The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! It is a funny, touching rom-com and I wish it could go on forever. I will have a good time recommending and hand-selling this, just like Katherine Centers’ other books. 💛

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"The School for Good Mothers" by Jessamine Chan

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm going to give this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, but not because I loved it....it scared me too much. I admire the story this author crafted - she took upsetting dystopia to a new level and it was very upsetting.

This rocked me more than The Handmaid's Tale, perhaps because I could relate more directly. What mother hasn't done things she regretted, wished to take something back or re-do a moment, letting that regret keep her up at night? I know I have. Jessamine Chan creates a society just a little off from our own, where such mistakes (or even ones very minor) can sever your parental rights forever.

The narrator did a fantastic job of bringing Freda to life for me. Her personality, shaped by rigid Asian parents, was fully shaped in the narration of the character. Little bits of humor shone through in dark moments. Her personal connections with other "students" and her unrelenting drive to get back to Harriet rounded her out even more. The love she ended up having for her doll, Emmanuelle.

I am certain someone will option this and create a movie or television series. It's perfect for that.

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"Carrie Soto is Back," by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was SO excited when I discovered a new book was coming from Taylor Jenkins Reid. Then, when I saw the title, I couldn't place Carrie Soto in my recollection for previous novels. It turns out that she was only a mention and a side character in "Malibu." But she becomes a full and memorable character quickly.

Carrie is a tennis phenom, thanks to her father Javier who was once a gifted tennis player himself but realizes his full potential as Carrie's coach after her mother dies young. They are a close father-daughter duo, but from the outside looking in, it's painful to see young Carrie singing for more of a connection to her mother and her softer side, denied by Javier. There is no shortage of love, but the end result is that Carrie hardens to most emotions that aren't about tennis and her drive to be the absolute best.

It is an entertaining read to go on this journey with Carrie. After the first third of the book, I felt a little dismay that so much of it was about tennis, but the second and third parts of the book develop her character fully and we are invested and immersed in her journey to the top....and beyond.

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"Other Birds" by Sarah Addison Allen

Other Birds by Sarah Addison Allen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I would like to live in a world imagined and written by Sarah Addison Allen. There's a little shimmer of the mystical and magical that offsets the ordinary and it is lovely.

In this new novel, we spent time with a cast of characters that are brought to the Dellawisp Condos by chance...or is it? Zoey inherits her condo from her mother who died long ago and who Zoey longs for a connection to. Charlotte found her way there while on the run from a traumatic childhood, and while fulfilling the wish list of an old friend. Lizbeth and Lucy didn't travel far to get there and are a few doors apart, but really a world apart from one another. Mac is looking for someone else to love besides his deceased and adored caretaker, but he doesn't really know that. Oliver has run away from the Dellawisp, looking for another place to belong.

Birds are special to me and they have a special place in this book too. From the beginning, I envied Zoey her Pigeon.

My only complaint about "Other Birds" is that it ended too soon. I look forward to the next book by SAA!

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"Damnation Spring" by Ash Davidson

Damnation Spring by Ash Davidson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is one of those books that leaves you feeling like you've been somewhere. I have been in this town, driven these windy, washed-out roads along the cliffs, sloshed through creeks and looked upon a ridge filled with redwoods. I've mourned their losses and worried along with these people.

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"Book Lovers" by Emily Henry

Book Lovers by Emily Henry
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As a lifelong book lover, Nora Stephens' career in publishing was intriguing to me right off the bat. And of course, books by the amazing Emily Henry are #goals. So, no brainer - I loved this story. It will absolutely be a bestseller. Nora's slow building love story with Charlie was delicious and I loved the way the ending worked out....perfect, but not TOO perfect. There were a few annoying bits along the way...Libby drove me a little crazy and there could have been some more detail to explain how and why Nora's pet author's best seller WAS such a hit. But I devoured this and can't wait for Emily's NEXT book.

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"The Guncle" by Steven Rowley

The Guncle by Steven Rowley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"The Guncle" brought tears to my eyes more than once, and made me laugh out loud just as many times. I LOVED it. I loved Patrick and his prickly, teasing manner. I loved Grant and Maisie and their rapport with their uncle through such a fragile time in their lives. I even loved Clara, in the end. Listening to this brought such dimension to the characters - and just like with my favorite audio books, I wonder if I could have gotten as much from it if I hadn't listened to it? Kudos to the author for -- obviously, WRITING it, but for narrating it as well! This isn't my first book by Steven Rowley, but now that I have heard his voice reading his written words, I think I will go back and get more out of them a second time around.

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"The Summer Place" by Jennifer Weiner

The Summer Place by Jennifer Weiner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jennifer Weiner's books can be counted on to be comfortable, pleasant reads. When I encounter the main character in the beginning of each book, it's like stepping into the company of a familiar friend. I'm not diminishing her writing quality, but they are easy, and uncomplicated and sometimes that‘s exactly what I‘m looking for. I have really enjoyed the "summer" books of late! I have bene recommending and sharing this title and will continue to!

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