elise's bookshelf: all en-US Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:57:39 -0700 60 elise's bookshelf: all 144 41 https://www.goodreads.com/images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg <![CDATA[The Calico Cat at the Chibineko Kitchen (Meals to Remember at the Chibineko Kitchen, #2)]]> 234943671 Follow the seashell path along Tokyo Bay until you get to the Chibineko Kitchen, where a traditional Japanese meal can summon anyone you choose from your past, but only for as long as it continues to steam. . .

Menu
Tofu no Misozuke: Miso-marinated tofu
Buta Bara no Kara-age: Fried pork belly
Iwashi no Kabayaki-don: Soy-glazed sardines over rice
Shime no Curry: Curry using leftover hotpot

If you could speak one last time to someone you’ve lost, what would you tell them?

Nagi Hayakawa is facing an impossible choice. With only a few years left to live, should she marry the man she loves? Desperate for advice from her mother, who died years ago, she reserves a table at the Chibineko Kitchen. When she takes her first bite of the miso-marinated tofu and rice, the resident kitten meows, the air grows hazy, and she embarks on a reunion with the departed that has the potential to restore her love of life.]]> 224 Yuta Takahashi 0143138626 elise 0 2026-reads
Tw: Child death, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Death, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Animal death, Cancer]]> 3.94 2020 The Calico Cat at the Chibineko Kitchen (Meals to Remember at the Chibineko Kitchen, #2)
author: Yuta Takahashi
name: elise
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2026/09/19
date added: 2026/09/19
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
rtc

Tw: Child death, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Death, Terminal illness, Pregnancy, Animal death, Cancer
]]> I Hope This Doesn't Find You 124932739 I Hope This Doesn't Find You is Never Have I Ever meets To All the Boys if Lara Jean wrote hate emails instead of love letters.

Sadie Wen is perfect on school captain, valedictorian, and a "pleasure to have in class." It’s not easy, but she has a trick to keep her model-student smile plastered on her face at all she channels all her frustrations into her email drafts. She'd never send them of course -- she'd rather die than hurt anyone's feelings -- but it's a relief to let loose on her power-hungry English teacher or a freeloading classmate taking credit for Sadie's work.

All her most vehemently worded emails are directed at her infuriating cocaptain, Julius Gong, whose arrogance and competitive streak have irked Sadie since they were kids. "You're attention starved and self-obsessed and unbearably vain . . . I really hope your comb breaks and you run out of whatever expensive hair products you've been using to make your hair appear deceptively soft..."

Sadie doesn't have to hold back in her emails, because nobody will ever read them... that is, until they're accidentally sent out.

Overnight, Sadie’s carefully crafted, conflict-free life is turned upside down. It's her worst nightmare -- now everyone at school knows what she really thinks of them, and they're not afraid to tell her what they really think of her either. But amidst the chaos, there's one person growing to appreciate the "real" Sadie -- Julius, the only boy she's sworn to hate...]]> 320 Ann Liang 1338827154 elise 3 2026-reads
tw: Abandonment, Bullying, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Sexism, Misogyny, Violence

i had so much secondhand embarrassment at the start of this. wdym our fmc decided to 'reply all' on the emails? why not use a diary?

they were also sooo competitive from the start and it just felt v childish. second half was slightly better though, though it did end rather abruptly.

the bantering from the second half felt better. maybe i should leave ya for the young adults, as much as i don't want to admit it :")]]> 4.16 2024 I Hope This Doesn't Find You
author: Ann Liang
name: elise
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2026/09/15
date added: 2026/09/15
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
2.75*

tw: Abandonment, Bullying, Alcohol, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Sexism, Misogyny, Violence

i had so much secondhand embarrassment at the start of this. wdym our fmc decided to 'reply all' on the emails? why not use a diary?

they were also sooo competitive from the start and it just felt v childish. second half was slightly better though, though it did end rather abruptly.

the bantering from the second half felt better. maybe i should leave ya for the young adults, as much as i don't want to admit it :")
]]> Things You Save in a Fire 51165809
The tough, old-school Boston firehouse is as different from Cassie's old job as it could possibly be. Hazing, a lack of funding, and poor facilities mean that the firemen aren't exactly thrilled to have a "lady" on the crew, even one as competent and smart as Cassie. Except for the handsome rookie, who doesn't seem to mind having Cassie around. But she can't think about that. Because she doesn't fall in love. And because of the advice her old captain gave her: don't date firefighters. Cassie can feel her resolve slipping...but will she jeopardize her place in a career where she's worked so hard to be taken seriously?

Katherine Center's Things You Save in a Fire is a heartfelt, affecting novel about life, love, and the true meaning of courage.]]> 368 Katherine Center 1250622123 elise 4 2026-reads
3.75*

Enjoyable, but couldn't really visualise the MCs if that makes sense. Plot wasn't particularly unique too, though I did enjoy reading the firefighter setting]]> 4.14 2019 Things You Save in a Fire
author: Katherine Center
name: elise
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2019
rating: 4
read at: 2026/09/10
date added: 2026/09/10
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
Tw: Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Cancer, Addiction, Drug abuse, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt

3.75*

Enjoyable, but couldn't really visualise the MCs if that makes sense. Plot wasn't particularly unique too, though I did enjoy reading the firefighter setting
]]> You, with a View 59737396
Noelle Shepard is unemployed, living with her parents, and grieving the loss of her beloved grandmother when she discovers decades-old photos of Gram and a smitten man, tucked alongside a love letter. She creates a TikTok to search for the mystery man, which goes viral, and she’s shocked when his grandson responds—a man who happens to be her high school nemesis, Theo Spencer.

Noelle refuses to let Theo’s annoying accomplishments in adulthood—or his sexy smirk—stand in the way of meeting his grandfather and unlocking the secrets he knew about her gram as a young woman. When she learns that their plans to elope were thwarted, Noelle decides to take the honeymoon road trip they planned but never got to carry out. There’s a catch, though: Paul, Theo’s grandfather, asks to come with her, and he insists that Theo join them.

It’ll be a miracle if they make it through the trip without Noelle throwing Theo out of the moving car—or the bed they end up sharing. As the miles tick by, the tension simmers hotter between them…until she discovers that Theo’s hiding a secret that could cause their tenuous relationship to end before it can restart.]]> 352 Jessica Joyce 059354840X elise 0 did-not-finish Dnf @ 15% 4.00 2023 You, with a View
author: Jessica Joyce
name: elise
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/04
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
Dnf @ 15%
]]> Beautiful Ugly 211004123 A gripping and deliciously dark thriller about marriage. . .
. . . and revenge.

Author Grady Green is having the worst best day of his life.

Grady calls his wife to share some exciting news as she is driving home. He hears Abby slam on the brakes, get out of the car, then nothing. When he eventually finds her car by the cliff edge the headlights are on, the driver door is open, her phone is still there. . . but his wife has disappeared.

A year later, Grady is still overcome with grief and desperate to know what happened to Abby. He can’t sleep, and he can’t write, so he travels to a tiny Scottish island to try to get his life back on track. Then he sees the impossible — a woman who looks exactly like his missing wife.

Wives think their husbands will change but they don’t.
Husbands think their wives won’t change but they do.]]> 306 Alice Feeney 125033778X elise 0 2026-reads
Tw: Child death, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Murder, Suicide, Death, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Alcoholism]]> 3.56 2025 Beautiful Ugly
author: Alice Feeney
name: elise
average rating: 3.56
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at: 2026/09/02
date added: 2026/09/02
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
Rtc

Tw: Child death, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Murder, Suicide, Death, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Alcoholism
]]> <![CDATA[Magic's Pawn (The Last Herald-Mage, #1)]]> 28759
Though Vanyel has been born with near-legendary abilities to work both Herald and Mage magic, he wants no part of such things. Nor does he seek a warrior's path, wishing instead to become a Bard. Yet such talent as his if left untrained may prove a menace not only to Vanyel but to others as well. So he is sent to be fostered with his aunt, Savil, one of the famed Herald-Mages of Valdemar.

But, strong-willed and self-centered, Vanyel is a challenge which even Savil can not master alone. For soon he will become the focus of frightening forces, lending his raw magic to a spell that unleashes terrifying wyr-hunters on the land. And by the time Savil seeks the assistance of a Shin'a'in Adept, Vanyel's wild talent may have already grown beyond anyone's ability to contain, placing Vanyel, Savil, and Valdemar itself in desperate peril...]]> 349 Mercedes Lackey 0886773520 elise 0 to-read 4.20 1989 Magic's Pawn (The Last Herald-Mage, #1)
author: Mercedes Lackey
name: elise
average rating: 4.20
book published: 1989
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[First Test (Protector of the Small, #1)]]> 153784
Ten years after knighthood training was opened to both males and females, no girl has been brave enough to try. But knighthood is Keladry's one true desire, and so she steps forward to put herself to the test.

Up against the traditional hazing of pages and a grueling schedule, Kel faces one roadblock that seems insurmountable: Lord Wyldon, the training master of pages and squires. He is absolutely against girls becoming knights. So while he is forced to train her, Wyldon puts her on a probationary trial period that no male page has ever had to endure. Further set apart from her fellow trainees, Kel's path to knighthood is now that much harder. But she is determined to try, and she's making friends in the most unlikely places. One thing is for sure, Kel is not a girl to underestimate.]]> 240 Tamora Pierce 0679889175 elise 0 to-read 4.24 1999 First Test (Protector of the Small, #1)
author: Tamora Pierce
name: elise
average rating: 4.24
book published: 1999
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness, #1)]]> 13831 From now on I'm Alan of Trebond, the younger twin. I'll be a knight.

And so young Alanna of Trebond begins the journey to knighthood. Though a girl, Alanna has always craved the adventure and daring allowed only for boys; her twin brother, Thom, yearns to learn the art of magic. So one day they decide to switch places: Thom heads for the convent to learn magic; Alanna, pretending to be a boy, is on her way to the castle of King Roald to begin her training as a page.

But the road to knighthood is not an easy one. As Alanna masters the skills necessary for battle, she must also learn to control her heart and to discern her enemies from her allies.

Filled with swords and sorcery, adventure and intrigue, good and evil, Alanna's first adventure begins - one that will lead to the fulfillment of her dreams and the magical destiny that will make her a legend in her land.

]]> 274 Tamora Pierce 0689878559 elise 0 to-read 4.27 1983 Alanna: The First Adventure (Song of the Lioness, #1)
author: Tamora Pierce
name: elise
average rating: 4.27
book published: 1983
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/09/02
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Play Maker (Colton U Playbook, #2)]]> 239602338
I’ve always been good at staying invisible.
The girl no one really notices.
The quiet one who keeps her head down and stays out of trouble.
Until Austin Rhodes crashes into my life and everything changes.
Now he needs tutoring and apparently, I’m his only shot at passing.
He’s loud, way too charming for his own good, and the kind of guy I’ve spent my whole life avoiding.
I should have no problem keeping this professional. Tutor him, help him pass, then walk away.
But Austin has a way of breaking down my walls.
And that might be fine…
If I wasn’t already caught up with someone else.
Someone I’ve never met.
Someone who knows every secret I’m too scared to say out loud.
I’m the tutor. The girl with all the answers.
But this is the one problem I can’t solve.



Austin:

Hockey is everything to me.
It’s the plan, the dream, the only thing I’ve ever really been good at.
So when I get suspended for failing anatomy, I’ll do whatever it takes to fix it.
Even if that means getting tutored by the figure skater I accidentally knocked in the head.
Maisie Wilson is sharp, guarded, and completely uninterested in my charm.
Which just makes her more fun to mess with.
She thinks she knows exactly who I am.
But what she doesn’t see is how fast she’s becoming the only thing I want—on and off the ice.
I should focus on getting through the season and staying out of her way.
But I can’t stop thinking about her.
Problem is... she’s not the only one.
Because I’m also falling for a girl I’ve never met—one who only exists behind a screen.
I might be a playmaker, but right now, I’m at a loss for which play to make next.]]> 418 Stephanie Alves elise 4 2026-reads 4.5! 4.00 The Play Maker (Colton U Playbook, #2)
author: Stephanie Alves
name: elise
average rating: 4.00
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2026/08/28
date added: 2026/08/28
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
4.5!
]]> Not Another Love Song 201627074 Two string players fight their attraction for each other as they compete for center stage in this spicy and emotional romance.

Gwen Jackson and Xander Thorne are both musical prodigies, but each has had very different paths to success. Xander was born into classical music royalty, while Gwen had a natural ear for music that was nurtured by a kind shop owner.

After Gwen performs at his friend’s wedding, she’s mortified when she realizes Xander has no clue who she is—despite having worked together for a year at the Pops Orchestra. But she’s more furious that he arrogantly critiques her performance.

When Gwen is offered the role of First Chair of the orchestra, something Xander had secretly coveted for years, their existing hostility goes up a notch. But their respect for each other's music is undeniable, and their onstage chemistry off the scale. As they begin to explore their feelings for one another, suddenly they're box office dynamite and the fragile romance that's growing between them is in danger of being crushed beneath a publicity stunt...]]> 384 Julie Soto 1538740915 elise 4 2026-reads
tw: Sexual content, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Alcohol, Death]]> 4.00 2024 Not Another Love Song
author: Julie Soto
name: elise
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2026/08/26
date added: 2026/08/26
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
4.25

tw: Sexual content, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Grief, Misogyny, Alcohol, Death
]]> <![CDATA[You Deserve Each Other (You Deserve Each Other, #1)]]> 50027029
Naomi wants out, but there's a catch: whoever ends the engagement will have to foot the nonrefundable wedding bill. When Naomi discovers that Nicholas, too, has been feigning contentment, the two of them go head-to-head in a battle of pranks, sabotage, and all-out emotional warfare.

But with the countdown looming to the wedding that may or may not come to pass, Naomi finds her resolve slipping. Because now that they have nothing to lose, they're finally being themselves--and having fun with the last person they expect: each other.

When your nemesis also happens to be your fiancé, happily ever after becomes a lot more complicated in this wickedly funny, lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy debut.]]> 368 Sarah Hogle elise 0 did-not-finish
If they would just talk to each other...]]> 3.84 2020 You Deserve Each Other (You Deserve Each Other, #1)
author: Sarah Hogle
name: elise
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/22
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
Dnf @ 8%

If they would just talk to each other...
]]> <![CDATA[Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng]]> 218185743
Before fleeing the scene, the murderer whispered two words: bat eater.

Months pass, the killer is never caught, and Cora can barely keep herself together. She pushes away all feelings, disregards the bite marks that appear on her coffee table, and won't take her aunt's advice to prepare for the Hungry Ghost Festival, when the gates of hell open.

Cora tries to ignore the rising dread in her stomach, even when she and her weird co-workers begin finding bat carcasses at their crime scene clean-ups. But Cora can't ignore the fact that all their recent clean-ups have been the bodies of East Asian women.

Soon Cora will learn: you can't just ignore hungry ghosts.]]> 304 Kylie Lee Baker 0778368459 elise 0 2026-reads
Tw: Mental illness, Grief, Murder, Blood, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic (COVID-19), Gore, Hate crime, Racism, Body horror, Child abuse (locking in basement/closet; emotional neglect), Car accident, Cursing, Animal cruelty (bats), Sexism, Animal death (bats), Fire/Fire injury (no injury mentioned), Self harm (skin abrasion as unintended consequence of compulsive cleaning), Racial slurs, Violence, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization (past), Gun violence, Vomit, Police brutality, Sexual harassment (catcalling, threatened sexual extortion)]]> 4.05 2025 Bat Eater and Other Names for Cora Zeng
author: Kylie Lee Baker
name: elise
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at: 2026/08/22
date added: 2026/08/22
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
Rtc

Tw: Mental illness, Grief, Murder, Blood, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic (COVID-19), Gore, Hate crime, Racism, Body horror, Child abuse (locking in basement/closet; emotional neglect), Car accident, Cursing, Animal cruelty (bats), Sexism, Animal death (bats), Fire/Fire injury (no injury mentioned), Self harm (skin abrasion as unintended consequence of compulsive cleaning), Racial slurs, Violence, Alcohol, Forced institutionalization (past), Gun violence, Vomit, Police brutality, Sexual harassment (catcalling, threatened sexual extortion)
]]> Secrets of Blackthorn Hall 211880170
Emma and Julian of The Dark Artifices move temporarily to London to fix up the crumbling Blackthorn Hall... only to find that among the various objects that belonged to their ancestors, there might be a spectral presence that wishes them harm...

