Recent Reads: Dead Woman Walking by Diana Corbitt

Source: From the author in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

Dead Woman Walking by Diana Corbitt  

Series: An Izzy Santos Mystery Book 1
Publisher: Bedazzled Ink Publishing
Publication Date:  October 2, 2023 

 

Format: Ebook


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Nothing much happens in the small coastal town of Rocky Harbor, and rookie officer Izzy Santos wishes her job was a little more exciting than handing out speeding tickets and removing an azaleas-eating turtle from an old lady's yard. Then she gets a call to follow up on a report about a missing young woman. The town's senior investigator is out sick and Izzy finds herself not only tracking down leads about the missing young woman, but is called to investigate a second missing person.

With the clues piling on top of each other, Izzy has to overcome her law enforcement inexperience fast. Fortunately, she has a secret weapon up her sleeve—her Aunt Maggie, a closet psychic who reluctantly agrees to help with the investigation.

Dead Woman Walking takes Officer Izzy and the readers on a journey through a tangle of disconnected clues that Izzy has to somehow tie together before the perpetrator strikes again.

Review: 

Dead Woman Walking is a gripping mystery set in the quiet coastal town of Rocky Harbor, where rookie officer Izzy Santos unexpectedly finds herself at the center of a high-stakes investigation. When a young woman vanishes without a trace and the town’s senior detective is out sick, Izzy must step up and follow the trail—only to discover that another person has also gone missing.

From the start, the book maintains an engaging pace, keeping the suspense alive as Izzy navigates the tangled web of clues and multiple disappearances. The story presents multiple possible outcomes, adding to the intrigue and making it difficult to predict where things are headed. The small-town setting adds charm and tension in equal measure, and Izzy proves to be a compelling protagonist—determined, resourceful, and easy to root for.

One of the unique and memorable aspects within this novel is the addition of Izzy’s Aunt Maggie, a reluctant psychic whose unconventional insights bring a fresh twist to the investigation. This unique dynamic between logic-driven police work and intuitive hunches makes for an interesting contrast and adds depth. I appreciated the nod to the supernatural here and it is a fun addition. 

Overall, Dead Woman Walking is a captivating thriller that keeps readers engaged from beginning to end. With its well-paced narrative, intriguing plot twists, and a likable main character, it’s a must-read for mystery lovers who enjoy small-town crime stories with a supernatural edge.

Early Reader Review: The History of Everything by Victoria Evans

Source: From Netgalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

The History of Everything by Victoria Evans  

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperAlley
Publication Date:  February 18, 2025

 

Format: Ebook

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Best friends Agnes and Daisy must learn to say goodbye in this coming-of-age YA graphic novel perfect for fans of Booksmart and Pumpkinheads from debut creator Victoria Evans.

Daisy and Agnes have always had each other.

And that’s all they’ve ever needed—or wanted, at least. So when Agnes’s mom drops the bombshell that she and Agnes are moving at the end of the summer, the girls are crushed.

All seems lost until the pair unearth "The History of Everything," an old friendship scrapbook with the ultimate bucket list to make their last summer together unforgettable. But when Daisy starts dating a charming drummer, her social calendar suddenly has less room for her best friend. Insecurities bubble to the surface, and Daisy and Agnes begin to question if their friendship is meant to last the summer, much less forever.

In this tender graphic novel debut, Victoria Evans delves into the heart of a best friendship and explores what it means to grow up without growing apart.

Review: 

The History of Everything is a graphic novel about best friends Agnes and Daisy. Both punk, emo, goth besties that have grown up together and can't wait for an amazing summer. Sadly, Agnes gets the news that her mother got a new job and they are moving and this is her last summer with Daisy. She is angsty, depressed and just overall in a bad mood so they decide to make a summer bucket list like when they were younger, scrapbook and all. The problem is - Daisy isn't taking it seriously.

This is a book about saying goodbyes, growing up, and friendship. It was full of hard lessons, emotions raging, and a heartbreaking story of dashed expectations and jealousy. 

Agnes fills these pages with her emotionally charged outlook on how things are going and should be going, while depressed, angry, and jealous that Daisy is seemingly moving on. 

Daisy is falling in love, completely smitten with a guy but feeling guilt and some forms of resentment for/around Agnes.

