The Maid of Ballymacool

Reminiscent of Cinderella's fairy tale but set in Ireland in the nineteen thirties. All Brianna has ever known of life is hard work and loneliness. Forced to toil from sun up to midnight with only one afternoon a week off to look forward to is a bit overwhelming. As an orphan she was raised in the Ballymacool Boarding House for young ladies, but not as a proper young lady, only as a maid. When a handsome young man comes to stay on the property to look after his cousin, Brianne's head turns and soon her heart follows. The headmistress does everything in her power to keep Brianna under her thumb and away from the wealthy young man - but the two are drawn together and soon they may uncover the mystery of Ballymacool Manor. Slightly predictable but wholesome. Inspiration and historical fiction fans will greatly enjoy. 

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to read this book! Once I started I became totally engrossed in Sam and Sadie's lives. The ups and downs of their relationship felt so real and raw. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow is about how two friends have the most intimate friendship through video games. As kids it brought them solace and as college students it gives them purpose. Together with the help of Sam's roommate, Marx, they put the best of themselves into coding a game that will forever change and entangle their lives. This book is so hard to describe because on the surface, it's about three friends and video games - but it is so much more complex and nuanced than that. Ignore everything I've said and do yourself a favor and read this book. It doesn't need a description - it's just that good. 

The Romanov Ransom

To me this had the least amount of treasure or historical intrigue - but it did have a lot of adventure and it had believable bad guys (in comparison to the normal 2 dimensional thugs they usually square off against). The Fargos get a call that one of their employees has nephews that have gone off grid and could be in trouble. Sam and Remi decide to go to Morocco to investigate and in the process find themselves on the hunt for the Romanov Ransom. The problem is - they aren't the only ones looking for it. Slightly predictable - but always entertaining!

Desperate Measures

What happens when Jasmine chooses the bad boy Jafar over Ali? Lots of down and dirty action, threesomes, and sex dungeons - that's what! This book is scorching hot - mix 50 Shades of Gray with Aladdin and you have this steaming hot erotica. Admittedly the book is set in the modern day and there is no flying carpets or magic genies - but you still have the same people and the same power dynamics (Jasmine will always be trapped in a palace). The plot is eh, the romance is eh - but the sex is pretty great - which who are we kidding that's the whole reason people are reading this. This book is the first in the wicked villains series and introduces us to some other key players for later on in the series (Meg and Hades, Hook, etc.). Again the plot is questionable but the scenes are spicy. I may read more in the series when I have free time. 

Dark One: Forgotten

Bestselling fantasy author, Brandon Sanderson, teams up with Dan Wells to create a fun listen in the style of a true crime podcast. Written exclusively for audiobook - this short mystery takes place over the course of several podcast episodes - with the intrigue ramping up every episode. College student, Christina Walsh, discovers a CD of world-renowned violinist Leona McPherson, who mysteriously disappeared and was found murdered years prior. After her father's disappearance, this case really hits home and Christina decides to take her best friend, Sophie, along for a cross country adventure to re-discover this missing musician. With each new discovery the case gets wilder and stranger and soon the two may be in danger themselves. It appears as if no one remembers Leona, not one person! If it wasn't for the mountain of evidence proving that she was a real person - the girls would think they were being pranked. Even Leona's own mother has no recollection of her daughter! What exactly have these two stumbled upon and will the world ever be the same again? Narrated by a full cast - this audiobook is fresh and fun. It is fast paced, unique, and gripping. It's a wild ride that will find a wide audience for Brandon Sanderson fans, podcast junkies, and true crime devotees. - Erin Cataldi

Bipolar Bear and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Health Insurance

Don't get me wrong - the message is important and I understand the struggle - but if you're are already having to deal with our shitty insurance why do you want to read a graphic novel about a badly drawn bear who is going through the same shit as you are?! There were a few comedic scenes but honestly... not my jam. It definitely highlights how broken our system is but it doesn't do much more than that. 

Girly Drinks

I actually learned a lot from this book and not just about women and booze - I learned a lot about the history of alcohol and was super intrigued throughout the whole book. Mallory O'Meara does an excellent job of giving readers the history of women and booze while also highlighting some extremely influential women along the way. There were so many interesting tid bits about how alcohol was made - where customs and laws came from - and of course - how women got the short end of the stick time and time again. Women do not get nearly enough credit for their impact and are even now still overshadowed by their male counterpoints. I think this book is important for anyone who likes learning about history and drinking. A fun and extremely enlightening read!