Well, folks… we finally made it. Annie and Mac. After four books, loads of side glances, and enough tension to power a small village we've arrived back in Dream Harbor. The long awaited couple in Laurie Gilmore’s "The Gingerbread Bakery" finally takes center stage. I screamed when I was gifted this early copy from Harper 360 (effectively dysregulating my students in the process, but we were all excited okay). So let me start by saying THANK YOU to Netgalley and HarperCollins for giving me another ARC for my honest review. Getting to go back to Dream Harbor? Getting to read a book I’ve been anticipating for over a year EARLY? Yes please! I had my blanket ready, lit a candle, downloaded the playlist onto my phone. I was emotionally ready. And… it was fine.

I can honestly say Remarkably Bright Creatures was one of the most disappointing books I’ve read in a long time. It’s marketed as a quirky, heartwarming story about an intelligent octopus, Marcellus, who changes the lives of lonely people around him. That description is crazy. This is a boring, small town drama with very little spark or satisfaction. The pacing is painfully slow and the “revelation” is so obvious that it lands with a dull thud.

At first glance Lulu Mayfield has it all. But the birth of her second child begins to slowly unravel her carefully curated world. The arrival of a new neighbor, Bitsy, serves as the catalyst for the story’s tension. Bitsy’s seemingly perfect facade both captivates and unnerves Lulu, drawing her into a web of fascination that becomes increasingly consuming. The mounting suspense, combined with Lulu’s psychological journey, keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark and NetGalley for this advanced copy of The Mad Wife, available everywhere to read on September 30th!

Whew. What a ride… straight into a pothole. After devouring books 1–3, I was fully prepared to crown this series one of my new favorites. Instead, Tale of the Heart Queen felt like Nisha J. Tuli sprinted to the finish line with her shoelaces tied together. Don’t get me wrong, the earlier books had me hooked. I devoured books 1–3. But this finale? This finale felt less like a queen taking her throne and more like the court jester tripping over the rug.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for offering me the chance to read this book in advance and offer my true opinion. I was beyond thrilled to be given the chance to review Wild Reverence. With that being said…I have to give this one 1.5 stars (ouch that hurts to type).

This novel has such a fun premise. Becky thinks she is about to die after a tarot reading gone wrong and in a panic she mails brutally honest letters to everyone in her life. Of course she wakes up alive and has to deal with the fallout.

Thank you to HarperCollins for this advance copy of P.S. You’re the Worst, available everywhere to read on November 18th!

If you're a fan of stories that combine books, second chances, and a little bit of rivalry turned romance, Battle of the Bookstores is definitely one to add to your TBR. Ali Brady delivers a cozy, feel good read set in the charming world of independent bookstores, filled with lovable side characters, heartfelt moments, and just enough tension to keep you turning the pages.

Going into Not Part of the Plan, I had pretty low expectations. Niko is not a Pierce brother, and I honestly assumed that would make this book feel like more of a side story than a main installment. To my surprise, it may actually be one of my favorites in the entire series. Lucy Score once again delivers a story that is heartfelt, funny, and full of small town charm.  If you thought Niko could not hold his own next to the Pierce brothers, prepare to be proven