book review – marginalia and such

Disclaimer: The cake rating is my totally subjective, entirely arbitrary rating system. If I finished it, you can assume I enjoyed it regardless of the rating. 5 🍰‘s generally mean that I absolutely loved it and will/have purchased a copy for my personal collection.

Read

Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey 🍰🍰🍰

See Rebel Yule for my sudden desire for holiday reads. A sweet, Christmas-themed workplace romance with a grumpy sunshine pairing. If you like a second-chance-at-life-after-serving-time arc (her), this one might be for you.

The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again, Vol. 5 by Hitsuzi Yamada 🍰🍰🍰

This series continues to be adorable. I’m taking my time reading the volumes I’ve collected (and have the last two releases on my wish list). If you’re looking for a cozy read about an anthropomorphic cat who takes care of his human, look no further.

Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum 🍰🍰🍰🍰

A cozy read set in a Korean bookshop. This book has been on all the lists and for good reason. As I usually find with Korean (and Japanese) lit, lessons on life and philosophy are woven within the cozy vibes. Highly recommend if you want a quiet, meditative read.

The Wedding Witch by Erin Sterling 🍰🍰🍰

An unexpected Christmas book from a series I associate with Halloween shenanigans. The Ex Hex is one of my feel good faves and this was a sweet winter addition to the series.

Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score 🍰🍰🍰🍰

Picked this one up on a whim after seeing it at the library. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I was sucked in from the start. One thing I’ve learned over the last year: I’m definitely a small town romance girl. If you like a found family, second chance at romance, somewhat enemies to lovers, with a side plot of intrigue, TWNGO might be for you. It’s on the long-side of contemporary, which might be a plus if you ever found yourself wishing your romance was longer.

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton 🍰🍰🍰

I started this series with book 2, which may have ruined the experience of book 1. It was fun, but the charm of book 2 stole the show for me. Flying houses, secret witch societies, pirates… dastardly deeds. It’s a silly romp.

Audiobooks

Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present by Ruth Ben-Ghiat 🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰

This book has been recommended on all the anti-fascist reading lists and for good reason. It’s an incredible piece of historical analysis and a reflection current affairs. Not a light read but an excellent work if you want to understand the strongman playbook that we’re seeing in action.

Trigger warning for all kinds of abuses. If you can think of it, the people referenced in this book probably did it. You will need to read/listen to something lighthearted after this one.

Rebel Yule by Kate Meader 🍰🍰🍰

I’m not usually a holiday book girlie, but the times called for some holiday cheer this year. This was my second Kate Meader books this year and it was a nice little treat. The narrator did a Norwegian accent for the MMC that was pretty endearing. A sweet little story that was just what I needed this year.

The Dragon’s Bride by Katee Robert 🍰🍰🍰

So… I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m not a monster romance person, but I was intrigued by the demon that strikes the series of bargains that serve as the catalyst for this series. I’m adding that one to by TBR (it’s The Demon’s Queen, in case you’re wondering).

DNF

Sex and the Psychic Witch by Annette Blair

It was a little too of its time… maybe I’ll try it again at a later date. Just wasn’t hitting for me.

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Currently reading

Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels by India Holton

Sex and the Psychic Witch by Annette Blair (on hold, maybe to DNF)

Read

Part of your World by Abby Jimenez 🍰🍰🍰

The one with the baby goat lol. I love how every Abby Jimenez book seems to have a mascot or two. Somehow I fell into a weird pattern of picking books with heavy themes… this one deals with a character who is coming out of a messy divorce stemming from emotional abuse, gaslighting, and narcissism (oh, my!). The story was lighthearted enough to keep it from tipping too deep into emotional trauma, but check your triggers. A rich city girl meets hot and sweet country boy, age gap romance featuring animal sidekicks and living your truth.

The Other Side of Disappearing by Kate Claybourn 🍰🍰🍰🍰

Kate Claybourn excels at deep character development IMO. When a true crime podcast host comes knocking at Jess Greene’s door, family secrets are unearthed and long-buried emotions brought to the fore when a research trip forces Jess and her sister face their mother’s abandonment. If you like your romance heavy on plot and character psychology, this might be the book for you.

How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams 🍰🍰

This was a difficult read. I loved William’s The Fastest Way to Fall, which dealt with some of the challenges of living in a larger body, self-esteem, etc. The themes in How to Fail at Flirting are important but HEAVY topics. I wasn’t prepared for discussion of intimate partner violence and attempted r@pe on page, so if that’s a trigger for you, consider this fair warning. The romance was lovely, but I had to take a several breaks to read a lighter book before I could finish this one.

Wild Love by Elsie Silver 🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰

I wanted to read something a little lighter on the inner turmoil after the last two lol… That’s not to say that it doesn’t deal with difficult topics – sexual harassment is a major plot point in the FMC’s storyline, but it wasn’t as hard to read as the events in How to Fail at Flirting.

This was my first Elsie Silver and won’t be my last. I don’t usually do billionaires, but Ford is the sort of billionaire sweetheart I would love to meet IRL. This is a childhood rivals to lovers tale and I LOVE rivals to lovers in all its iterations. With a cozy, small town Canadian setting, a surprisingly sweet long lost child sub plot (not a kid person, but it worked for me), and a bunch of side characters that are clearly destined for their own books, this is a series that I’ll be instabuying. (Book 2 is on my TBR already)

Whiteout by Adriana Anders 🍰🍰

I’d heard good things about this romantic suspense thriller set in the arctic… the first 2/3rds kept me going, but that last bit lost me. I skimmed to the end. Romantic suspense isn’t my usual genre, so that’s on me.

DNF

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Could not finish. Between the constant references to her breasts, her waist size, and her rotating shades of pink nail polish, I decided this series should stay in 2006.

Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Coincidentally, another book that should stay in 2007. SEP is definitely a problematic author, no two-ways about it; however, I’ve managed to look past the glaring sexism in most of the other books I’ve read by her, attributing them to their time. This one couldn’t hold my interest long enough to look past the issues.

Audiobooks

The Love of My Afterlife by Kirsty Greenwood 🍰🍰🍰🍰🍰

It’s not every romance that makes me question my life, consider updating my afterlife plan, leaves me feeling like I just read (or listened to, in this case) the most inspirational of self-helps book.

This book opens with a death (the title kind of gives it away), so this may not be the best read if you’re dealing with loss, but it IS a happy, funny, upbeat read.

When Delphie dies, she gets a rare second chance to change her life for the better… shenanigans and unexpected romance ensue.

Happily Never After by Lynn Painter 🍰🍰🍰

When a professional wedding objector successfully breaks up Sophie Steinbeck’s wedding, she finds a new side gig and a new love interest. This was a fun story. Sometimes Painter’s characters feel more suited to YA, but it is an adult romance.

Accidentally Amy by Lynn Painter 🍰🍰🍰

This one was recently re-released. This review is based on the original version. Classic rom-com tropes, lots of mishaps and misunderstandings that lead to a forbidden office romance. Same comment re: characters as above.

📖I track my reading on LibraryThing and Storygraph.