Secrets of Blackthorn Hall is an illustrated serialized epistolary novel by Cassandra Clare that was released online for free and now in print as part of the Seasons of Shadowhunters Kickstarter campaign.

The story takes place roughly starting in January 2014—about a year and a half after The Dark Artifices—and takes course over the span of a few months—ending about a year before The Wicked Powers. It centers on the characters from The Dark Artifices but also delves into the history of those from The Last Hours and The Infernal Devices through books and old papers found in the house.

For a better understanding of the story, please make sure you have read all of the Shadowhunter books released as of 2024, as there will be spoilers (TLH being the last book series released before this book.)]]> 269 Cassandra Clare elise 0 to-read 4.30 2021 Secrets of Blackthorn Hall
author: Cassandra Clare
name: elise
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Remarkably Bright Creatures 58733693 Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus.

After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.]]> 360 Shelby Van Pelt 0063204150 elise 0 2026-reads, did-not-finish
Tw: Grief, Child death, Abandonment, Death, Addiction, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Cancer, Suicide

Heard all the hype over this and went in with super high expectations... only to find it quite difficult to get through 🙊

Thought it would just be about marcellus and tova, couldn't bring myself to care about the other characters.. maybe ill try the movie instead?]]> 4.34 2022 Remarkably Bright Creatures
author: Shelby Van Pelt
name: elise
average rating: 4.34
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/17
shelves: 2026-reads, did-not-finish
review:
Dnf @ 20%

Tw: Grief, Child death, Abandonment, Death, Addiction, Drug abuse, Suicide attempt, Cancer, Suicide

Heard all the hype over this and went in with super high expectations... only to find it quite difficult to get through 🙊

Thought it would just be about marcellus and tova, couldn't bring myself to care about the other characters.. maybe ill try the movie instead?
]]> <![CDATA[A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang]]> 231388861 For readers of Before the Coffee Gets Cold, The Dallergut Dream Department Store, and The Midnight Library, a sweetly magical and uplifting novel about a young woman who inherits an enchanted bakery that spirits visit on their last stop before the afterlife.

Twenty-seven-year-old Yeon-hwa has inherited a neighborhood bakery from her grandmother. Curiously, her grandmother’s will spells out two conditions: Yeon-hwa must keep the shop going for at least another month and only open it to customers from 10 PM until midnight. Yeon-hwa is hesitant at first; her grandmother was always distant, raising Yeon-hwa after her parents died in a car accident. But she agrees to the terms, hoping that running the bakery will help her to finally understand her grandmother after all these years.

Yeon-hwa soon learns that the Hwawoldang—the name means “flower moon temple” —is not an ordinary dessert shop. The customers who arrive late at night are spirits, there to attend to unfinished business before being reincarnated. The sweets they crave hold some deep significance in their earthly lives, and they expect Yeon-hwa to meet their requests, as her grandmother did.

With each customer who arrives, Yeon-hwa learns which special desserts live in their memories and will help them on their way. Aided by the shop’s resident black cat, Yeon-hwa learns how to find closure for her customers—and begins to unravel her own family’s secrets as well.]]> 240 Lee Onhwa 0063468026 elise 0 2026-reads
Tw: Death, Grief, Child death, Death of parent, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Abandonment, Vomit]]> 3.66 2024 A Midnight Pastry Shop Called Hwawoldang
author: Lee Onhwa
name: elise
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at: 2026/08/13
date added: 2026/08/13
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
Rtc

Tw: Death, Grief, Child death, Death of parent, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, Abandonment, Vomit
]]> Romantic Hero 241126760
Gertie Bickerstaff writes happily-ever-afters for a living. . . . Or she did, until her own love life fell apart. Now her ex is thriving, her deadline is looming, and she can’t write a single word.

The last thing Gertie needs is more drama—like waking up to find a confused and rugged cowboy on her sofa. And not just any cowboy, but River Oakley, the villain from her unfinished novel. Somehow very real . . . and very shirtless.

River wants to go home. Gertie wants her life back. So they strike a deal: he’ll use his cunning ways to help her win back her ex, she’ll finish the novel, and, surely, he’ll return to whatever world he rode in from.

But as River Oakley proves to be so much more than just the bad guy, Gertie has to choose: the ending she thought she wanted . . . or the plot twist she never saw coming.]]> 368 Kirsty Greenwood 0593816153 elise 4 2026-reads
Tw: Grief, Sexual content, Death, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Car accident, Infidelity, Death of parent]]> 3.88 2026 Romantic Hero
author: Kirsty Greenwood
name: elise
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2026
rating: 4
read at: 2026/08/06
date added: 2026/08/06
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
4.25

Tw: Grief, Sexual content, Death, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Car accident, Infidelity, Death of parent
]]> Messenger Cat Café 234352446 Tabby cat Fuuta has passed into the afterlife and will do anything to see his human again . . . if only he can not disrupt the balance of the universe.

After a long life with a loving human family, tabby cat Fuuta has passed into the afterlife, but he is not as far from his owner, Michiru, as it seems. Slight openings bridge the divide between the lands of the living and the dead, and they can be traversed.

Eager to see Michiru again, Fuuta interviews for a position at Café Pont, a café that exists in the liminal space between the two worlds, known for its unique message delivery service: Customers leave requests with the name of the person they wish to meet, and a messenger cat is assigned to arrange the "meeting."

If Fuuta doesn’t maintain plausible deniability, he could cause panic amongst the living, or worse: He could upset the balance of the universe itself. It is a weighty task for an old tabby cat, but Fuuta is up for the challenge. After all, the job offers a special reward: the right to see Michiru. And he’ll do anything to reunite with his family.]]> 243 Nagi Shimeno elise 0 to-read 3.92 2022 Messenger Cat Café
author: Nagi Shimeno
name: elise
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/08/04
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Don't Let the Forest In (Don't Let The Forest In, #1)]]> 200982373 Once upon a time, Andrew had cut out his heart and given it to this boy, and he was very sure Thomas had no idea that Andrew would do anything for him. Protect him. Lie for him.

Kill for him.

High school senior Andrew Perrault finds refuge in the twisted fairytales that he writes for the only person who can ground him to reality―Thomas Rye, the boy with perpetually ink-stained hands and hair like autumn leaves. And with his twin sister, Dove, inexplicably keeping him at a cold distance upon their return to Wickwood Academy, Andrew finds himself leaning on his friend even more.

But something strange is going on with Thomas. His abusive parents have mysteriously vanished, and he arrives at school with blood on his sleeve. Thomas won't say a word about it, and shuts down whenever Andrew tries to ask him questions. Stranger still, Thomas is haunted by something, and he seems to have lost interest in his artwork―whimsically macabre sketches of the monsters from Andrew's wicked stories.

Desperate to figure out what's wrong with his friend, Andrew follows Thomas into the off-limits forest one night and catches him fighting a nightmarish monster―Thomas's drawings have come to life and are killing anyone close to him. To make sure no one else dies, the boys battle the monsters every night. But as their obsession with each other grows stronger, so do the monsters, and Andrew begins to fear that the only way to stop the creatures might be to destroy their creator...]]> 336 C.G. Drews 1250895669 elise 0 2026-reads 4.04 2024 Don't Let the Forest In (Don't Let The Forest In, #1)
author: C.G. Drews
name: elise
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at: 2026/08/02
date added: 2026/08/02
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
Tw: Body horror, Gore, Death, Homophobia, Eating disorder, Bullying, Child abuse, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia
]]> The Good Part 112976344 By the New York Times bestselling author of Just Haven't Met You Yet, a downtrodden twenty-six-year-old wakes up to the life she's always wanted, but is it really a dream come true?

At twenty-six, Lucy Young is tired. Tired of fetching coffees for senior TV producers, tired of going on disastrous dates, and definitely tired of living in a damp flat share with flatmates who never buy toilet roll. She could quit her job for a better living, but she's not ready to give up on her dreams. Not just yet. After another diabolical date lands her in a sudden storm and no money for bus fare, Lucy finds herself seeking shelter in a tiny shop, where she stumbles upon a curious wishing machine. Pushing her last coin into the slot, Lucy closes her eyes and wishes with everything she's got: Please, let me skip to the good part of my life.

When she wakes the next morning to a handsome man, a ring on her finger, a high-powered job, and storybook perfect little boy and baby girl, Lucy can't believe this is real--especially when she looks in the mirror, and staring back is her own forty-something face. Has she really skipped ahead to the future she's always wanted, or has she simply forgotten a huge chunk of her life? And as Lucy begins to embrace this new life and new relationships, she'll have to ask herself: Can she go back, and if so, does she want to?]]> 351 Sophie Cousens 0593539893 elise 4 2026-reads
3.75*

not sure what choice i would've made

]]> 3.99 2023 The Good Part
author: Sophie Cousens
name: elise
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2026/07/25
date added: 2026/07/27
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
tw: Child death, Grief, Death, Dementia, Infidelity, Sexual content, Vomit

3.75*

not sure what choice i would've made


]]> <![CDATA[Nightshade (Sorrowsong University, #1)]]> 229003381 MYSTERY. MURDER. REVENGE. WELCOME TO SORROWSONG UNIVERSITY. . .

He’d burn the world down for her . . . but she plans to burn his to the ground.

Isolated in the Scottish Highlands, Sorrowsong University only welcomes students from the most powerful families. Ophelia Winters doesn’t belong, but a rare scholarship grants her the perfect opportunity to investigate her parents’ “accidental” death near the castle grounds.

Things get off to a rocky start when she runs afoul of the mysterious Alex Corbeau-Green – son of her prime suspect. As far as she’s concerned, he is just a younger version of his billionaire father. A monster hiding beneath a beautiful façade.

When an unknown tormentor begins to stalk Ophelia, she realizes she may not be able to survive Sorrowsong on her own. Alex becomes her unexpected ally – and alibi for murder. And as she begins to fall for the soft heart that hides beneath his hard exterior, her hunger for revenge wavers for the first time.

Can she really bring herself to destroy everything he’s ever known?]]> 416 Autumn Woods 1638933731 elise 0 to-read 4.04 2025 Nightshade (Sorrowsong University, #1)
author: Autumn Woods
name: elise
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/07/26
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Paladin's Grace (The Saint of Steel, #1)]]> 50702014 Stephen's god died on the longest day of the year…

Three years later, Stephen is a broken paladin, living only for the chance to be useful before he dies. But all that changes when he encounters a fugitive named Grace in an alley and witnesses an assassination attempt gone wrong. Now the pair must navigate a web of treachery, beset on all sides by spies and poisoners, while a cryptic killer stalks one step behind…

From the Hugo and Nebula Award winning author of Swordheart and The Twisted Ones comes a saga of murder, magic, and love on the far side of despair.]]> 366 T. Kingfisher elise 0 to-read 4.03 2020 Paladin's Grace (The Saint of Steel, #1)
author: T. Kingfisher
name: elise
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/07/22
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Summer Romance 198563734
There aren’t enough labeled glass containers to contain the mess that is Ali Morris’s life. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember. She’s a professional organizer whose pantry is a disgrace.

No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her in the same way he claimed his favorite of her three children: by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. The last thing Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little Summer Romance. Is there?]]> 321 Annabel Monaghan 0593714083 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2026-reads dnf @ 15.5% 3.97 2024 Summer Romance
author: Annabel Monaghan
name: elise
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/07/19
shelves: did-not-finish, 2026-reads
review:
dnf @ 15.5%
]]> Evie and Her Nightmares 243646657 304 Francesca Zappia 0063451484 elise 0 to-read 4.18 2026 Evie and Her Nightmares
author: Francesca Zappia
name: elise
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/07/19
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Blood Over Bright Haven 208430658
"The best fantasy novel of the year" The Guardian

“The easiest 5 star I have ever given” ***** Reader Review

-------------------------------------------------------------

For twenty years, Sciona has devoted every waking moment to the study of magic.

When she finally achieves her ambition to become the first woman admitted to the High Magistry at the University of Magics and Industry, she finds herself undermined at every turn. Instead of a lab assistant, she’s paired with a janitor, putting her crucial research at risk.

But Thomil wasn’t always a janitor. Once a nomadic hunter from the wild plains outside the city, he now sees a chance to understand the forces that decimated his tribe and drove him from his homeland.

Together they will uncover an ancient secret that could change the course of magic forever – if it doesn’t get them killed first.


Praise for Blood Over Bright Haven:

“This is the new god-tier fantasy author” Reader Review

“I couldn't put it down” Reader Review

“My favourite fantasy of all time” Reader Review

“I will never emotionally recover” Reader Review

“The best book – bar none – I've read all year” Evan Winter, author of The Rage of Dragons

"This book is a merciless reckoning that leaves you reeling long after the last page is turned." Sara Hashem, Sunday Times bestselling author of The Jasad Heir

"A scathing but truthful look at the world we live in… A stunningly powerful story." Terry Brooks, author of the epic fantasy Shannara series

"Innovative and brilliantly written, this is a glorious jewel added to the crown of dark academia." Seanan McGuire, author of the Wayward Children series

"A storytelling masterclass." Mark Lawrence, author of The Book that Wouldn't Burn

"A fantastic page-turner – clever, emotional, and thematically rich. I was completely engaged the whole way through. Highly recommended!" James Islington, author of The Will of the Many]]> 428 M.L. Wang 0593873351 elise 0 2026-reads
Tw: Racism, Death, Violence, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Cannibalism, Miscarriage, Infertility]]> 4.29 2023 Blood Over Bright Haven
author: M.L. Wang
name: elise
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2026/07/17
date added: 2026/07/17
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
Rtc

Tw: Racism, Death, Violence, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Cannibalism, Miscarriage, Infertility
]]> <![CDATA[The Last King of Faerie (The Wicked Powers, #1)]]> 247655090 The highly anticipated first book of The Wicked Powers, the final Shadowhunters trilogy! #1 New York Times bestselling author Cassandra Clare brings the saga that began in The Mortal Instruments to a stunning conclusion.

It’s Drusilla Blackthorn's third year at Shadowhunter Academy when a chance encounter at a nightclub turns into a kidnapping. Dru finds herself held prisoner by Prince Ash Morgenstern in the land of Faerie, a place that proves just as dangerous as it is beautiful. Despite herself, Dru is drawn to Ash and the darkness that seems to surround him—but one false move could cost her life.

Meanwhile, a shocking disappearance rocks the foundations of the Shadowhunter world. Kit Herondale and Ty Blackthorn must set aside the bitterness that lingers between them and join forces on a perilous quest to save everything they cherish.

The first installment of the long-awaited concluding trilogy to the Shadowhunter Chronicles has all the nail-biting adventure, heart-pounding romance, and trademark humor that makes Cassandra Clare the reigning queen of YA romantasy.]]> Cassandra Clare elise 0 to-read 4.43 2026 The Last King of Faerie (The Wicked Powers, #1)
author: Cassandra Clare
name: elise
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/07/13
shelves: to-read
review:
i can't believe we have to wait 2 more years.... :")
]]> <![CDATA[The Full Moon Coffee Shop (The Full Moon Coffee Shop, #1)]]> 202468425 Translated from the Japanese bestseller, this charming and magical novel, inspired by the myth of cats returning favors to those who care for them, reminds us that it’s never too late to follow our stars.

