Wow. This book will have you trying to sort through all the pieces up until the very end, with a major surprise ending. Janey enlists the help of her friend and roommate, Bryn, in trying to solve the mystery of her missing sister who disappeared years ago without a trace after receiving a letter two month’s delayed by a postal service mishap that indicates Kelly is still alive and going by the name Ashley. Because the letter is ripped to pieces, the pair piece together enough information to determine where the letter originated. Janey’s pursuit for the truth leads to her taking the job as a nanny to three children, where Ashley last worked, and uncovering even more mysteries as she tries to uncover the truth about her sister’s original disappearance and what led to her most recent disappearing act. This kept me on the edge of my seat and puzzled through various twists and turns along the way; a real page-turner with a truly original storyline.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Wendy Waryhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngWendy Wary2021-07-30 18:54:452021-07-31 07:37:55The Third Nanny (Secrets of Redemption) by Michele PW (Pariza Wacek) – Review by Wendy Wary
I loved the way the author wove the stories of U.S. black history into personal journal entries through generations of a family. The book included historic moments and public figures, and offered several events I hadn’t previously learned about. The storytelling manner made the factual information easier to digest and feel less like a history lesson. I found it interesting to read about the events from the perspective of both children and adults, which helped really weave an intricate tapestry full of emotion. Having read gruesome accounts of slavery, I appreciated gaining a bit more knowledge of modern black history and how the weight of the past has been carried through generations.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Wendy Waryhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngWendy Wary2021-07-29 13:23:592021-07-30 20:32:20Manifested Dreams by Dr. Yvonne Johnson – Review by Wendy Wary
Despite her best efforts to keep her heart encased in a fortress, Athena finds herself giving up morsels of herself to Tru between steamy hookups and sharp-witted banter. The pair find themselves the center of attention among Athena’s friends, who are concerned she’s given up finding joy in life for the comforts of self-reliance, and Tru’s mom, who wants to see her son settle down and have kids already. For Athena’s part, she’s still grieving her best friend’s death and trying to overcome emotional baggage she’s used to just running away from. For Tru’s part, he’s been toyed with before, and after spending some time together, is looking for more than just a fun time.
The author does a great job setting the scene and providing character development. This book has a strong, independent woman who isn’t looking for a hero, which is my favorite type of protagonist; Athena is self-made and only needs to battle her own past to overcome the obstacles in her way. I found the plot to be refreshing in that it wasn’t overly dark despite heavier topics (like grief and abandonment), there were healthy relationships between the characters, and the emotional rollercoaster that goes along with dating someone new was super relatable.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Wendy Waryhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngWendy Wary2021-07-29 12:54:172021-07-30 20:31:45Bared. (A Green St. Girls Romance) by N.D. Jackson – Review by Wendy Wary
Sophie Parker finds herself caught in the middle of a mystery after discovering her coupon group friend murdered in her home. After initially being cleared of being a suspect in the murder, Sophie keeps getting dragged into the mystery through unfortunate circumstances she finds herself in, whether it’s her own curiosity or kindness to others. Despite her best efforts to stay out of trouble, Sophie finds herself caught up in unraveling the mystery as she encounters a variety of potential suspects and risks losing her jobs and possibly her life.
I loved the way the author weaved the story around the quirky characters and totally left me guessing the motive and the murderer until the very end. I found it to be an entertaining whodunit with a bit of sweetness and sass mixed in. Sophie getting unwittingly caught in the cross-hairs of trouble despite her best efforts to stay out of it, along with her kindness and resilience, made her the quiet kind of heroine that doesn’t need false bravado or rescuing; this is my favorite kind of strength in lead female characters. Read this one without having read the first book, so I’m kind of excited to read more about Sophie Parker and the other characters, and looking forward to reading subsequent titles in the series.
Elfern works to unravel the secrets of her race, the Ellisians, and several mysteries about their coexistence with the Cadians and Ephems in the realm of Arcadia as tensions rise against the kingdom her queen mother rules with power and terror. The delicate Ellisians use a supernatural power, the Negaforce, to keep the physically strong Cadians under their thumb, and the differences between the two races couldn’t be further apart, Elfern learns, as she escapes an assasination attempt and finds an unlikely Cadian ally. As Elfern awakens to the brutality of her mother and sister and their way of ruling, she can’t help but wonder the best way to move the kingdom forward in a more harmonious way. Discovering her mother’s assassination attempt did not fail, she’s finds herself in a power struggle with her cruel sister to either keep things the way they’ve always been or forge a new path adopting some of the customs of the other races with whom they share their kingdom.
