Books I Never Reviewed: First Half of 2019

In today's post I want to share the books with you that I read in the first half of the year and just never got around to reviewing for one reason or another. If too much time has passed since I have read a book and I didn't take notes while reading, then there is no way I can write a decent review for the book. My memory isn't the best. Since I still want to share these titles with you, I figured I would throw them all in one post sorted by the star ratings I gave them. There was a lot more than I thought, but I have read 46 books so far this year!

Three Stars 3/5

  

 

Three and a Half Stars 3.5/5

  

 

Four Stars 4/5

  

  

  

Four and a Half Stars 4.5/5

Five Stars 5/5

 

Romance Book Recommendations for February

The Way to Game the Walk of Shame by Jenn P. Nguyen
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My Review

Synopsis: Taylor Simmons is screwed. Things were hard enough when her single-minded dedication to her studies earned her the reputation of being an Ice Queen, but after getting drunk at a party and waking up next to bad boy surfer Evan McKinley, the entire school seems intent on tearing Taylor down with mockery and gossip.

Desperate to salvage her reputation, Taylor persuades Evan to pretend they’re in a serious romantic relationship. After all, it’s better to be the girl who tames the wild surfer than just another notch on his surfboard. 

Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett 
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My Review

Synopsis: Ever since last year’s homecoming dance, best friends-turned-best enemies Zorie and Lennon have made an art of avoiding each other. It doesn’t hurt that their families are the modern-day Californian version of the Montagues and Capulets. But when a group camping trip goes south, Zorie and Lennon find themselves stranded in the wilderness. Alone. Together.

What could go wrong? With no one but each other for company, Zorie and Lennon have no choice but to hash out their issues via witty jabs and insults as they try to make their way to safety. But fighting each other while also fighting off the forces of nature makes getting out of the woods in one piece less and less likely.

What if It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
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Synopsis: Arthur is only in New York for the summer, but if Broadway has taught him anything, it’s that the universe can deliver a showstopping romance when you least expect it.

Ben thinks the universe needs to mind its business. If the universe had his back, he wouldn’t be on his way to the post office carrying a box of his ex-boyfriend’s things.

But when Arthur and Ben meet-cute at the post office, what exactly does the universe have in store for them?

An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
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My Review

Synopsis: Isobel is a prodigy portrait artist with a dangerous set of clients: the sinister fair folk, immortal creatures who cannot bake bread, weave cloth, or put a pen to paper without crumbling to dust. They crave human Craft with a terrible thirst, and Isobel’s paintings are highly prized. But when she receives her first royal patron—Rook, the autumn prince—she makes a terrible mistake. She paints mortal sorrow in his eyes—a weakness that could cost him his life.

Furious and devastated, Rook spirits her away to the autumnlands to stand trial for her crime. Waylaid by the Wild Hunt’s ghostly hounds, the tainted influence of the Alder King, and hideous monsters risen from barrow mounds, Isobel and Rook depend on one another for survival. Their alliance blossoms into trust, then love—and that love violates the fair folks’ ruthless laws. 

P.S. I Like You by Kasie West
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Synopsis: While spacing out in chemistry class, Lily scribbles some of her favorite song lyrics onto her desk. The next day, she finds that someone has continued the lyrics on the desk and added a message to her. Intrigue!

Soon, Lily and her anonymous pen pal are exchanging full-on letters—sharing secrets, recommending bands, and opening up to each other. Lily realizes she’s kind of falling for this letter writer. Only, who is he? As Lily attempts to unravel the mystery and juggle school, friends, crushes, and her crazy family, she discovers that matters of the heart can’t always be spelled out…

Queens of Geek by Jen Wilde
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Synopsis: Three friends, two love stories, one convention: this fun, feminist love letter to geek culture is all about fandom, friendship, and finding the courage to be yourself.

Charlie likes to stand out. She’s a vlogger and actress promoting her first movie at SupaCon, and this is her chance to show fans she’s over her public breakup with co-star Reese Ryan. When internet-famous cool-girl actress Alyssa Huntington arrives as a surprise guest, it seems Charlie’s long-time crush on her isn’t as one-sided as she thought.

Taylor likes to blend in. Her brain is wired differently, making her fear change. And there’s one thing in her life she knows will never change: her friendship with her best guy friend Jamie—no matter how much she may secretly want it to. But when she hears about a fan contest for her favorite fandom, she starts to rethink her rules on playing it safe.

The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory
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Synopsis: When someone asks you to spend your life with him, it shouldn't come as a surprise--or happen in front of 45,000 people.

