January 28, 2023

Books I Didn't Finish in 2023

Below will be any books I started and didn't finish and the reason why. 
  1. The Heart's Invisible Furies by John Boyne
    • I was listening to this on audio and by part 3 I had no clue what was going on so I bailed. 
  2. Do They Know It's Christmas Yet by James Crookes
    • The narration was terrible on this one and it made it too distracting to continue listening
  3. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
    • I just couldn't get into the story which is an issue I have with a lot of classics. I thought listening to this one would help me get past it but no such luck. 



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Labels: 2023 , didn't finish

Top 5 Books I've Read in 2023

  1. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
  2. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
  3. Amok by Barry Eisler

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Labels: 2023 , top 5

Books I've Read in 2023

Books
January
  1. Only Bad Options by Jennifer Estep
March
  1. The California Roll by John Vorhaus
  2. Witch Is Where Decisions Are Made by Adele Abbott
April
  1. Thief River Falls by Brian Freeman
May
  1. Brute Force by Scott Meyer
June
  1. Witch Is Where Gnomes Rule by Adele Abbott
  2. The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell by Robert Dugoni 
August
  1. Leigh Howard and the Ghosts of Simmons-Pierce Manor by Shawn M. Warner
September
  1. Heart Stings by Jennifer Estep
October
  1. The Midnight Ride by Ben Mezrich

Audiobooks
January
  1. It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover
  2. Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
  3. They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
February
  1. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
  2. Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan
  3. Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson 
  4. Amok by Barry Eisler
  5. Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
  6. We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz
  7. The Cartographers by Peng Shepherd
  8. The Chain by Adrian McKinty
March
  1. A Thousand Boy Kisses by Tillie Cole
  2. The Omega Factor by Steve Berry
  3. Full Tilt by Emma Scott
  4. If He Had Been with Me Laura Nowlin
  5. The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett
  6. Hostage by Clare Mackintosh
  7. I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
  8. I Will Find You by Harlan Coben
April
  1. Quantum Radio by A.G. Riddle
  2. This Time Tomorrow by Emma Straub
  3. The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner
  4. Pack Up the Moon by Kristan Higgins
  5. What Lies Between Us by John Marrs
  6. Tear Down the Throne by Jennifer Estep
  7. The Maid's Diary by Loreth Anne White
May
  1. The 6:20 Man by David Baldacci
  2. The Last Flight by Julie Clark
  3. What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline
  4. Hidden Pictures by Jason Rekulak
  5. Someone Else's Shoes by Jojo Moyes
  6. It's One of Us by J.T. Ellison
June
  1. Dream Town by David Baldacci
  2. The Ruins by Scott Smith
  3. No Kindness Too Soon by Sylvain Neuvel
  4. Redshirts by John Scalzi
  5. Trust by Hernan Diaz
  6. Roadkill by Dennis E. Taylor
July
  1. Intergalactic Exterminators, Inc by Ash Bishop
  2. Upgrade by Blake Crouch
  3. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki
  4. The Book Club On Waverly Lane by Rachel Hanna
  5. The Strange by Nathan Ballingrud
  6. Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner
  7. The Albuquerque Turkey by John Vorhaus
  8. The Afterlife of Holly Chase by Cynthia Hand
  9. Forgotten in Death by JD Robb
August
  1. An Unkindness of Magicians Kat Howard
  2. Chain-Gang All-Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
  3. A History of What Comes Next by Sylvain Neuvel
September
  1. The Other Place by Nathan Hystad
  2. Five Survive by Holly Jackson
  3. Until the Last of Me by Sylvain Neuvel
  4. Conquer the Kingdom by Jennifer Estep
October
  1. Starter Villain by John Scalzi
  2. The Running Man Stephen King
  3. Slot Machine Fever Dreams by Chris Bohjalian
  4. The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
  5. Flux by Jinwoo Chong
  6. Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi
  7. Tracy Flick Can't Win by Tom Perrotta
  8. Wool by Hugh Howey


Total: 72

Here's what I've read in previous years:
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008

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Labels: 2023 , read

April 30, 2022

Review: The Refuge by John A. Heldt


Product Description:
Months after stealing two time machines, the Lanes, a modern family of seven, make a stand against the unhinged software mogul who wants them back. They travel to 1941 Oahu to eliminate the billionaire's mercenary, an assassin who has chased them through time.

While son Jordan, a former intelligence officer, stalks his unknowing foe in the streets of Honolulu, his parents, younger siblings, and pregnant wife settle in the village of Laie, where love, friendship, and opportunity await. All seek refuge from the perils of time travel.

Hit man Silas Bain has his own agenda. He hopes to alter the events of December 7, 1941, and indirectly save a brilliant German physicist, his employer's grandfather, from certain death. He has prepared for every contingency, except the charms of a beautiful heiress.

Filled with romance, suspense, and intrigue, THE REFUGE takes readers on a thrilling and memorable ride through the colorful, magical, and dangerous world of pre-Pearl Harbor Hawaii. 

My Thoughts:
The Refuge is the 4th book in the Time Box Series which follows the Lane family through time as they flee from the ruthless killer pursing them. Reading the first 3 books in the series is a must. Not only for the story continuation but for the enjoyment of a great series. 

Each book in the series is similar in how everything unfolds but they each have a unique historical event, new characters to love and different actions that cause the family to travel through time again. The Lane family are cherished characters and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

My Recommendation:
As usual I recommend this series to anyone who loves time travel, romance and historical fiction. 


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Labels: 2022 , 5 stars , review , romance , series book , Time travel

Review: Witch's Gamble by Mark Rosendorf


Product Description:
It's been nearly two hundred years since Isis, Zack, and The Witches of Vegas saved New Salem from the Wiccan vampire, Valeria. Now, Isis is a vampire and the most powerful witch in the world. Zack is also a vampire, and the president of New Salem. They thought the threat was long behind them. But Valeria escaped into the past where she set history on a horrific path.

Now, everything has changed around Isis. New Salem is destroyed, Valeria is queen of Earth, and no one has heard of Zack. To save reality, Isis must travel through time, reliving events from a history she barely recognizes, and find a way to set reality back on course. Not that she has any idea how to do that, or how to avoid the all-powerful Valeria in the process.

Isis will face challenges she can't possibly overcome, yet she must, or every single life from the past, present, and future is doomed.

My Thoughts:
Witch's Gamble is book 3 in the Witches of Vegas YA series and you would definitely want to read the first 2 so you know who all the characters are and why they are in their current situation. I was a bit surprised that the book opened with 200 years passing since book 2 but it weaves into the story perfectly once the action gets going. Isis has a troubling task ahead of her and even with the experiences she's gained over the years it's still difficult for her to overcome and outwit Valeria. Being able to travel through time you'd think it would be easy to defeat her but there are plenty of challenges that keep Isis wondering if she'll ever be able to save her loved ones and the world. 

My Recommendation:
YA is sometimes too over the top for me to love a book or series but The Witches of Vegas perfectly captures the teen voice making the series an enjoyable break from reality. I recommend this series to anyone who loves YA with a light paranormal twist. 






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Labels: 2022 , 5 stars , review , series book , Time travel , YA
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