This plot was so well done. It was engaging, intense, and wistful at times. It was lovely.  I loved the illustration, they were on-theme with a darker palette for our emo/goth MCs. The details around their rooms and overall settings were easily recognized and fun. The overall feel of the story was so good; the tensions and angst felt so accurate to the teenage plight/ crisis. I really enjoyed this one so much. It was such a great representation of growing up and how friendships evolve over time and how you and others change. If you are looking for a good coming-of-age graphic novel, this would be a fun one to grab.

Building the Book Pile #475

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

I had been a wild month for snowfall. We got about a foot last weekend, some more and ice on Thursday and overnight got a few more inches. It is pretty normal for February but I guess with all the warmer weather we had in December I didn't expect this. 

This week I spent my time at work/ working from home. I am still getting over this head-cold. I was told it takes 17-20 days to shake all the symptoms and the cough/ congestion have certainly lingered. Lucky for me my reading hasn't suffered too much - feeling very motivated at the beginning of this year to pre-plan things, have reviews ready to go, and trying to read my review copies a bit earlier than normal so that I have time to get things done. I think it is working.

In other news, February marks the beginning of garden season here in NH. While nothing can go outside yet, I will be starting seeds indoors here very soon in order to have the longest growing season possible. Do you garden? What is something you always plant? For us it is tomatoes and peppers. 

I hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day if you celebrate and have a lovely week ahead!

Linking up this week with the Caffeinated Reviewer and her Sunday Post series.

xo steph

Coming up on the Blog

This Week 

Early Reader Review: The History of Everything by Victoria Evans (GN, YA)

Recent Reads: Dead Woman Walking by Diana Corbitt (Adult)

Books Received Recently...  

  

  

 Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox - From the publisher for review

The Best Wrong Move by Lily Parker - From ZooLoos Book Tours, for a tour/ review.

Falling on a Duke by Stefany Nunes - From ZooLoos Book Tours, for a tour/ review.

Have you missed anything lately?

Review: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey (Adult) -4 stars

Review: From Megabat with Love by Anna Humphrey (MG) -4 stars

Review: In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren (Adult) -2 stars

Donating Caffeine is greatly appreciated ... Donate on Ko-fi

What have you been reading?  Leave a comment for me.

Happy Reading! Happy Holidays!

Recent Reads: In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren

In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren
Publisher: Gallery Books
Publication Date:  October 6, 2020

 

Format: Kindle Ebook
Source: Bought/ Own

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

One Christmas wish, two brothers, and a lifetime of hope are on the line for hapless Maelyn Jones in In a Holidaze, the quintessential holiday romantic novel by Christina Lauren, the New York Times bestselling author of The Unhoneymooners..

It’s the most wonderful time of the year…but not for Maelyn Jones. She’s living with her parents, hates her going-nowhere job, and has just made a romantic error of epic proportions.

But perhaps worst of all, this is the last Christmas Mae will be at her favorite place in the world—the snowy Utah cabin where she and her family have spent every holiday since she was born, along with two other beloved families. Mentally melting down as she drives away from the cabin for the final time, Mae throws out what she thinks is a simple plea to the universe: Please. Show me what will make me happy.

The next thing she knows, tires screech and metal collides, everything goes black. But when Mae gasps awake…she’s on an airplane bound for Utah, where she begins the same holiday all over again. With one hilarious disaster after another sending her back to the plane, Mae must figure out how to break free of the strange time loop—and finally get her true love under the mistletoe.

Jam-packed with yuletide cheer, an unforgettable cast of characters, and Christina Lauren’s trademark hijinks, this swoon-worthy romantic read will make you believe in the power of wishes and the magic of the holidays.

Review: 

I know it is a bit late to be posting about a holiday romance... and also an older one at that but I felt the need to share...

This holiday romance had such a fun premise—a woman time-lopping through her Christmas holidays—but unfortunately, it didn’t quite deliver on all fronts. While the festive atmosphere was charming, and the setup promised a heartwarming journey, the execution left me wanting more.

Mae is headed to the cabin, the place her family and their long-time family friends all go to celebrate the holidays. This year Mae is especially down on herself and asked the universe to help her see what will make her happy, and seeming it does giving her a Groundhog day-esq time looping opportunity to make it for herself. Sadly, it is this sci-fi element and some others that fell so short for me. 

One of my biggest issues was the character development. Mae, the main character, never really grows, she just adapts to the time loops and then starts to get bossy when she becomes frustrated with the outcomes. There are also so many characters but none of them really get the attention that they deserve to really highlight their differences.  Then, the romance itself felt rushed, making it hard to truly invest in Mae and Andrew's connection. It seemed like the author was explaining things away with 'they have known each other forever' that's great, but the readers haven't known them and we were all left wanted more. The time loop/sci-fi element could have added more depth but instead felt repetitive or underutilized to build on these relationships or as part of the plot overall.

