Building the Book Pile #499

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Happy Sunday!

Monday 

...was a lost day, not going to go into it. 

Tuesday

I worked from home. We have a midday dog letter-outer but she was on vacation, so this way I was home for them. I had so much work, it took me until 2 pm to get through emails from the weekend/ Monday and then I had a bunch of event approvals and logistics to go through.  We went out to dinner though and I had a really good burger ... half of which I brought home for lunch the next day.

Wednesday

Back to the office for a day and it was full of meetings..6 of them. I also had to get some communications drafted and my system kept spazzing on me. It was a long day for us both so we ended up getting ice cream before coming home for dinner. So that was a win.

Thursday

WFH day - only a few more of these left before the busy season really picks up. I spent the day working on logistics for events, had a few meetings, and had a meeting for a committee that I volunteer on. Filling the cup with little non-work things. I also played a little Tiny Bookshop on my Switch before the day started. Ran out in the afternoon to take Charlie for a rabies shot update, he loves a car ride and it was good to have time with just him. Since we got the puppy I feel like he is a bit sad. 

Friday

Woke up feeling a bit gross. Not sure if it is allergies or I am getting a cold - could be either with the students back. Work was slower, which was nice, and I got a lot of little things done. 

Weekend 

We have run some errands and done some painting around the house that needed to be done. It was a busy weekend, but productive. I also got a lot of reading done 😀

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

xo steph

Coming up on the Blog

Blog Tour: Review - The Dragon's Tooth by Benjamin Coward (YA)

Blog Tour: Review - Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library by Amanda Chapman (Adult)

Books Received Recently...  

  

  

A Vow in Vengeance by Jaclyn Rodriguez - Netgalley

The Best Wild Idea by Lily Parker  - For Blog Tour

Suddenly Mine by Katie Evergreen - For Blog Tour

  

For review consideration:

Clementine Crane Prefers Not To by Kristin Bair

An Amateur Witch’s Guide to Murder by K. Valentin

A Heart So Haunted by Hollie Nelson 

Have you missed anything lately?

Early Reader Review: Leaving the Station by Jake Maia Arlow - 4 stars

Early Reader Review: The Book of Heartbreak by Ova Ceren -2 stars

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

What have you been reading?  How was your week? Feel free to leave a comment!

Happy Reading! 

Early Reader Review: The Book of Heartbreak by Ova Ceren

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

The Book of Heartbreak by Ova Ceren 
Publisher: Alcove Press
Publication Date:  August 26, 2025

 

Format: Ebook

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

A Middle Eastern legend get a magically romantic modern makeover perfect for fans of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue.

A young woman must find a way to end the curse on her heart before it claims her forever in this delightfully witty fantasy romance.

Sare Silverbirch has already had her heart broken three times. A fifth heartbreak will stop her heart forever. Such is the nature of the curse she was born under, which forces her to live a life without letting anyone get too close.

When her mother dies unexpectedly and her heart breaks for the fourth time, Sare begins to urgently question the curse. Where did it come from? Why her? And rather than accept it, could there be a way to break it?

Her questions lead her to Istanbul where she meets Leon, a seer who helps her track down the mysteries of her mother’s past. But Sare’s heart is a fragile thing and their blossoming romance poses a great risk to her survival. Especially when she discovers that her fate is in the hands of celestials beyond this earthly realm.

Now the heavens are stirring, for they have a stake in Sare’s destiny—and they don’t like their plans being overturned.

The Book of Heartbreak is a dazzling, haunting romantasy sure to break—and mend again—the hearts of readers everywhere.

Review: 

Let’s be very clear here - this cover is stunning, and the synopsis holds so much promise. Unfortunately, this book ended up being a struggle for me. I wanted to put it down just a couple of chapters in, but pushed on, thinking maybe I was in a book hangover and not giving it a fair shot. In the end, though, it still fell short. Of course, other readers may have a very different experience.

The premise is intriguing: Sare is cursed to die when she experiences heartbreak, and on her fifth heartbreak, she will die forever. After her fourth heartbreak, she travels to Istanbul to search for her past, where she meets Leon.

