Take a photo of a barcode or cover
me_alley's reviews
1110 reviews
A First Time for Everything by K.L. Walther
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
I genuinely love a closed-door romance that isn't full of purity culture. It is such a special unicorn in my life.
This book follows a full year of 17/18 year old Mads' life. This starts out when her brother Austin gets engaged to his girlfriend Katie in Paris. Mads feels a bit left out because she assumed she would know Austin was going to propose prior to hearing about it. She likes Katie but doesn't quite love her yet. Then Katie asks her to be a bridesmaid, and she becomes fully part of the bridesmaid culture and group chat. The girls find out that Mads has never had a real boyfriend and they encourage her love life. Throughout the seasons she goes to prom, commits to a college, and dates several different boys as she seeks to find her "favorite person."
There are a couple of different love interests, but for the most part this is essentially a love triangle. I like to keep my reviews spoiler-free, but I will say I was disappointed in which one she ended up with. The really great story, though, is Austin and Katie, their ups and downs, and how Mads learns to love Katie and accept her as a part of her family. That is a story not often told, and that is really well done. Mads is well written, appropriate level of maturity for her age and intelligence. She is both interesting and likable.
If you like YA romance, absolutely recommend this one. Its is fun and heartwarming.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC. Book to be published June 3, 2025.
This book follows a full year of 17/18 year old Mads' life. This starts out when her brother Austin gets engaged to his girlfriend Katie in Paris. Mads feels a bit left out because she assumed she would know Austin was going to propose prior to hearing about it. She likes Katie but doesn't quite love her yet. Then Katie asks her to be a bridesmaid, and she becomes fully part of the bridesmaid culture and group chat. The girls find out that Mads has never had a real boyfriend and they encourage her love life. Throughout the seasons she goes to prom, commits to a college, and dates several different boys as she seeks to find her "favorite person."
There are a couple of different love interests, but for the most part this is essentially a love triangle. I like to keep my reviews spoiler-free, but I will say I was disappointed in which one she ended up with. The really great story, though, is Austin and Katie, their ups and downs, and how Mads learns to love Katie and accept her as a part of her family. That is a story not often told, and that is really well done. Mads is well written, appropriate level of maturity for her age and intelligence. She is both interesting and likable.
If you like YA romance, absolutely recommend this one. Its is fun and heartwarming.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire for the ARC. Book to be published June 3, 2025.
Don't Open Your Eyes: A Novel by Liv Constantine
tense
3.0
A psychological thriller about a woman who can dream the future. This ends up being less creepy and more of a plot device allowing us to understand the accountability at the end. I remember reading The Last and Next Mrs Parrish and liking them, they were some of the first books I read in the psychological suspense/thriller genre. While this book was just as suspenseful and with a clever plot, I found the writing style to be overly simplistic and the characters not well developed. In all, this was a good story written simply. Some will be disappointed in the conclusion, but it wrapped up the story very well with not many loose ends. I liked how the main character, Annabelle, was written. Her inner dialogue seems transparent and vulnerable while being compelling. I liked her husband, James, and part of the conclusion regarding his character didn't ring true. Her daughter's character grew on me, I found her to be immature, way below her age level, but over time she became a stronger person.
I am not sure the title fits the story, which I will say is compulsively readable and easy to follow. If you are in the mood for a suspense book with a strong female lead but escapist and not needing a lot of mental gymnastics, this could be a great next read for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam/Random House for the ARC. Book to be published June 17, 2025.
I am not sure the title fits the story, which I will say is compulsively readable and easy to follow. If you are in the mood for a suspense book with a strong female lead but escapist and not needing a lot of mental gymnastics, this could be a great next read for you.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam/Random House for the ARC. Book to be published June 17, 2025.
Aftertaste by Daria Lavelle
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Aftertaste is a brilliant, heartwarming concept. A man can taste, in his mouth, the best meals a ghost ate while alive. It allows them to share a meal that he prepared with a loved one. He lost his dear father and discovered his superpower after tasting a meal his father had as a boy in Kyiv Ukraine. It takes you down the path of several departed people and their unfinished business.
