Review: The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird

The Night She Went Missing by Kristen Bird
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Published: February 2022

Emily Callahan and her family have just moved from their small town in Oregon to the island of Galveston where the majority of businesses has her family name on it, including the school she now attends. When Emily goes missing a few months after the move, all eyes are on Alex, the boy who instantly befriended Emily even though he has a sullied reputation. But this town holds many secrets and until they are all revealed, we may never know what really happened to Emily.

Thank you to MIRA and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The book is told from four different perspectives.
1. Emily the missing girl. The book starts with her being found and we learn about what her life was like leading up to her disappearance.
2. Catherine, Emily's mom, who talks about why they left their home during her daughter's senior year of high school.
3. Morgan, Alex's mom, who is just trying to find the best way to defend and protect her son and herself.
4. Leslie, Princess of the town and right hand woman to Rosalyn Callahan who will protect her children at any cost.

I gave this book a 3.5 rating because getting to the meat of the story took a while. It started strong, but I kept waiting to get back to that part. Based on the title, I was thinking the book would be just about one night. Not scattered over a few months.

Overall, I did enjoy the story and will read more by this author.

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Review: The Last Little Secret by Zuri Day

The Last Little Secret by Zuri Day
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Published: May 2021

When Samantha returns home after being in Africa, she needs to find a job. She doesn't want to accept the position from Nick given their past. But this job is too great to pass up and she needs it to support her family. And that's the one thing she doesn't want Nick to find out about. So Sam has a choice to make, does she take the incredible job with Nick and let the cat out of the bag, or does she find something else and keep her secret forever?

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Sam is in quite the pickle when she returns from Africa and starts working for the man she had a one night stand with a little over a year ago. If she had her way, they would still be together. Nick is a businessman whose only focus is getting these vacation homes up and running for people to rent out. He has always admired Sam's work and is grateful to have her around. But will he still think that about her when he finds out her secret?

This book was alright. It was pretty predictable, with a couple of surprises along the way.



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Review: Josh and Gemma Make a Baby by Sarah Ready

Josh and Gemma Make a Baby by Sarah Ready
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
Published: January 2022

Gemma's life is just about perfect. She has a great job she loves, she has a supportive, meddling family, and she has just started to date a nice guy. But there is one thing she wants, that she may never be able to have, a baby. For medical reasons, she is unable to conceive and is finally ready to find out if motherhood is a possibility or not. Se doesn't want a random sperm donor, so she decides on her brother's best friend Josh Lewenthal. She doesn't want or need a relationship with him, she just wants his sperm.

Thanks to Swift & Lewis and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen and review this book.

This was a good Rom-Com. I could totally see this as a movie. Taking place in NYC and the suburbs, this book has everything you could want. The overly supportive mother, the long standing crush on the brother's best friend., the "perfect" older sister, friends in the same boat, an asshole boss, and the nosy coworker.

Overall this was a good book. This is the first I've read by this author, but I think I will read another. This one made me laugh and cry a bit as well. If you're a rom-com fan, you will definitely enjoy this book.

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Review: Ethic by Ashley Antoinette

Ethic by Ashley Antoinette
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Published: March 2018

Ethic is a heartbroken man. He called in the hit that took the life of his love. Now he is raising his own children along with his love's sister, Morgan. Morgan wants to live the same life her sister did. Ethic is trying to move on from that life and keep Morgan far away from it. But it's in her blood and she just can't stay away. Being he is not her father, it's hard to keep her reigned in. Will he be able to keep both her and his own children safe and stay out of the life that has hurt him so badly?

I really enjoyed Moth to a Flame and I couldn't wait to read more of Ethic's story. This book will grab at your heartstrings and play a sad song.

I have only read a few of Ashley Antoinette's books, but I have enjoyed them. They grab your attention right from the beginning and won't let you go until the very end. Whether you listen to the book or read it, you are sure to be swept up in the story.

After reading this I immediately went to Ethic 2. I might finish the entire series before long.

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Review: Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Published: June 2021

The Riva family has long been known throughout Los Angeles and the world. It started with Mick Riva, the estranged father of the clan. The next generation finds Nina, Hud, Jay, and Kit. Four kids are mostly forced to raise themselves until they are old enough to be on their own. Nina the oldest, makes sure everyone is taken care of even if it means she has to go without. Hud is hiding a big secret from his brother, Jay, who has a secret of his own. Kit is trying to prove to everyone that she's better than the rest of her siblings on the surfboard if they would only give her the chance.
On the night of their annual party, their whole lives are unended. Will this be a positive or a negative change and how will it affect the rest of their lives.

This is the first book I've read by Taylor Jenkins Reid and if I had to base reading the rest of her books on this one, I would not read anymore. But, I've been told by quite a few people that this is the worse of the bunch.

What I liked about this book was the family drama part. It was a lot of back and forth between the past and the "present" which was the 80s. I liked getting to know each character on a personal level and deciding who I liked and didn't. I could really relate to Nina because I am the person in my family who is always taking care of others before myself.

I've heard The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is the next book of hers I should give a try.
What do you recommend?

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Review: Her Name Is Knight by Yasmin Angoe

Her Name Is Knight by Yasmin Angoe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Published: November 2021

Nena Knight is an assassin. She kills for the greater good of the African People and Black People all around. Her past is one that is quite unbelievable and when her past makes contact with her present, she has to make decisions to protect those she loves.

Nena was born Aninyeh in the African village of N'nkakuwean. One day men came and took away everything from her, and her life was forever changed. When she has been rescued from the torture she endured as a child, she learned that these men were dead and she felt as though she could breathe a little easier. When on a dispatch, she finds that this might not be true. Determined to find the people who destroyed her life, and destroy theirs, may be a dispatch she's just not ready for.

This book was full of twists and turns. I really enjoyed it. It did start a little slow, but like any action story, that's the way it goes sometimes. When the ball drops, it drops hard. This book will have you in tears, angry, and rooting for Nena in more ways than one.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys a book with action and a strong female lead.

**trigger warnings for murder, sexual abuse, rape, kidnapping**

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Review: An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole

An Extraordinary Union by Alyssa Cole
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Published: March 2017

Elle is a free black woman. She is currently posing as a slave in order to gather intel for the Union Army. In her work, she meets Malcolm McCall, another detective working for the Union. And he quite her opposite. Together they find valuable information to pass along. Not only do they have to hide the fact that they are spies, but there is also a romance growing between them.

I listened to this one on audio, but I don't know if I would have liked it better if I read it myself. I'm not exactly sure what I was looking for from this book, and I'm not sure if I found it. I know this is a work of fiction, but I don't know about any free person who would risk their freedom in order to go back into slavery.

There were parts of this book that were interesting, but I don't think I will continue with this series.

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