Just Shelved: Recent Reads

The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh - Another five star for me from Courtney Walsh — I love her writing, her worlds, and the characters she creates. The contrast of where Isadora was at the beginning of the book and where she ended up by the end was such a testament that our choices matter, and happiness is a choice.

• Content: No spice, no language.

Fake Skating by Lynn Painter - I have loved all the young adult romances I have read by Lynn Painter, and this one was no exception. Alec and Dani’s second chance story was so fun, and the high school and hockey town were the perfect backdrop.

• Content: No spice; however, this does have a lot of strong language especially for a young adult story. I would recommend it to adults looking for no spice but not to young adults due to the amount of language.

The Unplugged Hours by Hannah Brencher - This is a non-fiction read about one woman’s personal journey of unplugging and finding presence in her life. I absolutely loved this and found it gentle yet inspiring. If you have been feeling overwhelmed by information, glued to your devices, and overall just craving stillness and quiet — I would highly recommend. I will likely go back and reread this — it was so good!

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year by Ally Carter - My first Christmas read of the season! I really enjoyed Ally Carter’s writing and pacing, as well as the world she built to set the stage for both the mystery and the romance — the cast of unique characters, the remote setting, and all of the secrets. It was a little out of my comfort zone (with the murder mystery) and yet such a fun holiday read!

• Content: One fade to black scene (pages 239-240), rare strong language.

On My Nightstand: Current Read

My Merry Mistake by Courtney Walsh - I am only about twenty percent through Courtney Walsh’s newest Christmas book, but here are my thoughts so far:

1. Courtney Walsh is my favorite author.

2. I relate to Raya, as well as her and Finn’s relationship.

3. I love the Hart sisters and the Chicago Comets hockey team.

4. This book will probably be another 5 star!

In the Queue: Upcoming Reads

Baggage Claim by Juliana Smith - A traveling, fake dating for Christmas kind of romance sounds absolutely perfect for the holidays. It’s been on my TBR for a while, I loved Drawn Together by the same author (which I read this fall), and there’s snow on the ground where I live — all this adds up to it being the perfect book to start this first week of December!

Tired of Being Tired by Jess Connolly - After reading The Unplugged Hours and as we have started the season of winter yet again, I am feeling the desire to rest, recharge, and reexamine. I have also been in a more non-fiction mood, so I am excited to dive into this one!

More to come, friends!

Caroline