Review

Review | The Paradise Problem by Christina Lauren

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Title: The Paradise Problem
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Gallery Books
Format: E-ARC
Pages: 352
Source: Digital ARC from Publisher

Description
Christina Lauren, returns with a delicious new romance between the buttoned-up heir of a grocery chain and his free-spirited artist ex as they fake their relationship in order to receive a massive inheritance.

Anna Green thought she was marrying Liam “West” Weston for access to subsidized family housing while at UCLA. She also thought she’d signed divorce papers when the graduation caps were tossed, and they both went on their merry ways.

Three years later, Anna is a starving artist living paycheck to paycheck while West is a Stanford professor. He may be one of four heirs to the Weston Foods conglomerate, but he has little interest in working for the heartless corporation his family built from the ground up. He is interested, however, in his one-hundred-million-dollar inheritance. There’s just one catch.

Due to an antiquated clause in his grandfather’s will, Liam won’t see a penny until he’s been happily married for five years. Just when Liam thinks he’s in the home stretch, pressure mounts from his family to see this mysterious spouse, and he has no choice but to turn to the one person he’s afraid to introduce to his one-percenter parents—his unpolished, not-so-ex-wife.

But in the presence of his family, Liam’s fears quickly shift from whether the feisty, foul-mouthed, paint-splattered Anna can play the part to whether the toxic world of wealth will corrupt someone as pure of heart as his surprisingly grounded and loyal wife. Liam will have to ask himself if the price tag on his flimsy cover story is worth losing true love that sprouted from a lie.

(Source: Goodreads)

Review

I started off really enjoying the book! I loved Anna’s sense of humour and enjoyed reading Liam’s back story. Anna was presented as being very quirky, creative, and fun. Liam’s character is pretty constant throughout the book, and much of his story is centred around his family dynamics and, of course, his predicament regarding his inheritance money.

While the book was a lot of fun, it started losing some of its charm somewhere in the middle, and I didn’t find myself wanting to pick it up as much. I’m unsure why that is, but I suspect I might have an idea. Anna had to act as Liam’s wife, and her personality changed to fit that role. But, with that change, I missed seeing her quirky side emerge as it became more dilute. The last 1/3 of the book was much better for me, though not quite as engaging as the first third, and I thought it wrapped up very well.

Who do I recommend this novel to? There is also quite a bit of spice! I typically enjoy less spice in my romance novels, so readers who enjoy medium+ spice levels would likely enjoy this. Tropes that may entice you are fake dating, paradise escape, one bed, and a wedding set on a private island. Fans of Christina Lauren will adore this book. You most likely will enjoy this if you’ve enjoyed The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren.

Content Warnings

This Book in Three Words

Summer Holiday Book!

Values/Themes

  • Family
  • Vacation Wedding
  • Fake dating (fake marriage)

Favourite Part

Some of Anna’s lines were just hilarious!

Feelings

  • Humorous
  • Fun
  • Tense

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 3.75 stars

Acknowledgements

Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

QOTD: What’s your favourite summer read?

Review | One Long Weekend by Shari Low

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Title: One Long Weekend
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Boldwood Books
Format: E-book ARC
Pages: 326 pages
Source: NetGalley and Publisher

Description

When all seems lost, hope remains… Val Murray has mislaid her most precious mementoes of the people she’s loved and lost. Can her family, the wonders of technology and a little divine intervention somehow mend her shattered heart?

Sophie Smith had to take a rain check on a marriage proposal. Will her bid to turn back the clock lead her to her greatest love or yet another heartbreak?

Alice McLenn stood by her husband, Larry when a scandal cost them everything. When he hits the headlines again, Alice has an opportunity to leave – but can she find the strength to finally walk away?

Rory Brookes was forced to turn his back on his parents to save his career and marriage. Now, he’s lost his job and wife on the same day. Is it too late to make amends with the one person who never let him down?

Three days. Four broken hearts. Just one weekend to make them whole again.

