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The Eights by Joanna Miller ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Ehhh, I struggled with this one and am still struggling with how to review this one. I loved the concept and history of this book. Who wouldn’t want to read about the first 4 women to matriculate at Oxford University in the 20?! The history was incredibly well done and I could picture the time period through the words. But unfortunately, that is where the enjoyment ended for me. I found that the 4 main characters were hard to keep track of. They all had their own trauma, personalities and experiences, but also very similar. The way the book was written made it at times difficult to keep track. I enjoyed the friendship and bond between these history-making women, but also wanted more personality from them as individuals to make it easier to differentiate. I truly enjoyed the history part, what Oxford was like after the first World War, misogyny and the threat of influenza. There was a ton of research done, which was obvious throughout the book, which was my favorite part of the story.

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

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Don’t Forget to Write by Sara Goodman Confino ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pub Day: September 1, 2023
Pages: 334
Audiobook Length: 9 hours, 2 minutes

I loved this beautiful story of finding love (not always romantic), self-discovery, and finding your place in the world. In the 1960’s women were expected to marry and reproduce young. Marilyn Kleinman has a different view of her life. After an embarrassing moment with the rabbi’s son at synagogue, Marilyn’s parents demand that she marries him. When Marilyn refuses, she is sent off to Philadelphia, to live with her great-aunt, Ada for the summer. Ada is a single woman, matchmaker, and has a strong personality. She tells it like she sees it. This book has been on my TBR for a long time. I am so glad I was able to pick it up and read it. I loved the writing. I absolutely loved both Marilyn and Ada’s characters. I loved the challenge they brought to the typical gender roles of the 1960’s and the feminist vibes throughout the entire book. As always, the Jewish references are wonderful to read. When a book such as this one gives you all of the emotions, you know it is a good one and you must recommend it.

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The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff

Pub Day: April 22, 2025
Pages: 288
Audiobook Length: 8 hours, 50 minutes

Bethany's Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫This was a beautiful yet heartbreaking story. I was crying during the last couple of chapters (glad I finished in my home and not on the plane). Another amazing debut for 2025! A beautiful family drama that showcased the ups and downs of family life, addiction, death, grief, and forgiveness. There was so much loss and love for Lillian, Ryan and Elise and Georgette “Jet” in this generational family drama. I loved how each section of the book was from a different characters POV. The writing was captivating and I didn’t want to put down this book. Each character supports each other in the ways that they know how. This is a shorter book, under 300 pages, but I enjoyed reading every minute of it. I did not feel that anything was missing and appreciated that there was not extra fluff in there. This books is now on my recommend list to everyone.

Sara's Review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐This is a must read for everyone - do yourself a favor and add it to your TBR. Make sure you have the tissues ready though. A beautifully written story that will completely break your heart - touching on tragedy, addiction, loss, and the ever complicated family dynamics. 4 generations, told from different points of view, this book displays family life and how decisions can impact generations to come. I loved the writing and flew through this book (read it in a few hours) and was disappointed when it ended. I loved how realistic this book felt - the characters had their flaws and issues (some bigger than others!) but they all cared for one another and did their best to support each other. There was a lot of trauma and a lot of love felt throughout the chapters which flowed seamlessly. I truly loved this book and think everyone should pick it up.

Thank you #netgalley for my #arc

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Bethany's Favorite: Promise Me Sunshine & One Good Thing
Sara's Favorite: Broken Country & Promise Me Sunshine

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The Paris Daughter by Kristin Harmel ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you @prhaudio for my #gifted copy!

Pub Day: June 6, 2023
Pages: 384
Audiobook Length: 12 hours, 7 minutes

This book has been on my TBR for way too long. I finally was able to pick it up and I am so glad that I did. This was a heartbreaking story about courage, love and strength. While the story is set during WWII, the focus wasn’t on the Nazi’s and horrendous things they did. It was focused on the relationships between two women, between mother and daughter and between family. It was about the strength that one must have in order to carry on when the world is taken away or is unknown. It is about living in the past vs living in the future. The story was very well written, and I was engaged through the fast-paced events that occurred. While I saw the twist coming from a mile away, I did enjoy watching the characters figure out things as time went on. The research that went in to making sure events were accurate was outstanding. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator. If you haven’t read this beautiful historical fiction read, I suggest you do!

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The Family Recipe by Carolyn Huynh ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

This one was fine, no major complaints, but I also didn’t feel like this was one of those “i can’t put it down and count down until I can pick it back up again” kind of books. I loved the historical part - the experiences and history of Vietnamese immigrants to the United States. How they adapted to life in America and how they raised their children, embraced their community, oftentimes with no family. This story follows 5 siblings after they learn that their wealthy father will only give the winner of a ridiculous competition their inheritance. The story follows each of these siblings, in their POVs, in the cities assigned to them. The different perspectives were clear and the stories transitioned smoothly, I just felt that because there were so many POV that I felt like we knew the characters on the surface. If you are looking for an interesting book about an immigrant family over multiple generations, give this a try.

