NetGalley

Time Loops & Meet Cutes

by Jackie Lau

coming May 6, 2025

(4.5 / 5)

I received a free digital ARC copy of the book through NetGalley. All opinions are completely my own.

I’ve been reading a lot of romance lately, so the time loop in this story made it refreshingly different. It’s definitely one of my favorite romance reads so far this year. We follow Noelle, whose life has pretty much been revolving around work, with no close friends or romantic relationships for a while. When she finds herself in a time loop, it gives Noelle an opportunity to leave her comfort zone without the fear of consequences, since everything will just reset at the end of the day anyway. It’s an interesting way to watch a character grow, build relationships, and try new experiences. It’s not surprising that at times things get a little repetitive since we are repeating the same day, but it makes the story feel authentic and relatable. The concept definitely kept me curious about what could have caused this phenomenon and how it might eventually end. I wasn’t expecting how much the story was able to surprise me at times. As for the romance, I thought it was very sweet (while still offering some spice). I could really feel how the time loop could make it freeing yet also frustrating. Bonus points for the friendship that Noelle finds along the way – I think I may have enjoyed that relationship as much as the romance! A big indication of how much I liked the book: when I finished it, I found myself wanting to read parts of the beginning again, just to see it from the new perspective of knowing how it ends.

The Love Haters

by Katherine Center

coming May 20, 2025

(4 / 5)

I had the opportunity to read a free advance review copy of The Love Haters through NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Love Haters was the first book I’ve read by Katherine Center, but I’ll definitely be looking to read more by her in the future. In this story, we follow a video producer whose job is on the line, so she accepts an assignment to make a Coast Guard promo video in Florida despite not being able to swim. There, she meets her coworker’s brother, who is a rescue swimmer and the focus of the video.

From the beginning, I liked the style of writing, which had a good flow and an overall inviting feel to it. Our main character, Katie, was relatable, and I enjoyed following her journey, especially as she confronted her body image issues. The story really dives into a variety of relationships: romantic, family, and coworkers. I think one of my favorite parts was the exploration of one’s relationship with themself. Some awkward situations provide a bit of comic relief, and some (literally) colorful characters brighten things up. I loved the setting in the Florida Keys and the glimpse into the Coast Guard and water rescues. I was somewhat frustrated with the conflict that happens and how Katie reacted to it, but I’m happy enough with how things worked out in the end. I overall enjoyed reading the book, and it really held my interest all the way through.

March 3, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance Women's Fiction 0

32 Days in May

by Betty Corrello

coming May 13, 2025

(4 / 5)

A woman who is struggling after her lupus diagnosis meets a former tv star in a small New Jersey island town. They decide to have a whirlwind romance, just for the month of May.

This book took me a little bit to get into. In the beginning we are briefly jumping through a few key moments in time in the months after our protagonist, Nadia, learns that she has lupus and it significantly impacts her life. It’s obvious that she’s struggling a lot mentally, which can be difficult to read about, though it’s also an important part of her journey. Once I got more acclimated to the story, I was hooked, and I ended up enjoying it a lot.

Things definitely got more interesting when Nadia met Marco, a minor celebrity who has had his own struggles. Both characters felt so authentic and I really liked them, so it wasn’t hard to adore the relationship that develops between them. While there’s not necessarily anything about the story that surprised me, it was an emotional journey with a powerful message.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the free review copy of 32 Days in May! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

February 26, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance Women's Fiction 0

The Floating World

by Axie Oh

coming April 29, 2025

(4.5 / 5)

The Floating World is the first book in a new young adult fantasy series. It brings us to a unique world where a land mass is floating above an entire city that is left in darkness.

At first I was a little unsure about this book. There’s a lot going on in the beginning, with getting introduced to this strange world and learning about various characters. But the more I read, the more invested I became in the story. It was amazing how many things ended up being interconnected, almost like pieces of a puzzle coming together. This world definitely had some dystopian vibes to it too.

Our main characters are Ren and Sunho, who each have something they are searching for and end up finding each other. I loved these characters and felt like they had a lot of depth to them. Their interactions with each other were something I really enjoyed. Some chapters also follow a 3rd character, which gave us another angle to see things.

The book brings up a variety emotions. There’s action and excitement, friendships built, and some really sad parts too. I especially enjoyed the mysterious feel it had. The book ends a bit dramatically with some questions still left unanswered and issues unresolved. I’m looking forward to the next book coming later this year, because I can’t wait to see what happens next!

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Feiwel & Friends, and NetGalley for the free ARC copy of The Floating World! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

February 21, 2025 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Young Adult 0

Any Trope but You

by Victoria Lavine

coming April 1, 2025

(4 / 5)

Margot is a romance author who was recently canceled after a personal file was leaked publicly. In hopes of saving her career, she goes to remote Alaska to write a book in a new genre.

Any Trope but You was a fun book to read. As the title suggests, it’s full of romance tropes. It might be a little ridiculous, but the fact that the characters are pointing it out makes it more comedic than cheesy. I really liked both main characters, Margot and Forrest. I thought Margot felt especially real with all her mishaps and really being out of her comfort zone. The relationship that develops brings on a decent amount of spice, so if that’s not your thing, you may want to give this one a pass. Plot-wise there wasn’t anything all that surprising along the way, but it wasn’t something I was expecting either. Bonus points for the great setting in the Alaskan wilderness! It made a nice wintertime read.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the free review copy of Any Trope but You! All opinions are completely my own.