In Japan cats are a symbol of good luck. As the myth goes, if you are kind to them, they’ll one day return the favor. And if you are kind to the right cat, you might just find yourself invited to a mysterious coffee shop under a glittering Kyoto moon. This particular coffee shop is like no other. It has no fixed location, no fixed hours, and seemingly appears at random to adrift young people at crucial junctions in their lives.

It’s also run by talking cats.

While customers at the Full Moon Coffee Shop partake in cakes, coffees, and teas, the cats also consult them on their star charts, offer cryptic wisdom, and let them know where their lives have veered off course—because every person who visits the shop has been feeling more than a little lost. And for a down-on-her-luck screenwriter, a romantically stuck movie director, a hopeful hairstylist, and a technologically challenged website designer, the feline guides will set them back on their fated paths. After all, there is a reason the shop appeared to each of them…]]> 240 Mai Mochizuki 0593726820 elise 0 2026-reads
tw: Infidelity, Death, Grief, Sexism, Homophobia, Alcohol, Child abuse]]> 3.57 2020 The Full Moon Coffee Shop (The Full Moon Coffee Shop, #1)
author: Mai Mochizuki
name: elise
average rating: 3.57
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2026/07/12
date added: 2026/07/12
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
rtc

tw: Infidelity, Death, Grief, Sexism, Homophobia, Alcohol, Child abuse
]]> <![CDATA[When the Moon Hatched (Moonfall, #1)]]> 210459283
"A wild ride that thrills as much as it enchants . . . This remarkable book is an instant classic.” — Thea Guanzon, New York Times bestselling author of The Hurricane Wars

The bestselling phenomenon, When the Moon Hatched, is a fast-paced fantasy romance featuring an immersive, vibrant world with mysterious creatures, a unique magic system, and a love that blazes through the ages.

The Creators did not expect their beloved dragons to sail skyward upon their end. To curl into balls just beyond gravity’s grip, littering the sky with tombstones. With moons. They certainly did not expect them to FALL.

As an assassin for the rebellion group Fíur du Ath, Raeve’s job is to complete orders and never get caught. When a rival bounty hunter turns her world upside down, blood spills, hearts break, and Raeve finds herself imprisoned by the Guild of Nobles—a group of powerful fae who turn her into a political statement.

Crushed by the loss of his great love, Kaan Vaegor took the head of a king and donned his melted crown. Now on a tireless quest to quell the never-ebbing ache in his chest, a clue lures him into the capitol’s high-security prison where he stumbles upon the imprisoned Raeve …

Echoes of the past race between them.

There’s more to their story than meets the eye, but some truths are too poisonous to swallow.

“When The Moon Hatched breathes new, beautiful life into the genre, as Sarah A. Parker weaves lyrical prose with undeniable chemistry. I laughed, I cried, I got everything out of this. It’s an absolutely stunning fantasy world that everyone should sink their teeth into.” — Raven Kennedy, internationally bestselling author of The Plated Prisoner series]]> 698 Sarah A. Parker 0063415801 elise 0 2026-reads
tw: Violence, Torture, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Animal death, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Rape]]> 4.08 2024 When the Moon Hatched (Moonfall, #1)
author: Sarah A. Parker
name: elise
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at: 2026/06/26
date added: 2026/07/05
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
rtc

tw: Violence, Torture, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Death of parent, Animal death, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Rape
]]> Tell Me What You Did 209823382
Poe Webb, host of a popular true crime podcast, invites people to anonymously confess crimes they've committed to her audience. She can't guarantee the police won't come after her "guests," but her show grants simultaneous anonymity and instant fame—a potent combination that's proven difficult to resist. After an episode recording, Poe usually erases both criminal and crime from her mind.

But when a strange and oddly familiar man appears on her show, Poe is forced to take a second look. Not only because he claims to be her mother's murderer from years ago, but because Poe knows something no one else does. Her mother's murderer is dead.

Poe killed him.

From the USA Today bestselling author of The Dead Girl in 2A and The New Neighbor comes a chilling new thriller that forces the question: are murderers always the bad guys?]]> 420 Carter Wilson 1464226229 elise 0 2026-reads, did-not-finish Dnf @ 46% 3.68 2025 Tell Me What You Did
author: Carter Wilson
name: elise
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/06/25
shelves: 2026-reads, did-not-finish
review:
Dnf @ 46%
]]> <![CDATA[The Midnight Train (The Midnight World, #2)]]> 242380266 When your life flashes before your eyes, where would you stop?

No one can change the past, but the Midnight Train can take you there. The chance to re-live the moments that meant most. To see what kind of person you really were.

For Wilbur his best days were with Maggie, the love of his life. On his honeymoon in Venice.

Before he gave it all away.

He wishes he could go back and live differently. But to do so risks everything . . .

A magical, time-travelling love story, from the world of The Midnight Library.]]> 296 Matt Haig 0593833376 elise 0 to-read 3.93 2026 The Midnight Train (The Midnight World, #2)
author: Matt Haig
name: elise
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/06/20
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Her Last Breath 234313865 From the critically acclaimed author of No Exit and The Last Word comes a story of two friends who embark on an ill-fated caving expedition—and the dark truth of what happens deep underground.

After years of excuses, Tess has finally agreed to go caving with her best friend Allie. Their lives have diverged sharply since high school—Allie is a self-made travel influencer, while Tess is a shy (and claustrophobic) legal assistant struggling to pay for law school. Maybe she’s a little jealous of Allie's globe-trotting life. Who wouldn’t be?

As Tess and Allie descend into the depths, they realize they’re not alone. A stranger who claims to be a fellow caver harasses them. Confident, take-no-shit Allie insults the guy—and he retaliates. Soon, Tess is trapped inside a narrow crawl space hundreds of feet underground, fighting to stay alive.

Twenty-four hours later, as a hospitalized Tess recounts her harrowing story of survival, the detective interviewing her shares new and shocking secrets about Allie's true past. Together, they begin to suspect the brutal attack wasn’t so random after all.

Who was Allie, really? Why did this man target them? And did Tess really leave the danger behind when she escaped the cave?]]> 323 Taylor Adams 0063394138 elise 0 2026-reads, did-not-finish Dnf at 38% 4.12 2026 Her Last Breath
author: Taylor Adams
name: elise
average rating: 4.12
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/06/03
shelves: 2026-reads, did-not-finish
review:
Dnf at 38%
]]> Dear Debbie 239312999 Sometimes, enough is enough. . .

Debbie Mullen is losing it. For years, she has compiled all of her best advice into her column, Dear Debbie, where the wives of New England come for sympathy and neighborly advice. Through her work, Debbie has heard from countless women who are ignored, belittled, or even abused by their husbands. And Debbie does her best to guide them in the right direction.

Or at least, she did.

These days, Debbie’s life seems to be spiraling out of control. She just lost her job. Something strange is happening with her teenage daughters. And her husband is keeping secrets, according to the tracking app she installed on his phone. Now, Debbie’s done being the bigger person. She’s done being reasonable and practical. It’s time to take her own advice.

And now it’s time for payback against all the people in her life who deserve it the most.

From #1 New York Times and international bestselling author Freida McFadden comes a biting, subversive thriller about what happens when women finally choose to take justice into their own hands–with killer results.]]> 8 Freida McFadden elise 4 2026-reads
tw: Rape, Murder, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Infidelity, Eating disorder, Addiction, Car accident


]]> 3.80 2026 Dear Debbie
author: Freida McFadden
name: elise
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2026
rating: 4
read at: 2026/05/28
date added: 2026/05/28
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
love it when i cannot predict the ending

tw: Rape, Murder, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Gun violence, Infidelity, Eating disorder, Addiction, Car accident



]]> <![CDATA[Love in the Afternoon (The Hathaways, #5)]]> 7491418 She harbors a secret yearning.

As a lover of animals and nature, Beatrix Hathaway has always been more comfortable outdoors than in the ballroom. Even though she participated in the London season in the past, the classic beauty and free-spirited Beatrix has never been swept away or seriously courted... and she has resigned herself to the fate of never finding love. Has the time come for the most unconventional of the Hathaway sisters to settle for an ordinary man—just to avoid spinsterhood?

He is a world-weary cynic.

Captain Christopher Phelan is a handsome, daring soldier who plans to marry Beatrix's friend, the vivacious flirt Prudence Mercer, when he returns from fighting abroad. But, as he explains in his letters to Pru, life on the battlefield has darkened his soul—and it's becoming clear that Christopher won't come back as the same man. When Beatrix learns of Pru's disappointment, she decides to help by concocting Pru's letters to Christopher for her. Soon the correspondence between Beatrix and Christopher develops into something fulfilling and deep... and when Christopher comes home, he's determined to claim the woman he loves. What began as Beatrix's innocent deception has resulted in the agony of unfulfilled love—and a passion that can't be denied.]]> 332 Lisa Kleypas 0312605390 elise 4 2026-reads 4.19 2010 Love in the Afternoon (The Hathaways, #5)
author: Lisa Kleypas
name: elise
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at: 2026/05/26
date added: 2026/05/26
shelves: 2026-reads
review:

]]> Listen for the Lie 127279000 What if you thought you murdered your best friend? And if everyone else thought so too? And what if the truth doesn't matter?

Lucy and Savvy were the golden girls of their small Texas town: pretty, smart, and enviable. Lucy married a dream guy with a big ring and an even bigger new home. Savvy was the social butterfly loved by all and, if you believe the rumors, especially popular with the men in town. But after Lucy is found wandering the streets, covered in her best friend Savvy’s blood, everyone thinks she is a murderer.

It’s been years since that horrible night, a night Lucy can’t remember anything about, and she has since moved to LA and started a new life. But now the phenomenally huge hit true crime podcast Listen for the Lie and its too-good looking host, Ben Owens, have decided to investigate Savvy’s murder for the show’s second season. Lucy is forced to return to the place she vowed never to set foot in again to solve her friend’s murder, even if she is the one who did it.

The truth is out there, if we just listen.]]> 336 Amy Tintera 1250880319 elise 2 2026-reads
damn the only good thing was that i managed to finish this - and it was purely because the audiobook was good (podcast element, had actual sounds of e.g. laughing, punching, car slamming etc)

hate that the book centres around sex so much - [spoilers removed]]]> 4.03 2024 Listen for the Lie
author: Amy Tintera
name: elise
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2024
rating: 2
read at: 2026/05/22
date added: 2026/05/22
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
tw: Domestic abuse, Murder, Violence, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Vomit, Rape

damn the only good thing was that i managed to finish this - and it was purely because the audiobook was good (podcast element, had actual sounds of e.g. laughing, punching, car slamming etc)

hate that the book centres around sex so much - [spoilers removed]
]]> <![CDATA[The Convenience Store by the Sea (Convenience Store by the Sea, #1)]]> 213819980 Welcome to Tenderness!

A quaint seaside town in Kitakyushu, Mojiko is full of hidden delights. And one unexpected treasure is the 24/7 convenience store, Tenderness.

At first glance, it’s a store like any other.

Sure, it’s a bit odd that the handsome manager has his own fan club. And perhaps the customers are somewhat eccentric. But there’s a warmth about Tenderness that draws you in.

The bright lights are always on. The employees know you by name. And the shelves are stacked with delicious treats, from strong hot coffee to sweet parfaits, egg sandos to ramen, crispy fried chicken to refreshing soba.

After a while, you get the feeling that whatever you need might just be waiting for you here…

Celebrating the joy of connection and community, The Convenience Store by the Sea is the heartwarming international bestseller from award-winning Japanese novelist Sonoko Machida.]]> 282 Sonoko Machida 1398722774 elise 0 2026-reads
Tw: Bullying, Body shaming, Grief, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Infidelity, Terminal illness]]> 3.66 2020 The Convenience Store by the Sea (Convenience Store by the Sea, #1)
author: Sonoko Machida
name: elise
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2026/05/20
date added: 2026/05/20
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
Rtc

Tw: Bullying, Body shaming, Grief, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Toxic friendship, Animal death, Infidelity, Terminal illness
]]> The Housemaid's Secret 199405608 “Don’t go in the guest bedroom.” A shadow falls on Douglas Garrick’s face as he touches the door with his fingertips. “My wife...she’s very ill.” As he continues showing me their incredible penthouse apartment, I have a terrible feeling about the woman behind closed doors. But I can’t risk losing this job—not if I want to keep my darkest secret safe....

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....

Anyone who loves The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose, The Woman in the Window , and Gone Girl will be totally hooked! This book can also be enjoyed as a stand-alone.]]> 10 Freida McFadden elise 3 2026-reads
tw: Murder, Domestic abuse, Blood, Gun violence, Violence, Infertility, Vomit, Suicide, Eating disorder

eh the first book was more surprising ]]> 3.83 2023 The Housemaid's Secret
author: Freida McFadden
name: elise
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2026/05/18
date added: 2026/05/17
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
2.75*

tw: Murder, Domestic abuse, Blood, Gun violence, Violence, Infertility, Vomit, Suicide, Eating disorder

eh the first book was more surprising
]]> <![CDATA[Maggie and Arthur's Magic Moment]]> 243316651 A dangerous spell gone wrong forces the passionate professor of incantations to share tight quarters with her magical college’s leading—and most brooding—alchemist.

Despite the college’s budget cuts that slashed her syllabus, Linguistics and Incantation Translation professor Maggie Linden has almost made it to the end of the spring semester. To celebrate, Maggie attends a magical masquerade on Beltane. Maybe the end-of-year frenzy explains why she kissed a masked stranger at the festival, though her celebration may have come too soon….

An accident in the lab of famous (and famously broody) alchemist Arthur Taliesin sets loose a dangerous, haunting magic called a pall that renders the nicer parts of their academic building uninhabitable. Maggie is assigned to share her tiny basement office with none other than Taliesin himself. With his insufferable attitude and unfortunate good looks, Arthur makes it impossible for Maggie to concentrate on anything—her research, her students’ final exams, or tracking down her mysterious Beltane suitor.

She’ll do anything to get Arthur out of her office, including offering to help him reverse the magic that threatens the school. But Maggie is starting to realize her officemate may not be the conceited grump he pretends to be. In fact, much of what she thinks is true about Arthur is merely a mask….]]> 432 Leslie René 0593956184 elise 0 to-read 3.85 2026 Maggie and Arthur's Magic Moment
author: Leslie René
name: elise
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/05/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> If Books Could Kill 243042918 A NOVEL LOVE STORY meets LOVE IN THE TIME OF SERIAL KILLERS in this rom-com following Roxie Mitchell, an adventure-loving romance reader who finds herself trapped in a meet-cute turned murderous

When Roxie makes a tongue-in-cheek wish to live out the plot of her favorite author’s next novel, she has romance in mind—namely, the sweet, safe, swoon-worthy storylines Anna Matthews is known for. It should be a dream come true when her wish is granted and she finds herself swept into a first date with a handsome stranger who seems designed to take her breath away.

Except for one little hiccup: That handsome stranger tries to take her breath away. Literally. With a knife. The thing is, Roxie may be the new Anna Matthews protagonist—but this time, Anna is writing a crime thriller.

Thrown into a perilous genre she’s never read, Roxie is desperate for help. So when her escape takes her straight into the path of Grant Hoffman, an anxious English professor with a convenient love of crime novels, she decides that kidnapping a grown man is a small price to pay for her own survival. Together, Roxie and Grant navigate a madcap story where the lines between fiction and reality blur. They’ll find out if they have what it takes to make it to The End—or maybe even Happily Ever After.]]> 368 Kate Eberle 014313910X elise 0 to-read 3.84 2026 If Books Could Kill
author: Kate Eberle
name: elise
average rating: 3.84
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/05/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Yes, Chef 237811339 A tempting new romance from USA Today bestselling author Grace Reilly, in which a down-on-his-luck chef and a determined social media maven strike a reluctant deal to bring a beloved restaurant back to life.