Read if you like
-stories about Ukrainian immigrants
-culinary business, running a restaurant and chef language, like The Bear
-[b:Before the Coffee Gets Cold|44421460|Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Before the Coffee Gets Cold, #1)|Toshikazu Kawaguchi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1704153539l/44421460._SY75_.jpg|62602162]
The writing style seemed pretty "stream of consciousness" and the character development was almost poetry-like. I did find much of it a bit hard to follow, I don't know much about chef lingo although I liked the main character and how he chose to use his gift. My favorite was about a nun who had recently lost a fellow-nun and will give bonus points for reference to Ghostbusters "There is no Dana only Zuul."
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC. Book to be published May 20, 2025.
Read if you like
-stories about Ukrainian immigrants
-culinary business, running a restaurant and chef language, like The Bear
-[b:Before the Coffee Gets Cold|44421460|Before the Coffee Gets Cold (Before the Coffee Gets Cold, #1)|Toshikazu Kawaguchi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1704153539l/44421460._SY75_.jpg|62602162]
The writing style seemed pretty "stream of consciousness" and the character development was almost poetry-like. I did find much of it a bit hard to follow, I don't know much about chef lingo although I liked the main character and how he chose to use his gift. My favorite was about a nun who had recently lost a fellow-nun and will give bonus points for reference to Ghostbusters "There is no Dana only Zuul."
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC. Book to be published May 20, 2025.
The Bachelorette Party by Camilla Sten
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
This book has some real "horror movie" energy. Remember the geico commercial awhile back where there were kids running away from a murderer and they hid behind a wall of chainsaws instead of driving away? This book is like that. It reminds me of the Scream/I know what you did last summer time frame of cinema. The characters are beautiful, mostly female, some of them are basically interchangeable. The only reason why there are 4 women in the first set of murders and 5 in the second set is to heighten the body count and make it bloodier. It is a big riot and obviously, as they say, a "page-turner." I read it in one sitting.
Dual time frames- 2012 when a group of 4 friends goes on their annual girls trip to a remote island with no coverage. 2022 when a bachelorette party goes to the same island, which now has a mindfulness resort on it as the first guests. The most interesting character is our main character in 2022, Tessa. She recently was a true crime podcaster but had some sort of problem a "mistake" that ended her career, which we find out later in the story. She is single and bisexual, there is an interesting conversation with one of the bridesmaids who is demonstrating what biphobia sounds like, in her ignorance. Most of the tertiary characters are generally pretty one dimensional, as there isn't time to develop them.
Although this takes place in Sweden, and all of the first names and surnames are quite Swedish, it comes across as pretty American. I enjoyed the story and didn't guess the ending. If you read a lot and enjoy a good slasher film, you should pick this one up!
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC. Book to be published June 10, 2025. Just in time for wedding season.I’m
Dual time frames- 2012 when a group of 4 friends goes on their annual girls trip to a remote island with no coverage. 2022 when a bachelorette party goes to the same island, which now has a mindfulness resort on it as the first guests. The most interesting character is our main character in 2022, Tessa. She recently was a true crime podcaster but had some sort of problem a "mistake" that ended her career, which we find out later in the story. She is single and bisexual, there is an interesting conversation with one of the bridesmaids who is demonstrating what biphobia sounds like, in her ignorance. Most of the tertiary characters are generally pretty one dimensional, as there isn't time to develop them.
Although this takes place in Sweden, and all of the first names and surnames are quite Swedish, it comes across as pretty American. I enjoyed the story and didn't guess the ending. If you read a lot and enjoy a good slasher film, you should pick this one up!
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC. Book to be published June 10, 2025. Just in time for wedding season.I’m
Night Shift by Annie Crown
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.5
My 16 yo son bought me this for my birthday at target. It was so sweet of him, and I saw him looking at my bookshelves to make sure I didn’t have it already. I love that he picked it because of the cute cover and it looked like something I’d read.
So while I love my gift, the story itself was a miss for me. I liked the first chapter, but I found the main characters one dimensional and unbelievable. Also there was a lot of S M U T which is not to my taste, if that’s your thing, you do you.