February 17, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

Bad Publicity

By Bianca Gillam

Coming May 20, 2025

(3.5 / 5)

In Bad Publicity, we follow Andie, a book publicist who has found out that she will be promoting a book written by the man she never wanted to talk to again, Jack. While the book seems to be marketed as a romance, I found that wasn’t the main focus of the story. Instead, it is mostly a journey of a woman who has avoided facing the grief from her father dying 5 years ago and now must face it.

Honestly, I don’t think I ever fully connected with Andie’s character. She felt very self-centered which was often frustrating. The “enemies” aspect was one-sided, with Andie being very hostile toward Jack and often not acting professionally. We don’t find out about the events from Andie and Jack’s past until about 70% of the way through the book – I think I would have preferred to have the context earlier on so I could understand where all the animosity was coming from. All of this did allow for some good character growth, but even at the end there were aspects about Andie’s actions that I found hard to explain.

All that said, the book did keep my interest well enough while I was reading it, and I think there’s some valuable insight about processing grief. I especially enjoyed the frequent setting changes while the characters traveled to different cities in Europe.

Thank you to Penguin Books and NetGalley for the free review copy of Bad Publicity! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

February 13, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

Meet Me at Blue Hour

By Sarah Suk

Coming April 1, 2025

(4.5 / 5)

Imagine a technology that could erase unwanted memories… In Meet Me at Blue Hour, such technology is a reality, using sounds recorded on a cassette tape.

This story was very thought-provoking and had a unique feel to it. It really dives into the “what if” scenario of this fictional technology, highlighting both the advantages and negative repercussions that come with it. There’s an impact not only for those that are erasing memories, but the other people who are connected to them and shared the memories. Even a day after finishing the book I can feel the impact of the message it had.

In addition to the first person accounts of Yena and Lucas, our two main characters, we also have chapters that are narrated by objects that made sounds tied to memories, such as a lawnmower or ice cream truck. They almost feel like witness testimonials. It was such an interesting way to portray that aspect of the story, and I liked the added depth it seemed to give.

This story definitely had a sad undertone to it, but I enjoyed the main characters and their growth through the book. I wasn’t expecting some of the directions things went along the way, which only added to my enjoyment of the story as a whole.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books, Quill Tree Books, and NetGalley for the free review copy of Meet Me at Blue Hour! I truly enjoyed the book and have provided my honest opinions.

February 11, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance Sci-Fi Young Adult 0

The Encanto’s Curse

The Encanto’s Daughter #2

By Melissa de la Cruz

Coming March 4, 2025

(4 / 5)

The Encanto’s Curse is the 2nd book in the The Encanto’s Daughter duology and takes place a few months after the first book left off. I found this story had a similar feel to the first one, though it had more romance involved. I’m not sure if I was completely a fan of the love triangle aspect, but it added a bit of mystery about how who she would end up with (though I had a pretty good idea of how that would go). I thought the ties to Filipino folklore were interesting, with the manananggal sounding downright terrifying. The book definitely didn’t lack in action and excitement, so it kept me engaged and interested in the story. I was happy with how this series ended and liked that there were some directions the plot went that I didn’t see coming.

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for the free review copy of The Encanto’s Curse! All opinions are completely my own and voluntary.

February 7, 2025 by danimae1981 Fantasy Fiction Kindle Young Adult 0

The Paris Chapter

By Victoria Walters

Coming January 19, 2025

(3 / 5)

In The Paris Chapter, we follow a romance author who has been struggling to write her next book after a bad break-up. She decides to still go on the vacation to Paris they had planned together, only to find her ex’s best friend is also staying in the one bedroom apartment.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. I liked the Paris setting and visiting some of the sights the city had to offer. Both of the main characters lacked some self-confidence, but I thought their imperfections helped make them more realistic and relatable. There was even some spice along the way. But at times the book felt a bit too repetitive, especially with all the comparisons to the ex, who was quite toxic. I think what really lost me was the 3rd act drama and how oblivious the main characters seemed to be about what was going on. I was happy enough with how everything resolved, but I think I’d lost my connection with the characters by that point.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the free review copy of The Paris Chapter! All opinions in my review are completely my own.

January 13, 2025 by danimae1981 Fiction Kindle Romance 0

His Mortal Demise

The Last Bloodcarver #2

By Vanessa Le

Coming March 18, 2025

(5 / 5)

His Mortal Demise is the 2nd book in The Last Bloodcarver duology, and you definitely want to read these books in order. I’ll apologize in advance that my review will be a bit on the vague side, but I want to avoid spoilers for those who haven’t read the first book yet.

This book follows the perspectives of two different characters in different points in time. From the start we know that something miraculous has happened, and while one character tries to figure out what happened, we follow the other character through the months leading up to it. This all gave the story a mysterious feel, and it sometimes took directions that I wasn’t expecting at all. I’m not going to lie, there could be a very dark feel to this story at times, with grief, war, sacrifice, and questioning morals along the way. But there was also substantial character growth that was beautiful to watch. I’m glad that we were able to see many of the characters from the first book again and explore even more of this interesting fictional world. The last chunk of the book was especially packed with action and almost had a cinematic feel to it. And let’s not forget the absolute rollercoaster of emotions I experienced along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed both books in this duology, and I look forward to seeing more from author Vanessa Le in the future.

Thank you to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press, and NetGalley for the free review copy of His Mortal Demise! All opinions expressed in my review are completely my own.