Showing posts with label share your shelf. Show all posts
Showing posts with label share your shelf. Show all posts

Books I've Read - July 2025

August 7, 2025

 

Hello friends, happy August!


I'd love to share with you the books I've read in June and July.





The Wedding People by Alison Espach



Phoebe Stone arrives at a grand beachside hotel in Rhode Island wearing her best dress and least comfortable shoes. Immediately she is mistaken for one of the wedding people - but she''s actually the only guest at the Cornwall Inn who isn''t here for the big event. 

When the bride discovers her elaborate destination wedding could be ruined by a divorced and depressed stranger, she is furious. Lila has spent months accounting for every detail and every possible disaster - except for, well, Phoebe . . . Soon, both women find their best-laid plans derailed and an unlikely confidante in one another. 

Hilarious and moving, The Wedding People is an irresistible novel about love, friendship, dysfunctional families, and the unexpected paths that lead to happiness.

I was excited to finally read this book after my daughter read it.  The author was my daughter's professor while she was away at college.  I enjoyed this book, although I found it sad, but I liked the different relationships and friendships between the characters.   

The Pumpkin Spice Cafe by Laurie Gilmore



When Jeanie’s aunt gifts her the beloved Pumpkin Spice Café in the small town of Dream Harbor, Jeanie jumps at the chance for a fresh start away from her very dull desk job.


Logan is a local farmer who avoids Dream Harbor’s gossip at all costs. But Jeanie’s arrival disrupts Logan’s routine and he wants nothing to do with the irritatingly upbeat new girl, except that he finds himself inexplicably drawn to her.


Will Jeanie’s happy-go-lucky attitude win over the grumpy-but-gorgeous Logan, or has this city girl found the one person in town who won’t fall for her charm, or her pumpkin spice lattes…


This book is a light read, and I know it was trending on TikTok last fall.  It was cheesy but cute, and it reminded me of Gilmore Girls.


Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping on a Dead Man by Jesse Q. Sutanto



Ever since a man was found dead in Vera's teahouse, life has been good. For Vera that is. She’s surrounded by loved ones, her shop is bustling, and best of all, her son, Tilly, has a girlfriend! All thanks to Vera, because Tilly's girlfriend is none other than Officer Selena Gray. The very same Officer Gray that she had harassed while investigating the teahouse murder. Still, Vera wishes more dead bodies would pop up in her shop, but one mustn't be ungrateful, even if one is slightly...bored.

Then Vera comes across a distressed young woman who is obviously in need of her kindly guidance. The young woman is looking for a missing friend. Fortunately, while cat-sitting at Tilly and Selena's, Vera finds a treasure trove: Selena's briefcase. Inside is a file about the death of an enigmatic influencer—who also happens to be the friend that the young woman was looking for. 

Online, Xander had it all: a parade of private jets, fabulous parties with socialites, and a burgeoning career as a social media influencer. The only problem is, after his body is fished out of Mission Bay, the police can't seem to actually identify him. Who is Xander Lin? Nobody knows. Every contact is a dead end. Everybody claims not to know him, not even his parents.

Vera is determined to solve Xander's murder. After all, doing so would surely be a big favor to Selena, and there is nothing she wouldn't do for her future daughter-in-law.

This is the second book in this series.  The first book is Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers.  I enjoyed this suspenseful and funny murder mystery that Vera solves.  


Summer Sisters by Judy Blume



In the summer of 1977, Victoria Leonard’s world changes forever when Caitlin Somers chooses her as a friend. Dazzling, reckless Caitlin welcomes Vix into the heart of her sprawling, eccentric family, opening doors to a world of unimaginable privilege, sweeping her away to vacations on Martha’s Vineyard, an enchanting place where the two friends become “summer sisters.”
 
Now, years later, Vix is working in New York City. Caitlin is getting married on the Vineyard. And the early magic of their long, complicated friendship has faded. But Caitlin begs Vix to come to her wedding, to be her maid of honor. And Vix knows that she will go—because she wants to understand what happened during that last shattering summer. And, after all these years, she needs to know why her best friend—her summer sister—still has the power to break her heart.

I loved this book and couldn't put it down.  I loved the friendship between two girls from different backgrounds and how they were summer sisters.   

Have you read any good books lately?


I will share this post at the monthly book link-up party Share Your Shelf.  It's held on the first Thursday of each month.  It's run by these bloggers:


Slices of Life
Memphis Bridges
Overflowing With Thanksfulness
The Other Side of the Road


Click HERE to see the blog parties I will be linking up to.


Julie
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Books I've Read - July 2025

Books I've Read - March & April

May 6, 2025

 

Hello friends and happy May!


I'd love to share with you the books I've read in March and April.




The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis


Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity. That is until an unbearable tragedy strikes.

New York City, 1978: Nineteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum and known across the city as the “party of the year.”