It still seems insane that an NBA first round draft pick would fall head over heels for an introverted librarian. I will suspend disbelief. Then there was also a miscommunication trope. Yikes.
So while I love my gift, the story itself was a miss for me. I liked the first chapter, but I found the main characters one dimensional and unbelievable. Also there was a lot of S M U T which is not to my taste, if that’s your thing, you do you.
It still seems insane that an NBA first round draft pick would fall head over heels for an introverted librarian. I will suspend disbelief. Then there was also a miscommunication trope. Yikes.
The Launch Date by Annabelle Slator
2.75
A co-worker/enemies to lovers/rivals to lovers British romcom. Eric and Grace work for the same parent company and different divisions. They both manage dating apps- she manages the one that is looking for true love, he manages the one that is for basically hookups. They are both up for a promotion to Director of Marketing and the big boss says they need to test out new first date app with each other. There is no direct messaging on the app, favoring face to face connection. Grace has a long term boyfriend- William, who we don't like, but we aren't sure why until about halfway through.
I liked this story, I didn't love it, I think that the beginning where Grace hated Eric to be too believable, and I didn't quite come along to love him as she grows to do. I did find the concept to be creative and the descriptives and setting to be excellent. A solid effort from a debut author.
I liked this story, I didn't love it, I think that the beginning where Grace hated Eric to be too believable, and I didn't quite come along to love him as she grows to do. I did find the concept to be creative and the descriptives and setting to be excellent. A solid effort from a debut author.
The Big Fix by Holly James
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Romantic/Adventure or Suspenseful romance! There are many action adventure movies with a romantic undertone, but not a lot of books. The Big Fix is reminiscent of movies like The Lost City or Indiana Jones-- a "regular person" due to "chemistry reasons" finds herself in the middle of a crazy spy/fixer/crime novel. This book is great fun, I enjoyed the adventures of Penny and Anthony, as well as their banter.
Penny is a computer science professor on the tenure track, and while visiting her sister she goes to an estate sale of her sister's neighbor. Only to find his nephew wholly uninterested in the whole affair. The whole room notices a spark between Penny and Anthony, everyone except the two of them. When they find a dead body, the adventure begins. Portia is the wife of a tech billionaire, and she has gone missing. It turns out the dead body is her bodyguard. But where is Portia and how does she relate to Anthony? Before she knows it, Penny is in a different world. Anthony is intimately involved in Portia's disappearance, but is he one of the good guys?
She is a fish out of water, but there is a lot of humor when she tries to get her bearings. It is always fun, in a romantic book, when the reader is aware that the main characters are falling for each other before they do. It helps that this is NOT multiple POV, it is all Penny's perspective, so we find out who Anthony really is at the same time Penny does. This had great dialogue and great pacing. I am a fan of Holly James/Holly Michelle's other works, and I am happy to say I really enjoy this cross genre story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Press for the ARC. Book to be published March 25,2025.
Penny is a computer science professor on the tenure track, and while visiting her sister she goes to an estate sale of her sister's neighbor. Only to find his nephew wholly uninterested in the whole affair. The whole room notices a spark between Penny and Anthony, everyone except the two of them. When they find a dead body, the adventure begins. Portia is the wife of a tech billionaire, and she has gone missing. It turns out the dead body is her bodyguard. But where is Portia and how does she relate to Anthony? Before she knows it, Penny is in a different world. Anthony is intimately involved in Portia's disappearance, but is he one of the good guys?
She is a fish out of water, but there is a lot of humor when she tries to get her bearings. It is always fun, in a romantic book, when the reader is aware that the main characters are falling for each other before they do. It helps that this is NOT multiple POV, it is all Penny's perspective, so we find out who Anthony really is at the same time Penny does. This had great dialogue and great pacing. I am a fan of Holly James/Holly Michelle's other works, and I am happy to say I really enjoy this cross genre story.
Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Press for the ARC. Book to be published March 25,2025.