(Source: Goodreads)

Review

Well, I had a great time reading this one! This is my first time reading a novel by Shari Low, and it was a pleasure. I fell in love with the characters, enjoyed the plot, and was propelled forward at every chapter cliffhanger. The book is told from the perspective of several main characters. This is an element I love to see in a book! They intertwine beautifully and make for an engaging read. I enjoyed the protagonists; they each have their personality and backstory. It’s a great way to add depth to the characters. The book is sometimes predictable – with that said, it’s still very intriguing and fun to follow.

I recommend this read to those interested in a lighthearted, multi-perspective, and uplifting novel.

Content Warnings
(None listed on The Storygraph. There is alcoholism, toxic relationship, illness, MVA.)

This Book in Three Words

Uplifting, engaging read

Values/Themes

  • Family
  • Love and loss
  • Multi-generational

Favourite Part

I liked that the chapters were fairly short and digestible. The pacing was excellent.

Feelings

  • Uplifting
  • Emotional
  • Hopeful

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 4.25 stars

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

QOTD: Do you enjoy reading contemporaries? Let us know!

Review | The Finders Keepers Library by Annie Rains

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Title: The Finders Keepers Library
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Forever
Format: e-Galley
Pages: 345 pages
Source: e-ARC provided by publisher

Description

This heart-warming second chance love story about hope and healing from USA Today bestselling author Annie Rains is perfect for fans of Raeanne Thayne and Jenny Hale!

For a gardener blessed with a green thumb, Savannah Collins’s life sure seems like it’s all thorns, zero roses. She has no job, no relationship, and no place to live. With nothing but a car full of plants and her new rescue kitten, Savannah heads to Bloom, North Carolina, to spend the summer with her beloved Aunt Eleanor, a retired librarian.

Her aunt shares her love of literature with the Finders Keepers Library, located in her beautiful garden, where anyone can stop by to pick a book or leave a book. When a sudden summer storm destroys the library and many of the roses, it will take a village to get everything ready for the garden wedding that is planned there in just three weeks.

As the entire town joins in to make the necessary repairs, Savannah bonds with their neighbor Evan Sanders over the books that Eleanor has handpicked for each of them, helping them both find healing and self-discovery. Savannah only intends to stay through the summer, but when an unexpected job offer, a sudden health crisis, and a wayward pre-teen push her future in new directions, she has to wonder whether this is the place that she is meant to be—and the family she’s meant to be with.

Review

Olivia and I read The Finders Keepers Library by Annie Rains and enjoyed it! It’s a very heartwarming story about a woman who has recently experienced heartbreak, a medical diagnosis, and a job loss. During the summer, she heads to North Carolina to live with her Aunt Eleanor and brings along her rescue kitten and plants.

I very much enjoyed how cute this romance was! And, of course I enjoyed every time her cat was on the page. Like her previous books, Annie Rains highlights the importance of community in small towns. While I enjoyed the book overall, the romance and the main male character were sometimes flat and sometimes I wanted more. But overall, very good read!

I recommend this if you enjoy cute, small-town romances!

Content Warnings

This Book in Three Words

Very cute book

Values/Themes

  • Family
  • Community libraries
  • Small town romance

Favourite Part

I actually really enjoyed the storyline with Evan’s daughter and thought that her friendship with Aunt Eleanor and Savannah was very sweet.

Feelings

  • Heartwarming
  • Light but with depth
  • Medium-paced

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 3.5 stars

Acknowledgements

Thank you to @NetGalley and @ReadForeverPub for the advanced digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

QOTD: Do you enjoy small-town romances? Let us know!

Review | Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera

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Title: Listen for the Lie
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Celadon Books
Format: e-ARC
Pages: 352
Source: Celadon Books and NetGalley

Description

What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn’t matter?

… Read full synopsis here at Goodreads.

Review

Wow, this was a fantastic read! And it was one that I couldn’t put down. Nope. Couldn’t! Those are my favourite types of thrillers. I don’t exactly want to give anything away here, but the synopsis does a great job of filling you in on the basic plot. If you want a thriller to keep you reading into the night, dark humour, pod-cast snippets, and whodunits, this is for you. I was hooked from the first page!

I enjoyed this book so much that I also purchased an audiobook to experience the podcast element, and it did a fantastic job! It worked for us purrfectly. This book is available now and is highly recommended as a must-read thriller for the spring/summer!