When freelance writer Nikole Paterson goes to a Dodgers game with her actor boyfriend, his man bun, and his bros, the last thing she expects is a scoreboard proposal. Saying no isn't the hard part--they've only been dating for five months, and he can't even spell her name correctly. The hard part is having to face a stadium full of disappointed fans...

At the game with his sister, Carlos Ibarra comes to Nik's rescue and rushes her away from a camera crew. He's even there for her when the video goes viral and Nik's social media blows up--in a bad way. Nik knows that in the wilds of LA, a handsome doctor like Carlos can't be looking for anything serious, so she embarks on an epic rebound with him, filled with food, fun, and fantastic sex. But when their glorified hookups start breaking the rules, one of them has to be smart enough to put on the brakes... 

The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
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Synopsis: Stella Lane thinks math is the only thing that unites the universe. She comes up with algorithms to predict customer purchases — a job that has given her more money than she knows what to do with, and way less experience in the dating department than the average thirty-year-old.

It doesn't help that Stella has Asperger's and French kissing reminds her of a shark getting its teeth cleaned by pilot fish. Her conclusion: she needs lots of practice — with a professional. Which is why she hires escort Michael Phan. The Vietnamese and Swedish stunner can't afford to turn down Stella's offer, and agrees to help her check off all the boxes on her lesson plan — from foreplay to more-than-missionary position...

Shacking Up by Helena Hunting
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Synopsis: Ruby Scott is months behind on rent and can’t seem to land a steady job. She has one chance to turn things around with a big audition. But instead of getting her big break, she gets sick as a dog and completely bombs it in the most humiliating fashion. All thanks to a mysterious, gorgeous guy who kissed—and then coughed on—her at a party the night before.

Luckily, her best friend might have found the perfect opportunity; a job staying at the lavish penthouse apartment of hotel magnate Bancroft Mills while he’s out of town, taking care of his exotic pets. But when the newly-evicted Ruby arrives to meet her new employer, it turns out Bane is the same guy who got her sick. Seeing his role in Ruby’s dilemma, Bane offers her a permanent job as his live-in pet sitter until she can get back on her feet. 

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
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Synopsis: Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job…But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

I Wanna Text You Up by Teagan Hunter
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Synopsis: When I put up a ROOMMATE WANTED poster, he was the last person on earth I thought would respond.

He was also the last person on earth I’d agree to let live with me…on purpose.

But, here we are—roommates. I’m certain we can coexist without it being awkward, and I’m determined to make it work. There will be no sexual tension building with each accidental touch, no flutters when he wears that stupid backward baseball cap, and definitely no flirting when we text back and forth.

Caleb Mills can’t be the guy for me. He’s my best friend’s ex-boyfriend.  And that would be wrong…right? 

Consumed by J.R. Ward
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Synopsis: Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed... By her bitter family legacy, by her scorched career as a firefighter, by her obsession with department bad-boy Danny McGuire, and by a new case that pits her against a fiery killer. Strong-willed Anne was fearless and loved the thrill of fighting fires, pushing herself to be the best. But when one risky decision at a warehouse fire changes her life forever, Anne must reinvent not only her job, but her whole self. Shattered and demoralized, Anne finds her new career as an arson investigator a pale substitute for the adrenaline-fueled life she left behind. She doesn't believe she will ever feel that same all-consuming passion for her job again--until she encounters a string of suspicious fires setting her beloved city ablaze.

Danny McGuire is a premiere fireman, best in the county, but in the midst of a personal meltdown. Danny is taking risks like never before and seems to have a death wish until he teams up with Anne to find the fire starter. But Danny may be more than a distraction, and as Anne narrows in on her target, the arsonist begins to target her.

Have you read any of these books? Do you have any romance recommendations for me? Give me your recs in the comments below!

Get Graphic!

Here is a new mini review round-up of all the graphic novels I have read recently. Go head, get graphic!

Five Stars

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier (Sept. 2016)

Goodreads

Raina Telgemeier never dissapoints. Ghosts is different than her other novels, but just as amazing. Fans of her artwork and story telling will enjoy this graphic novel just as much as all her others. Family, friends, and ghosts oh my! I loved hearing about Day of the Dead celebrations and to learn a little more about it. Cat must move because her sister is sick. It takes her a while to warm up to her new town, it was a realistic story of making friends and the importance of family. I loved it.