Meanwhile, Charlotte is now leading a quiet life as the associate curator of the Met’s celebrated Department of Egyptian Art. She’s consumed by her research on Hathorkare—a rare female pharaoh dismissed by most other Egyptologists as unimportant.

The night of the gala: One of the Egyptian art collection’s most valuable artifacts goes missing, and there are signs Hathorkare’s legendary curse might be reawakening. Annie and Charlotte team up to search for the missing antiquity, and a desperate hunch leads the unlikely duo to one place Charlotte swore she’d never return: Egypt. But if they have any hope of finding the artifact, Charlotte will need to confront the demons of her past—which may mean leading them both directly into danger.

I've loved every book that I read by Fiona Davis.  This was such an interesting story and it kept me on my toes.  I look forward to reading the next book by Fiona Davis.

Lies and Weddings by Kevin Kwan



Rufus Leung Gresham, future Earl of Greshambury and son of a former Hong Kong supermodel has a problem: the legendary Gresham Trust has been depleted by decades of profligate spending, and behind all the magazine covers and Instagram stories manors and yachts lies nothing more than a gargantuan mountain of debt. The only solution, put forth by Rufus’s scheming mother, is for Rufus to attend his sister’s wedding at a luxury eco-resort, a veritable who’s-who of sultans, barons, and oligarchs, and seduce a woman with money.

Should he marry Solène de Courcy, a French hotel heiress with honey blond tresses and a royal bloodline? Should he pursue Martha Dung, the tattooed venture capital genius who passes out billions like lollipops? Or should he follow his heart, betray his family, squander his legacy, and finally confess his love to the literal girl next door, the humble daughter of a doctor, Eden Tong? When a volcanic eruption burns through the nuptials and a hot mic exposes a secret tryst, the Gresham family plans—and their reputation—go up in flames.

Can the once-great dukedom rise from the ashes? Or will a secret tragedy, hidden for two decades, reveal a shocking twist?

In a globetrotting tale that takes us from the black sand beaches of Hawaii to the skies of Marrakech, from the glitzy bachelor pads of Los Angeles to the inner sanctums of England’s oldest family estates, Kevin Kwan unfurls a juicy, hilarious, sophisticated and thrillingly plotted story of love, money, murder, sex, and the lies we tell about them all.

I've read all of the books from The Crazy Rich Asians series and loved them.  This is another fun read that takes place in Hawaii, California, and England.  It's full of drama and rich people problems. 

Things We Left Behind by Lucy Score


Lucian Rollins is a lean, mean vengeance-seeking mogul. On a quest to erase his father’s mark on the family name, he spends every waking minute pulling strings and building an indestructible empire. The more money and power he amasses, the safer he is from threats.

Except when it comes to the feisty small-town librarian that keeps him up at night…

Sloane Walton is a spitfire determined to carry on her father’s quest for justice. She’ll do that just as soon as she figures out exactly what the man she hates did to—or for—her family. Bonded by an old, dark secret from the past and the dislike they now share for each other, Sloane trusts Lucian about as far as she can throw his designer-suited body.

When bickering accidentally turns to foreplay, these two find themselves not quite regretting their steamy one-night stand. Once those flames are fanned, it seems impossible to put them out again. But with Sloane ready to start a family and Lucian refusing to even consider the idea of marriage and kids, these enemies-to-lovers are stuck at an impasse.

Broken men break women. It’s what Lucian believes, what he’s witnessed, and he’s not going to take that chance with Sloane. He’d rather live a life of solitude than put her in danger. But he learns the hard way that leaving her means leaving her unprotected from other threats.

It’s the second time he’s ruthlessly cut her out of his life. There’s no way she’s going to give him a third chance. He’s just going to have to make one for himself.

This is my first time reading a book by Lucy Score and I enjoyed this book.  The only problem I had is that the book is 581 pages.  It took me a long time to read.  I feel like some books don't have to be almost 600 pages long!


Just For The Summer by Abbey Jimenez

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it's now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They'll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work.  

Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected--including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?


I enjoyed this books and if you like summer reads than this book is for you.  I can't wait to read more books by this author.

The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden


It’s hard to find an employer who doesn’t ask too many questions about my past. So I thank my lucky stars that the Garricks miraculously give me a job, cleaning their stunning penthouse with views across the city and preparing fancy meals in their shiny kitchen. I can work here for a while, stay quiet until I get what I want.

It’s almost perfect. But I still haven’t met Mrs Garrick, or seen inside the guest bedroom. I’m sure I hear her crying. I notice spots of blood around the neck of her white nightgowns when I’m doing laundry. And one day I can’t help but knock on the door. When it gently swings open, what I see inside changes everything…

That’s when I make a promise. After all, I’ve done this before. I can protect Mrs Garrick while keeping my own secrets locked up safe.