Content Warnings

This Book in Three Words

Can’t put down

Values/Themes

  • Podcast
  • Whodunnit
  • Friendship

Favourite Part

Honestly, the writing was fantastic the entire way through. Elements of the plots I wanted resolved were, and the whole thing was fantastic, not just the great ending. It was everything I wanted and more.

Feelings

  • Dark humour
  • Mysterious
  • Tense

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 5.0 stars

Acknowledgements

ARCS: Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

QOTD: What was your last five-star read?

Review | Funny Story by Emily Henry

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Title: Funny Story
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
Format: Audiobook
Length: 11 hours 22 minutes
Source: ALC via Libro.fm

Description

A shimmering, joyful new novel about a pair of opposites with the wrong thing in common.

Daphne always loved the way her fiancé Peter told their story. How they met (on a blustery day), fell in love (over an errant hat), and moved back to his lakeside hometown to begin their life together. He really was good at telling it…right up until the moment he realized he was actually in love with his childhood best friend Petra.

Which is how Daphne begins her new story: Stranded in beautiful Waning Bay, Michigan, without friends or family but with a dream job as a children’s librarian (that barely pays the bills), and proposing to be roommates with the only person who could possibly understand her predicament: Petra’s ex, Miles Nowak.

Scruffy and chaotic—with a penchant for taking solace in the sounds of heart break love ballads—Miles is exactly the opposite of practical, buttoned up Daphne, whose coworkers know so little about her they have a running bet that she’s either FBI or in witness protection. The roommates mainly avoid one another, until one day, while drowning their sorrows, they form a tenuous friendship and a plan. If said plan also involves posting deliberately misleading photos of their summer adventures together, well, who could blame them?

But it’s all just for show, of course, because there’s no way Daphne would actually start her new chapter by falling in love with her ex-fiancé’s new fiancée’s ex…right?

(Source: Goodreads)

Review

Okay! So, the plot of this book is a bit complex, but it sounds great, doesn’t it? The story revolves around Daphne, whose fiancé tells her he is in love with Petra, his childhood best friend. Daphne needs a place to stay, so she ends up staying with Petra’s ex, Miles, and they ultimately decide to fake date.

This story has many tropes, including fake dating, friends-to-lovers, opposites attract, and forced proximity. This sometimes makes it feel very rom-com, but a lot of substance is also thrown into the mix.

Honestly, substance is what I enjoyed the most in “Funny Story.” The character development of both Daphne and Miles was quite good, and there was a lot of focus on family dynamics. I listened intently during these moments and related to certain aspects of their histories. Honestly, I also loved the readathon planning portions because I was planning my readathon at the time. So, I think book lovers will enjoy the book-loving aspects! Unfortunately, I admit that the book dragged for me at times, particularly in the middle portion, and I felt like the tone of the narration was sometimes a bit flat. Perhaps it’s just my preference, but I was hoping for more vibrancy in the narrative tone of voice.

While it’s not my favourite EH novel (that goes to “People We Meet on Vacation!”), it’s still a great read, and the ending was pretty satisfying. Overall, I enjoyed this book by Emily Henry! Many romance readers will be happy to have another EH book, and if you’ve enjoyed her previous books, this is a great one to add to your library.

Content Warnings

This Book in Three Words

Very. Cute. Story.

Values/Themes

  • opening oneself to love
  • family
  • finding oneself

Favourite Part

I enjoyed listening to their backstories. Also, being Portuguese-Canadian, I enjoyed the pastéis de nata reference! And yes, Daphne, is correct — Portugal does have beautiful beaches!

Feelings

  • emotional
  • hopeful
  • reflective

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 3.5 stars

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Libro.fm and the publisher for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

QOTD: Have you read Emily Henry’s novels? What’s your favourite? Let us know!

The writing of this review was edited/enhanced using Grammarly AI.

Review | What You Are Looking For Is in the Library

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Title: What You Are Looking For Is in the Library
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction
Publisher: Hanover Square Press
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 304
Source: Physical Copy (Gifted)

Description

For fans of The Midnight Library and Before the Coffee Gets Cold, this charming Japanese novel shows how the perfect book recommendation can change a reader’s life.

What are you looking for?