There were some moments of warmth and humor that made it enjoyable in parts. The holiday setting was cozy, and I did appreciated the charming traditions that the families have together. However, I wish the story had spent more time fleshing out the relationships and making the emotional pieces hit harder.

Overall, while this book had potential and some enjoyable moments, it ultimately fell flat in execution. If you’re looking for a light, holiday read and don’t mind a romance that feels a bit surface-level, this might still be worth picking up.

Recent Reads: From Megabat with Love by Anna Humphrey

Source: From Librarything Early Reviewers Program in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review. 

From Megabat with Love by Anna Humphrey, Illustrated by Kris Easler 

Series: Megabat #6

Publisher: Tundra Books
Publication Date:  December 10, 2024 

 

Format: Paperback


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

It's Valentine's Day, and Megabat wants to show Bird Girl that he loves her. But how? Easy! Or is it? The next laugh-out-loud book in this sweet and funny illustrated chapter book series featuring a talking bat.

Megabat loves Bird Girl, but he's having trouble coming up with a Valentine's surprise that she actually likes.

Daniel is trying to earn his Caring and Sharing Bird Scout badge by bringing valentines to residents at a retirement home.

Megabat keeps trying to impress Bird Girl with his marvelous gifts that are things HE loves, but it's not working. And she seems to be obsessed with a majestic eagle.

Daniel and his fellow Bird Scouts create chaos at the retirement home and learn a lesson in how NOT to get a Caring and Sharing badge.

Megabat finally learns about smushy love stuff from his new friends at the retirement home, but is it too late? Has he lost Bird Girl forever? And will Daniel ever earn his Caring and Sharing badge? Kris Easler's adorable illustrations paired with Anna Humphrey's hilarious text make for another unforgettable Megabat adventure, one that will appeal to Megabat fans and newcomers!

Review:

The Megabat series continues its adorable and chaotic adventures in this Valentine’s Day-themed installment. While each book can be read as a standalone, longtime fans will recognize Megabat’s well-meaning but often misguided attempts to navigate the human (and animal) world.

This time, Megabat is determined to win the heart of his beloved Pigeongirl, a pigeon who lives in the family shed. Unfortunately, in his eagerness to impress her—especially since he believes she only has eyes for the mighty Eagle statue she saw at the Winter Carnival—he tries too hard and ends up scaring her instead. His antics lead to plenty of messy, funny, and sweet moments that young readers will enjoy.

The book features large, easy-to-read font and charming illustrations that highlight Megabat’s lovable chaos. However, one aspect that may be polarizing is Megabat’s baby-talk style of speech. While it is meant to be endearing and humorous, it can feel a bit off-putting, especially for children who are still learning to read. That said, the story itself is fun and engaging, making it a great choice for kids who enjoy silly, heartwarming adventures.

Perfect for early chapter book readers, this is another delightful entry in the Megabat series that captures the joys and challenges of friendship, misunderstandings, and trying a little too hard.

Recent Reads: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey 

Publisher: Crown

Publication Date:  October 20, 2020

 

Format: Audioboon
Source: Bought/Own from Audible

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

From the Academy Award®–winning actor, an unconventional memoir filled with raucous stories, outlaw wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction.

I’ve been in this life for fifty years, been trying to work out its riddle for forty-two, and been keeping diaries of clues to that riddle for the last thirty-five. Notes about successes and failures, joys and sorrows, things that made me marvel, and things that made me laugh out loud. How to be fair. How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less. How to get hurt less. How to be a good man. How to have meaning in life. How to be more me.

Recently, I worked up the courage to sit down with those diaries. I found stories I experienced, lessons I learned and forgot, poems, prayers, prescriptions, beliefs about what matters, some great photographs, and a whole bunch of bumper stickers. I found a reliable theme, an approach to living that gave me more satisfaction, at the time, and still: If you know how, and when, to deal with life’s challenges - how to get relative with the inevitable - you can enjoy a state of success I call “catching greenlights.”

So I took a one-way ticket to the desert and wrote this book: an album, a record, a story of my life so far. This is fifty years of my sights and seens, felts and figured-outs, cools and shamefuls. Graces, truths, and beauties of brutality. Getting away withs, getting caughts, and getting wets while trying to dance between the raindrops.