Curses, Istanbul, Middle Eastern legends - sign me up, right? It had all of these elements, but somehow it still missed the mark.

I did enjoy that this story brought me to a new setting and introduced new stories and mythology. I appreciated the diversity in my reading, but I felt the author didn’t fully embrace it. I wanted more vivid descriptions of Istanbul and its culture, and more of Sare’s experience of change when she arrived. These elements seemed vital to her journey of self-discovery and learning about her family and past, but they were glossed over.

The book is tagged as adult romantasy, though to me it leaned more toward young adult or new adult fantasy. While there is a romance, it doesn’t feel central to the story, and honestly, the book works without it.

As for the characters: Sare often read as an angsty teen, even though she was nearly 18, and she never really grew out of that persona. I also never felt I had a clear sense of Leon - he came across as clingy from the moment they met, which gave me the ick. He was supposed to be the swoony love interest, but I just didn’t feel it. Munu, the celestial guide, was easily my favorite. She added humor with her dramatics and her sudden appearances to warn Sare.

Overall, I struggled to get through this one. While the ending does pick up and offers an okay resolution, I still came away feeling pretty meh.

With its unique premise, fresh Istanbul setting, and touches of Middle Eastern legend, this romantasy may appeal to readers looking for something different in the genre.

Early Reader Review: Leaving the Station by Jake Maia Arlow

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

Leaving the Station by Jake Maia Arlow 

Publisher: Storytide
Publication Date: August 19, 2025  

 

Format: Ebook


Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Sometimes, looking at him was like looking in a fun-house mirror.

Zoe’s life has gone off the rails.

When she left Seattle to go to college in New York, she was determined to start fresh, to figure out what being a lesbian meant to her, experiment with clothes and presentation away from home for the first time.

Instead, she lost touch with her freshman orientation friend group, skipped classes, and failed completely at being the studious premed student her parents wanted her to be.

But the biggest derailment of all? Her newly minted ex-boyfriend—and the fact that she had a boyfriend to begin with. When she met Alden, he made her feel wanted, he made her feel free. He made her feel . . . like she could be like him, which was exciting and confusing all at once.

So, Zoe decides a second fresh start is in order: she’s going to take a cross-country train from New York to Seattle for fall break. There, no one will know who she is, and she can outrun her mistakes.

Or so she thinks, until she meets Oakley, who’s the opposite of Zoe in so many ways: effortlessly cool and hot, smart, self-assured. But as Zoe and Oakley make their way across the county, Zoe realizes that Oakley’s life has also gone off the rails—and that they might just be able to help each other along before that train finally leaves the station.

Review: 

Leaving the Station is a compelling coming-of-age story. It centers around identity, through thoughtful conversations around sexuality, gender, religion (both Jewish and Mormon), and the ongoing question of one’s place in the world. I found it engaging and thought provoking with often vulnerable exchanges between the two main characters, Zoe and Oakley.

The cross-country train ride setting was a brilliant choice. It created a sense of forced proximity that allowed Zoe and Oakley to not only get to know each other, but to confront themselves in ways they had been avoiding in their normal lives off the train. There was also this beautiful flow of “all walks of life” woven into the story through their fellow passengers, which added richness and dimension to the story and their conversations.

I really loved Aya, she is a young and often opinionated train-goer that pops in throughout Zoe's time on the train. Her presence provided comic relief at just the right moments, and she was beloved by all once their train ride came to an end.

The characters’ struggles with identity felt authentic and deeply human. Their emotional journeys were depicted in ways that will resonate with many readers, especially those in the LGBTQ+ community and I personally felt a strong sense of connection and belonging while reading.

Overall, this is a thoughtful and well-crafted read that leans more contemporary than romantic. The romance element is certainly present and meaningful though. The author did a wonderful job capturing the uncertainty, hope, and clarity that can come from soul-searching, connection, and the willingness to start again.

Building the Book Pile #498

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Happy Sunday!

