Tag Archive for: Stand-Alone

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The Spectacular

The SpectacularTitle: The Spectacular
Author: Fiona Davis
Genre: Historical Fiction, Thriller
Format: Audio
Pages: 368
Length: 12h 20m
Narrator: Kimberly Farr, Rachel L. Jacobs
Source: Owned
Reason: Book Club
Rating:
Romance Rating: 0.5 Flames

My Thoughts

I really love the historical aspects of Fiona Davis’ novels. In The Spectacular, I loved the setting of the mid 1950s and early 1990s, and I loved learning the history of the Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall. I had no idea about the Mad Bomber (or Big Apple Bomber in the novel) and I had no idea it was the case that put criminal profiling on the map. That was all fascinating. I thought the mystery aspect of the book was a bit far-fetched, but it kept me interested and reading. The romance disappointed me as it was a little lacking.

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

The Storied Life of A.J. FikryTitle: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Genre: Contemporary
Format: Audio
Pages: 260
Length: 7h 3m
Narrator: Scott Brick
Source: Library
Reason: Just Because
Rating:
Romance Rating: 1.5 Flames

My Thoughts

What a beautifully written bittersweet story about love, loss, grief, healing, and second chances. At first, I didn’t really like A.J. Fikry. He was too curmudgeonly for my taste, but he grew on me. I loved his relationship with Maya and Amy, his friends, and his patrons. I loved his enthusiasm for books and reading, even if his tastes were a little hoity-toity. I loved reading his character growth.

P.S. I Hate You

P.S. I Hate YouTitle: P.S. I Hate You
Author: Lauren Connolly
Genre: Romance
Format: Audio
Pages: 428
Length: 11h 22m
Narrator: Karissa Vacker
Source: Owned
Reason: BotM Backlist
Rating:
Romance Rating: 3 Flames

My Thoughts

I loved P.S. I Hate You so much! It was such a sweet story about love, loss, betrayal, grief, forgiveness, and second chances. I felt for Maddie and the loss of her brother trying to navigate the world alone. I also felt for Dom, the loss of his best friend, his divorce, and everything imploding around him. I cried more than once and stayed for the slow-burn spicy romance. Maddie and Dom’s chemistry, snarky banter, and sexual tension were off the charts, making this a delight to read. I didn’t even mind the time skipping due to the nature of the story.

Project Hail Mary

Project Hail MaryTitle: Project Hail Mary
Author: Andy Weir
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Audio
Pages: 476
Length: 16h 10m
Narrator: Ray Porter
Source: Owned
Reason: Book Club
Rating:
Romance Rating: 0.5 Flames

My Thoughts

I love, love, loved Project Hail Mary! The story was fascinating, suspenseful, thought-provoking, and gave me all the feels. It’s also so very readable. I was completely hooked as soon as I started reading and I’ll be thinking about this one for a very long time. I loved both Grace and Rocky so much, especially Rocky. I loved their relationship, how they learned to communicate with each other, and how deep their friendship became. The audiobook was definitely the way to read this because of how Rocky communicates. It just made it so much more fun to listen to. I’m so glad I decided to read this before the movie comes out next year.

The Sirens of Titan

The Sirens of TitanTitle: The Sirens of Titan
Author: Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Genre: Science Fiction
Format: Audio
Pages: 224
Length: 9h 20m
Narrator: Jay Snyder
Source: Owned
Reason: Book Club
Rating:
Romance Rating: 0.5 Flames

My Thoughts

The Sirens of Titan is so different from most books I’ve read. It was mildly entertaining with interesting views on free will, fatalism, and manipulation. I liked that the story made me think and challenge my own views and beliefs of the universe, God, and people. However, I’m not really a huge fan of satire and that aspect hindered my enjoyment of the story. I’m glad I read this book at least once, but I’ll never read it again and I’m glad it’s over.