food Manifesto by Alice Waters The Love That Split The World by Emily Henry Meet Me in Bombay by Jenny Ashcroft People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry For The Wolf by Hannah Whitten Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder Beach Read by Emily Henry I usually do…

Read More Read More

December Book Reviews

December Book Reviews

A Secret History of Witches by Louisa Morgan 5/5 StarsI don’t know how I missed a book about a line of French witches for four years but here we are. I loved this book. It’s a perfect witch/magic theme and is very connected to nature. It follows five generations and feels very much like five closely connected short stories. They’re each fascinating and heartbreaking in their own way but have many common themes throughout. Some of my favorites are discovering…

Read More Read More

November Book Reviews

November Book Reviews

For the Wolf by Hannah Whitten 5/5 StarsThis book was exactly perfect for me to read at the time that I did. In between fall and winter when all I want to do is cozy up with a warm meal and a good book. My favorite kind of fantasy book too; definitely fully fantasy but doesn’t take too long to get set up in the world. This is a delightful mix of tales (little red, sleeping beauty, beauty and the…

Read More Read More

Grave Reservations by Cherie Priest

Grave Reservations by Cherie Priest

I have so many good things to say about this book. It is engaging, interesting, unique, and enjoyably funny (not laugh-out-loud funny IMO, but makes heavy situations light). The premise is original; our psychic has a newly-opened travel agency and ends up helping a detective on a case after keeping him from getting on a plane that crashed. She also moonlights as the Klairvoyent Karaoke star at a friend’s bar. All of these aspects come together nicely to keep the…

Read More Read More