Hopefully, it’s medicine that tastes good, a couple of aspirin instead of the infirmary, a spaceship to Mars without needing your pilot’s license, going to church without having to be born again, and laughing through the tears.

It’s a love letter. To life.

It’s also a guide to catching more greenlights - and to realizing that the yellows and reds eventually turn green too.

Good luck.

Review: 

This was Matthew McConaughey's book about his life so far. I listened to it with my partner on the way to work. It is read by the author, which made it more enjoyable. 

He seems so human from this book, it was refreshing but he is also well-off now so some of his 'bumper-sticker' moments and 'proclamations' were a bit meh for those of us in the non-well off categories. 

Overall, this was a fun listen though. Matthew talks about his life, growing up, what he learned along the way and his adventure to becoming who he is as an actor. I found him funny and relatable at times, and you can really sense that he loves life and lives it to the fullest at every opportunity. He is an interesting man, a pro bull-shitter, and so passionate.  "Greenlights" were his move forward moments in life, leading him and guiding him along. I loved that this was the view point he had. 

I loved that he told his story. I appreciate that some of his best lines were improved and that he tried to be the characters wholeheartedly, even to his detriment at times. He found his dream in more ways that one and that was a fun journey to go on him with.

All that said, I would have liked less proclamation and bumper sticker moments. 1. because he often yelled them in the audio and it was a lot and 2. because sometimes they were just not obtainable things for 'normal' non-famous people. If you already like Matthew in movies and his weird vibe, I think you will enjoy this one and I do recommend the audio version.

Building the Book Pile #474

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

...still sickly. Starting to feel better but the amount of gunk is just nasty. 

I have been trying to rest and worked from home all week, I did take a sick day and work wasn't super busy so that was a win. 

I did a fair amount of reading while I was up at night trying to breath, so I have a fair amount of reviews written and planned now. I am really hoping to keep up this momentum this year.

 

Linking up this week with the Caffeinated Reviewer and her Sunday Post series.

xo steph

Coming up on the Blog

This Week 

Review: Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey (Adult)

Review: From Megabat with Love by Anna Humphrey (MG)

Review: In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren (Adult)

Books Received Recently...  

  

 Heir of the Beast by FR Black - For a Blog Tour/ Review.

Feather and Famine by Mariah Rosewood - For Blog Tour/ Review.

All- Nighter by Cecilia Vinesse - From the publisher for review.

Dead Woman Walking by Diana Corbitt - From the Author for review.

Have you missed anything lately?

Blog Tour: Frog Fish & Worm by Christina Bianco (Youth) -3 stars

Early Reader Review: The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith (YA)-5 stars

Reading Re-Cap: January 2025

Review: Bound to a Siren by Athena Rose (Adult) -3 stars

Donating Caffeine is greatly appreciated ... Donate on Ko-fi

What have you been reading?  Leave a comment for me.

Happy Reading! Happy Holidays!

Recent Reads: Bound to a Siren by Athena Rose

Bound to a Siren by Athena Rose

Series: Romancing the Seas #2

Publisher: Burton & Burchell Ltd
Publication Date:  May 14, 2023 

 

Format: Ebook
Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Love is their only lifeline in a sea of danger - dive into the heart-pumping adventure of Bound to a Siren by Athena Rose!

As the threat of war hangs heavy in the air, Princess Serena of Atlantis knows she must take drastic action to protect her sisters from being hunted and killed. With a plan to marry the human prince, Edward, she takes him to the mystical underwater city of Atlantis and to the court of her stern father, Poseidon. But her plan goes awry and Edward is sentenced to death. With no other choice, Serena is forced to use a forbidden ritual to bind the prince to herself, surrendering her immortality in the process. But with the King of England ordering his men to slaughter all sirens on sight, how will the two be able to convince the royal court to give their blessing?

Meanwhile, Georgette and Captain Stone must face their own demons of the past as they navigate treacherous waters in an attempt to form new alliances and put an end to all of the brutality. In the thrilling second book of the Romancing the Seas series, Bound to a Siren, readers will be taken on an epic journey of adventure, danger, romance, and ultimately, a heartwarming and satisfyingly happy ending. Dive in and start reading now!

TW: Death, pregnancy loss, infertility, sexual violence, and childhood trauma.

Romancing the Seas reading list:

Book 1: Married to a Pirate

Book 2: Bound to a Siren

Book 3: Sworn to a Demigod 

This series is written for mature audiences only.