Faith (1) by Jody Houser (July 2016)

Goodreads

A realistic looking female superhero who is AMAZING?! Heck yes! Faith is a pretty hilarious kick-butt superhero. This is a graphic novel for every girl and guy of every age. I loved the plot, setting, and basically everything otherwise I wouldn't have given it five stars. Read this. Do it.

Four Stars

Prison Island: A Graphic Memoir by Colleen Frakes (2015)

Goodreads

I read this book simply out of curiosity. I wanted to know what it would have been like living on a prison island, and I got my answer! I liked the drawings and the story, but it could have been a little longer. I would have loved to learn even more about prison island. This is a quick read that was very interesting. I recommend it.

Patsy Walker, A.K.A. Hellcat!, Vol. 1: Hooked On A Feline (July 2016)

Gooreads

I absolutely loved this comic! The illustrations are fun and full of color. They are definitely my favorite type of drawing style. It was cute. I also thought the story was a lot of fun. I knew nothing about Hellcat before this comic, and that didn't matter too much. They gave a quick little backstory at the beginning. I loved meeting Patsy and her friends. I can't wait for the next volume!

Lucky Penny by Hirsh & Ota (March 2016)

Goodreads

Lucky Penny wasn't quite what I was expecting, but I still enjoyed it a great deal. Penny is a little weird and rather interesting character. I was hesitant at first, but once I got into the story I couldn't put it down. It was a fun and unique read. I know what it feels like to feel unlucky. I just wish it would have been in color.

Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson (2014)
Goodreads

I have always been curious about why so many kids at the library love these books. I finally decided to give them a try myself. The verdict, they are a delight! The sassy unicorn and her new bff Phoebe are hilarious.

Three Stars

This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, Jillian Tamaki (2014)

Goodreads

The two girls in this story were so very annoying! I know they were young and I am sure I acted like them when I was younger, but they were a little to annoying for me, at least the one girl was. Rose wasn't too bad. This is a graphic novel about growing up filled with detailed drawings of a summer town. It was pretty good overall, but could have been better.

Buffy: The High School Years - Freaks and Geeks (#1) by Faith Erin Hicks (June 2016)

Goodreads

I am and will always be a huge Buffly the Vampire Slayer fan. I own every season on DVD. I watched Angel. I at one point wished I could actually be "the chosen one." (Yes, I know this is a work of fiction.) The one thing I didn't ever do was read the graphic novels so when I heard about this new reboot I knew I had to give it a try. I liked this graphic novel a lot, but it was a very basic/introductory story. I was a little disapointed about that, but I did like the artwork. It was unique. 

Mini Audiobook Reviews

I just started listening to audiobooks last year when I got another job a decent drive away from where I live, and I can't believe I waited so long! Audiobooks are addicting, and I love them. I can listen to them while driving, cleaning, eating (it's easier to eat and listen to an audiobook than read a physical book.) Anyway, I finally sat down and put together some reviews of some of my favorites. Enjoy!

Five Stars

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

Goodreads

The Narration: We get dual narrators for the dual POVs and they were perfect!

The Story: This was actually a rearead for me, and I am so glad I have now experienced this book in audio format as well as print. This story shouldn't be missed by anyone. The setting is wonderful, the water horses are beautiful and scary, and it's just a great story.

Denton Little's Deathdate by Lance Rubin

Goodreads

The Narration: The author narrates this book! It. Is. Hilarious. The first chapter had me laughing out loud and I continued to laugh during the entire thing. Lance is excellent at all the voices.
The Story: Everyone knows they day they are going to die... I love this story idea and I loved Denton. This story will make you laugh and curious about what the heck is going on with Denton and how he will die.

Four Stars

Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige
Goodreads

The Narration: Talk about a lady who really knows how to do a variety of voices well. She sounds exactly like how I would imagine a wicked witch to sound like. Nice job Devon Sorvari!
The Story: It was funny, dark, and always entertaining. I loved the main character Amy and the supporting cast. Fans of Wizard of Oz or just retellings in general won't want to miss this one!

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
Goodreads

The Narration: Who knew this book had a lot of cursing in it? I was shocked the first time I heard it, but then I was all good. It's not like I curse myself you know... The narration was pretty darn good.
The Story: Sad yet hopeful.

Three Stars

The Vanishing Season by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Goodreads

The Narration: A little hard to follow with the different view points. I don't want to say more in case it gives away too much of the plot, but I feel like this book would be better read than listened to.
The Story: This is more of a coming of age story than a mystery, but it did have a really strong ending. Overall, I have to say that I really enjoyed it.

What are some of your favorite audiobooks? What should I read/listen to next?