If you can’t take the heat…get out of the kitchen.After a public meltdown in one of Manhattan’s most elite restaurants, Chef Jack Hartman must return to his small Florida hometown. The only upside? He’ll be far away from Poppy Winfield – his former boss’s blonde, beautiful, utterly infuriating daughter – and the shrimp she threw at his head.

Poppy is also desperate for an escape – from her disapproving family and from her infamy as an influencer without a serious bone in her body. With their reputations in ruins, Jack’s only ticket back to New York is turning the unloved restaurant of his childhood into the newest dining hotspot on the East Coast. And unfortunately for him, Poppy’s is using her well-honed social media skills to sell out his grand opening.

As sparks fly and tensions reach boiling point, will Poppy and Jack be a recipe for disaster? Or could they be a perfect pairing …?


☀️Grumpy x sunshine

🔪Chef romance

🏙️Big city girl in a small town

👩‍❤️‍👨Forced proximity

🔥Friends with benefits

🧠ADHD Rep]]> 384 Grace Reilly 0063384817 elise 0 to-read 3.81 2026 Yes, Chef
author: Grace Reilly
name: elise
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/05/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Very Definition of Love 240381483 A plucky yet innocent wallflower writing a dictionary of bawdy slang arranges her own marriage to the ultimate the town rake. As sexy as it is witty and as charming as it is irreverent, The Very Definition of Love is Emily Henry for the regency era.

1816– Harriet Barrington may be on her fifth season with no marriage prospects, but she’s fine with that. It gives her more time to write her dictionary of modern slang. Words are her passion, especially the exciting, filthy ones men have kept hidden from women for far too long.

While researching late in the library during a party, Harriet accidentally finds herself in a compromising situation with notorious rake, Lord Alexander. To save her reputation and her younger sisters from ruin, Harriet has no choice but to slightly kidnap Alexander and strong arm him into an elopement. This arranged marriage has a very particular condition—it will be in name-only, leaving each of them to follow their own interests. For Harriet that’s her work, for Alexander, that’s women.

But soon Alexander’s rakish existence is not nearly as fun as spending time with Harriet, and Harriet’s beginning to worry about how much she actually likes her husband. Behind the closed doors of their respectable home, things become a little… complicated. After all, who better to teach her the very thorough meaning of these indecent words than the renowned lover, Lord Alexander Stirling?

Perhaps this marriage will teach them both a little more about that word they’ve been avoiding—love.

If Carrie Bradshaw wrote a Regency romance…. Meet an irresistible new voice in sex and relationships columnist and lifelong romance fan, Sophia Benoit.

Tropes
Enemies-to-lovers / Marriage of convenience / There’s only one bed / Yearning / A misunderstanding / He teaches her / Regency era / Rake x wallflower]]> 448 Sophia Benoit 1638933553 elise 0 to-read 3.98 2026 The Very Definition of Love
author: Sophia Benoit
name: elise
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/05/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> Extracurricular 242764841 When a former pop star enrolls in college, the last thing she expects is A-plus chemistry with her psychology professor in this sexy and tender romance from New York Times bestselling author Rachel Lynn Solomon.

Ramona Wilder has spent her whole life in the spotlight. After a hit kids’ TV show, she transitioned into music, singing in arenas around the world and becoming an icon for millions of teenage girls. Now at age twenty-six, exhausted by the inhumane lack of privacy, she’s done—with all of it. She wants a chance at normal, whatever that might mean for her. And she’s starting with college.

Professor Nick Navarro is recently divorced but determinedly optimistic, allowing himself a very reasonable ten minutes per day to wallow. When his department calls a meeting about a celebrity enrollment, he plans to treat whoever it is like any other student. Except when Ramona blazes into class and causes an uproar, the typically easygoing professor is rattled, maybe for the first time in his career.

Ramona loves the way she flusters him, taking every opportunity to push Nick’s buttons, though what she really wants is to unbutton them completely. When a crisis brings them closer outside of class, they begin a tentative friendship amid an undeniable attraction. But Ramona can’t be so easily finished with her old life, and they’ll both have to confront their pasts if they want a chance at something real.]]> 400 Rachel Lynn Solomon elise 0 to-read 3.58 2026 Extracurricular
author: Rachel Lynn Solomon
name: elise
average rating: 3.58
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/05/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Someday Garden 242000418 The new head gardener at the enchanting Lilymoor House stumbles upon a secret garden . . . with a mysterious man trapped inside, in the next magical novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Sounds Like Love and The Seven Year Slip.

When Sophie Drear plans her escape to coastal Maine for the summer—for a temporary job revitalizing the storied grounds at Lilymoor House—she doesn’t expect to fall in love.

But she does: With the beguiling land, the fragrant flowers, and the towering hedge maze. With the quirky staff and the enigmatic woman who owns the place.

And then, the door appears. Never in the same place twice, it leads her to a secret, and unfinished, garden with a frustrated thundercloud of a man trapped inside.

This mysterious garden is not the only sign that the future of Lilymoor is unstable: the foliage resists Sophie’s careful nurturing, vines threaten to strangle the hedges, and the manor’s owner has wild ideas about who will take over when she retires—including her inconveniently attractive nephew who is also there just for the summer.

Despite herself, Sophie has come to care for the residents of Lilymoor just as much as she cares for its grounds. With the help of one man on the outside of the secret garden, and one man on the inside, she might be the only person who can figure out exactly what Lilymoor needs to bloom once more.]]> 396 Ashley Poston 0593952758 elise 0 to-read 3.78 2026 The Someday Garden
author: Ashley Poston
name: elise
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2026
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/05/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> The Housemaid 60866877
“Welcome to the family,” Nina Winchester says as I shake her elegant, manicured hand. I smile politely, gazing around the marble hallway. Working here is my last chance to start fresh. I can pretend to be whoever I like. But I’ll soon learn that the Winchesters’ secrets are far more dangerous than my own…

Every day I clean the Winchesters’ beautiful house top to bottom. I collect their daughter from school. And I cook a delicious meal for the whole family before heading up to eat alone in my tiny room on the top floor.

I try to ignore how Nina makes a mess just to watch me clean it up. How she tells strange lies about her own daughter. And how her husband Andrew seems more broken every day. But as I look into Andrew’s handsome brown eyes, so full of pain, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to live Nina’s life. The walk-in closet, the fancy car, the perfect husband.

I only try on one of Nina’s pristine white dresses once. Just to see what it’s like. But she soon finds out… and by the time I realize my attic bedroom door only locks from the outside, it’s far too late.

But I reassure myself: the Winchesters don’t know who I really am.

They don’t know what I’m capable of…

An unbelievably twisty read that will have you glued to the pages late into the night. Anyone who loves The Woman in the Window, The Wife Between Us and The Girl on the Train won’t be able to put this down!]]> Freida McFadden elise 4 2026-reads 3.86 2022 The Housemaid
author: Freida McFadden
name: elise
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2026/05/15
date added: 2026/05/15
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
tw: Domestic abuse, Torture, Emotional abuse, Murder, Mental illness, Infertility, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content
]]> <![CDATA[In Your Dreams (When in Rome, #4)]]> 231148139
James has always played it safe, keeping his head down and running the family business. But when Madison’s happiness is on the line, he’s willing to take up his estranged brother’s offer to launch a restaurant. James has loved her quietly for years, knowing she’s never seen him as more than an annoyance, but now that she’s back, he’s determined to change that.

Madison and James are tasked with launching the dreamy restaurant in record time, but keeping things strictly professional soon becomes impossible, and the town can’t help but meddle in their relationship. As opening night looms closer, Madison’s fears threaten to hold her back.

When an unexpected disaster collides with a long-simmering sibling feud, both Madison and James will have to face their biggest insecurities—and decide if love is worth the risk or if some dreams are safer left untouched.]]> 358 Sarah Adams 0593723724 elise 4
tw: Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Pregnancy, Medical content, Alcohol

so sad that the series is over :(

didn't expect to like a smoker mmc but here we are. not my favorite in the series (because why is the idea of quirky triggering the fire alarm in an elementary school) but not my least favorite too. ]]> 3.95 2025 In Your Dreams (When in Rome, #4)
author: Sarah Adams
name: elise
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2026/05/11
date added: 2026/05/12
shelves:
review:
4.25*

tw: Sexual content, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Bullying, Pregnancy, Medical content, Alcohol

so sad that the series is over :(

didn't expect to like a smoker mmc but here we are. not my favorite in the series (because why is the idea of quirky triggering the fire alarm in an elementary school) but not my least favorite too.
]]> <![CDATA[How to Hold Someone In Your Heart (Lost Souls, #2)]]> 242167423 Book Two of the Lost Souls Series

The much-anticipated follow-up novel to the instant national bestseller Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon picks up seven years later with go-between Ayumi, a young man caught between the demands of everyday life and his extraordinary reuniting the living with the dead.

Ayumi has a rare and mysterious ability, inherited from his grandmother. During a full moon and guided by strict rules, he arranges meetings between souls who have passed and those they left behind. However, after years in this role, Ayumi begins to question its meaning and the impact it has had on his life. As he juggles his supernatural calling with his full-time job as a toy designer in Tokyo, Ayumi quietly wonders if he will ever find the peace he so often helps others attain. Meanwhile, he assists five individuals, a rising film star who seeks closure with the father who abandoned him; a passionate amateur historian longing to meet a forgotten sixteenth-century warlord; and a former cook whose repeated requests to visit an upper-class woman in the afterlife have been denied—but who refuses to give up on love.

Luminous, magical, and deeply heartwarming, How to Hold Someone in Your Heart is an unforgettable novel from bestselling storyteller Mizuki Tsujimura and a profound meditation on living without regret, embracing the unexpected, and cherishing the fleeting moments we’re given.]]> 224 Mizuki Tsujimura 166809987X elise 0 2026-reads Rtc 4.08 2019 How to Hold Someone In Your Heart (Lost Souls, #2)
author: Mizuki Tsujimura
name: elise
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/05/04
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
Rtc
]]> <![CDATA[Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon (Lost Souls, #1)]]> 224003800 A suspenseful magical realism novel about a mysterious teenage “Go-Between” who arranges meetings between the living and the dead, from multimillion copy Japanese bestselling author Mizuki Tsujimura.

I bring together the living and the departed. I am the Go-Between.

When a young woman from Tokyo contacts the Go-Between to request a meeting with a deceased TV star who once helped her, she doesn’t expect a teenage boy to show up. Dressed in a designer duffel coat and carrying a tattered notebook, Ayumi Shibuya, our mysterious intermediary, offers an extraordinary service: he reunites the living with their dearly departed. Meeting his clients at a luxury hotel, Ayumi lays down the ground rules: each reunion is a one-time arrangement that the dead can refuse; the service is entirely free, and the meeting must take place during a full moon.

As Ayumi arranges these reunions, we encounter a resentful eldest son who wants to ask his mother to unearth the deeds to a plot of land; a teenage girl who blames herself for her best friend’s death; and a weary businessman seeking answers about his fiancée’s disappearance days after he proposed. With each rendezvous, clues begin to surface, leading readers to unravel the mystery of the boy in the duffel coat, whose own story is eventually revealed.

A runaway, multimillion copy bestseller in Japan, Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon is storytelling at its finest, from an international sensation whose work has been hailed as “strange and beautiful” (The Guardian). With an artful balance of heart and mystery, Mizuki Tsujimura creates an unforgettable page-turner in which the living and the dead are given one last chance for closure.]]> 256 Mizuki Tsujimura 1668099837 elise 0 2026-reads
Tw: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Murder]]> 3.97 2010 Lost Souls Meet Under a Full Moon (Lost Souls, #1)
author: Mizuki Tsujimura
name: elise
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at: 2026/05/02
date added: 2026/05/02
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
Rtc

Tw: Death, Death of parent, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Child death, Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Murder
]]> <![CDATA[The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park]]> 222904827 The enchanting new novel by the multimillion-copy bestselling author of What You Are Looking For Is in the Library, about five strangers who each seek comfort from a healing hippo ride.

Nestled at the bottom of a five-story apartment block in the community of Advance Hill is the children's playground in Hinode Park, where you will find a very special age-old hippo ride named Kabahiko. According to urban legend, if you touch the exact part of the hippo where you have an ailment or wound, you will see swift signs of recovery. They call it "Healing Hippo."

In The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park, the apartment residents each find their way to Kabahiko, confessing their troubles and drawing upon the hippo's rumored abilities. From a struggling student who pets the hippo's head to reverse his poor academic performance to the lonely new mother who hopes that touching the hippo's mouth will allow her to better express herself, this heartwarming, eclectic cast of characters will all come to Kabahiko for healing in their lives—though they may not always find it in the ways they expect.

With Aoyama's classic charm and emotional power, The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park is a deeply moving celebration of kindness, community and understanding.]]> 256 Michiko Aoyama 1335016333 elise 0 2026-reads
Tw: Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Blood, Fatphobia]]> 3.78 2023 The Healing Hippo of Hinode Park
author: Michiko Aoyama
name: elise
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2026/05/01
date added: 2026/05/01
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
Rtc

Tw: Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Pregnancy, Blood, Fatphobia
]]> <![CDATA[The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen (Meals to Remember at the Chibineko Kitchen, #1)]]> 212807260 Your table awaits at the Chibineko Kitchen, where a soul-nourishing meal in the company of the resident kitten will transport you back in time to reunite with departed loved ones—for fans of Before the Coffee Gets Cold and The Midnight Library.

In a remote seaside town outside of Tokyo, Kotoko makes her way along a seashell path, lured by whispers of an enigmatic restaurant whose kagezen, or traditional meals offered in remembrance of loved ones, promise a reunion with the departed. When a gust of wind lifts off her hat, she sees running after it a young man who looks like her recently deceased brother. But it’s not her brother; it’s Kai, the restaurant’s young chef, who returns her hat and brings her to the tiny establishment, where he introduces her to Chibi, the resident kitten, and serves her steaming bowls of simmered fish, rice, and miso soup—the exact meal her brother used to cook for her. As she takes her first delicious bite, the gulls outside fall silent, the air grows hazy, and Kotoko begins a magical journey of last chances and new beginnings.]]> 192 Yuta Takahashi 0143138618 elise 0 2026-reads
tw: Death, Grief, Death of parent, Child death, Cancer, Terminal illness, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness]]> 3.99 2020 The Curious Kitten at the Chibineko Kitchen (Meals to Remember at the Chibineko Kitchen, #1)
author: Yuta Takahashi
name: elise
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at: 2026/04/29
date added: 2026/04/29
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
rtc

tw: Death, Grief, Death of parent, Child death, Cancer, Terminal illness, Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Chronic illness
]]> <![CDATA[We'll Prescribe You a Cat (We'll Prescribe You a Cat, #1)]]> 209891170 A cat a day keeps the doctor away….

Discover this utterly charming, vibrant celebration of the healing power of cats in the award-winning, bestselling Japanese novel that has become an international sensation.

Tucked away on the fifth floor of an old building at the end of a narrow alley in Kyoto, the Nakagyō Kokoro Clinic for the Soul can be found only by people who are struggling in their lives and who genuinely need help. The mysterious clinic offers a unique treatment to those who find their way there: it prescribes cats as medication. Patients are often puzzled by this unconventional prescription, but when they “take” their cat for the recommended duration, they witness profound transformations in their lives, guided by the playful, empathetic, and occasionally challenging yet endearing cats.