Douglas Garrick has done wrong. He is going to pay. It’s simply a question of how far I’m willing to go…

I read the first book in this series The Housemaid and loved it.  This is the second book in the series and just as good.  I'm looking forward to reading more Frieda McFadden books.


Have you read any good books lately?


I will share this post at the monthly book link-up party Share Your Shelf.  It's held on the first Thursday of each month.  It's run by these bloggers:


Slices of Life
Memphis Bridges
Overflowing With Thanksfulness
The Other Side of the Road


Click HERE to see the blog parties I will be linking up to.


Julie
read article

Books I've Read - March & April

Books I've Read - December 2024

December 5, 2024

 


Hello friends and happy December.

It's been a slow time for me to read books lately.  I read a book I liked and then one I didn't like or finish reading.  I'll share with you what I did manage to read.

The New Couple in 5B by Lisa Unger


Rosie and Chad Lowan are barely making ends meet in New York City when they receive life-changing news: Chad’s late uncle has left them his luxury apartment at the historic Windermere in glamorous Murray Hill. With its prewar elegance and impeccably uniformed doorman, the building is the epitome of old New York charm. One would almost never suspect the dark history lurking behind its perfectly maintained facade.

At first, the building and its eclectic tenants couldn’t feel more welcoming. But as the Lowans settle into their new home, Rosie starts to suspect that there’s more to the Windermere than meets the eye. Why is the doorman ever-present? Why are there cameras everywhere? And why have so many gruesome crimes occurred there throughout the years? When one of the neighbors turns up dead, Rosie must get to the truth about the Windermere before she, too, falls under its dangerous spell.

I loved this mystery/thriller set in an old apartment in New York City.  This mystery is fast-paced, scary, with many twists and turns.  I couldn't put this book down.

Wreak the Halls by Tessa Bailey



Melody Gallard may be the daughter of music royalty, but her world is far from glamorous. She spends her days restoring old books and avoiding the limelight (one awkward tabloid photo was enough, thanks). But when a producer offers her a lot of money to reunite her mother’s band on live tv, Mel begins to wonder if it’s time to rattle the cage, shake up her quiet life… and see him again. The only other person who could wrangle the rock and roll divas.

Beat Dawkins, the lead singer’s son, is Melody’s opposite—the camera loves him, he could charm the pants off anyone, and his mom is not a potential cult leader. Still, they might have been best friends if not for the legendary feud that broke up the band. When they met as teenagers, Mel felt an instant spark, but it’s nothing compared to the wild, intense attraction that builds as they embark on a madcap mission to convince their mothers to perform one last show. 

While dealing with rock star shenanigans, a 24-hour film crew, brawling Santas, and mobs of adoring fans, Mel starts to step out of her comfort zone. With Beat by her side, cheering her on, she’s never felt so understood. But Christmas Eve is fast approaching, and a decades-old scandal is poised to wreck everything—the Steel Birds reunion, their relationships with their mothers, and their newfound love.  


I'm a little disappointed as I wanted to read a Christmas-themed book for the holidays.  I found this book a little boring and slow.  I didn't finish this book and I returned it to the library on my Libby app.




I don't think I will get much reading done this month as it's a busy time of year with the holidays here.  Have you read any good books lately?

I will share this post at the monthly book link-up party Share Your Shelf.  It's held on the first Thursday of each month.  It's run by these bloggers:


Slices of Life
Memphis Bridges
Overflowing With Thanksfulness
The Other Side of the Road


Click HERE to see the blog parties I will be linking up to.


Julie
read article

Books I've Read - December 2024

Books I've Read - October

October 3, 2024

 


Hello friends and Happy October.  

It's been a while since I've shared the books I'm reading.  I read a few books that I enjoyed, some I didn't like, and some I couldn't finish reading.   

Here are the books I've read lately. 

Bad Summer People by Emma Rosenblum



None of them would claim to be a particularly good person. But who among them is actually capable of murder?

Jen Weinstein and Lauren Parker rule the town of Salcombe, Fire Island every summer. They hold sway on the beach and the tennis court, and are adept at manipulating people to get what they want. Their husbands, Sam and Jason, have summered together on the island since childhood, despite lifelong grudges and numerous secrets. Their one single friend, Rachel Woolf, is looking to meet her match, whether he’s the tennis pro—or someone else’s husband. But even with plenty to gossip about, this season starts out as quietly as any other.

Until a body is discovered, face down, off the side of the boardwalk.

Stylish, subversive, and darkly comedic, this is a story of what's lurking under the surface of picture-perfect lives in a place where everyone has something to hide.

I thought this book was a fun read that I enjoyed and couldn't put down.  It's the perfect beach read that takes place on Fire Island, Long Island.

Death on Windmill Way by Carrie Doyle


First book in the Hamptons Murder Mysteries cozy series! Antonia's looking for some peace and quiet… too bad she moved to the Hamptons!