I recently decided to start bullet journaling again to try to keep myself on track. I have also been trying to have more reflection time to think about highlights since I know I am going to get busy and then stress about too many things soon. Now I have all the notebooks - I have my bullet journal, my reading journal, and my work notebook where I jot things down during meetings/ calls and to remember.  Do you have notebooks? or are you more electronic? I feel like writing things down helps me a lot and typing isn't the same.

Anywho.... this week

Monday 

Students are back on campus! We had our Welcome to school orientation session with the dean and everyone was so excited. This is the start of a 2-wk orientation. I always feel inspired after hearing the dean welcome them. The new student energy is so fun. I also went to Verizon and got a new phone. 

Tuesday

The Career Services orientation with the students was all day - so we had 4 sessions ALLLL day and met all 300+ students. Lots of talking and presenting, but it was a fun day. 

Wednesday

Another longer work day with meetings and things but the new student vibe was still strong and we had a bunch of students pop in to say hi. I had a migraine all day but instead of the big lights- we had a desk-lamp day and the vibe was chill and amazing. We need more floor lamps though to make it a tiny bit brighter. 

Thursday

WFH day, so much to do though. Between house stuff and meetings it was a busy day. Then we had  to go to get a new microwave because ours finally decided to die. I sadly can't live without a microwave... but we had dinner out and that was nice.

Friday

I started work early because later in the morning I had to go to a funeral. It wasn't anyone that I was close to but I was there to help my friend with he kids while she was there. We hung out in the playroom. 

Weekend 

We are just relaxing and running errands. We have been to the gym and cleaned up a bit from the week, otherwise we are watching movies and reading. Hope you are having a cozy weekend and hope you had a great week!!

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

xo steph

Coming up on the Blog

Early Reader Review: Leaving the Station by Jake Maia Arlow

Early Reader Review: The Book of Heartbreak by Ova Ceren

Books Received Recently...  

  

Deathly Fates by Tesia Tsai

Rainbow Fish and the Great Escape by Marcus Pfister

Witches of Honeysuckle House by Liz Parker 

Have you missed anything lately?

July ReCap

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

What have you been reading?  How was your week? Feel free to leave a comment!

Happy Reading! 

Reading ReCap - July 2025

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

In July, I...

 read 6 books and DNFed 2 - A Sky So Hollow and  Fateless

StoryGraph Visual

~~Books I Read in July~~   

DNFs 

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

Building the Book Pile #497

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!

Happy Sunday!

This week, I finished a review book, picked up For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn and am about half way through it.  So on the reading front - things are looking good.

On Monday, I gave a presentation to the incoming class about what campus recruiting will entail, it is a general overview and a good chance to meet the class of ~300 in smaller groups. This Tuesday we meet the entire class as a whole team to give our session. Not for work, but work adjacent, I gave a presentation about hiring assessments to a group of career transitioning adults. It was a blast, and I think I was helpful.  I came home to some salmon my husband made and it was so yummy.

On Tuesday, I had some meetings and the workday felt so long, but it was a productive day. I got a lot of things done for the upcoming weeks and recruiting season. At home, I played with the dogs for a bit and we all watched tv. I did more reading before bed.

On Wednesday, I had a day full of meetings, and ended the day at the local pub for pizza and a drink. Thursday was a work from home day so I did some home chores in between meetings and emails. There is always so much laundry. Friday I took the day off, it is the last day before the whole class arrives and I wanted a breather before the chaos. It was pretty relaxed I read a bit, played with the dogs, and then downloaded Tiny BookShop on Switch... so cute. The end of the day was chaotic but we made it to the weekend...

Saturday errands were ran, we sold a car that has been on our garage as a project for a while, and just relaxed a bit. And we will see what today brings, it is supposed to be hot we might need to find water/ a swimming hole. 

I hope you had a great week!!

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

xo steph

Coming up on the Blog

It will be a light week:

July ReCap

Books Received Recently...  

Bought (last Sunday)

 

For Whom The Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn

Have you missed anything lately?