Throughout these pages, the power of the human-animal bond is revealed as a disheartened businessman finds unexpected joy in physical labor, a middle-aged man struggles to stay relevant at work and home, a young girl navigates the complexities of elementary school cliques, a hardened handbag designer seeks emotional balance, and a geisha learns to move on from the memory of her lost cat. As the clinic’s patients grapple with their inner turmoil and seek resolution, their feline companions lead them toward healing, self-discovery, and newfound hope.]]> 297 Syou Ishida 0593818741 elise 0 2026-reads
tw: Grief, Mental illness, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Vomit, Bullying]]> 3.73 2023 We'll Prescribe You a Cat (We'll Prescribe You a Cat, #1)
author: Syou Ishida
name: elise
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2026/04/26
date added: 2026/04/26
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
rtc

tw: Grief, Mental illness, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Vomit, Bullying
]]> <![CDATA[Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games)]]> 214331246
As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch's name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He's torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who's nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he's been set up to fail. But there's something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.]]> 387 Suzanne Collins 1546171460 elise 0 2026-reads 4.49 2025 Sunrise on the Reaping (The Hunger Games)
author: Suzanne Collins
name: elise
average rating: 4.49
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at: 2026/04/24
date added: 2026/04/26
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
rtc: Child death, Violence, Death, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Alcohol, Torture, Suicide, Rape
]]> <![CDATA[Ready or Not (Hearts of New York, #1)]]> 154462768
The unplanned pregnancy cracks open all the relationships in her life. Eve’s loyal friendship with Willa is feeling tense, right when she needs her the most. And it’s actually Willa’s steadfast older brother, Shep, who steps up to help Eve. He has always been friendly, but now he’s checking in, ordering her surprise lunches, listening to all her complaints, and is . . . suddenly kinda hot? Then, as if she needs one more complication, there’s the baby’s father, who is (technically) supportive but (majorly) conflicted.

Up until this point, Eve’s been content to coast through life. Now, though—maybe it’s the hormones, maybe it’s the way Shep’s shoulders look in a T-shirt—Eve starts to wonder if she has been secretly desiring more from every aspect of her life.

Over the course of nine months, as Eve struggles to figure out the next right step in her expanding reality, she begins to realize that family and love, in all forms, can sneak up on you when you least expect it.]]> 367 Cara Bastone 0593595718 elise 4 2026-reads 3.92 2024 Ready or Not (Hearts of New York, #1)
author: Cara Bastone
name: elise
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2026/04/16
date added: 2026/04/20
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
tw: Pregnancy, Sexual content, Infertility, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Grief, Abortion, Vomit
]]> The Other Side of Now 217388211 A hilarious and heartfelt novel about how loves and lives are never truly lost, for fans of Rebecca Serle and Taylor Jenkins Reid.

With a leading role on a hit TV show and a relationship with Hollywood's latest heartthrob, Meg Bryan appears to have everything she ever wanted. But underneath the layers of makeup and hairspray, her happiness is as fake as her stage name, Lana Lord. Following a small breakdown at her thirtieth birthday party, she books an impromptu trip where she knows the grass is greener: Ireland. Specifically, the quaint little village where she and her best friend Aimee always dreamt of moving—a dream that fell apart when an accident claimed Aimee’s life a decade ago.

When Meg arrives, the people in town are so nice, treating her not as a stranger, but a friend. Except for the (extremely hot) bartender giving her the cold shoulder. Meg writes it all off as jetlag until she looks in the mirror. Her hair is no longer bleached within an inch of its life, her skin has a few natural fine lines, and her nose looks like… well, her old nose. Her real nose.

Her phone reveals hundreds of pictures of her life in this little town: with an adorable dog she doesn’t know; with the bartender who might be her (ex?) boyfriend; and at a retail job unrelated to acting. Eventually, she comes to accept that she somehow made a quantum slide into an alternate version of her life. But the most shocking realization of all? In this life, her best friend Aimee is alive and well…but wants nothing to do with Meg.

Despite her bewilderment, Meg is clear-eyed about one thing: this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to reconnect with her friend and repair what she broke. She finagles an opportunity to act in the play Aimee is writing and directing and as the project unfolds, Meg realizes that events as she remembers them may not be the only truth, and that an impossible choice looms before her.]]> 320 Paige Harbison 1250358078 elise 0 to-read 4.15 2025 The Other Side of Now
author: Paige Harbison
name: elise
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/04/16
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Amberglow Candy Store (The Night Alley, #1)]]> 227912386
The Amberglow Candy Store in the Night Alley introduces the reader to half-fox shopkeeper Kogetsu, whose magical wagashi sweets from his shop on Gloaming Lane promise to change his customers' lives for the better.

We follow an array of characters from various walks of life through their encounters with Kogetsu, who himself learns some major life lessons along the way, and reveals his own backstory in the process.]]> 208 Hiyoko Kurisu 0593854926 elise 0 2026-reads
tw: Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Grief, Mental illness, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Toxic friendship]]> 3.76 2022 The Amberglow Candy Store (The Night Alley, #1)
author: Hiyoko Kurisu
name: elise
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at: 2026/04/11
date added: 2026/04/11
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
rtc

tw: Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Grief, Mental illness, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Toxic friendship
]]> The Healing Season of Pottery 207567725 Set for international release this fall, this cozy Korean bestseller invites readers into a warm, sunlit pottery studio where a burned-out young TV broadcast writer begins to heal, working the clay, piece by piece, season by season.

After breaking down at the office and abruptly quitting her job, thirty-year-old Jungmin holes up in her apartment, speaking to no one for days on end. When she finally emerges, she stumbles upon a pottery studio in her neighborhood and is invited in by the mysterious workshop teacher. The smell of clay, the light filtering through the plant filled windows, the friendly cat, and the incredible coffee the students drink awaken her senses and make her feel alive and inspired for the first time in months.

As the seasons change, Jungmin slowly returns to herself and builds a new community with the other members of the studio, who are all working through their own pasts at the pottery wheel. When the holidays approach and snow piles up on the studio windowsill, Jungmin realizes how much she has changed—with her hands busy and her mind clear, she may be ready to face the memories she’s been running from and open her heart.

For fans of What You Are Looking For Is in the Library and Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop, Yeon’s charming English-language debut is a testament to the joy of slowing down in a fast-paced world, and an homage to the art of ceramics and the power of friendship. Readers won’t want to leave the enchanting world of The Healing Season of Pottery after the final page.]]> 272 Yeon Somin 1643756753 elise 0 2026-reads
tw: Mental illness, Car accident, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Blood, Bullying]]> 3.66 2023 The Healing Season of Pottery
author: Yeon Somin
name: elise
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2026/04/06
date added: 2026/04/06
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
rtc

tw: Mental illness, Car accident, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Blood, Bullying
]]> <![CDATA[The Will of the Many (Hierarchy, #1)]]> 58416952 At the elite Catenan Academy, a young fugitive uncovers layered mysteries and world-changing secrets in this new fantasy series by internationally bestselling author of The Licanius Trilogy, James Islington.

AUDI. VIDE. TACE.

The Catenan Republic – the Hierarchy – may rule the world now, but they do not know everything.

I tell them my name is Vis Telimus. I tell them I was orphaned after a tragic accident three years ago, and that good fortune alone has led to my acceptance into their most prestigious school. I tell them that once I graduate, I will gladly join the rest of civilised society in allowing my strength, my drive and my focus – what they call Will – to be leeched away and added to the power of those above me, as millions already do. As all must eventually do.

I tell them that I belong, and they believe me.

But the truth is that I have been sent to the Academy to find answers. To solve a murder. To search for an ancient weapon. To uncover secrets that may tear the Republic apart.

And that I will never, ever cede my Will to the empire that executed my family.

To survive, though, I will still have to rise through the Academy’s ranks. I will have to smile, and make friends, and pretend to be one of them and win. Because if I cannot, then those who want to control me, who know my real name, will no longer have any use for me.

And if the Hierarchy finds out who I truly am, they will kill me.]]> 640 James Islington 1982141190 elise 0 2026-reads
tw: Violence, Death, Blood, Death of parent, Suicide, Grief, Vomit, War, Homophobia]]> 4.56 2023 The Will of the Many (Hierarchy, #1)
author: James Islington
name: elise
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at: 2026/04/04
date added: 2026/04/04
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
rtc

tw: Violence, Death, Blood, Death of parent, Suicide, Grief, Vomit, War, Homophobia
]]> <![CDATA[The Wolf King (The Wolf King, #1)]]> 196920718
Princess Aurora longs to escape the castle and the marriage that has been arranged for her.

But on the night before her wedding, at a dog fight where captured werewolves are made to fight for sport, she spares the life of a young wolf. It puts her on the radar of the powerful alpha who was going to kill him. And it changes everything.

That night, when the alpha escapes, he kidnaps her and takes her to the rugged lands north of the border — where the once warring werewolf clans are beginning to unite. He thinks that she is the key to winning the war against the humans.

Only, as they spend time around one another, forbidden attraction starts to grow. And as Aurora learns that not all wolves are bad, the alpha discovers that she is in danger from both his enemies, and those he once considered friends.

With monsters on both sides, a bloodthirsty war between humans and wolves raging, and undeniable passion growing between them — will their story end in love? Or tragedy?

And will Aurora ever get home?

Does she even want to?]]> 475 Lauren Palphreyman elise 0 to-read 4.13 2023 The Wolf King (The Wolf King, #1)
author: Lauren Palphreyman
name: elise
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/29
shelves: to-read
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Second Chance Convenience Store]]> 217432781 In this million-copy international bestseller from Korea, the owner of a corner store takes in an unhoused man who does a good deed, a kind soul whose presence will transform the whole neighborhood—a heartwarming tale of community and redemption reminiscent of the bestselling novels of Matt Haig and Gabrielle Zevin.

Dok-go lives in Seoul Station. He can’t remember his past, and the only thing he knows for certain is that he could really use a drink. When he finds a lost wallet filled with documents, his life is drastically changed.

Mrs. Yeom, a retired history teacher and current owner of her neighborhood’s corner store, is distraught over the loss of her purse, until she receives a mysterious call from the person who found it. To thank this down-on-his-luck stranger, she offers him a free meal from the convenience store. Seeing the joy the food brings him, Mrs. Yeom impulsively invites him to stop by for lunch every day.

In a twist of fate, Dok-go saves the store from a robber—a brave act that propels Mrs. Yeom to offers the bear-like man a job working the night shift, despite the objections of her wary employees. The store’s new employee quickly wins over the quirky denizens of the neighborhood, becoming a welcoming ear and source of advice for his coworkers and neighbors’ problems, and helping his new boss save the store from financial ruin. But just when things are looking up for Dok-go, Mrs. Yeom's good-for-nothing son, eager to sell the store, hires a detective to dig into the mysterious man’s past and what he seems to be trying so hard to forget.

The Second Chance Convenience Store is a moving and joyful story of a woman fighting for her community and a man who has lost everything except the will to try again.]]> 208 Ho-yeon Kim 0063354772 elise 0 2026-reads
tw: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Domestic abuse, Violence]]> 3.90 2021 The Second Chance Convenience Store
author: Ho-yeon Kim
name: elise
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at: 2026/03/22
date added: 2026/03/22
shelves: 2026-reads
review:
rtc

tw: Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Addiction, Abandonment, Alcohol, Death, Pandemic/Epidemic, Domestic abuse, Violence
]]> Wild Reverence 222376906 Dear Matilda, I wrote.
I let the words flow for her.
And when the ink dried,
I gave my very heart
to the fire.

Born in the firelit domain of the under realm, Matilda is the youngest goddess of her clan, blessed with humble messenger magic she uses to carry words and letters through the realms. But the gods will kill for power, and Matilda holds a secret she must hide from even her dearest allies.

And there is a mortal who dreams of her, though they have never met in the waking world. Ten years ago, Vincent of Beckett wrote to Matilda on the darkest night of his life—begging the goddess he befriended in dreams to help him. His request went unanswered, and Vincent became a hardened, irreverent lord of the river who has long forgotten Matilda . . . until she comes tumbling into his bedroom window with a letter for him.

Matilda and Vincent were fated to find each other beyond dreams. But to rewrite the blood-soaked ways of the gods, Matilda will have to face something she fears even more than losing her magic: finally allowing herself to be loved.]]> 527 Rebecca Ross 1250373352 elise 0 2026-reads, did-not-finish
too slow]]> 4.26 2025 Wild Reverence
author: Rebecca Ross
name: elise
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/13
shelves: 2026-reads, did-not-finish
review:
dnf @38.5%

too slow
]]> <![CDATA[The Traitor Queen (The Bridge Kingdom, #2)]]> 211081092
A queen now in exile as a traitor, Lara has watched Ithicana be conquered by her own father, helpless to do anything to stop the destruction. But when she learns her husband, Aren, has been captured in battle, Lara knows there is only one reason her father is keeping him alive: as bait for his traitorous daughter.

And it is bait she fully intends to take.

Risking her life to the Tempest Seas, Lara returns to Ithicana with a plan not only to free its king, but for liberating the Bridge Kingdom from her father's clutches using his own weapons: the sisters whose lives she spared. But not only is the palace inescapable, there are more players in the game than Lara ever realized, enemies and allies switching sides in the fight for crowns, kingdoms, and bridges. But her greatest adversary of all might be the very man she's trying to free—the husband she betrayed.

With everything she loves in jeopardy, Lara must decide who—and what—she is fighting for: her kingdom, her husband, or herself.]]> 416 Danielle L. Jensen 0593975219 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2026-reads
struggled to continue reading this book so i knew it's time to drop it
]]> 4.16 2020 The Traitor Queen (The Bridge Kingdom, #2)
author: Danielle L. Jensen
name: elise
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2026-reads
review:
dnf@ 26%

struggled to continue reading this book so i knew it's time to drop it

]]> <![CDATA[Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil]]> 215020997 From V. E. Schwab, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue: a new genre-defying novel about immortality and hunger.

This is a story about hunger.
1532. Santo Domingo de la Calzada.
A young girl grows up wild and wily—her beauty is only outmatched by her dreams of escape. But María knows she can only ever be a prize, or a pawn, in the games played by men. When an alluring stranger offers an alternate path, María makes a desperate choice. She vows to have no regrets.

This is a story about love.
1827. London.
A young woman lives an idyllic but cloistered life on her family’s estate, until a moment of forbidden intimacy sees her shipped off to London. Charlotte’s tender heart and seemingly impossible wishes are swept away by an invitation from a beautiful widow—but the price of freedom is higher than she could have imagined.

This is a story about rage.
2019. Boston.
College was supposed to be her chance to be someone new. That’s why Alice moved halfway across the world, leaving her old life behind. But after an out-of-character one-night stand leaves her questioning her past, her present, and her future, Alice throws herself into the hunt for answers . . . and revenge.

This is a story about life—
how it ends, and how it starts. ]]> 535 V.E. Schwab 1035064642 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2026-reads dnf @ 5% 3.86 2025 Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil
author: V.E. Schwab
name: elise
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2025
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2026-reads
review:
dnf @ 5%
]]> <![CDATA[The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love (Love's Academic, #1)]]> 200554204
Lockley sarà anche affascinante, ma si comporta come una canaglia. Beth non vuole lasciarsi irretire e, forte delle sue esperienze nello spietato campo dell’ornitologia, capisce di dover mantenere le distanze. Da parte sua, Lockley si invaghisce a prima vista di Beth Pickering: è bella, beneducata e capace di soggiogare un uccello rapace usando solo la sua intelligenza. È un angelo, tuttavia Devon sa che dovrebbe starle alla larga. L’annuncio che il titolo di Uccellatore dell’anno andrà a chi cattura il mitico caradrio taumaturgico costringe Beth e Devon a collaborare. Nel corso di dialoghi frizzanti, giochi di parole e continue avventure, la distanza tra di loro si riduce a un letto singolo. Eppure dovranno rischiare tutto per imparare ad avere fiducia l’uno nell’altra e contrastare le forze predatorie che mettono in pericolo la fauna magica.]]> 378 India Holton 0593547292 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2026-reads dnf at 21% 3.88 2024 The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love (Love's Academic, #1)
author: India Holton
name: elise
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2026-reads
review:
dnf at 21%
]]> <![CDATA[Today Tonight Tomorrow (Rowan & Neil, #1)]]> 52766407 The Hating Game meets Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist by way of Morgan Matson in this unforgettable romantic comedy about two rival overachievers whose relationship completely transforms over the course of twenty-four hours.