This is the famous question routinely asked by Tokyo’s most enigmatic librarian, Sayuri Komachi. Like most librarians, Komachi has read every book lining her shelves—but she also has the unique ability to read the souls of her library guests. For anyone who walks through her door, Komachi can sense exactly what they’re looking for in life and provide just the book recommendation they never knew they needed to help them find it.

Each visitor comes to her library from a different juncture in their careers and dreams, from the restless sales attendant who feels stuck at her job to the struggling working mother who longs to be a magazine editor. The conversation that they have with Sayuri Komachi—and the surprise book she lends each of them—will have life-altering consequences.

With heartwarming charm and wisdom, What You Are Looking For Is in the Library is a paean to the magic of libraries, friendship and community, perfect for anyone who has ever found themselves at an impasse in their life and in need of a little inspiration.

(Source: Goodreads)

Review

I received this book as a Christmas present and was pleasantly surprised by it. The cover featured a cat and books, making it seem like a perfect quick read for 2024. Naturally, I was excited to read it and knew it wouldn’t take long for me to take it from my bookshelves.

The book is divided into five chapters that tell the story of people at different stages of life who eventually visit a librarian in Tokyo named Sayuri Komachi. She can quickly determine and recommend books that the patrons want, but the real magic is when she recommends books she thinks the patrons need to enrich their lives. This is a beautiful concept, especially for those of us who see the library and books as magical in their own right.

While I like this idea, the formula in this book is pretty repetitive. Each character’s backstory is unique, but there is a lot of overlap when the patrons visit the library and meet the librarian. I felt the redundancy was a bit of a barrier to enjoying chapters 2-5 to their full potential. The backstories, though, were all interesting to read and were one of my favourite parts of reading this novel. I learned quite a lot, especially regarding work culture in Japan and how it relates to these five individuals.

The book overall has a very cozy and warm atmosphere. Readers will especially enjoy this if they enjoy slice-of-life literature or television/film. However, although the book feels very cozy, I noticed that some of the physical descriptions contrast with this tone and are unnecessary/unkind, and I felt uncomfortable reading those sections of this novel. (Content warnings below.)

If you’re a cat lover like me, you might be disappointed by the small amount of cat content despite there being a feline on the cover. Hopefully, the author will include more cat-related content in their future novels!

I enjoyed reading this novel, but there were a few things that I needed to consider before writing my review. It’s a good choice for those who want to spend time with five different individuals and learn how visiting the library can enrich their lives.

Content Warnings

This Book in Three Words

Cozy, Enlightening, Reflective

Values/Themes

  • slice-of-life
  • work and careers
  • life stages
  • finding one’s place in the world

Favourite Part

Learning about each patron.

Feelings

  • cozy
  • warm
  • hopeful

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 3.25 stars

Acknowledgements

A: Thank you for the Christmas present!

QOTD: do you often visit the library?

Review | The New Couple in 5B

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Title: The New Couple in 5B
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: Harlequin Audio
Format: Audio Listening Copy
Duration: 12 hours 8 minutes
Source: Libro.fm

Description

A couple inherits an apartment with a spine-tingling past in this binge-worthy thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six.

Rosie and Chad Lowan are barely making ends meet in New York City when they receive life-changing news: Chad’s late uncle has left them his luxury apartment at the historic Windermere in glamorous Murray Hill. With its prewar elegance and impeccably uniformed doorman, the building is the epitome of old New York charm. One would almost never suspect the dark history lurking behind its perfectly maintained facade.

At first, the building and its eclectic tenants couldn’t feel more welcoming. But as the Lowans settle into their new home, Rosie starts to suspect that there’s more to the Windermere than meets the eye. Why is the doorman ever-present? Why are there cameras everywhere? And why have so many gruesome crimes occurred there throughout the years? When one of the neighbors turns up dead, Rosie must get to the truth about the Windermere before she, too, falls under its dangerous spell.

(Source: Goodreads)

Review

I really enjoy reading psychological thrillers, so I was very happy to see that Libro.fm was offering this ALC for the month of March. The synopsis sounded very promising and mysterious. It truly caught my attention! I also noted several very promising reviews, including Sarah Michelle Gellar’s recommendation of the book. Naturally, I just had to listen to it to see for myself!

