It pains me to write this book review of The Friends We Keep. Many of you know that I’m a huge Jane Green fan; I’ve read all of her books, and I’ve recommended quite a few of them on the Tart. Whenever I hear she has a new book coming out, I immediately get on the waiting list for it at my local library. (And, there’s always a waiting list for her new books.) However…after reading The Friends We Keep, I have to finally acknowledge that...
I've never been happier to be an only child than after reading I Owe You One. The latest novel from Sophia Kinsella is a romantic comedy, like most of her novels, but it’s also about a young woman finding her own voice and learning to stand up for herself against bullies -- most of whom are her own family members. There’s a charming little IOU game that runs back and forth between main character Fixie and love interest Seb, and this...
Well, I’ve done it. I’ve finally read the Goodreads Readers’ Choice Best Fantasy book of 2018: Circe, by Madeline Miller. And, it only took me until halfway through 2019 to post my book review of it. I usually don’t read fantasy, which is a bit ironic considering that the novel I’ve written is a blend of historical fiction and fantasy. But, I love stories based on religion and mythology, particularly ones that create backstories for...
Love's a funny thing. I’m a big fan of weird and difficult love stories. This is because real love is never easy, and I like to see that fact realistically portrayed. And, sure, while romantic love can be mind-boggling at times, I happen to think that familial love takes the cake. It's perhaps the most twisted, complicated form of love there is. On that thought-provoking note, let's move into my book review of The Mother-in-Law. I decided to...
I delved into Desperate Girls expecting a good thriller, and instead I ended up reading a romance novel tinged with a little bit of suspense. I can’t remember why I decided to add Desperate Girls by Laura Griffin to my TBR list. I think I saw a targeted ad for it somewhere, but I can’t be sure. Whatever the prompt -- add it, I did, because the Goodreads book description made it sound like this book would be a sharp, intense thriller that...
The Unhoneymooners is your next perfect beach read. I originally toyed with giving it a brief mention in my recent Quick Look Books post on Vacation Destination reads. However, in the end, I had to write a full review -- and, of course, give the book its own book-inspired recipe! This newest novel from writing duo Christina Lauren is your quintessential rom-com: two characters who loath one another somehow find themselves on a vacation in...
Well, we made it to summer, everyone! If you’re like me, you're dreaming about what vacations you want to take. Warm weather always makes me think about jet-setting somewhere exotic -- or, really, to anywhere that’s different from what I see 24/7 in my daily routine. The past few years have yielded a lot more daycations than vacations for me, though, so I’ve been getting my vicarious vacation fix through books. Which brings me to this...
Mom, don’t read this post. I’m serious. Stop reading. I know you’re a loyal Tartlet, but it’s okay for you to skip this particular book review. In fact, for the love of God, please skip this one. Are you gone? Last chance…. …… Okay! For everyone else who is NOT my mom: *blasts Salt n’ Peppa music and dances around the room* Let’s talk about sex, baby. The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang is a fantastic book. I’m giving this...
Well. I'm never visiting a health resort. EVER. I'm just going to start this review by saying that Nine Perfect Strangers did not go at all where I thought it would. A lot of people said they had a hard time getting through this entire book, and I didn't quite understand what they meant until about halfway through -- which is about halfway through the titular "nine perfect strangers'" experience at a luxury spa and health resort called...
As so often happens, I started reading The Endless Beach on a grey, rainy, Saturday morning, snuggled up in bed between a husband and a cat. I had only gotten a little into the book when I had to wrench myself away in order to find some breakfast. Seriously, the only thing that could have made me stop reading this book at that moment was hunger. I was only about 15 pages in, and I was already lost in another world from which I didn’t want to...