Today, she hates him.

It’s the last day of senior year. Rowan Roth and Neil McNair have been bitter rivals for all of high school, clashing on test scores, student council elections, and even gym class pull-up contests. While Rowan, who secretly wants to write romance novels, is anxious about the future, she’d love to beat her infuriating nemesis one last time.

Tonight, she puts up with him.

When Neil is named valedictorian, Rowan has only one chance at victory: Howl, a senior class game that takes them all over Seattle, a farewell tour of the city she loves. But after learning a group of seniors is out to get them, she and Neil reluctantly decide to team up until they’re the last players left—and then they’ll destroy each other.

As Rowan spends more time with Neil, she realizes he’s much more than the awkward linguistics nerd she’s sparred with for the past four years. And, perhaps, this boy she claims to despise might actually be the boy of her dreams.

Tomorrow … maybe she’s already fallen for him.]]> 364 Rachel Lynn Solomon 1534440240 elise 0 did-not-finish 4.01 2020 Today Tonight Tomorrow (Rowan & Neil, #1)
author: Rachel Lynn Solomon
name: elise
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:

]]> The Santa Suit 56693416
When newly-divorced Ivy Perkins buys an old farmhouse sight unseen, she is definitely looking for a change in her life. The Four Roses, as the farmhouse is called, is a labor of love―but Ivy didn't bargain on just how much labor. The previous family left so much furniture and so much junk, that it's a full-time job sorting through all of it.

At the top of a closet, Ivy finds an old Santa suit―beautifully made and decades old. In the pocket of a suit she finds a note written in a childish it's from a little girl who has one Christmas wish, and that is for her father to return home from the war. This discovery sets Ivy off on a mission. Who wrote the note? Did the man ever come home? What mysteries did the Rose family hold?

Ivy's quest brings her into the community, at a time when all she wanted to do was be left alone and nurse her wounds. But the magic of Christmas makes miracles happen, and Ivy just might find more than she ever thought a welcoming town, a family reunited, a mystery solved, and a second chance at love.]]> 224 Mary Kay Andrews 1250279313 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2025-reads 3.70 2021 The Santa Suit
author: Mary Kay Andrews
name: elise
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2025-reads
review:

]]> Thank You for Listening 59314703
On her return home, Sewanee discovers one of the world’s most beloved romance novelists wanted her to perform her last book—with Brock McNight, the industry’s hottest, most secretive voice. Sewanee doesn’t buy what romance novels are selling—not after her own dreams were tragically cut short—and she stopped narrating them years ago. But her admiration of the late author, and the opportunity to get her grandmother more help, makes her decision for her.

As Sewanee begins work on the book, resurrecting her old romance pseudonym, she and Brock forge a real connection, hidden behind the comfort of anonymity. Soon, she is dreaming again, but secrets are revealed, and the realities of life come crashing down around her once more.

If she can learn to risk everything for desires she has long buried, she will discover a world of intimacy and acceptance she never believed would be hers.

From the author of My Oxford Year, Julia Whelan’s uplifting novel tells the story of a former actress turned successful audiobook narrator—who has lost sight of her dreams after a tragic accident—and her journey of self-discovery, love, and acceptance when she agrees to narrate one last romance novel.]]> 432 Julia Whelan 0063095564 elise 0 2025-reads, did-not-finish
couldn't really get into this. felt like the author put herself into the fmc (fmc is an audiobook narrator) and to have the fmc be hailed as a great audiobook narrator who does all the voices (including the males) just like the author, feels like self-praise?

also wasn't drawn to the fmc nor the mmc (nor their chemistry) so thought i should stop here. ]]> 3.98 2022 Thank You for Listening
author: Julia Whelan
name: elise
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: 2025-reads, did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 15.6%

couldn't really get into this. felt like the author put herself into the fmc (fmc is an audiobook narrator) and to have the fmc be hailed as a great audiobook narrator who does all the voices (including the males) just like the author, feels like self-praise?

also wasn't drawn to the fmc nor the mmc (nor their chemistry) so thought i should stop here.
]]> Next of Kin (Next, #1) 107525389
Enter Warren, a surly mechanic’s apprentice attempting to get custody of his deaf fifteen-year-old brother after failing CPS’ housing evaluation. The two strangers immediately clash but agree to live together until Warren can find housing elsewhere and Chloe can further grow her freelance career.

As their lives intertwine, Chloe and Warren both realise that they’re far more similar than they could have imagined. What started as forced begins to feel natural—and far less lonely. Chemistry soon intensifies beyond what either of them can stand, but they must each decide if what burns between them is worth risking their arrangement and, ultimately, the well-being of their siblings.

With banter, heart, and steam that will have the reader blushing, Next of Kin is a true underdog story of two young adults redefining what family can look like.]]> 295 Hannah Bonam-Young elise 0 2025-reads, did-not-finish 3.68 2022 Next of Kin (Next, #1)
author: Hannah Bonam-Young
name: elise
average rating: 3.68
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: 2025-reads, did-not-finish
review:

]]> <![CDATA[My Favorite Holidate (Evergreen Falls, #1)]]> 219396580 Wanted: one hot billionaire to pose as my Christmas boyfriend. Must be willing to make my cheating ex jealous when you kiss me under the mistletoe at all the holiday parties. Bonus points if you make him cry.

To my surprise my billionaire boss is more than up for the challenge of coming down the chimney as my holiday boyfriend. The sexy single dad desperately needs a plus one at a Christmas Eve wedding, where he’s the best man and I’m the maid of honor.

And since my ex is in the wedding party too, my boss and I team up as a pair of insta-lovebirds for the holiday season, including during the annual week-long Christmas competition leading up to the snowy destination wedding.

But soon staying up late to string the best popcorn balls ever turns into a scorching night in his arms where the chestnuts aren’t the only thing roasting on the open fire.

Can all these winter wonderland nights seeking revenge turn into the real thing when we return to the office? Or are we destined to go the way of a Christmas tree on New Year’s?]]> 498 Lauren Blakely 196404829X elise 0 2025-reads, did-not-finish dnf @ 11.4% 3.76 2024 My Favorite Holidate (Evergreen Falls, #1)
author: Lauren Blakely
name: elise
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: 2025-reads, did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 11.4%
]]> May All Your Skies Be Blue 218373924 He's leaning in. I'm leaning in. 'The future is ours to make, Shauns,' he says, lips almost touching.

Summer, 1991.
Dean: sun-stung and sticky with cool ice-pop juice, walks to the middle of The Green to get a good gawk at the new salon. And at the owner's kid. Hands deep in his pockets, his jet-black mop of hair hides the tension in his face at the thought of going back home.
Shauna: stands well hid behind her ma - her eyes dark and haunted like the rest of her. The salon is theirs, a fresh start. The smell of her ma's Body Shop perfume clings to her jumper - Shauna can't be anywhere else other than here.
Instantly inseparable, their friendship blooms. But as time passes and tell-tale blushes and school fights develop into something deeper, conflicting responsibilities threaten to pull Shauna and Dean apart.
When all seems lost, will they find each other under the same blue sky?]]> 234 Fíona Scarlett 0571390935 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2025-reads dnf @ 22.5% 3.90 May All Your Skies Be Blue
author: Fíona Scarlett
name: elise
average rating: 3.90
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2025-reads
review:
dnf @ 22.5%
]]> Sick Kids in Love 39897323 It's easier--
It's safer--
It's better--
--for the other person.
She's got issues. She's got secrets. She's got rheumatoid arthritis.
But then she meets another sick kid.
He's got a chronic illness Isabel's never heard of, something she can't even pronounce. He understands what it means to be sick. He understands her more than her healthy friends. He understands her more than her own father who's a doctor.
He's gorgeous, fun, and foul-mouthed. And totally into her.
Isabel has one rule: no dating.
It's complicated--
It's dangerous--
It's never felt better--
--to consider breaking that rule for him.]]> 300 Hannah Moskowitz elise 0 2025-reads, did-not-finish dnf @ 46.4% 4.07 2019 Sick Kids in Love
author: Hannah Moskowitz
name: elise
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: 2025-reads, did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 46.4%
]]> <![CDATA[Teach Me (There's Something About Marysburg, #1)]]> 53203418
When Martin Krause arrives at Rose Owens's high school, she's determined to remain chilly with her new colleague. Unfriendly? Maybe. Understandable? Yes, since a loathsome administrator gave Rose's beloved world history classes to Martin, knowing it would hurt her.

But keeping her distance from a man as warm and kind as Martin will prove challenging, even for a stubborn, guarded ice queen. Especially when she begins to see him for what he truly is: a man who's never been taught his own value. Martin could use a good teacher--and luckily, Rose is the best.

Rose has her own lessons--about trust, about vulnerability, about her past--to learn. And over the course of a single school year, the two of them will find out just how hot it can get when an ice queen melts.]]> 276 Olivia Dade 1945836008 elise 0 2024-reads, did-not-finish dnf @ 65% 3.61 2019 Teach Me (There's Something About Marysburg, #1)
author: Olivia Dade
name: elise
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: 2024-reads, did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 65%
]]> Alone with You in the Ether 61187675 From the New York Times bestselling author of The Atlas Six comes an intimate and contemporary study of time, space, and the nature of love. Alone With You In The Ether explores what it means to be unwell, and how to face the fractures of yourself and still love as if you're not broken.


Chicago, sometime —
Two people meet in the armory of the Art Institute by chance. Prior to their encounter, he is a doctoral student who manages his destructive thoughts with compulsive calculations about time travel; she is a bipolar counterfeit artist undergoing court-ordered psychotherapy.

After their meeting, those things do not change. Everything else, however, is slightly different.

Both obsessive, eccentric personalities, Aldo Damiani and Charlotte Regan struggle to be without each other from the moment they meet. The truth—that he is a clinically depressed, anti-social theoretician and she is a manipulative liar with a history of self-sabotage—means the deeper they fall in love, the more troubling their reliance on each other becomes.]]> 272 Olivie Blake 1250888174 elise 0 2025-reads, did-not-finish
i don't want to read about hexagons and bees and pretend to be interested about their relationship anymore...

also there's emotional cheating..]]> 3.73 2020 Alone with You in the Ether
author: Olivie Blake
name: elise
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: 2025-reads, did-not-finish
review:
dnf after finishing part 2

i don't want to read about hexagons and bees and pretend to be interested about their relationship anymore...

also there's emotional cheating..
]]> The Ministry of Time 199798179 A time travel romance, a spy thriller, a workplace comedy, and an ingenious exploration of the nature of power and the potential for love to change it all: Welcome to The Ministry of Time, the exhilarating debut novel by Kaliane Bradley.

In the near future, a civil servant is offered the salary of her dreams and is, shortly afterward, told what project she’ll be working on. A recently established government ministry is gathering “expats” from across history to establish whether time travel is feasible—for the body, but also for the fabric of space-time.

She is tasked with working as a “bridge”: living with, assisting, and monitoring the expat known as “1847” or Commander Graham Gore. As far as history is concerned, Commander Gore died on Sir John Franklin’s doomed 1845 expedition to the Arctic, so he’s a little disoriented to be living with an unmarried woman who regularly shows her calves, surrounded by outlandish concepts such as “washing machines,” “Spotify,” and “the collapse of the British Empire.” But with an appetite for discovery, a seven-a-day cigarette habit, and the support of a charming and chaotic cast of fellow expats, he soon adjusts.

Over the next year, what the bridge initially thought would be, at best, a horrifically uncomfortable roommate dynamic, evolves into something much deeper. By the time the true shape of the Ministry’s project comes to light, the bridge has fallen haphazardly, fervently in love, with consequences she never could have imagined. Forced to confront the choices that brought them together, the bridge must finally reckon with how—and whether she believes—what she does next can change the future.

An exquisitely original and feverishly fun fusion of genres and ideas, The Ministry of Time asks: What does it mean to defy history, when history is living in your house? Kaliane Bradley’s answer is a blazing, unforgettable testament to what we owe each other in a changing world.]]> 339 Kaliane Bradley 1668045141 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2024-reads dnf @ 22% 3.51 2024 The Ministry of Time
author: Kaliane Bradley
name: elise
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2024
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2024-reads
review:
dnf @ 22%
]]> <![CDATA[Ruthless Fae (Zodiac Academy, #2)]]> 51966347 They tried to break us.
They almost did.
But we're not going anywhere.


The Celestial Heirs think the stars are on their side. But they don't know what's coming. Fighting them one on one isn't an option so we have to be stealthy. Remaining under the radar won't be easy, but if we pull it off, they'll never suspect our involvement when their lives start falling apart.

Besides, they've already taken us to the brink of hell, what more can they really do?]]> 475 Caroline Peckham elise 0 2024-reads, did-not-finish
Got so bored and don't think I want to push through 2-3 more books before it really gets book.. esp w how long it is with not the best writing]]> 4.19 2019 Ruthless Fae (Zodiac Academy, #2)
author: Caroline Peckham
name: elise
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: 2024-reads, did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 32.5%

Got so bored and don't think I want to push through 2-3 more books before it really gets book.. esp w how long it is with not the best writing
]]> Don't Hate the Player 54860246
When a major eSports tournament comes to her city, Emilia is determined to prove herself to the male-dominated gaming community. But her perfectly balanced life is thrown for a loop when a member of a rival team—Jake—recognizes her . . .

From an exciting new talent, this sweet and charming YA romance will win the hearts of gamers and non-gamers alike.]]> 384 Alexis Nedd 1547605022 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2024-reads dnf @ 12.2% 3.75 2021 Don't Hate the Player
author: Alexis Nedd
name: elise
average rating: 3.75
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2024-reads
review:
dnf @ 12.2%
]]> Bright Young Women 101124639 A Richard & Judy Book Club Pick
New York Times Bestseller
A Goodreads Choice Award Finalist

Bright Young Women is an unflinching thriller based on Ted Bundy's heinous crimes, as two women search for justice in the wake of his brutal murders. From Jessica Knoll, author of the New York Times bestseller and #1 Netflix movie Luckiest Girl Alive.

'A compelling, almost hypnotic read' - Lisa Jewell, bestselling author of None of This is True

Tallahassee, 1978. Sorority president Pamela Schumacher wakes to a shocking scene of implausible violence and death, and is drawn into a mystifying crime that grips the nation for decades . . .

In Seattle, Tina Cannon connects her best friend's disappearance to the Tallahassee tragedy, and is convinced that a single man is responsible.

Determined to find justice, the two join forces as their search for answers leads to a final, shocking confrontation . . .

'Knoll deconstructs the myth of a criminal mastermind, revealing the women he seeks to destroy as the truly brilliant ones' – Flynn Berry, author of Northern Spy

'A sharp examination of our culture's obsession with serial killers and true crime' – Harper's Bazaar, Best Books of the Year

'Knoll sets about dismantling every last Bundy myth with a controlled but palpable rage' – Catherine Ryan Howard, author of Run Time]]> 384 Jessica Knoll 1501153226 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2024-reads dnf @ 10% 3.97 2023 Bright Young Women
author: Jessica Knoll
name: elise
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2024-reads
review:
dnf @ 10%
]]> Love and Other Words 36206591 The story of the heart can never be unwritten.

Macy Sorensen is settling into an ambitious if emotionally tepid routine: work hard as a new pediatrics resident, plan her wedding to an older, financially secure man, keep her head down and heart tucked away.

But when she runs into Elliot Petropoulos—the first and only love of her life—the careful bubble she’s constructed begins to dissolve. Once upon a time, Elliot was Macy’s entire world—growing from her gangly bookish friend into the man who coaxed her heart open again after the loss of her mother...only to break it on the very night he declared his love for her.