Blog Tour: Suddenly Tempted by Katie Evergreen (Adult) -4 stars

Recent Reads: Wild Side (Rose Hill #3) by Elise Silver (Adult)  - 5 Stars

Recent Reads: How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn (Adult)- 4 stars

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

What have you been reading?  How was your week? Feel free to leave a comment!

Happy Reading! 

Recent Reads: How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn

How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn 
Series: How My Neighbor Stole Christmas #1
Publisher: Bloom Books
Publication Date:  October 15, 2024

 

Format: Ebook
Source: Kindle Unlimited

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

A new winter holiday, enemies-to-lovers romance, from the undeniably funny and always spicy, USA Today bestselling author, Meghan Quinn.

Living in a year around Christmas town has it's drawbacks. The caroling, the decorations, the insanely cheery spirit, it never disappears. It's why I like to hibernate away in my cave--I mean house--keeping a healthy distance from the holly jolly spirits.

And all was going according to plan until my nemesis, Storee Taylor, moved in next door to care for her Aunt Cindy. Without blinking, she turned my simple world into a real nightmare-before-Christmas, especially when she decided to enter the town Christmas Kringle contest - which she was determined to win.

Well guess what? Over my cold-hearted body.

There was no way I was going to let her win, not after the history we'd shared.

So despite my promise to myself of never participating in the sickening Christmas season, I entered the competition as well. That's right, I planned on beating Storee at her own game by pretending this grump’s heart grew three sizes this season.

And it was working until feelings between us started heating up.

We pretended to date.

We kissed.

And well, sparks flew from there.

Which led to one explosive night involving Christmas lights, the competition, and a ladder. Don't let me convince you who stole Christmas, I think you need to find out for yourself...

Review: 

I was in the mood for something light and wanted to chip away at my TBR pile, so I finally picked up this KU book that has been sitting in my list forever.

In the story, Storee and her sister are forced into (essentially) Christmas town when their Aunt Cindy breaks her hip. She needs someone to help her out and also take her place in the Joyous Christmas Kringle Contest. 

Told in alternating POVs between Storee and Cole (Cindy's neighbor and Storee's former friend), the story quickly dives into bickering and the enemies to lovers setup. Cole is so mad at Storee for things she said over a decade ago as a teen and decides she is not contest- worthy and Storee is confused but determined to win for her Aunt.

I enjoyed this one, it has a "he falls first" vibe, with great enemies to lovers tension, and a touch of secret romance. Atlas, Cole's best friend, was amazing as a side character and comic relief for the story. It was just cute, really shared a love for Christmas and traditions, and just had a cozy feel. Just what I needed. 

The only reason this wasn't a full five-star read for me is that the spice ramped up around the 60% mark and started to overshadow the plot. If that’s your thing, you’ll probably love it, but for me, it took away from the story just a bit. 

Overall, if you are looking for a spicy Christmas romance with heart and humor, this is a funny one to check out.

Recent Reads: Wild Side by Elsie Silver

Wild Side by Elsie Silver 
Series: Rose Hill #2
Publisher: Lyric Audiobooks
Publication Date:  March 4, 2025

 

Format: Audiobook
Source: Bought/ Own

Rating:


Goodreads Synopsis: 

I’d always dreamed of my wedding day. But not like this. Not looking into the eyes of the man who betrayed me.

But when my nephew’s guardianship is contested, I decide I’ll do whatever it takes to keep him in Rose Hill. Even if it means marrying the enemy.

Rhys Dupris.

A man who is secretive, broody, and completely infuriating. A man whose work takes him away for weeks on end and brings him back covered in mysterious bruises—ones he won’t talk about. In fact, we barely talk at all.

Which would be fine, except when he’s not talking, he’s staring. And the way he looks at me is borderline indecent.

The tension between us has always been palpable. But living under the same roof is a dangerous temptation.

I swore I would never forgive him. But that was before I knew the man behind the mask. The one who’s fierce and protective. The one who’s gentle and patient. The one who shows up for us when we need him most.