The book starts off very strong. Set in New York City, it was fascinating to see how Rosie and Chad’s life would change in this coveted apartment. And, of course, as the book progressed, Windermere became a much darker place. However, although plot elements were coming forward, the pacing of this novel started to feel slow and I felt that the book lost some momentum. I lost some interest but still kept listening onwards. Ultimately, I thought the conclusion was done well.

So, yes I did leave the book with mixed feelings, but I do feel like I may have enjoyed a physical copy more than the audiobook. I wonder if the narration had an impact on my enjoyment. While it didn’t fully click for me, largely due to pacing, I think that readers who enjoy psychological thrillers with paranormal aspects may enjoy this one!

Content Warnings

This Book in Three Words

dark, mysterious, twists

Values/Themes

  • paranormal themes
  • criminal events
  • hidden truths

Favourite Part

The introduction of this book was quite strong! I enjoyed the first 1/3 of the book.

Feelings

  • unsettling
  • mysterious
  • suspenseful

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 2.75 stars

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Libro.fm and the publisher for this ALC! All opinions are my own.

QOTD: do you enjoy thrillers? Let us know!

Review | The Fury

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*Mystery/Thriller

Title: The Fury
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Publisher: Celadon Books
Format: Physical ARC
Pages: 308 pages
Source: Celadon Books

Description

This is a tale of murder.

Or maybe that’s not quite true. At its heart, it’s a love story, isn’t it?

Lana Farrar is a reclusive ex–movie star and one of the most famous women in the world. Every year, she invites her closest friends to escape the English weather and spend Easter on her idyllic private Greek island.

I tell you this because you may think you know this story. You probably read about it at the time ― it caused a real stir in the tabloids, if you remember. It had all the necessary ingredients for a press a celebrity; a private island cut off by the wind…and a murder.

We found ourselves trapped there overnight. Our old friendships concealed hatred and a desire for revenge. What followed was a game of cat and mouse ― a battle of wits, full of twists and turns, building to an unforgettable climax. The night ended in violence and death, as one of us was found murdered.

But who am I?

My name is Elliot Chase, and I’m going to tell you a story unlike any you’ve ever heard.

(Goodreads)

Review

“The Fury” is a gripping medium to fast-paced book about a former movie star, her friends, a spontaneous trip to a private Greek island, and — a murder. It even incorporates elements of Greek mythology and has an Agatha Christie feel to it. Like Michaelides’ prior works, I was captivated by the story, but I couldn’t put down this one. The twists and turns were fantastic. Even though I would place “The Silent Patient” higher on my list, it’s near the top of his works. If the plot piques your interest, I recommend it!

Content Warnings

This Book in Three Words

Twists, Turns, Compelling

Values/Themes

  • Deception
  • Obsession
  • Loss

Favourite Part

How Alex Michaelides kept my interest the whole way throughout!

Feelings

  • Tense
  • Mysterious

Overall Rating

Numerical Rating: 4 stars

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Celadon Books for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

QOTD: Have you read any novels by this author? Or similar thrillers? Let us know!

January/February wrap-up

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Hi everyone! It’s great to be back again. Over the past few months, I took time off from blogging for extensive eye treatments. Viewing a computer screen has been quite challenging due to my dry eye condition. However, per my last follow-up, my eyes have responded well to the treatments, and reading has become much easier for me now! I’m glad to let you know that I should be able to contribute here more regularly. In this post, I will summarize the books I have read so far this year!

Reading Statistics

Reading Wrap-Up at a Glance

Mini Reviews

Book Cover images link to Goodreads. Highlighted Book Titles link to book reviews. Content Warnings link to The Storygraph, if available.

Reuniting With Strangers: A Novel by Jennilee Austria-Bonifacio
Published: April 16, 2024
(4.25 stars)
Initially, I was interested in reading this novel as it was on the longlist for Canada Reads 2024. Although I didn’t get to every book on the list, I did try to read each book that most appealed to me. After reading the synopsis, I knew this book would be about reunifying the families of Filipino caregivers. Fortunately, I was hooked from the first chapter. Unfortunately, the main issue I encountered was the pacing — some parts were quite slow, but overall, the story was strong. Make sure you have tissues handy!