Told in alternating timelines between Then and Now, teenage Elliot and Macy grow from friends to much more—spending weekends and lazy summers together in a house outside of San Francisco devouring books, sharing favorite words, and talking through their growing pains and triumphs. As adults, they have become strangers to one another until their chance reunion. Although their memories are obscured by the agony of what happened that night so many years ago, Elliot will come to understand the truth behind Macy’s decade-long silence, and will have to overcome the past and himself to revive her faith in the possibility of an all-consuming love.

Love, loss, friendship, and the betrayals of the past all collide in this first fiction novel from New York Times and #1 international bestselling author Christina Lauren (Autoboyography, Dating You / Hating You).]]> 432 Christina Lauren 1501190539 elise 0 2024-reads, did-not-finish
read every summer after first, then this - found the stories too similar.. wished i read this first]]> 4.19 2018 Love and Other Words
author: Christina Lauren
name: elise
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2018
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: 2024-reads, did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 25%

read every summer after first, then this - found the stories too similar.. wished i read this first
]]> The Flatshare 36478784 Tiffy and Leon share a flat
Tiffy and Leon share a bed
Tiffy and Leon have never met…

Tiffy Moore needs a cheap flat, and fast. Leon Twomey works nights and needs cash. Their friends think they’re crazy, but it’s the perfect solution: Leon occupies the one-bed flat while Tiffy’s at work in the day, and she has the run of the place the rest of the time.

But with obsessive ex-boyfriends, demanding clients at work, wrongly imprisoned brothers and, of course, the fact that they still haven’t met yet, they’re about to discover that if you want the perfect home you need to throw the rulebook out the window…]]> 394 Beth O'Leary 1787474402 elise 0 2024-reads, did-not-finish dnf @ 32% 3.95 2019 The Flatshare
author: Beth O'Leary
name: elise
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: 2024-reads, did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 32%
]]> The Pallbearers Club 59314692
A cleverly voiced psychological thriller about an unforgettable - and unsettling - friendship, with blood-chilling twists, crackling wit, and a thrumming pulse in its veins - from the nationally best-selling author of 'The Cabin at the End of the World' and 'Survivor Song'.

What if the coolest girl you’ve ever met decided to be your friend?

Art Barbara was so not cool. He was a seventeen-year-old high school loner in the late 1980s who listened to hair metal, had to wear a monstrous back-brace at night for his scoliosis, and started an extracurricular club for volunteer pallbearers at poorly attended funerals. But his new friend thought the Pallbearers’ Club was cool. And she brought along her Polaroid camera to take pictures of the corpses.

Okay, that part was a little weird.

So was her obsessive knowledge of a notorious bit of New England folklore that involved digging up the dead. And there were other strange things – terrifying things – that happened when she was around, usually at night. But she was his friend, so it was okay, right?

Decades later, Art tries to make sense of it all by writing 'The Pallbearers’ Club: A Memoir'. But somehow this friend got her hands on the manuscript and, well, she has some issues with it. And now she’s making cuts.

Seamlessly blurring the lines between fiction and memory, the supernatural and the mundane, 'THE PALLBEARERS CLUB' is an immersive, suspenseful portrait of an unforgettable and unsettling friendship.

©2022 Paul Tremblay (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers]]> 278 Paul Tremblay 0063069911 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2024-reads
video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaH_q...]]> 3.08 2022 The Pallbearers Club
author: Paul Tremblay
name: elise
average rating: 3.08
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2024-reads
review:
dnf @ 30%

video review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaH_q...
]]> Much Ado About You 44234221 The cozy comforts of an English village bookstore open up a world of new possibilities for Evie Starling in this charming new romantic comedy from New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young.

At thirty-three-years old Evangeline Starling's life in Chicago is missing that special something. And when she's passed over for promotion at work, Evie realizes she needs to make a change. Some time away to regain perspective might be just the thing. In a burst of impulsivity, she plans a holiday in a quaint English village. The holiday package comes with a temporary position at Much Ado About Books, the bookstore located beneath her rental apartment. There's no better dream vacation for the bookish Evie, a life-long Shakespeare lover.

Not only is Evie swept up in running the delightful store as soon as she arrives, she's drawn into the lives, loves and drama of the friendly villagers. Including Roane Robson, the charismatic and sexy farmer who tempts Evie every day with his friendly flirtations. Evie is determined to keep him at bay because a holiday romance can only end in heartbreak, right? But Evie can't deny their connection and longs to trust in her handsome farmer that their whirlwind romance could turn in to the forever kind of love.]]> 380 Samantha Young 0593099494 elise 0 2023-reads, did-not-finish 3.66 2021 Much Ado About You
author: Samantha Young
name: elise
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: 2023-reads, did-not-finish
review:

]]> <![CDATA[This Vicious Grace (The Last Finestra, #1)]]> 58957873
Now, with only weeks left until a hungry swarm of demons devours everything on her island home, Alessa is running out of time to find a partner and stop the invasion. When a powerful priest convinces the faithful that killing Alessa is the island’s only hope, her own soldiers try to assassinate her.

Desperate to survive, Alessa hires Dante, a cynical outcast marked as a killer, to become her personal bodyguard. But as rebellion explodes outside the gates, Dante’s dark secrets may be the biggest betrayal. He holds the key to her survival and her heart, but is he the one person who can help her master her gift or destroy her once and for all?

Emily Thiede's exciting fantasy debut, This Vicious Grace, will keep readers turning the pages until the devastating conclusion and leave them primed for more!]]> 448 Emily Thiede 1250794056 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2023-reads dnf @ 15.6% 3.92 2022 This Vicious Grace (The Last Finestra, #1)
author: Emily Thiede
name: elise
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2023-reads
review:
dnf @ 15.6%
]]> Mister Magic 63331415 Who is Mister Magic? Former child stars reunite to uncover the tragedy that ended their show—and discover the secret of its enigmatic host—in this dark supernatural thriller from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hide.

Thirty years after a tragic accident shut down production of the classic children’s program Mister Magic, the five surviving cast members have done their best to move on. But just as generations of cultishly devoted fans still cling to the lessons they learned from the show, the cast, known as the Circle of Friends, have spent their lives searching for the happiness they felt while they were on it. The friendship. The feeling of belonging. And the protection of Mister Magic.

But with no surviving video of the show, no evidence of who directed or produced it, and no records of who—or what—the beloved host actually was, memories are all the former Circle of Friends has.

Then a twist of fate brings the castmates back together at the remote desert filming compound that feels like it’s been waiting for them all this time. Even though they haven’t seen each other for years, they understand one another better than anyone has since.

After all, they’re the only ones who hold the secret of that circle, the mystery of the magic man in his infinitely black cape, and, maybe, the answers to what really happened on that deadly last day. But as the Circle of Friends reclaim parts of their past, they begin to wonder: Are they here by choice, or have they been lured into a trap?

Because magic never forgets the taste of your friendship. . . .]]> 295 Kiersten White 0593359267 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2023-reads dnf @36% 3.51 2023 Mister Magic
author: Kiersten White
name: elise
average rating: 3.51
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2023-reads
review:
dnf @36%
]]> The Long Game (Green Oak, #1) 101144869 A disgraced soccer exec reluctantly enlists the help of a retired soccer star in coaching a children’s team in this smalltown love story in the vein of Ted Lasso and It Happened One Summer —from the New York Times bestselling author of The Spanish Love Deception.

Adalyn Reyes has spent years perfecting her daily routine: wake up at dawn, drive to the Miami Flames FC offices, try her hardest to leave a mark, go home, and repeat.

But her routine is disrupted when a video of her in an altercation with the team’s mascot goes viral. Rather than fire her, the team’s owner—who happens to be her father—sends Adalyn to middle-of-nowhere North Carolina, where she’s tasked with turning around the struggling local soccer team, the Green Warriors, as a way to redeem herself. Her plans crumble upon discovering that the players wear tutus to practice (impractical), keep pet goats (messy), and are terrified of Adalyn (counterproductive), and are nine-year-old kids.

To make things worse, also in town is Cameron Caldani, goalkeeping prodigy whose presence is somewhat of a mystery. Cam is the perfect candidate to help Adalyn, but after one very unfortunate first encounter involving a rooster, Cam’s leg, and Adalyn’s bumper, he’s also set on running her out of town. But banishment is not an option for Adalyn. Not again. Helping this ragtag children’s team is her road to redemption, and she is playing the long game. With or without Cam’s help.]]> 373 Elena Armas 1668011301 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2023-reads
need to stop trying with elena armas :')]]> 3.52 2023 The Long Game (Green Oak, #1)
author: Elena Armas
name: elise
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2023-reads
review:
dnf @ 11%

need to stop trying with elena armas :')
]]> The Bookish Life of Nina Hill 42379022
When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They're all—or mostly all—excited to meet her! She'll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It's a disaster! And as if that wasn't enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis, has turned out to be cute, funny, and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn't he realize what a terrible idea that is?

Nina considers her options.

1. Completely change her name and appearance. (Too drastic, plus she likes her hair.)
2. Flee to a deserted island. (Hard pass, see: coffee).
3. Hide in a corner of her apartment and rock back and forth. (Already doing it.)

It's time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn't convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It's going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor, and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page.]]> 351 Abbi Waxman 0451491882 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2023-reads dnf @ 16% 3.79 2019 The Bookish Life of Nina Hill
author: Abbi Waxman
name: elise
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2019
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2023-reads
review:
dnf @ 16%
]]> <![CDATA[Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Finlay Donovan, #3)]]> 60784612
Mob boss Feliks is still running the show from behind bars, and he has a task for Finlay: find and identify a contract killer before the cops do. The problem is, the killer might be an officer themself.

Luckily, hot cop Nick has just been tasked with starting up a citizen's police academy, and combined pressure from Finlay's looming book deadline and Feliks is enough to convince Finlay and Vero to get involved. Through firearm training and forensic classes (and some hands-on research with a tempting detective), Finlay and Vero use their time in police academy to sleuth out the real contract killer to free themselves from the mob's clutches―all the while dodging spies, confronting Vero's past, and juggling the daily trials of parenthood.

From USA Today bestseller and Edgar-Award nominee Elle Cosimano, comes Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun—the highly anticipated, hilarious, and heart-pounding next installment in the beloved Finlay Donovan series…]]> 304 Elle Cosimano 125084603X elise 0 did-not-finish, 2023-reads dnf @ 21.9% 3.80 2023 Finlay Donovan Jumps the Gun (Finlay Donovan, #3)
author: Elle Cosimano
name: elise
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2023-reads
review:
dnf @ 21.9%
]]> Happy Place 61761938 395 Emily Henry 0593441206 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2023-reads
just wasn't feeling it.. don't really like second chance romance and the writing felt off for me, as well as the characters. ]]> 4.05 2023 Happy Place
author: Emily Henry
name: elise
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2023-reads
review:
dnf @ 9%

just wasn't feeling it.. don't really like second chance romance and the writing felt off for me, as well as the characters.
]]> <![CDATA[Unfortunately Yours (A Vine Mess, #2)]]> 62365891
After losing her job and her fiancé in one fell swoop, Natalie Vos returned home to lick her wounds. A few months later, she's sufficiently drowned her sorrows in cabernet and she's ready to get back on her feet. She just needs her trust fund to finance her new business venture. Unfortunately, the terms require she marry before she can have the money. And well, dumped, remember? But Natalie is desperate enough to propose to a man who makes her want to kill him--and kiss him, in equal measure.

August Cates may own a vineyard, but he doesn't know jack about making wine. He's determined to do his late best friend proud, no matter what it takes. Except his tasting room is empty, his wine is disgusting (seriously, he once saw someone gag), and his buddy's legacy is circling the drain. No bank will give him the loan he needs to turn the business around... and then the gorgeous, feisty heiress knocks on his door. Natalie has haunted his dreams since the moment they met, but their sizzling chemistry immediately morphed into simmering insults.

Now, a quickie marriage could help them both. A sham wedding, a few weeks living under the same roof, and then they can go their separate ways--assuming they make it out alive. How hard could it be? There's just one thing they didn't account for: their unfortunate, unbearable, undeniable attraction.]]> 384 Tessa Bailey 0063239035 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2023-reads dnf @ 4%<br /><br />errrrr no 3.72 2023 Unfortunately Yours (A Vine Mess, #2)
author: Tessa Bailey
name: elise
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2023
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2023-reads
review:
dnf @ 4%

errrrr no
]]> <![CDATA[Always Only You (Bergman Brothers, #2)]]> 54125750 Get ready for an emotional ride filled with laughter, longing, and a sweet slow-burn in this sports romance about love’s power not in spite of difference, but because of it.

Ren

The moment I met her, I knew Frankie Zeferino was someone worth waiting for. Deadpan delivery, secret heart of gold, and a rare one-dimpled smile that makes my knees weak, Frankie has been forbidden since the day she and I became coworkers, meaning waiting has been the name of my game—besides, hockey, that is.

I’m a player on the team, she’s on staff, and as long as we work together, dating is off-limits. But patience has always been my virtue. Frankie won’t be here forever—she’s headed for bigger, better things. I just hope that when she leaves the team and I tell her how I feel, she won’t want to leave me behind, too.

Frankie

I’ve had a problem at work since the day Ren Bergman joined the team: a six foot three hunk of happy with a sunshine smile. I’m a grumbly grump and his ridiculously good nature drives me nuts, but even I can’t entirely ignore that hot tamale of a ginger with icy eyes, the perfect playoff beard, and a body built for sin that he’s annoyingly modest about.

Before I got wise, I would have tripped over myself to get a guy like Ren, but with my diagnosis, I’ve learned what I am to most people in my life—a problem, not a person. Now, opening my heart to anyone, no matter how sweet, is the last thing I’m prepared to do.

​Always Only You is an opposites-attract, forbidden love sports romance about a nerdy, late-blooming hockey star, and his tough cookie coworker who keeps both her soft side and her autism diagnosis to herself. Complete with a meddling secretary, tantric yoga torture, and a scorching slow burn, this standalone is the second in a series of novels about a Swedish-American family of five brothers, two sisters, and their wild adventures as they each find happily ever after.]]> 355 Chloe Liese elise 0 did-not-finish, 2023-reads
1. i don't want to read about anybody's harry potter underwear
2. why is the fmc twisting anybody on the team's nipples and smacking anybody on the team's butt ]]> 3.98 2020 Always Only You (Bergman Brothers, #2)
author: Chloe Liese
name: elise
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2020
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2023-reads
review:
dnf @ 9%

1. i don't want to read about anybody's harry potter underwear
2. why is the fmc twisting anybody on the team's nipples and smacking anybody on the team's butt
]]> <![CDATA[The Fine Print (Dreamland Billionaires, #1)]]> 74045390 Rowan
I'm in the business of creating fairy tales.
Theme parks. Production companies. Five-star hotels.
Everything could be all mine if I renovated Dreamland.
My initial idea of hiring Zahra was good in theory, but then I kissed her.
Things spiraled out of control once I texted her using an alias.
By the time I realized where I went wrong, it was too late.
People like me don't get happy endings.
Not when we're destined to ruin them.

Zahra
After submitting a drunk proposal criticizing Dreamland's most expensive ride, I should have been fired.
Instead, Rowan Kane offered me a dream job.
The catch? I had to work for the most difficult boss I'd ever met.
Rowan was rude and completely off-limits, but my heart didn't care.
At least not until I discovered his secret.
It was time to teach the billionaire that money couldn't fix everything.
Especially not us.

The Fine Print is the first book in a series of interconnected standalones following three billionaire brothers.]]> 448 Lauren Asher 1737507714 elise 0 did-not-finish, 2023-reads
it was making me uncomfy soooo ]]> 3.73 2021 The Fine Print (Dreamland Billionaires, #1)
author: Lauren Asher
name: elise
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2023-reads
review:
dnf @ 20%

it was making me uncomfy soooo
]]> <![CDATA[Killers of a Certain Age (Killers of a Certain Age, #1)]]> 60149532 Older women often feel invisible, but sometimes that's their secret weapon.