He’s not at all who I thought he was.

And that makes hating my husband so much harder… and loving him just a little too easy.

Review: 

I have loved this series so far, and upon adding this book to my read list realized there was another one coming (score!).

The characters in these books feel so realistic, except that all the men and women are hot. They all have their emotional damage for various reasons and they work through some of it in these books, all while finding love.  They also all involve kids in various circumstances as well. 

In this installment, Rhys and Tabitha are vying for custody over her nephew Mico after her sisters passing. Tabitha is his aunt, but Rhys was named in the will. In the initial chapters, it was really hard to read - so emotional. Tabitha is angry at herself, at her sister, and she is confused. Rhys is quiet and not sure how to react to Tabitha. 

This one is enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fake marriage and a lot of banter. Once they hit it off it is spicy and it all comes together so beautifully. 

Blog Tour: Review - Suddenly Desired by Katie Evergreen

Suddenly Desired by Katie Evergreen 

Series: Apex Billionaires
Publisher: Choc Lit
Publication Date:  July 29, 2025

 

Format: Ebook

About the Book:

He’s fighting for his reputation. She’s risking her heart.

Blake Fielding built the world’s biggest social media empire — until a scandalous hack turns his company, Heartbook, into headline-hell and Blake into public enemy number one.

Ellie Mae Woodward thought she was walking into her dream job interview at Heartbook. Instead, she walks straight into corporate chaos, a building in lockdown and — literally — the brooding CEO at the centre of the scandal.

Blake’s guarded and entirely off-limits. Ellie’s quirky, creative and not remotely impressed by billionaires. But he needs someone who sees past the headlines. Ellie — with her dress covered in nerdy-hearts and a pink notebook of dreams — might just be the wildcard he needs.

Teaming up to uncover the truth could save them both. But when it’s finally revealed, they’ll have to choose between clearing Blake’s name . . . Or risking it all for something neither of them saw coming.

❤️ Friends-to-lovers

❤️ Workplace romance

❤️ Opposites attract

❤️ Billionaire romance

❤️ Spice level 🌶 🌶

Rating:

Suddenly Desired, book 2 of the APEX Billionaires series, is just the right mix of romance, mystery, and corporate drama. Ellie shows up at Heartbook expecting a job interview, but she walks straight into a PR nightmare. Down on her luck she is looking at her phone when she literally runs into the company’s scandal-struck CEO, Blake Fielding. As the pair continues to meet their unlikely friendship slowly turns into something deeper.

I read this book in one sitting, it was fast-paced and easy to get swept up in. The spice level felt well-balanced and it added tension and chemistry without overshadowing the plot. Ellie was a highlight for me. I loved her determination and her bookish personality (though I wouldn’t have minded seeing that side of her explored even more). Her character arc was good, especially as she found the strength to distance herself from her toxic ex, Josh. Speaking of Josh 🤢 he made my skin crawl in the best/worst way. He was awful, which is a credit to how convincingly he was written. (but I still have a lot of anger on behalf of Ellie).

Blake is the classic brooding billionaire with a heart (and reputation) in need of repair, and while his arc wasn’t overly surprising, his dynamic with Ellie worked well. I also really enjoyed the inclusion of the APEX group chat — the banter added humor and gave a peek into relationships from the wider series. That said, I haven’t read book one, so I felt a bit behind when it came to some of the side characters and references.

All that said, the most unbelievable part was the timeline - Ellie and Black fall for each other ridiculously quick... like two days and so the timeline was a bit of an issue for me. I felt like they deserved more time together to build these feelings. 

Overall, this was a fun, flirty, and emotionally satisfying story with a solid mix of heart and heat. I’d happily read more in this series.

About the Author

Katie Evergreen (aka Kate Galloway Smith) is an award-winning, best-selling author, copywriter, and Consultant Occupational Therapist. Growing up devouring Famous Five, Point Horror, and Sweet Valley High, Katie now lives in Norfolk with her daughter and their cats, where she spends her time writing about people falling in love.

Find the Author

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