Review: Epic

Epic by Sarina Bowen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a nice, short peak ar Jamie and Wes's life (now married). Told in alternating points of view, Jamie gets to have a little goal keeping fun. And Wes is happy for him. A new job is also in the offering. So Epic!

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Review: Her Best Kept Secret

Her Best Kept Secret by Naima Simone
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nore is an event planner and is damn good at what she does.  She owns her own business.  Joaquin is a retired motorcycle racer turned business owner.  He makes his own motorcycles.  They meet at his birthday party (her company was hired to put on) and sparks fly.  They have a one night stand after his party.  

Things only get complicated when his company wants to hire her again for a huge launch they are planning for their all electric motorcycle.  It turns out Joaquin is Nore's ex-finace's estranged 1/2 brother.  They both re-connect and have a shared past in their not-so-great childhoods.  

I liked the pacing and characters (except for James and his mother; they are both assholes). 

Smart Bitches Summer Bingo:  comtemporary (would also work for one-night stand)

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Review: Go Luck Yourself

Go Luck Yourself by Sara Raasch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Someone is stealing Christmas's joy. A single shamrock is left. Kris is Coal's (first book, eldest son and now Santa) younger brother. He is tasked with finding out who the thief is.
Lochlan is the crown prince of St Patrick's Day. His uncle is the King who took the crown leading everyone to believe that Loch was immature and unfit to rule. In all fairness, his parents had just died and he was a teenager (I missed how long ago it was, but in this book he was 22? 23?). Anyway, he doesn't have the best reputation as a result of that.
This starts out as enemies to lovers. Kris tinsles the study room Lochlan is in at college. He had a reservation for the room and Locklan refused to leave (he also didn't know who he was). He is a bit horrified when he realizes who is was. Anyway, his cover is to help Loch with his image while really looking for the thief.
This was a fun read, it is light at times, serious at times. The characters do read young (Kris is a year younger than Loch) in part because of certain expectations each felt they had to meet ignoring what they really wanted to do. So, they don't really know what they want. Kris also deals with low self esteem due to mother's abandonment.

Smart Bitches Summer Bingo: Free space

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Review: I Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI to Do (Almost) Everything

I Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI to Do (Almost) Everything by Joanna Stern
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Full disclosure: I have mixed feelings about AI. I do think it should be regulated and not the free-for-all it is now. I don't like data centers. I also wonder at the AI "bubble" that is keeping the markets high. That bubble could pop and we are in deep shit if it does (should it happen while a certain dictator/authoritarian/king is still the President of the US).
Back on topic, this author is a each journalist and used/lived with AI for a year. There are positives. Like AI can help (as an adjunct) to routine screenings (think mammograms, Colonoscopies, ete). I think AI could really benefit in areas that are limited in terms of specialists (like radiologists). I don't think AI should replace a person, but rather work with someone to better enhance what they do (and how they do it).
I do limit AI in my own personal life (I don't use Chat GTP for example), but would use it enhance experiences (like when I travel- using it to compile reviews so we know what to see/where to go).

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Review: By the Book

By the Book by Jasmine Guillory
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Izzy feels stuck. She's been at her job for a few years and hasn't gotten the promotion she wanted. Still living at home, she's ready for a change. When an opportunity comes up to coach someone with a long promised memoir, she jumps at the chance.
Beau is struggling to write. Son to famous parents (his mom was a model and father an Ocscar winning screenwriter), he's got some expectations.
Beauty and the Beast is one of my personal favorites (I loved both the cartoon and live-action with Emma Watson). I was looking forward to this one. But I was so bored! It's a book about the writing process. And helping someone through the writing process. I had difficulty connecting with the characters too. Clean, very Disney-fied.

Smart Bitches Summer Bingo: flowers on cover

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Review: Liar's Kingdom: How to Stop Trump’s Deceit and Save America

Liar's Kingdom: How to Stop Trump’s Deceit and Save America by Andrew Weissmann
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All about the disinformation (and outright lies) that gets published, pushed, highlighted, and amplified. And so many people read it and believe it and further push, highlight, and amplify said lie(s). We do need some type of penaly/punishment for lies (like Vance's lie about Haitians which lead (and currently) to real world consequences. Or Trump's 2020 election lie that he continues to push. Brazil did it right when punishing Bolsonaro. Why couldn't/can't the US do the same? To push it further; I would like to see term limits for House and Senate members. Term limits for the Supreme Court too (and an expansion to 13 to better reflect the population). Re term limits for the Supreme Court: people are living longer and they retire later. That's why.

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Review: Right Move

Right Move by A.M. Arthur
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

We met George in the previous book (Derrick and Slater) and Levi in the book before that (Robin and Shawn). We get appearances by Shawn, Robin, Miles, Reyes, Derrick, and Slater (and briefly Wes and Mack).
I loved Levi's girls (Baby, Ginger, and Sporty). Levi was awesome with George and "got" his anxieties and was very patient with him. George experienced a lot of firsts with Levi. Nice conclusion to series.

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