They've spent their lives as the deadliest assassins in a clandestine international organization, but now that they're sixty years old, four women friends can't just retire - it's kill or be killed in this action-packed thriller.

Billie, Mary Alice, Helen, and Natalie have worked for the Museum, an elite network of assassins, for forty years. Now their talents are considered old-school and no one appreciates what they have to offer in an age that relies more on technology than people skills.

When the foursome is sent on an all-expenses paid vacation to mark their retirement, they are targeted by one of their own. Only the Board, the top-level members of the Museum, can order the termination of field agents, and the women realize they've been marked for death.

Now to get out alive they have to turn against their own organization, relying on experience and each other to get the job done, knowing that working together is the secret to their survival. They're about to teach the Board what it really means to be a woman--and a killer--of a certain age.]]> 368 Deanna Raybourn elise 0 did-not-finish, 2023-reads 3.81 2022 Killers of a Certain Age (Killers of a Certain Age, #1)
author: Deanna Raybourn
name: elise
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish, 2023-reads
review:
dnf @ 3% AHAHA I know it's sooo early but... I just don't think I'll like it based on what I've read so far
]]> Our Missing Hearts 60149573 A novel about a mother’s unbreakable love in a world consumed by fear.

Twelve-year-old Bird Gardner lives a quiet existence with his loving but broken father, a former linguist who now shelves books in a university library. Bird knows to not ask too many questions, stand out too much, or stray too far. For a decade, their lives have been governed by laws written to preserve “American culture” in the wake of years of economic instability and violence. To keep the peace and restore prosperity, the authorities are now allowed to relocate children of dissidents, especially those of Asian origin, and libraries have been forced to remove books seen as unpatriotic—including the work of Bird’s mother, Margaret, a Chinese American poet who left the family when he was nine years old.

Bird has grown up disavowing his mother and her poems; he doesn’t know her work or what happened to her, and he knows he shouldn’t wonder. But when he receives a mysterious letter containing only a cryptic drawing, he is pulled into a quest to find her. His journey will take him back to the many folktales she poured into his head as a child, through the ranks of an underground network of librarians, into the lives of the children who have been taken, and finally to New York City, where a new act of defiance may be the beginning of much-needed change.]]> 335 Celeste Ng 0593492544 elise 0 did-not-finish
might be a soft dnf but not sure yet!]]> 3.73 2022 Our Missing Hearts
author: Celeste Ng
name: elise
average rating: 3.73
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 17%

might be a soft dnf but not sure yet!
]]> Reminders of Him 58341222 A troubled young mother yearns for a shot at redemption in this heartbreaking yet hopeful story from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover. After serving five years in prison for a tragic mistake, Kenna Rowan returns to the town where it all went wrong, hoping to reunite with her four-year-old daughter. But the bridges Kenna burned are proving impossible to rebuild. Everyone in her daughter’s life is determined to shut Kenna out, no matter how hard she works to prove herself. The only person who hasn’t closed the door on her completely is Ledger Ward, a local bar owner and one of the few remaining links to Kenna’s daughter. But if anyone were to discover how Ledger is slowly becoming an important part of Kenna’s life, both would risk losing the trust of everyone important to them. The two form a connection despite the pressure surrounding them, but as their romance grows, so does the risk. Kenna must find a way to absolve the mistakes of her past in order to build a future out of hope and healing.]]> 335 Colleen Hoover 1542025605 elise 0 did-not-finish dnf @ 36% 4.29 2022 Reminders of Him
author: Colleen Hoover
name: elise
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 36%
]]> <![CDATA[Firekeeper’s Daughter (Firekeeper's Daughter, #1)]]> 52346471
After Daunis witnesses a shocking murder that thrusts her into a criminal investigation, she agrees to go undercover. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. How far will she go to protect her community if it means tearing apart the only world she’s ever known?]]> 496 Angeline Boulley elise 0 did-not-finish dnf @ 51.8% 4.30 2021 Firekeeper’s Daughter (Firekeeper's Daughter, #1)
author: Angeline Boulley
name: elise
average rating: 4.30
book published: 2021
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 51.8%
]]> Gatabutata (가타부타타) 58313049
A 15-year old's clumsy and awkward first love soon came to an end but will things be different this time when they're 20?]]> NOT A BOOK elise 0 did-not-finish 4.21 Gatabutata (가타부타타)
author: NOT A BOOK
name: elise
average rating: 4.21
book published:
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:

]]> The Last Housewife 59349100 From the author of the acclaimed In My Dreams I Hold a Knife comes a pitch-black thriller about a woman determined to destroy a powerful cult and avenge the deaths of the women taken in by it, no matter the cost.

While in college in upstate New York, Shay Evans and her best friends met a captivating man who seduced them with a web of lies about the way the world works, bringing them under his thrall. By senior year, Shay and her friend Laurel were the only ones who managed to escape. Now, eight years later, Shay's built a new life in a tiny Texas suburb. But when she hears the horrifying news of Laurel's death—delivered, of all ways, by her favorite true-crime podcast crusader—she begins to suspect that the past she thought she buried is still very much alive, and the predators more dangerous than ever.

Recruiting the help of the podcast host, Shay goes back to the place she vowed never to return to in search of answers. As she follows the threads of her friend's life, she's pulled into a dark, seductive world, where wealth and privilege shield brutal philosophies that feel all too familiar. When Shay's obsession with uncovering the truth becomes so consuming she can no longer separate her desire for justice from darker desires newly reawakened, she must confront the depths of her own complicity and conditioning. But in a world built for men to rule it—both inside the cult and outside of it—is justice even possible, and if so, how far will Shay go to get it?]]> 385 Ashley Winstead 172822991X elise 0 did-not-finish
not including trigger warnings because i didn't manage to finish but please look them up before going into this.

this book made me so... uncomfortable. not in a good way. not what i was expecting. didn't want to know any more of the story and so i'm stopping here. ]]> 3.67 2022 The Last Housewife
author: Ashley Winstead
name: elise
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 40%

not including trigger warnings because i didn't manage to finish but please look them up before going into this.

this book made me so... uncomfortable. not in a good way. not what i was expecting. didn't want to know any more of the story and so i'm stopping here.
]]> <![CDATA[I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter]]> 34454557
Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family.

But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role.

Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed.

But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend Lorena, and her first kiss, first love, first everything boyfriend Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal?]]> 352 Erika L. Sánchez 1524700509 elise 0 did-not-finish dnf @ 38% 4.18 2017 I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter
author: Erika L. Sánchez
name: elise
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2017
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 38%
]]> Message Not Found 58490569 An emotionally complex portrayal of secrets, loss, and grief from Dante Medema, Indies Introduce author of the Indie Next Pick title The Truth Project.

Bailey and Vanessa shared everything: laughter, secrets, and packets of Pop Rocks to ward off bad days. But that all changed the night Vanessa left Bailey's, headed for home, and ended up swerving off a cliff nowhere near her house. Now Bailey, who thought she knew Vanessa better than anyone in the world, is left with a million unanswered questions, and the only person with answers is gone.

To help grieve her loss, Bailey creates a chat bot of Vanessa using years' worth of their shared text messages and emails. The more data she uploads to the bot, the more it feels like she's really talking to her best friend. That is, until the bot starts dropping hints that there was more going on with Vanessa than Bailey realized--a secret so big, it may have contributed to Vanessa's death.

This compelling puzzle of a story, filled with engrossing twists and turns, is written in alternating prose and text message formats. Teens will gobble up this fast-paced page-turner.]]> 400 Dante Medema 0062954431 elise 0 did-not-finish dnf @ 35% 3.90 2022 Message Not Found
author: Dante Medema
name: elise
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 35%
]]> The Unsinkable Greta James 58265135 An alternative cover edition for this ISBN can be found here.

Greta James's meteoric rise to indie stardom was hard-won. Before she graced magazine covers and sold out venues, she spent her girlhood strumming her guitar in the family garage. Her first fan was her mother, Helen, whose face shone bright in the dusty downtown bars where she got her start—but not everyone encouraged Greta to follow her dreams. While many daydream about a crowd chanting their name, her father, Conrad, saw only a precarious life ahead for his daughter.

Greta has spent her life trying to prove him wrong, but three months after Helen's sudden death, and weeks before the launch of her high-stakes sophomore album, Greta has an onstage meltdown that goes viral. Attempting to outrun the humiliation and heartbreak, she reluctantly agrees to accompany her father on a week-long Alaskan cruise, the very one that her parents had booked to celebrate their fortieth anniversary.

This could be the James family's last chance to heal old wounds and will prove to be a voyage of discovery for them, as well as for Ben Wilder, a historian also struggling with a major upheaval in his life. Ben is on board to lecture about Jack London's The Call of the Wild, the adventure story Greta's mother adored, and he captures Greta's attention after her streak of dating hanger-ons. As Greta works to build up her confidence and heal, and Ben confronts his uncertain future, they must rely on one another to make sense of life’s difficult choices. In the end, Greta must make the most challenging decision of all: to listen to the song within her or make peace with those who love her.

An indie musician reeling from tragedy reconnects with her estranged father on a week-long cruise in this tale of grief, fame, and love from bestselling author Jennifer E. Smith.]]> 320 Jennifer E. Smith 0593358279 elise 0 did-not-finish
not sure if I'll come back to this but putting this down for now!]]> 3.80 2022 The Unsinkable Greta James
author: Jennifer E. Smith
name: elise
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 56%

not sure if I'll come back to this but putting this down for now!
]]> By Any Other Name 58024770
What she doesn’t know about love could fill a book.

With a successful career as a romance editor, and an engagement to a man who checks off all ninety-nine boxes on her carefully curated list, Lanie’s more than good. She’s killing it. Then she’s given the opportunity of a lifetime: to work with world-renowned author and her biggest inspiration in love and life—the Noa Callaway. All Lanie has to do is cure Noa’s writer’s block and she’ll get the promotion she’s always dreamed of. Simple, right?

But there’s a reason no one has ever seen or spoken to the mysterious Noa Calloway. And that reason will rock Lanie’s world. It will call into question everything she thought she knew. When she finally tosses her ninety-nine expectations to the wind, Lanie may just discover that love By Any Other Name can still be as sweet.]]> 304 Lauren Kate 0735212546 elise 0 did-not-finish
I really enjoyed the editorial and books aspect of this, but I can't stand Lanie's overreaction when she finds out [spoilers removed] and how she made a joke about a man being there at a book premiere just to buy a copy of a book for his wife. Where the story starts she is also engaged to somebody so I don't want to see how that pans out. ]]> 3.71 2022 By Any Other Name
author: Lauren Kate
name: elise
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 37%

I really enjoyed the editorial and books aspect of this, but I can't stand Lanie's overreaction when she finds out [spoilers removed] and how she made a joke about a man being there at a book premiere just to buy a copy of a book for his wife. Where the story starts she is also engaged to somebody so I don't want to see how that pans out.
]]> <![CDATA[Dating Dr. Dil (If Shakespeare Was an Auntie, #1)]]> 57144693
Hi! I’m Kareena Mann. As cheesy as it sounds, I’m looking for my soulmate. In four months. And he must gain the approval of my meddling aunties.

Kareena dreams of having a perfect love story like her parents did. That’s why on the morning of her thirtieth birthday, she’s decided to suit up and enter the dating arena. When her widowed father announces he’s retiring and selling their home after her sister’s engagement party, Kareena makes a deal with him. If she can find her soulmate by the date of the party, he’ll gift her the house, and she’ll be able to keep her mother’s legacy alive.

Hi, I’m Dr. Prem Verma, host of the Dr. Dil Show. Prem means love, Dil means heart, and I’m a cardiologist. Don’t let my name fool you. I only fix broken hearts in the literal sense.

Prem doesn’t have time for romance, which is why it’s no surprise when his first meeting with Kareena goes awry. Their second encounter is worse when their on-air debate about love goes viral. Now Prem’s largest community center donor is backing out because Prem's reputation as a heart-health expert is at risk. To get back in his donor’s good graces, he needs to fix his image fast, and dating Kareena is his only option.

Even though they have warring interests, the more time Prem spends with Kareena, the more he thinks she’s might actually be the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with. In this Taming of the Shrew re-imagination, for Prem and Kareena to find their happily ever after, they must admit that hate has turned into fate.]]> 373 Nisha Sharma 006300111X elise 0 did-not-finish dnf @ 22% 3.72 2022 Dating Dr. Dil (If Shakespeare Was an Auntie, #1)
author: Nisha Sharma
name: elise
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 22%
]]> When You Get the Chance 58292871
There’s Steph, a still-aspiring stage actress and receptionist at a talent agency. There’s Farrah, ethereal dance teacher who clearly doesn’t have the two left feet Millie has. And Beth, the chipper and sweet stage enthusiast with an equally exuberant fifteen-year-old daughter (A possible sister?! This is getting out of hand). But how can you find a new part of your life and expect it to fit into your old one, without leaving any marks? And why is it that when you go looking for the past, it somehow keeps bringing you back to what you’ve had all along?]]> 320 Emma Lord 1250783356 elise 0 did-not-finish
completely a me problem! Not really interested in reading about Broadway! Also didn't vibe with the characters enough to want to continue reading. ]]> 3.93 2022 When You Get the Chance
author: Emma Lord
name: elise
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
DNF @ 35%

completely a me problem! Not really interested in reading about Broadway! Also didn't vibe with the characters enough to want to continue reading.
]]> I Must Betray You 60302362 Romania, 1989. Communist regimes are crumbling across Europe. Seventeen-year-old Cristian Florescu dreams of becoming a writer, but Romanians aren’t free to dream; they are bound by rules and force.

Amidst the tyrannical dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu in a country governed by isolation and fear, Cristian is blackmailed by the secret police to become an informer. He’s left with only two choices: betray everyone and everything he loves—or use his position to creatively undermine the most notoriously evil dictator in Eastern Europe.

Cristian risks everything to unmask the truth behind the regime, give voice to fellow Romanians, and expose to the world what is happening in his country. He eagerly joins the revolution to fight for change when the time arrives. But what is the cost of freedom?

A gut-wrenching, startling window into communist Romania and the citizen spy network that devastated a nation, from the number one New York Times best-selling, award-winning author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray.]]> Ruta Sepetys 0593502299 elise 0 did-not-finish dnf @32% 4.27 2022 I Must Betray You
author: Ruta Sepetys
name: elise
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
dnf @32%
]]> All My Rage 57899793 Lahore, Pakistan. Then.
Misbah is a dreamer and storyteller, newly married to Toufiq in an arranged match. After their young life is shaken by tragedy, they come to the United States and open the Cloud’s Rest Inn Motel, hoping for a new start.

Juniper, California. Now.
Salahudin and Noor are more than best friends; they are family. Growing up as outcasts in the small desert town of Juniper, California, they understand each other the way no one else does. Until The Fight, which destroys their bond with the swift fury of a star exploding.

Now, Sal scrambles to run the family motel as his mother Misbah’s health fails and his grieving father loses himself to alcoholism. Noor, meanwhile, walks a harrowing tightrope: working at her wrathful uncle’s liquor store while hiding the fact that she’s applying to college so she can escape him—and Juniper—forever.

When Sal’s attempts to save the motel spiral out of control, he and Noor must ask themselves what friendship is worth—and what it takes to defeat the monsters in their pasts and the ones in their midst.

From one of today’s most cherished and bestselling young adult authors comes a breathtaking novel of young love, old regrets, and forgiveness—one that’s both tragic and poignant in its tender ferocity.]]> 376 Sabaa Tahir 0593202341 elise 0 did-not-finish dnf @ 25% 4.46 2022 All My Rage
author: Sabaa Tahir
name: elise
average rating: 4.46
book published: 2022
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2026/03/09
shelves: did-not-finish
review:
dnf @ 25%
]]>