Pub Day: April 1, 2025

Such a Good Mom by Julia Spiro ⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you are looking for a story that is about a mother struggling with postpartum depression (and maybe even anxiety) this is the book for you. The struggles of postpartum motherhood and mental health challenges are well depicted. But that is pretty much all the book is about. The FMC is struggling with postpartum when her husband is arrested for murder. She struggles with her feelings towards him and motherhood. She is resistant to help and trusts very few people. The book was more about her struggles than the murder, which I was not expecting. I wanted a little more from the murder aspect of the story, which was fine, but predictable and not the main focus. I think if you want a story about mental health challenges, especially as a new mother, this book will check all of your boxes. It was just not what I was looking for and became repetitive and frustrating to me (not the depression, but the constant descriptions of her challenges.)

Pub Day: April 29, 2025

Thank you Netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

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What a great month of reading! 📚Bethany read 16 books and Sara read 18!

Bethany's Favorite: Come Fly With Me
Sara's Favorite: The Quiet Librarian and The Secret History of Audrey James

#LTKFindsUnder50 #LTKOver40 #LTKHome

A Beauty Queen’s Guide to Murder and Mayhem by Kristen Bird ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Dakota Green is convinced by her aunt to enter into her town’s beauty pageant to try to win a cash prize. This felt like a modern and southern version of Miss Congeniality. I love that the contestants of the beauty pageant were represented as real people and not all ditsy girls. I love stories that take someone who isn’t used to being pampered, done up etc and gives them these experiences as they compete for something, in this case a beauty pageant. It opens their eyes into another world. Some of the characters were over the top but I enjoyed the storyline that kept me interested throughout. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job. This was the first in a series that follows Dakota. I can’t wait to see what mystery she gets into next. This was a fun cozy mystery that was exactly what I needed.

#LTKHome #LTKSeasonal #LTKFindsUnder50

Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Well written. A fun read with lots of twists and turns. Fast paced!

#LTKHome #LTKFamily #LTKFindsUnder50

The Launch Date by Annabelle Slator ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was so cute. I loved the slow burn, coworkers to lovers, enemies to lovers & overall joy of this book. I found that the chemistry was evident from page 1, although it took a LONG time for both characters to admit their feelings. Even then, I liked that they did not dive in head first, but instead kept to their own priorities & let the relationship happen slowly, maybe too slowly. The book was so engaging and the characters were the type that I want to meet in real life. I loved the push & pull, their personalities & the fun plot. Honestly, just a very well done & enjoyable book - there was personal growth, professional growth and relationship growth - from both parties, which is always fun to see! Grace & Eric work for a dating app, they were once good friends turned enemies, who now have to work on a project together. As they go on date after date, they start to realize that they may not be enemies after all. A really fun one!

The Snowbirds by Christina Clancy ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Have you ever read a book & when it ended you asked yourself if anything actually happened? That was this book for me. This book follows the ups and downs of a long term relationship... & what happens when their children grow up & the life that they once knew changes. Part missing person, part flashbacks, part reflection of a life lived. I enjoyed the audiobook of this more than the ebook - I thought the narrator was great. I enjoyed the story being about an older couple & the natural & normal ups & downs of life. However, I found that not enough happened making the book move very slowly. I also found the female character to be unlikeable - she was whiny and selfish and rubbed me the wrong way. Parts of this book worked very well for me, while others fell short of what I expected.

#LTKHome #LTKMostLoved #LTKFindsUnder50

January favs!

Let’s call her barbie by Renee Rosen
Girls of the glimmer factory by Jennifer coburn
Eddie Winston is looking for love by Marianne Cronin

#LTKMostLoved #LTKGiftGuide #LTKFindsUnder50

The Business Trip by Jessie Garcia ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I loved parts of this book and hated other parts, which really confused me! I loved the parts about Stephanie and Jasmine. Their perspective of their current life, their friends and co-workers POV when they disappeared. I really thought it was fascinating and well done how different people viewed similar things so differently. And handled things so differently. I truly despised Trent from the start and did not like his POV at all. I skimmed through the entire middle of the book. It just felt very mechanical and forced, where the earlier POVs of the book were engaging and interesting. I thought the ending was farfetched, by fine. I didn’t really have complaints, but it took work to read through the middle 30-40% of the book. Overall, a fascinating and interesting psychological thriller that definitely kept me on my toes and threw some fun twists and turns into the book.

Stephanie and Jasmine are on the same plane, but that is where their similarities end. Then they both send similar messages to friends about a man, Trent, before they go missing. What happened to these women? Or what did they do to Trent?

Thank you netgalley for my advanced reader copy.