Content Warnings: None are currently listed, but this book has some heavy themes.

Fiction

The Seventh Veil of Salome by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Expected Pub Date: July 16th, 2024
Review to come. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Content Warnings.

Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Thriller

The Fury by Alex Michaelides
Published: January 16, 2024
(4 stars)
“The Fury” is a gripping medium to fast-paced book about a former movie star, her friends, a spontaneous trip to a private Greek island, and — a murder. It even incorporates elements of Greek mythology and has an Agatha Christie feel to it. Like Michaelides’ prior works, I was captivated by the story, but I couldn’t put down this one. The twists and turns were fantastic. Even though I would place “The Silent Patient” higher on my list, it’s near the top of his works. If the plot piques your interest, I recommend it!

Content Warnings.
Thank you to Celadon Books for this ARC! All opinions are my own.

Mystery/Thriller

A Ovelha Curiosa by Ana Maria Magalhães, Isabel Alçada, Nuno Feijão (Ilustrador)
Published: January 1, 2015
(4 stars).
It is a goal of mine to read as many Portuguese short novels as possible in 2024. This is the first Portuguese book I’ve read this year, and it was very cute! It’s about a cute and curious little sheep that gets into all sorts of trouble on her farm. I don’t believe there is an English translation yet, but if you want a short Children’s book to read in European Portuguese, this is lots of fun.

Children’s

O Nabo Gigante by Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy, Niamh Sharkey (Illustrator)
Published: First published January 1, 1910.
(3 stars) This is the second Portuguese book I’ve read this year. It is the Portuguese translation of “The Gigantic Turnip” by Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy. The book is a Russian folktale about a gigantic turnip that needs to be harvested and the teamwork it takes. While it wasn’t my favourite Children’s book, the illustrations were lovely.

Children’s

101 Dálmatas by Walt Disney Company
Published: Jan 1st, 1994.
(4 stars) We all know the story – 101 Dalmations! It’s one of my favourites from childhood. When this translation was recommended to me, I had to read it! It was only 48 pages long, and it was at a level that I could comprehend pretty well while also learning lots of new vocabulary in European Portuguese. Sometimes, embarking on a full-length novel can be intimidating (I’m still working on an Emily Henry book!). Reading these short books can help me stay engaged in the language while learning some new vocabulary. I will continue the series and am excited to start The Lion King soon!

Children’s

Bad Medicine by Christopher Twin
Published: October 24th, 2023
(3 stars).
This is another book on the Canada Reads 2024 longlist. In it, a group of Cree teenagers gather to share horror stories in front of a fire. Some of the stories were very moving, and overall, I enjoyed this book. However, I would have enjoyed a longer graphic novel to expand on the stories and enjoy the artwork.

Content Warnings.
Graphic Novel

River Mumma by Zalika Reid-Benta
Published: August 22nd, 2023
(2.75 stars)
In this book, Alicia embarks on a quest to find the comb of River Mumma, the Jamaican water deity, in the streets of Toronto. I was very excited to read the novel, but the story could have been longer and expanded. Additionally, I felt the world-building needed some development. But I enjoyed the mythology and also the setting in Toronto.
Content Warnings.

Fantasy, Fiction, Magical Realism, Mythology

The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Published: September 1, 1952
(3 stars).
I’ve heard of Ernest Hemingway many times before, but I hadn’t actually read any of his books until now. I decided to start with something small, so I read “The Old Man and the Sea.” It is the story of a Cuban fisherman and his encounter with a giant Marlin in the sea. I enjoyed it, but it didn’t resonate with me as much as I’d hoped. I will try to read more of his novels in the future.

Content Warnings.

Fiction, Classics, Literature

Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
Published: January 1, 1979
(5 stars)
I had heard of Octavia E. Butler’s books many times before. Due to its historical nature, I read it during Black History Month, but I recommend it at any time of year. Dana is transported back in time to the antebellum South. The first scene of the book pulls you right into the story. I couldn’t stop reading this from start to finish. I rearranged my entire day to finish the book; it was very captivating. I highly recommend it!

Content Warnings.

Historical Fiction, Science Fiction

QOTD: What books are you looking forward to reading in March? Let us know!

Note: This post was edited with the help of Grammarly AI.