Featuring the quirky chef and amateur sleuth Antonia Bingham, this new mystery book is:

  • Perfect for Fans of Denise Swanson and Louise Penny
  • For readers of classic murder mysteries and scenic town cozy mysteries

The Hamptons are known for beautiful beaches, luxurious living, millionaire mansions, and now…murder! Antonia Bingham, a renowned chef and the new owner of East Hampton's Windmill Inn, escaped to the Hamptons to get away from a harrowing past. Yet she finds herself in more danger than ever when she learns about a curse that haunts the inn—all previous owners have died suspiciously.

When she's not cooking sumptuous meals for her guests Antonia digs into the investigation to uncover who's behind the curse. Could the culprit be a guest at the inn, or is there a killer on the road? And the closer she gets to the truth, the closer she gets to being the next victim—will she solve the case in time to save herself.


I started this book but had to stop so that I could read, The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose, which I had on hold from the library.  I will try to read this book again at some point in the future.


The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose

Molly Gray is not like anyone else. With her flair for cleaning and proper etiquette, she has risen through the ranks of the glorious five-star Regency Grand Hotel to become the esteemed Head Maid. But just as her life reaches a pinnacle state of perfection, her world is turned upside down when J. D. Grimthorpe, the world-renowned mystery author, drops dead—very dead—on the hotel’s tearoom floor.
 
When Detective Stark, Molly’s old foe, investigates the author’s unexpected demise, it becomes clear that this death was murder most foul. Suspects abound, and everyone wants to know: Who killed J. D. Grimthorpe? Was it Lily, the new Maid-in-Training? Or was it Serena, the author’s secretary? Could Mr. Preston, the hotel’s beloved doorman, be hiding something? And is Molly really as innocent as she seems?
 
As the high-profile death threatens the hotel’s pristine reputation, Molly knows she alone holds the key to unlocking the killer’s identity. But that key is buried deep in her past, as long ago, she knew J. D. Grimthorpe. Molly begins to comb her memory for clues, revisiting her childhood and the mysterious Grimthorpe mansion where she and her dearly departed Gran once worked side by side. With the entire hotel under investigation, Molly must solve the mystery posthaste. Because if there’s one thing she knows for sure, it’s that secrets don’t stay buried forever.

This is the second book in the series and I enjoyed it.  I read the first book in the series The Maid and liked that too.  These books are fast paced and a mystery that the maid of the hotel tries to solve.

The Road Trip by Beth O'Leary

What if the end of the road is just the beginning?

Four years ago, Dylan and Addie fell in love under the Provence sun. Wealthy Oxford student Dylan was staying at his friend Cherry’s enormous French villa; wild child Addie was spending her summer as the on-site caretaker. Two years ago, their relationship officially ended. They haven’t spoken since.

Today, Dylan’s and Addie’s lives collide again. It’s the day before Cherry’s wedding, and Addie and Dylan crash cars at the start of the journey there. The car Dylan was driving is wrecked, and the wedding is in rural Scotland—he’ll never get there on time by public transport.

So, along with Dylan’s best friend, Addie’s sister, and a random guy on Facebook who needed a ride, they squeeze into a space-challenged Mini and set off across Britain. Cramped into the same space, Dylan and Addie are forced to confront the choices they made that tore them apart—and ask themselves whether that final decision was the right one after all.

I thought this would have been a fun read but I was bored and I didn't finish the book.  I'm disappointed because I bought this book in a romance book store in my neighborhood.  

Hello Summer by Mary Kay Andrews

It’s a new season...

Conley Hawkins left her family’s small town newspaper, The Silver Bay Beacon, in the rearview mirror years ago. Now a star reporter for a big-city paper, Conley is exactly where she wants to be and is about to take a fancy new position in Washington, D.C. Or so she thinks.

For small town scandals...

When the new job goes up in smoke, Conley finds herself right back where she started, working for her sister, who is trying to keep The Silver Bay Beacon afloat—and she doesn’t exactly have warm feelings for Conley. Soon she is given the unenviable task of overseeing the local gossip column, “Hello, Summer.”

And big-time secrets.

Then Conley witnesses an accident that ends in the death of a local congressman—a beloved war hero with a shady past. The more she digs into the story, the more dangerous it gets. As an old heartbreaker causes trouble and a new flame ignites, it soon looks like their sleepy beach town is the most scandalous hotspot of the summer.

I loved reading this book.  It was the perfect book to read while I was on vacation at the Jersey Shore.


Have you read any good books lately?

I will share this post at the monthly book link-up party Share Your Shelf.  It's held on the first Thursday of each month.  It's run by these bloggers:


Slices of Life
Memphis Bridges
Overflowing With Thanksfulness
The Other Side of the Road


Click HERE to see the blog parties I will be linking up to.


Julie
read article

Books I've Read - October
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