Review: 

There are Trigger warnings with this book. They are listed in the synopsis so please keep that in mind before picking it up. 

It took me a long time to complete reading this one. I picked it up right after Married to a Pirate, which I really enjoyed, but this book fell a little short for me. I was expecting more of the Georgette and Captain Stone story, but since the POV changes in this book to Serena and Edward, you follow them more heavily. Book one was a whirlwind of adventure and felt very Pirates of the Caribbean. This one was slow to start and then kind of crept along. 

We follow Serena and Edward, so I guess you could say this was kind of like a Little Mermaid retelling in some ways. Their story involves a lot more politics from both families, revenge plots all around, and they are just trying to do their best. Edward, ever the gentleman, wants to help save the sirens, but is still hung up on Georgette. Serena is pretty much just jealous the whole time, trying to win Edwards affections for real. I think I had such a hard time with this one because I didn't really like Edward or Serena at all.

Some positives, this story was a great plot progression and there were a lot of fun twists - that involved the whole group, not just these MCs. There was still some spice, it wasn't as heavy hitting with it as book one, but still good. I also enjoyed the incorporation of all sorts of myths and legends into the story. 

I kept hoping this would turn into Pirates meet Greek myth since that is where it seemed to be heading, and it looks like that is where we will eventually get because next up is a Hercules plot and book 4 is Hades (swoon).  In all honesty, I thought about giving up on this series but now there is a Hades/ Persephone retelling for book 4... so I might have to keep it up. 

Overall, I felt like this story was more filler than anything. The characters were meh, the spice was ok, I finished it, so that is a win, but it was just middle of the road for me. 

Reading Recap: January 2025

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

I am changing things up for 2025, instead of a plan then recap, we are just going to focus on the accomplishments of the month.

While I do have a plan of things that I need to read, but I am trying to give myself some freedom to shift and change things as my mood shifts and changes.

So lets get this kicked off, trying out StoryGraph for some Stats help. 

In January I read...

~~Books I Read in January~~   

How was your January Reading? Do you have plans for February or books you are looking forward to reading?

Feel free to share it in the comments below! I would love to know what you are reading! 

Early Reader Review: The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith

Source: From the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way alters my opinion or review.

The Rose Bargain by Sasha Peyton Smith  

Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date:  February 4, 2025

 

Format: Ebook


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

The Cruel Prince meets The Selection in this captivating duology opener brimming with heart-pounding romance, vicious competition, and beautiful, cruel fae, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Haven, Sasha Peyton Smith.

Every citizen of England is granted one bargain from their immortal fae queen.

High society girls are expected to bargain for qualities that will win them suitors: a rare talent for piano in exchange for one’s happiest childhood memory. A perfect smile for one’s ability to taste.

But Ivy Benton’s debut season arrives with a shocking twist: a competition to secure the heart of the Queen’s fae son, Prince Bram. A prize that could save Ivy’s family from ruin… and free her sister from the bargain that destroyed her.

Yet every glittering fae deal has a rotting heart—and at the center of this contest is a dark plot that could destroy everything Ivy knows.

Sweepingly romantic and deceptively enchanting, this alternate history romantasy will enthrall readers of Holly Black, Stephanie Garber, and Adalyn Grace.

Review: 

I absolutely loved this book and cannot wait for the release of book two! This dark fantasy romance was everything I wanted—magic, mystery, and political intrigue woven into a high-stakes competition that pits England’s elite society girls against each other for a chance to win the Prince’s heart.

Ivy Benton is a resourceful, determined protagonist, fighting not just for her family’s status but for something far more personal—her sister’s stolen memories. The fae in this story are exactly as they should be: eerie, mischievous, and dangerously alluring. Every bargain comes with a cost, and the author does an incredible job of building suspense around these twisted deals.

And then there’s the love triangle—deliciously angsty and full of tension. Ivy is caught between Prince Bram, the fae heir at the center of the competition, and his human brother, Emmett, whose sharp wit and reputation for dalliances make their dynamic even more complicated. The banter between Ivy and the brother crackled with chemistry, and there was a constant push-and-pull, a lingering should they, shouldn’t they energy that had me completely hooked. This dynamic read more 'older teen' in the Young Adult audience, so I think a lot of adult readers will also enjoy it. 

The worldbuilding was rich, the stakes were high, and the competition itself was filled with tension and deception. If you love Young Adult dark fantasy with a touch of romance and a ruthless fae court, this book is a must-read. I’m already counting down the days until the sequel!