#LTKFindsUnder50 #LTKGiftGuide #LTKHome

Into The Woods by Jenny Holiday ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pub Date: January 7, 2025

What an adorable story! Gretchen Miller has sworn off dating and accepts a summer job of being a dance teacher at a summer camp in Minnesota. Teddy Knight just finished a tour with this rock band and has also gotten roped into working at this summer camp while he figures out what his next steps in his life are going to be. When Gretchen and Teddy get lost in the woods and have to rely on each other for sanity and warmth, they realize each are not who they seem at first glance. I love the camp setting and the morning swims in the lake. The characters were fun, both with flaws and it was refreshing that we were in their late 30’s / early 40’s. The banter between Gretchen and Teddy and the sarcastic humor was spectacular. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the dual narrators. I think it was a smart choice. This was a story about finding yourself again and being inspired.

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What Happened to the McCrays? By Tracy Lange ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Pub Day: January 14, 2025

A really well done and enjoyable family drama!

#LTKFamily #LTKHome #LTKFindsUnder50

My daughter received some great gifts for her birthday!

The books are mine but everything else in this picture is hers.

Kendra Scott jewelry is so in right now for the tweens.

OMG the amount of face, body and hair care she received from friends was insane.

We also got her the weighted blanket that looks soooo cozy!

#LTKFamily #LTKBeauty #LTKGiftGuide

Can you believe that today is the last day of November?

Bethany's Favorite Reads: Is She Really Going Out with Him & The Sunflower House

Sara's Favorite Reads: Behind Every Good Man & The Sunflower House

#LTKHome #LTKGiftGuide #LTKFindsUnder50

Perfect Fit by Clare Gilmore ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A fun and adorable book. A feel good story that you will not be able to put down.

Thank you NetGalley for our arcs!

#LTKFamily #LTKGiftGuide #LTKHome

Statistically Speaking by Debbie Johnson ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Gemma is 16, hasn’t had an easy childhood and gives birth to her daughter which she gives up for adoption to give her a better life. As Gemma grows and matures to be a young lady that is respectable and contributes to society, she begins to wonder what happened to her daughter and to her mother whom she hasn’t spoken to in years. So, beings her journey with her wonderful group of diverse friends to find herself and become more confident in her life decisions. This was an emotional story as Gemma pieces together parts of her life. Gemma has some coping mechanisms of counting items in a room that I have seen in other books. I enjoyed reading about Gemma’s journey. I listened to the audiobook and was pleasantly surprised with the narrator in this single POV story.

Thank you #netgalley for my #audiobook #arc

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Favorite books read in October!

Bethany's Favorite Reads: The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern

Sara's Favorite Reads: Echoes of Us and James

#LTKSeasonal #LTKFindsUnder50 #LTKHome

Daughter of Ruins by Yvette Manessis Corporon ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a well written, researched and emotional book. I loved the 3 stories and how they all were connected. The bonds between women, especially those that are relatives. And the overall uplifting feel to this book, despite it being an emotionally challenging read. The story spans hundreds of years, from Greece to New York City. It is rich with detail, history and family. Over the many years and stories followed, family secrets unraveled and one woman’s life was changed forever. I enjoyed this audiobook, I was engaged from the beginning. I found that all the stories were interesting and that it was easy to follow. However, I had very high expectations for this book and I did not feel they were hit. I wanted to continue listening and was invested in discovering the end. So, it is possible that I set my expectations way too high for this one or that it is a better read than audio.

#LTKFindsUnder50 #LTKHome #LTKSeasonal

The Nanny by Lana Ferguson ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I thought this was such a cute one - with lots of 🔥. I thought the characters were well done and different. I enjoyed the chemistry, the story line and all the supporting characters. A single dad who falls for his daughter’s Nanny. He is a chef who has difficult hours, his daughter’s mother passed away and they have been flying through nannies. Until Cassie enters the picture. Not only does he love her but so does his daughter. After their relationship turns to more than nanny and boss, they discover that they previously met. Will they find a happily ever after?

#books #bookrecs #bookreviee

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@bandsbookclub September Favorites!

The Christmas You Found Me by Sarah Morganthaler

Mademoiselle Eiffel by Aime K Runyan

#books #bookrecs #favbooks #septemberreads

#LTKFamily #LTKHome #LTKSeasonal

The Perfect Baby by Sam Vickery ⭐⭐⭐💫

An interesting take on a thriller and surrogacy. While I enjoyed the story, it was a bit of a slow burn.

#psychologicalthriller #bookrecs #books

#LTKFamily #LTKHome #LTKFindsUnder50

Thank you for standing up to antisemitism.

Make sure to preorder this today!

Favorite books on August 2024

Until Next Summer by Ali Brady
Elizabeth of East Hampton by Audrey Bellezza
The Berlin Apartment by Brynn Turnbull

#LTKFindsUnder50 #LTKHome #LTKSeasonal

Until Next Summer by Ali Brady

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The cutest book about overnight camp. Brought us right back to many summers of our childhood!

#LTKSeasonal #LTKHome #LTKFindsUnder50

Prime Time Romance by Kate Robb ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you loved Dawson creek, the oc, Gilmore girls and other shows from that era… READ THIS BOOK!

#books #alwaysreading

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