This was one of those books that I simply couldn’t stop reading until the end. Sometimes, I find myself having a hard time keeping up with nuances in fantasy books with different species and getting a clear picture of the world and characters; thankfully, this wasn’t one of those books. The author depicted an immersive world of characters and scenery that developed naturally while progressing the storyline. It had a dsytopian feel to it, balanced out with moments of compassion and tenderness, and it was set up in a way that the reader was discovering the secrets of this relam alongside Elfern as she pieced together information she collected along the way. While the book ends in a way that is satisfactory on its own, I will be anxiously awaiting the next book in this series to see what happens next (Please tell me this is going to be a series book!!).
Hidden in the shadows of her identical twin sister’s pursuit of fame and neglected by her family in their pursuit to fulfill her sister’s every whim, Jody gets fed up with putting her life on hold while fulfilling a contract to keep her sister’s career going.
After meeting Holt, a military pilot, while being mistaken for her famous sister, Jody realizes just how much she wants out of the life she’s trapped in to go after her own dreams. Jilly uses and abuses everyone around her like a spoiled brat, ignores fans, and causes everyone around her (especially Jody) to clean up the messes she makes as she acts out. After a mixup in his pursuit of Jody, Holt is maybe the first person to ever refuse Jilly and then stand up to her on Jody’s behalf.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and mistakenly read it before the first in the series. It works well as a standalone read, though, and now that I’ve finished the first book, as well, I find the only addition it really provides to this story is a little more backstory to Holt’s childhood friendships with people referenced in this book.
The author does a great job of sucking you into the storyline early on and keeping your interest as the mishaps, mistaken identity and chance meetings weave into a love story that’s romantic and heroic without making Jody into a damsel in distress and in need of rescue. This is less relatable than the first book in the series, which I’ve determined is one of my favorite reads in a while, but mostly because of Jilly’s fame, bratty behavior, and everyone around her caving to her every whim without check. Still a really solid story, though, and a recommended read.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Wendy Waryhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngWendy Wary2021-07-08 12:38:222021-07-08 15:53:33Taking Flight (Code of Honor Book 2) by Brooke May – Review by Wendy Wary
It’s a story of mixed signals and wrong assumptions from both Patience and Duke that came between the best-friends-turned-lovers for one night of passion following graduation, where Patience decided it was worth the risk of losing her friend if she gained a partner for life. But Duke leaving before Patience awoke the next morning led to the confusion that ensued for both, pushed further away by secrets neither felt could be revealed.
The story picks up seven years following that fateful night with Patience finally getting up the courage to divorce her abusive, cheating, alcoholic husband, Greg. After a move to Alabama and back home to Montana during her marriage, Patience realizes she’s a shell of the woman she used to be while she works in the cafe she opened in her parent’s grocery store. This revelation, and her learning to stand on her own two feet again, coincides with Duke’s return home to Montana after serving as a Marine in several tours that kept him away.
Duke avoided home during his service, in part, to avoid his feelings for Patience while pining for the woman who was married to another. Because of the distance they both put between themselves, neither were aware of the other’s change in situation. Duke takes a job as a sheriff deputy upon his reluctant return home, made hastily by his medical discharge from the military.
Add in some meddling mothers and an aunt, and the pair are reunited unexpectedly when Duke shows up at the cafe, and the sparks fly once again. With some tension and so many secrets between them, it gets off to a rocky start, but the two eventually admit to each other they both still love one another and spill the secrets that have come between them.
