Forever Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid

Book #16 in 2023
3.0 out of 5 (photo from Goodreads)

This was just okay for me. It’s Reid’s first book so it was interesting reading it after reading most of her other books first. It read like a Colleen Hoover book for me with insta-love and somewhat fake or conveniently introduced drama. I didn’t feel a great connection with the characters even though they were going through some heavy things.

Elsie and Ben are married less than six month after they meet. Just over a week after their wedding Ben is killed. The novel is about how Elsie and Susan, her mother-in-law cope with the loss. Elsie knew about Susan but Susan was not aware that he son was dating let alone got married. This causes some tension.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Book #15 in 2023
5.0 out of 5 (photo from Goodreads)

I loved this book. Even though the plot was somewhat predictable and there are no big wowing moments, the story and characters drew me in. It was just a nice overall story. I liked the book so much I read it within 24 hours.

Tova is a 70 year old woman who cleans in an aquarium. The job keeps her busy and she likes saying hi to all of the animals. She’s drawn to Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus. Her husband died a couple of years ago and her son suddenly disappeared when he was 18 years old.

Marcellus is smart. He’s observant. And while he doesn’t like to try and communicate with humans, he is also drawn to Tova. He tries to help her answer questions from her past while also getting her to look forward to her future.

Although the Marcellus chapters were short, I loved them. He reminded me of the octopus from Resident Alien.

Tova continues to deal with life without her husband. And she’s still questioning the disappearance of her son decades ago. There are minor characters who are part of her life as well – and I liked them too.

This is a really sweet story with likable characters. This is a debut novel for the author. I hope she writes more.

Stop here if you want to avoid spoilers!!!!

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The Marriage Act by John Marrs

Book #14 in 2023
3.0 out of 5 (photo from Goodreads)

For me, this book was ok but also a bit of a flop. I didn’t feel like I got into any of the characters. With chapters switching between points of view and so many characters it was a distraction. By the time I remembered the switched character’s storyline and was getting into it again, the chapter was over.

Still, I liked the concept of this book. Although I liked The One and The Passengers better – they’re similar but standalone books.

What would it be like to have the government be a player in your marriage? Would it be worth perks? How easy would it be to instead of helping couples with a successful marriage use them as puppets to keep who you felt would be good together intact but destroy couples deemed unworthy of staying together?

There are some creepy and odd characters you wonder about and aren’t meant to like. There are some that are more relatable. But I didn’t get into really liking (or disliking) any of them.

I Will Find You by Harlan Coben

Book #13 in 2023
4.5 out of 5 (photo from Goodreads)

I really enjoyed this book. It was faced paced and the plot kept me interested. I liked some of the characters. It wasn’t anything mind blowing or earth shattering but still entertaining.

David Burroughs has spent five years in jail for murdering his son. However, a boy that looks like his son is seen in a photograph. David is determined to find out if the boy is really his son but in order to do that he feels he must escape the prison where he is being held.

The pacing of this book was really quick for me. I didn’t feel like there were really any down moments. There are some things where you wonder if situations could really happen as described in the book but I could put that aside.

Once David escapes from prison he follows what leads he has and comes up with to try and track down what happened to his son. He’s racing against being caught and sent back to prison. This is his only chance to try and discover the truth.

Stop here if you want to avoid spoilers!

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The Family Remains by Lisa Jewell

Book #12 in 2023
2.5 out of 5 (photo from Goodreads)

This is a follow up book to the author’s The Family Upstairs. It continues the plot with the same weird, creepy, and even disturbed characters. It’s hard to write much without spoiling the first book.

I felt like this book rehashed a bunch of things from the first book. The plot didn’t really move the story or characters forward much. I felt like the author was trying to have some build up but felt let down with the ending.

There are multiple storylines which for me made the book feel more choppy rather than have interest in what is going on with each one.

Stop here if you want to avoid spoilers!

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The Book Spy by Alan Hlad

Book #11 in 2023
4.0 out of 5 (photo from Goodreads)

I enjoyed this book and didn’t realize at first when I picked it up that I’ve read The Long Flight Home by this author and loved that one. I didn’t think this one was as good but it was close. The story and characters kept me engaged but there wasn’t action or suspense to really motivate me to read until the last quarter of the book.

Maria is a librarian in New York who is an expert in microfilm. She joins a group sent to Lisbon to put publications on microfilm where the Allied forces will look for intelligence. Out of harm’s way for the most part in the beginning, however, an opportunity comes up where she can put herself in a position to bring intelligence from the enemy if she becomes a spy.

Along the way she meets Tiago who owns a bookstore where she gets many of the publications she puts on microfilm. The two grow close but because of each of their efforts to help the war they remain apart.

I liked reading about some not-so-well-known aspects of WWII.

Stop reading if you want to avoid spoilers!

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Write My Name Across the Sky by Barbara O’Neal

Book #10 in 2023
2.5 out of 5 (photo from Goodreads)

I had somewhat high hopes for this book after reading When We Believed in Mermaids a few years ago, which I liked. But this one didn’t catch my attention as much and I didn’t get drawn in by the characters or the story.

It started off ok with my wanting to learn more but then it sort of dragged and while the characters were fleshed out decently, I didn’t get drawn in by them.

Gloria is an Instagram hit. In the past she raised her two nieces, Willow and Sam. The three of them each are going through challenges in life and the book reveals what they are, some things about their past, and how they weather their individual and collective storms. I think for me it was too chick litish for me.

Stop reading here if you want to avoid spoilers!

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The Lost Girls of Willowbrook

Book #9 in 2023
2.5 out of 5 (photo from Goodreads)

I felt a bit let down by this book as I LOVED The Life She Was Given which I read a few years ago.

While the descriptions of Willowbrook and what went on there are sad and even horrifying, I felt like the author kept describing the same things over and over again.

There was a bit of a mystery aspect thrown in that felt kind of meh to me. Reading this book did make me want to do some research about Willowbrook.

Stop reading if you want to avoid spoilers!

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Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier

Book #8 in 2023
4.0 out of 5 (photo from Goodreads)

I liked this book more for the plot vs the characters. I didn’t really *feel* for any of the characters but I wanted to know what was going to happen throughout the plot. Along the way little things are revealed here and there that kept me interested. There are some questionable moves by characters that I don’t know could have really happened but with some suspension of belief it’s still an enjoyable book.

Marin and Derek’s son went missing. Since then Marin’s life seems to be at a stand still even though she’s forced to try and keep moving on. She has hired a PI to look for her son and in doing research discovers that Derek is having an affair.

Marin’s life spirals even more after hearing this news.

Stop here if you want to avoid spoilers!

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Sold by Patricia McCormick

Book #7 in 2023
4.0 out of 5 (photo from Goodreads)

This book covers a heavy topic. But the words on the pages don’t necessarily feel dark and sad all of the time. Maybe because of the verse style of writing and short chapters. Maybe it’s because it’s told from the point of a view of a 13 year old.

Lakshmi is 13 and finds herself being sold by her stepfather into prostitution. She tells of the horrors she endures and sees while she’s forced to live in a brothel.

This is a young adult book but the content could be too much for younger students or those who could be more sensitive to the topic. Still it’s a good read and I think one that could provide discussion with teens as well as adults.