Accidentally in Love is a story that is more about Katherine figuring out what she really wants and making it happen than about her relationship with. I did enjoy seeing the banter, and thought the conversations and self doubts on all ends were relatable and engaging. I liked that everyone had struggles- friendships and relationships that seemed iron clad at the start of the book faced realistic struggles. I felt for Adam, was rooting for Katherine's grand plans, and was hoping that friendships could be mended but that people could stand up for themselves and stand firm. For those looking purely for romance, you might be a little disappointed, since there were several moments when I would not have strictly labeled the book as romance. However, the book was well written and I came to care for the characters as I read.
Book Review: Accidentally in Love by Belinda Missen
Accidentally in Love is a story that is more about Katherine figuring out what she really wants and making it happen than about her relationship with. I did enjoy seeing the banter, and thought the conversations and self doubts on all ends were relatable and engaging. I liked that everyone had struggles- friendships and relationships that seemed iron clad at the start of the book faced realistic struggles. I felt for Adam, was rooting for Katherine's grand plans, and was hoping that friendships could be mended but that people could stand up for themselves and stand firm. For those looking purely for romance, you might be a little disappointed, since there were several moments when I would not have strictly labeled the book as romance. However, the book was well written and I came to care for the characters as I read.
Early Book Review: A Garden in Your Belly: Meet the Microbes in Your Gut by Masha D'yans
A Garden in Your Belly is a colorfully illustrated book that helps explain to young readers how important the microbiome that lives inside of all of is. The important information is written in a way that is accessible and nonthreatening, because learning that a bunch of little things live inside you could be scary to some readers. I think the artwork helps keep the tone light and fun, and still shows the danger of not taking care of our gut health without being over the top. The message is very well conveyed, and I think it is well done. I really enjoyed the more in depth information at the end of the book, interesting facts, and the glossary included in the end pages. I think this book would be a good addition to school, library, and classroom shelves. It would also be a good tool in households where someone might have digestive health problems, that make this information even more important and relevant.
Rise Up is the third (and final) book in the Last Pick series by Jason Walz. It is currently scheduled for release on October 6 2020. I do recommend reading this series in order. Wyatt is now the reluctant leader of the "last picked"—the disabled, the elderly, and those deemed too young to be useful for hard labor by their alien captors. But how can he and his ragtag allies take down an entire alien federation? Meanwhile, Wyatt's twin sister Sam and her girlfriend Mia are creating chaos all over the galaxy in an attempt to rescue Sam's parents. But even if the family is reunited, can they stay alive long enough to see the end of the alien regime?
Early Book Review: I Hope This Helps: Comics and Cures for 21st Century Panic by Tommy Siegel
Early Book Review: Bionic Beasts: Saving Animal Lives with Artificial Flippers, Legs, and Beaks by Jolene Gutiérrez
Early Book Review: Living Fossils: Survivors from Earth's Distant Past by Rebecca E. Hirsch
Early Book Review: Death on the Green (Dublin Driver) by Catie Murphy
Book Review: What Not To Wear to a Graveyard (Resale Boutique) by Debra Sennefelder
What Not To Wear to a Graveyard by Debra Sennefelder is the third book in the Resale Boutique Mystery series. I have not read the previous books, but was able to catch up to the main characters and larger picture quickly.
Book Review: Must Love Dogs...and Hockey by Kelly Jamieson
Early Book Review: Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade
Spoiler Alert by Olivia Dade is a contemporary romance currently scheduled for release on October 6 2020. Marcus Caster-Rupp has a secret. While the world knows him as Aeneas, the star of the biggest show on TV, Gods of the Gates, he's known to fanfiction readers as Book!AeneasWouldNever, an anonymous and popular poster. Marcus is able to get out his own frustrations with his character through his stories, especially the ones that feature the internet’s favorite couple to ship, Aeneas and Lavinia. But if anyone ever found out about his online persona, he’d be fired. April Whittier has secrets of her own. A hardcore Lavinia fan, she’s hidden her fanfiction and cosplay hobby from her “real life” for years—but not anymore. When she decides to post her latest Lavinia creation on Twitter, her photo goes viral. Trolls and supporters alike are commenting on her plus-size take, but when Marcus, one half of her OTP, sees her pic and asks her out on a date to spite her critics, she realizes life is really stranger than fanfiction. Even though their first date is a disaster, Marcus quickly realizes that he wants much more from April than a one-time publicity stunt. And when he discovers she’s actually Unapologetic Lavinia Stan, his closest fandom friend, he has one more huge secret to hide from her. With love and Marcus’s career on the line, can the two of them stop hiding once and for all, or will a match made in fandom end up prematurely cancelled?
Spoiler Alert is a lovely romance that handles some hard topics with grace. Neither April or Marcus have the greatest relationship with their parents, and the self doubt and pain from their formative years has had a serious effect on them both. Marcus hides behind his good looks and charm, while April has decided to stop hiding all together. They each had issues, fears, and complicated feelings about themselves. Seeing them not just come together, but come to grips with themselves, their lives, their families, and their friends was so wonderful to see. Self confidence, weight shaming, dyslexia, family dynamics, and the wonders of fan fiction were all written about in such real and respectful ways that I would love this book even if the story was less than stellar. Thankfully, the story was wonderful and watching the interaction and growth of the characters, and the introduction of a wonderful cast of secondary characters, that I look forward to reading the next book from the author. In fact, I am a little sad that I am going to have to wait a year to read Alex's story- because I wanted that book about five minutes after meeting Alex in this book.
Spoiler Alert is a wonderful romance that will speak to just about everyone.