Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid REVIEW

Carrie Soto is Back

by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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Blurb

Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular. But by the time she retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Grand Slam titles. And if you ask Carrie, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father, Javier, as her coach. A former champion himself, Javier has trained her since the age of two.

But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning player named Nicki Chan.

At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked “the Battle-Axe” anyway. Even if her body doesn’t move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.

In spite of it all, Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season. In this riveting and unforgettable novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells her most vulnerable, emotional story yet.

Review

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Sorry this review is so late.

I had the hardest time getting into Carrie Soto is back. I picked it up numerous times and just couldn't get into. Finally I decided to just push through and I am so thankful that I did.

I really disliked Carrie. I did not want her to make any sort of comeback at all and rooted against her like something fierce. I was surprised I had finally found a TJR book I really didn't enjoy as she is one of my favorite authors. Except, now the book is over and I'm so happy with how everything went and I'm once again applauding a truly great author. Carrie's character arc was absolutely splendid! There was also a great character arc for Carrie's father. The story leaves you satisfied and fulfilled, as long as you can get past Carrie and her crappy attitude long enough to reach the finish line.

I adore this book and hate that I kept putting it down instead of just reading it. If you're a fan of TJR I recommend at least trying this one. I know it won't be for everybody but it's certainly worth a shot.

A Haunted History of Invisible Women by Leanna Renee Hieber & Andrea Janes REVIEW

A Haunted History of Invisible Women

by Leanna Renee Hieber & Andrea Janes

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Blurb:

Sorrowful widows, vengeful jezebels, innocent maidens, wronged lovers, former slaves, even the occasional axe-murderess--America's female ghosts differ widely in background, class, and circumstance. Yet one thing unites them: their ability to instill fascination and fear, long after their deaths. Here are the full stories behind some of the best-known among them, as well as the lesser-known--though no less powerful.

Tales whispered in darkness often divulge more about the teller than the subject. America's most famous female ghosts, like New Orleans voodoo priestess Marie Laveau, and Bridget Bishop, the first person executed during the Salem witchcraft trials, mirror each era's fears and prejudices. Yet through urban legends and campfire stories, even ghosts like the nameless hard-working women lost in the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire --achieve a measure of power and agency in death, in ways unavailable to them as living women.

Riveting for skeptics and believers alike, with humor, curiosity, and expertise, A Haunted History of Invisible Women offers a unique lens on the significant role these ghostly legends play both within the spook-seeking corners of our minds and in the consciousness of a nation.

Review:

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Where do I even begin with this one? It's an incredible account of different women throughout history. When I say different I mean no two women in this book are the same. From the scandalous to the misunderstood we get to know them all. With passion and fire A Haunted History of Invisible Women will have you seeing ghosts everywhere!

Hieber and Jane take the stories of these women and tell them in a way that demands they be heard. The way they wrote about these women feels almost as if they breathed life back into long forgotten ghosts.

This audiobook was narrated by Linda Jones. Honestly, I really don't think anyone else could have brought this story to life the way she did. Her voice and tone made her the perfect selection to read this book.

Something Bright and Burning by Whitney Amazeen REVIEW

 Something Bright and Burning

by Whitney Amazeen

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Blurb

For some, knowing the truth is worse than living a lie.

Everly Martin, eighteen years old and fiercely ambitious, takes pity on Nicolai after accidentally swiping right on a dating app. She doesn't have time for love, not with her desperation to finish college and earn enough money to help her single mom pay the bills. But from the moment they meet at a coffee shop, Nicolai terrifies her with the instant connection they form. He couldn't have come at a worse time, because that same morning, Everly learns she's pregnant. And to make matters worse, she isn't sure who the father of her child is.

Though Everly is determined to stay far away from Nicolai, he reappears in her life, this time in a way she can't ignore. While fighting her growing attraction for him, Everly is haunted by the knowledge that her baby's father might actually be a terrible person. She's willing to find out, even if learning the truth ultimately ends in heartbreak.

Nicolai might not have a place in Everly's future, but when he helps her discover a shocking truth about her past—a truth that could either change everything for the better, or destroy it even more—Everly must decide what's more important: giving her child the life she's always wanted, or following her heart and choosing love.

Review

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

What The Actual F.....?!? OK, that was a roller coaster that's going to take some time to process. I started this book and didn't put it down until I was completely finished. I couldn't help it, I was invested from the first chapter and then things escalated and I just couldn't stop.

The plot twist really got me. By the time I figured out what was going to happen I was right on top of the reveal. Not going to lie, I hated the twist and wish the author would have done literally anything else. Don't get me wrong, the writing is amazing, I just hated what happened here.

Something Bright and Burning is not for the faint of heart. There's so much that happens and if you're someone who needs trigger warnings I highly suggest checking them before reading this.

