Slow Dance by Rainbow Rowell

 

Shiloh and Cary were best friends in High School. They had always imagined that they would be in one another's lives but life had other plans. Shiloh went off to college and Cary joined the navy. At first they kept in contact with one another but distance and time changed their friendship.

It's been over fourteen years since they have seen/spoken to one another. Shiloh is now divorced, has two kids and has returned to her hometown and is living in the house she grew up in. Cary has made the military his career and is busy with other challenges life has thrown his way.

An old friend of theirs is getting married and they have both been invited. Shiloh and Cary reunited their friendship and their story is told in real time and in flashbacks. Shiloh and Cary are believable characters. They are flawed and real. This is an easy and enjoyable read.

The Second Chance Cinema by Thea Weiss

 

The Second Chance Cinema is such a cute read! Ellie and Drake are engaged and one night they stumble across a hidden yet glamorous cinema. Curiosity gets the best of them and they enter it only to discover that a chapter of their life is playing. The theater is geared to their life. They are given a set amount of tickets that give them future access to seeing their lives play out. 

Ellie and Drake return over and over again but each viewing discloses memories that they have not shared with one another, memories that have faded and memories that have the potential to break them or bring them closer.

Ellie and Drake's love story is relatable and Weiss captures what it is to be human. This story is emotional and much more than another romantic tale. I expected this book to be about time travel but it's not. It's about the choices we make, the memories that haunt us and the life we live.

The magic realism, romance and characters create an unforgettable read. 

The Academy (The Academy Series, 1) | by Elin Hilderbrand

 

ZipZap is a new app that is taking over Tiffin Academy. It reveals secrets and no one is safe. It's causing chaos and could destroy lives. Tiffin Academy had just been ranked the 2nd best boarding school in the US. It's unexpected and this means others are questioning the legitimacy of the ranking.

Relationships between students, teachers and staff become entwined which creates a LARGE cast of characters. Whew! It's a lot to keep track of but the POVs come together as the story unfolds. The book ends in such a way that you will be left wanting to read the second book which isn't out  yet!

I struggled a bit with this book mainly due to the large amount of characters and slow plot. There is a lot of drama which leads to some entertaining moments but then a let down as the story doesn't always deliver. I will still likely read the second book because I need to know!

You Thought You Knew | by Kevin Federline

 

 I did not purchase this book. I borrowed it from a friend. I was hesitant to read it because the last thing I wanted to do was read more Britney hate. Federline paints Britney in an ugly light. It's obvious that he uses women and Britney was his way into fame. 

This memoir is about his early life, life with Britney and life after. Kevin is honest about his own faults and drug use. He has a rather large ego. This is a small book at under 200 pages. Kevin claims he wants to help Britney but I think this book causes a lot more harm to her and the relationship she has with her sons. 

If you're curious about this book and his perspective borrow a copy from the library or a friend. Save your money for a different book.

Holy Disruptor: Shattering the Shiny Facade by Getting Louder with the Truth | by Amy Duggar King

 

I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library. If you don't know who Amy Duggar King is or who the Duggar's are this book is NOT for you. You need to know background information and know who the people involved in this book are. 

Amy is the niece of Jim Bob Duggar (Yes, Josh Duggars father). This is her story which gives us insight into her life growing up, her appearances on the TV show and her relationships with various Duggar family members. 

I don't feel that there wasn't anything new about the Duggars she revealed and while I appreciate her sharing her life experiences everything was a bit mixed up and I often felt as though the book lost its focus. 

This book is interesting enough and she gives a voice to survivors which is the most important thing about this book. 

Columbine 25th Anniversary Memorial Edition by Dave Cullen

 

I read Columbine many many years ago and for some reason this tragedy has been on my mind leading to me revisiting this book. I remember being glued to the TV the day it happened and watching it all unfold. It was chaotic, scary and unbelievable and I was safe in my living room. I can't even began to understand the fear, grief and horror the victims and their families experienced on April 20. 1998. 

Cullen details the events of the day and how they unfolded. He gives insight into the killers, those who's lives were taken and those who survived. I had forgotten how detailed and emotionally gripping this book was or perhaps being older and having seen the violence that continues to take lives as a result of mass shootings left me emotionally exhausted. 

Cullen's book is well researched and written in a clear and precise detail. He pulls you into the moments and debunks myths that still remain. I had forgotten many details and rediscovering them makes the day all that more tragic.

