My First Post!

Hi there! Welcome to my blog. I’m an avid reader and plan to use this space to share reviews of ARCs that I’ve read. I am also a giant mood reader, and if you’re like me, I plan to share lists of books based on vibes to help you decide what to read next. I’ll share monthly wrap-ups (as I remember) and books I’m looking forward to reading.

I’m currently reading two books (I usually have something going on my Kindle and an audiobook going on Libby). The first is Staying Gold: The Oral History of the Outsiders by Danny Boy O’Connor. I’ve been reading this one for longer than I’d like to admit. If you like the movie The Outsiders, and want to learn more about how the movie was produced, it’s very insightful and interesting. I’m about 80% of the way through, and once I finish it, I’ll share a more well-thought review.

The second book is Spectacular Things by Beck Dorey-Stein, which was a Reese’s book club pick. I also got this as an ARC from NetGalley, but I’m woefully behind on my shelf, so I’m listening to the audiobook trying to play catch up. I’ve only just started it, but I have a feeling this one may get emotional.

I did recently finish A Merry Little Lie by Sarah Morgan, and I gave it 4 stars. I have read a few of Sarah Morgan’s holiday novels, and like the others, this one doesn’t disappoint. We follow 4 different POVs from female characters put together at Christmastime: Jenny, a mother in her 50s or 60s, Rosie and Becky, Jenny’s twin daughters who are in their late 20s, and Haley, the new woman in Jaime’s life (Jenny’s son). This book has all the holiday cozy vibes, but also a lot of drama. Some of the drama goes a little over the top, but for the most part, it’s low-stakes drama. There’s a fake dating storyline, a marriage that is a little rocky, a brand new marriage, and someone grappling with newly-retired life. A lot of the drama could be solved with honest and straightforward communication, but when all these family members are under one roof, getting the time to have an uninterrupted chat proves difficult. I think my favorite characters were Becky and Haley. Becky is more of a tomboy and seems a little socially awkward and I enjoyed her love story the most. Haley seems incredibly sweet and kind and I enjoyed reading about her first Christmas as part of a huge family. If you like Sarah Morgan books, this is another to add to your list. If you like holiday family stories, with a small splash of romance, I’d recommend checking this out.

I’d love to hear what your currently reading, or if you’ve read any of these books too. If so, what did you think about them? Until next time… XOXO NBB