In a nutshell I thought this book was captivating, well written, infuriating and heartbreaking. Lately I've been finding it difficult to become immersed in stories but this one really captivated me. If you're going to read it make sure you have time on your hands so you don't have to put it down until you're finished.

I'm The Girl by Courtney Summers REVIEW

 I'm The Girl

by Courtney Summers

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Blurb

When sixteen-year-old Georgia Avis discovers the dead body of thirteen-year-old Ashley James, she teams up with Ashley's older sister, Nora, to find and bring the killer to justice before he strikes again. But their investigation throws Georgia into a world of unimaginable privilege and wealth, without conscience or consequence, and as Ashley’s killer closes in, Georgia will discover when money, power and beauty rule, it might not be a matter of who is guilty—but who is guiltiest.

A spiritual successor to the 2018 breakout hit, Sadie, I'm the Girl is a masterfully written, bold, and unflinching account of how one young woman feels in her body as she struggles to navigate a deadly and predatory power structure while asking readers one question: if this is the way the world is, do you accept it?

Review

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

While the situations in this book are not fun to read about, I thought this was really well done. I am in awe of how blunt and raw this story actually is. Behind the words of this story lies the painful reality for too many women and girls. This is one of those stories that demands to be told.

One thing I think was done really well was the portrayl of sexual coercion. The situation we witness shows how sneakily someone can be coerced. In the book there are no outbursts of rage or pleading, he just talks his way around the situation to make it almost look like he is doing her a favor.

Overall, was it perfect? No it wasn't. But I do recommend this book for anyone who is looking for an dark thriller that will engage their mind and hurt their heart.

The Gingerbread Witch by Alexandra Overy REVIEW

The Gingerbread Witch

by Alexandra Overy

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Blurb

Maud has grown up in a house made of gingerbread, wanting nothing more than to be a witch like Mother Agatha. But just like all of Agatha's creations—from the magical house made of sweets to the chocolate mousse squirrel, right down to the little sugar mice—Maud will turn back into gingerbread if anything ever happens to Agatha. After a terrible fight, Maud storms off only to return home to learn that Hansel and Gretel, a pair of witch hunters, have pushed Agatha into the cottage's oven.

To save herself and the other gingerbread creations, Maud will have to go into the dangerous forest of the Shadelands to find the First Witch's spellbook. But with witch hunters on her trail and other people interested in the book for their own means, it'll be far from easy. Can Maud claim the book and bring back the only mother she's ever known…or will witch hunters capture her before she can save her gingerbread family?

Expected Publication Date: September 13, 2022

Review

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.
This was such a fantastic book! It has everything you could ever want. Magic, adventure, battles, new friends, animal (well, sort of) sidekicks, family and of course Gingerbread!

Maud wants to be a Witch, and she even has the Witch mark but creator, Mother Agatha, still won't teach her magic. When Mother Agatha ends up being killed in an oven Maud must go on the biggest adventure of her life to try and bring her back and find out once and for all why she was never allowed to perform magic.

I had such an amazing time reading The Gingerbread Witch with my daughter. It's such an exciting and fantastical story. The writing is engaging, the characters are lovable and the retelling aspect is done so incredibly well. If you're a fan of retellings and adventures I strongly recommend giving this one a shot. The magic within these pages is perfect for all ages.

Gingerbread has never been so delicious!

Flip Turns by Catherine Arguelles REVIEW

Flip Turns

by Catherine Arguelles

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Blurb

Thirteen-year-old Maddie just wants her classmate, Lucas, to leave her alone. He keeps asking her out—as if she hasn’t already said no a thousand times! Focusing on her competitive swim team, the Electric Eels, Maddie tries to ignore him, hoping he’ll go away.

But then, when someone starts sabotaging Maddie’s family-owned pool—glass on the deck, ketchup in the pool, followed by a “code brown”—Maddie worries it’s her “admirer” trying to get even. After Maddie’s parents rule the problems at the pool just harmless pranks, Maddie and her best friend Ez decide to investigate on their own. Could it be Lucas? And how can Maddie get him to leave her alone once and for all? The future of the Electric Eels and Maddie’s family legacy are on the line.

Review

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I adored this book. The characters felt as if they were real. The relationships were incredibly well done and believable. There were some amazing decisions made regarding the storyline that really worked to emphasize the delicate situations and human behavior. I think this a great conversation starter for so many important topics that need to be talked about more such as dealing with anxiety, what is sexual harassment and parental pressure. The situations within this story are dealt with in a way that will connect with the intended Middle grade audience.

This is one of those books that really does a lot right, however, it certainly isn't perfect. What I didn't like about Flip Turns was the fact that there was a love interest. I feel like this book could have been more effective without it.

In the end, I think this is one of those books I think every Middle grade (or even younger and older) should have access to. There's a lot to appreciate about this book and I highly recommend giving it a shot.