Review: A Play for Love

A Play for Love by Trilina Pucci
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Rory meet Oliver briefly during a Romeo and Juliet scene for her college theater mid-term.  They had chemistry, but then didn't see each other again.  Fast forward 5 years.  Oliver is playing Cupid for rent money.  Rory is on a horrible "date."  He rescues her and they opt to spend the day together.  Turns out they had crushes on each other in college but both were too intimidated to do anything about it.  The big problem is Rory is leaving NYC in the morning to move back home.

They opt to do the long distance thing over the next couple of months.  And then a surprise at Rory's niece's play.  Nice!

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Review: Second Act Romance

Second Act Romance by Julie Soto
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Bex has one of the leads in "Oklahoma."  When food poisoning strikes and takes out a lot of the cast, Colby steps in.  He and Bex were previously leads with each other and had good chemistry.  Until Bex got sick and they had a miscommunication (because of course).

Now years later they are leads together again.  A lot of technical jargon.  Had a hard time getting into this story and I wasn't that crazy about the romance (there really wasn't any IMO).  

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Review: Time Will Tell

Time Will Tell by Hannah Bonam-Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Georgia is a high school history teacher. When she gets a letter from her recently deceased grandma Bonnie detailing a time capsule that she and her girlfriend Martha buried, she involves her students in drafting a letter to Martha's next of kin, her grandson Callum. Thus begins an email correspondence for the next month or so.
I thought this was nicely paced and I could get a good sense of Callum and Georgia through their email banter. They do meet at the end of the story to see what is in the time capsule. This was different (when LGBTQ+ rights were non-existent).

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Review: Accidentally Yours

Accidentally Yours by Christina Lauren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Veronica was just laid off after she spoke out about being overlooked for a promotion (again).  She worked at a "tech-bro" company.  While interviewing for another position, she accidentally crashes someone else's Zoom meeting.  And proceeds to eviscerate their (bad) ideas.  So she is surprised when the CEO comes after her with a job offer.

This was so fun.  I enjoyed the banter back and forth between Veronica and Jude.  They have chemistry (and don't know what each other looks like).  Veronica also has a crush on a neighbor (she doesn't know his name or what he does).  And surprise!  Yes, predictable, but so much fun.  

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Review: Lovelight Farms

Lovelight Farms by B.K. Borison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Stella owns her dream Christmas tree farm, creating memories for other people to cherish. Raised by her mother, they moved frequently for her mom to find jobs. She had a hard time making friends because of all the moves. Her father abandoned her mother when she told him she was pregnant. She does have friends now; Beckett and Layla on her farm, and Luka. She met Luka shortly after her mother died and they have been best friends since. She is also in love with Luka. Further complicating things, the farm has had several problems (trees dying in one of the pastures, missing shipments, etc) and this has put a financial strain on the farm. She enters a contest with a social media influencer to (hopefully) win some money. Only issue, she needs a boyfriend, stat.
While I liked Stella and could understand her fear of being left/abandoned, she was also a bit naive and stupid at times. Just TALK to Luka dammit! The incidences around the farm are related (duh) and are solved. Luka was wonderful. They melded easily together and as a couple I could see them together for the rest of their lives. I also enjoyed her friends Beckett and Layla and I see they get their stories in the next two books.

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Review: Why Fascists Fear Teachers: Public Education and the Future of Democracy

Why Fascists Fear Teachers: Public Education and the Future of Democracy by Randi Weingarten
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Good explainer why MAGA (and MAHA) are so against public education. Teaching critical thinking? (That's bad! Indoctrination!) Supporting children and meeting them where they are at? (Indoctrination!) I think she rephrased book bans in a good way: Banning books take choices away from parents (since the right is all about "choices" and "parental rights").
Thinking for yourselves and questioning narratives are all good.

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Review: Attempting Normal

Attempting Normal by Marc Maron
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Not that familiar with his comedy, but I wanted something funny and distracting with all the bullshit going on right now. This was more serious than I thought it would be. There are numerous stories and just about all are some level of unexpected, unconventional, wacky. Not what I was expecting.