This book has such a relatable story, it’s hard not to get invested in the characters and their lives. I love the way the author paints the scenery and works in nuances to the characters’ personalities and interpersonal relationships. These feel like your friends, family, or neighbors, and the author has you rooting for love to prevail through the whole book. It’s an adorable love story with real life complications, and it makes the book read more like I personally see true love developing between two people, not just some sweet fairytale. It’s possibly one of my favorite books I’ve read in a long time because of this.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Wendy Waryhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngWendy Wary2021-07-08 12:28:192021-07-08 15:52:36Courage of Us (Code of Honor Book 1) by Brooke May – Review by Wendy Wary
I really enjoyed this second book in the series. Where I had trouble relating to the obsession about celebrities and trying to fit in to the popular group in the first book, it really built a foundation for book two of the series, where Hadley’s character shined a lot brighter. Establishing a solid group of friends to rely on really helped Hadley shine through with more confidence and allowed the author to really show her kind and thoughtful nature, and she seemed to naturally help her newfound friends find their own footing to be themselves in the process, too. Where I felt like Hadley had come off kind of whiny in the first book, her portrayal in Competing With the Star was more relatable and showed her blossoming maturity. The second book almost makes me feel like I wasn’t giving her enough credit in the first book, as I really started to love Hadley by the end of the second one. The romance that develops between Hadley and Nick in Competing With the Star is sweet and tender, wrapped in honesty and vulnerability that stands in contrast to the fakeness and passive-agressive rude behavior of some of the others in their larger friends group. I also loved seeing more development of the stories surrounding the main characters’ relationships with their elderly family members, especially since that was one of my favorite things about the first novel. Although book two could certainly be read as a standalone, I kind of appreciated all the backstory that book one created for this book to really get the full picture of the characters.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Wendy Waryhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngWendy Wary2021-07-01 13:58:252021-07-02 11:39:40Competing with the Star (Star Series Book 2) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Wendy Wary
I haven’t read a YA book in years, apart from some dystopian fiction, so this book was a little different than the typical adult novels I read. But, overlooking the teen girl obsession of appearances and celebrity gossip, I thoroughly enjoyed the characters and their wholesomeness. Not being much into fangirling or trying to impress the popular kids (even when I was in high school), I couldn’t relate much to the things the characters were focusing on, at times, but I wouldn’t have considered myself a typical teen, either, when I was in high school. I was more of a Charlotte, out of all of the characters. What I did thoroughly enjoy was reading the characters develop as they navigated teen friendships and worked out what was important to them. I struggled a bit with Hadley’s severe lack of confidence and always worrying about what everyone around her wanted her to say, do, wear, or act; this was balanced out a bit, too, though, with her loving family and their nurturing relationships and bonds. It was cute to see Hadley and her friends sharing gossip, television shows, and mutual interests with each other’s parents and extended family members; and there is a natural sweetness and innocence that draws you in as the story progresses.
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Wendy Waryhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngWendy Wary2021-07-01 13:28:052021-07-02 11:39:14Next Door to a Star (The Star Series) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Wendy Wary
Wow! Third book in the series, and I happened to read them all in succession. This one was, by far, my favorite! So much edge-of-your-seat action and suspense, along with romance and enough backstory to bring the whole book together. I was internally screaming through parts of this book and totally anxious in other parts. I love when a book can captivate you from the beginning and immerse you into the story so that you feel a little lost after you finish it. This book hit that sweet spot for me. I cannot wait to read more from Amy McKinley and would love to see more from this group of characters!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Wendy Waryhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngWendy Wary2021-06-24 09:41:152021-06-25 13:15:10Forged by Secrets (Deadly Isles Special Ops, book 3) by Amy McKinley – Review by Wendy Wary
I love when a series of books can be read independently or together as a series, and book two of the Deadly Isles Special Ops series does not disappoint. Exploring a romance between two characters you meet in book one, the second book is more romantic and sweet, like a velvety dessert to the main dish of the fast-paced suspense from the first book. Bound by Secrets also has a bit of mystery to it, and a light element of the supernatural, which gave me goosebumps and almost made me tear up. I’m not much of a crier, so that’s saying a lot. I love that the author continued to surprise me in book two, leaving me trying to piece together the mystery without enough hints to predict the ending. Super quick read and left me satisfied, but anticipating the next book. This book (and series) should be on everyone’s summer reading list!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Wendy Waryhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngWendy Wary2021-06-22 13:09:112021-06-22 13:24:21Bound by Secrets (Deadly Isles Special Ops Series Book 2) by Amy McKinley – Review by Wendy Wary
I couldn’t put this book down, and am already anticipating starting the next book in the series. The characters are easy to invest in quickly and the story develops in a way that keeps you guessing until the end. I loved the way the author pieced things together, giving clues without giving a clear outcome. There were a few different theories I had built in my head as I read the book, and was still left surprised. Everything I look for in a quick, fun read: a sense of the setting, character development that’s not too overbearing, a little romance, some mystery, and not too predictable. Definitely recommending this to my friends!
https://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.png00Wendy Waryhttps://itsybitsybookbits.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IBBB_2020_logo_sq.pngWendy Wary2021-06-22 07:42:202021-06-22 07:56:30Twisted Secrets (Deadly Isles Special Ops Book 1) by Amy McKinley – Review by Wendy Wary
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The Third Nanny by Michele Pariza Wacek