You Are Fatally Invited by Ande Pliego
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
My favorite mystery/thriller of February! If you are nostalgic for Agatha Christie, love Knives Out and watched and re-watched the Clue movie as a kid, pick up this fun locked-room mystery. This is absolutely my type of mystery.
The legendary author JR Alastor invites 6 different thriller authors to his secluded estate for a week-long "writer's retreat" hosted by event planner Mila. Mila communicates with JR on her apple watch while the authors are treated to tasks through puzzles and "tropes" such as the dinner party, cursed artifacts and survive the night. They are joined by Rodrigo and Olivia (seriously?) who are partners in life and in writing. Cassandra, who is rumored to have killed her 2nd husband. Fletcher, an egomaniacal old white guy. Ashton, a broody and guilt ridden young man attracted to Mila. Violet, a 21 year old with only one title to her name.
Soon there are deaths! Missing bodies! A storm keeping them trapped on the island! And everyone has secrets and guilt in their past that MUST be revealed! And where and WHO is JR Alastor??
This is great on audio, with eight different audiobook narrators to keep straight all of these characters. It is still dizzying and a bit hard to follow if you typically listen at 2.0 speed or higher. I did skip back and re-listen to certain chapters to hear what I missed.
If you ARE going to listen on audio, I will warn you that the CHAPTER TITLES are a spoiler so beware of the Table of Contents if you like to keep your mysteries spoiler-free. To be completely honest, for me it sort of helped to know where the book was going so I could focus on the characterization.
This is all plot and pacing and I loved it.
The legendary author JR Alastor invites 6 different thriller authors to his secluded estate for a week-long "writer's retreat" hosted by event planner Mila. Mila communicates with JR on her apple watch while the authors are treated to tasks through puzzles and "tropes" such as the dinner party, cursed artifacts and survive the night. They are joined by Rodrigo and Olivia (seriously?) who are partners in life and in writing. Cassandra, who is rumored to have killed her 2nd husband. Fletcher, an egomaniacal old white guy. Ashton, a broody and guilt ridden young man attracted to Mila. Violet, a 21 year old with only one title to her name.
Soon there are deaths! Missing bodies! A storm keeping them trapped on the island! And everyone has secrets and guilt in their past that MUST be revealed! And where and WHO is JR Alastor??
This is great on audio, with eight different audiobook narrators to keep straight all of these characters. It is still dizzying and a bit hard to follow if you typically listen at 2.0 speed or higher. I did skip back and re-listen to certain chapters to hear what I missed.
If you ARE going to listen on audio, I will warn you that the CHAPTER TITLES are a spoiler so beware of the Table of Contents if you like to keep your mysteries spoiler-free. To be completely honest, for me it sort of helped to know where the book was going so I could focus on the characterization.
This is all plot and pacing and I loved it.
If I Told You, I'd Have to Kiss You by Mae Marvel
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
What a fun premise- just like Mr. and Ms. Smith or The Incredibles, but this is a queer romance, Ms and Ms Smith. Yardley and KC are breaking up and moving out, although they both clearly still love each other. They both work for the same company as secret spies, but don't know it about each other. They work together and realize they don't know each other at all, although they very much love each other. Professionally known as Tabasco and The Unicorn, they are the best in their fields.
The biggest issue is that they are spies and really should have known each other's secret identity, it didn't make a lot of sense that they were both excellent and well regarded and didn't know they were living with a spy fluent in so many foreign languages. I wish there was a bit more build up of the romance, the spy parts were fun, not silly. I do like some of the "Mae Marvel" books but this was not my favorite, I found it to be a bit disjointed. But it was a good story and setting.
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's press for the ARC. Book to be published June 10, 2025.
The biggest issue is that they are spies and really should have known each other's secret identity, it didn't make a lot of sense that they were both excellent and well regarded and didn't know they were living with a spy fluent in so many foreign languages. I wish there was a bit more build up of the romance, the spy parts were fun, not silly. I do like some of the "Mae Marvel" books but this was not my favorite, I found it to be a bit disjointed. But it was a good story and setting.
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's press for the ARC. Book to be published June 10, 2025.