The 25th Anniversary has a new preface that adds a lot to the book. If you want to know more about Columbine this book is for you. I went back and forth between the physical book and audio book. The audiobook gives more of an emotional punch. 

The Compound | by Aisling Rawle

 

The Compound follows a group of 20 contestants who are participants in a reality TV show. Our main character and narrator Lily is in her twenties and her goal is the same as the other contestants to be the last one left in the home and be rewarded. They must compete against each other and vote one another out of the house. 

The Compound takes place in the future in a dystopian world. The house is located in the desert and the contestants have no idea where it's located as it is isolated. The house is the same one used over and over again on the reality show and new contestants have to compete to get such things as food, basic needs/wants and luxury items. 

Lily is a passive character but as people are eliminated she recognizes that she will have to step up her game if she wants to win. The book is full on tense moments and interesting characters. My biggest complain is the book ends a bit to quickly for my liking. 

The Last Letter Book | by Rebecca Yarros

 

Ella's life is busy. She is raising her twins alone and running the family business. Her brother Ryan is in Army as as a special ops solider. He has convinced his best friend Chaos and Ella to become pen pals of sort. Their relationship develops as they exchange letter after letter. Chaos is able to connect with someone on a different level than ever before. Ella has someone she can lean on which becomes increasingly important when her daughter is diagnosed with cancer.

Ella is struggling more than ever and then more bad news. Her beloved brother is gone. He has been killed. Ryan left Chaos a last-letter drill asking Chaos to take care of his sister. Chaos makes it his mission to help Ella heal but Ella isn't going to make it an easy task.

The Last Letter is told in alternating points of views and in past and present tense. The read is easy and fast. A bit unbelievable at times and the end is ...

Where We Belong | by Emily Giffin

Marian Caldwell is living in New York. She is living her dream as a television producer and in a good relationship. Then one night her past life comes knocking on her door. It is the daughter she gave up for adoption. Kirby is 18 years old and wants to know the woman who gave her up.

Marian's life is about to change. Kirby is a secret she has held onto all her life. This means that Marian starts to revisit her past and the choices she made. She also has to deal with her current situation and make some decisions that could change her life.

Where We Belong draws you in and is told in alternating timelines. The characters are interesting and the plot seems realistic. 

The Great Alone | by Kristin Hannah

Leni's parents have always had a passionate relationship. It's fueled by love, lust and anger. Leni's father Ernt is no longer the man her mother Cora married. Ernt was changed by the war in Vietnam and his plagued by his memories as a POW. He is quick to anger, He is impulsive and when he is left property in Alaska by friend who died in the war he decides that his family is going to move to Alaska, live of the land and be free.

Leni is initially happy but once they see the land and cabin she is crushed however they decided to make the best off it. Ernt's promises of things being better fall to the side and he is worse than ever. Living in the wilds of Alaska with little to no money, wild animals and brutal weather makes life all that much harder. 

Ernt becomes increasingly abusive and Cora takes the brunt of it. He slowly turns their home into a prison by building walls. Cora and Leni's bond is stronger than and when Ernt turns his anger onto Leni their lives change irrevocably. 

This is a hefty read at a bit under 450 pages. It's emotional however there are quite a few slower paced moments and way too much detail which drags the story down. It's still a good read but I wouldn't make it my first read by Hannah.

Birdlane Island | by V.C. Andrews

 

Expected Publication Date: October 28, 2025

Lisa is a teen who lives off the coast of Maine on an island called Birdland. It is shaped like a seagull in flight. The island is secluded from the mainland which poses a problem for Lisa as she has a serious health problem however Lisa and other inhabitations of the island like the simple life the island provides for them. 

Lisa's closest friend is Jamie the son of a fisherman. Lisa's comes from a very wealthy family but she doesn't let her father's elitist attitudes regarding others dictate who is and isn't her friend. Jamie becomes increasingly more important in her life with Lisa's mother dies in a tragic accident but her father forbids Lisa from seeing him. 

Kyle an artist from out of town enters the picture. Lisa is drawn to him as she too is an artist. He is  more worldly and older than her.  Lisa begins to grow into herself as a person and woman and a huge reveal from her beloved grandfather has her seeing life in a different light.

Birdlane Island is like other novels by Andrew's in that there is family drama , romance and a beautiful teen girl but it feels rough and unfinished. It just doesn't hit the way other books do. 

I did a bit of research and learned that this book it's based on an unfinished manuscript by the real V.C. Andrews and is considered a collector's copy. 

** I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.