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Review: Finding Her Edge

Finding Her Edge by Jennifer Iacopelli
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I love watching figure skating (I don't skate myself; at all). I'm interested in the Netflix show and didn't know it was based on a book. So, I got the book first (and then will watch the show).
This is typical YA fare; a girl and 2 boys love triangle. What made this different was the setting. All are figure skaters (specifically ice dancers). What made this nice was the age appropriate focus on Junior Worlds and not the Olympics. I didn't particularly get on board with what was supposed to be the main couple; and this is definitely the first (that I can remember) where the fake dating didn't lead to more.

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Review: Not My Type: One Woman vs. a President

Not My Type: One Woman vs. a President by E. Jean Carroll
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I listened to this one. Narrated by E Jean herself.
I think I will never get over the intrusive questions that are asked as if the accuser is on trial; better be "perfect" and not have a past! I thought she had a good sense of humor and dry wit. She does go into a lot of detail that I think would have been harder to read, so if you can, get the audio.

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Review: People We Meet on Vacation

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I want to see the Netflix movie, but wanted to read the book first.  On the fence about the movie now (maybe it will be better?).  We shall see. 

Who doesn't like a friends to lovers story?  It's one of my favorite tropes.  This particular book?  I had a hard time getting into it.  The time jumps from previous vacations to the current one were annoying.  Just get to the fucking point already.  It took too long to get to What Happened that drove them apart.  I just thought for people who are best friends for over a decade would have had better communication skills.  Their skills sucked.  Just annoyed (but it did (briefly) take me out of the shit that is currently happening in the US rights now, so there is that).

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Review: Gunpowder Alchemy

Gunpowder Alchemy by Jeannie Lin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Takes place in 1850, China during the First Opium War, Qing Dynasty, and is steampunk themed.
Soling is responsible for her opium addicted mother and younger brother after her father was assassinated 8 years ago. Her father "allowed" the British steamship to overpower the Chinese fleet and invade the country. When she goes to sell her father's last belonging, a box, she is strongly compelled to find out what clues and secrets he may have left behind.
This leads her to Chang-Wei Chen, an engineer her father mentored and who was her intended (she was 10 at the time). Add in a power hungry foreign nation, a corrupt leader, and rebels who want change, and you have a potentially explosive situation. Luckily, the romance is (very) slow burn.
I liked this, but it was slow in parts.

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Review: Teacher of the Year

Teacher of the Year by M.A. Wardell
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Marvin is a kindergarten teacher and is fantastic at what he does. In fact he was nominated for "Teacher of the Year" for his school district. He meets Olan, a newly divorced single father, when his daughter Ilona joins the school as a student. Olan is an attractive man and is also drawn to Marvin.
They do start a relationship, but keep on on the down-low because Ilona is a student. They gradually fall in love. However, things do get a rocky on Marvin's part. He has unresolved issues from his childhood with his alcoholic mother (who is now sober). Olan has a history of alcohol abuse which triggers Marvin. It felt like he was still pissed at his mother and he overreacted to Olan's disclosure of his history.

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Review: The Nightmare Before Kissmas

The Nightmare Before Kissmas by Sara Raasch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Interesting how the various holidays have their royalty (Kings, Queens, etc).  They are all in competition for the world's joy; well, some of them.  Nicholas (the eldest Claus), also known as Coal (it's a joke), is the not-so serious heir.  He gets into shenanigans; even when he doesn't mean too.  His mission is to make his brother (Kris) laugh.  They've struggled a bit since their mom left.  She didn't like being married to Santa.   

And now father dearest is up to something.  Coal must now marry the Princess of Easter, Iris.  She is also his best friend and Kris is (not so) secretly in love with her.  That union is challenged by Halloween.  Met Hex, Prince of Halloween and Coal's crush (they had a kiss a few years prior; Hex knew who Cola was, but Coal had no idea).  

I liked the idea of Holidays having their own royalty and the idea of joy (from the holiday celebrants) feeding them.   Nice plot with "Santa" being up to his own shenanigans.  I thought Coal started out very immature. Once he realized something was amiss, I liked his character better.  He got more mature and confident.  I liked the banter between Coal, Kris, and Isis.  I liked Hex and was super curious about him.  A chapter or 2 from his point of view would have been nice.  

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