The Future of Us | by Jay Asher

 The Future of Us was published over 12 years ago and despite having read his novel 13 Reasons Why, I am just discovering.

The year is 1996. Emma and Josh have known one another their entires lives. They are neighbors, classmates and friends. Home computers and the internet are slowly becoming more common in homes. Emma's father has just gifted her a brand new PC. Josh brings over an AOL CD his family received in the mail. Emma downloads it and signs in and finds herself on facebook a page that won't be founded until 2004! 

Emma quickly discovers that Facebook shows her and Josh's lives 15 years in the future! Curious and interested in what their future selves are doing they become obsessed with checking facebook to see what they are doing. Emma learns that she can manipulate the life of her future self and quickly uses it to make major and minor adjustments to her future self. 

The Future of Us left me feeling nostalgic. This is a fun book to read.

The Woman in Me | by Britney Spears

The Woman in Me is Britney's life in her own words. It's an intense read that will leave you angry and wanting to know why the people in her life who should have cared for her the most failed her over and over again. Britney's life is full of one betrayal after another from Justin Timberlake to her her little sister, Jamie Spears and many many others in between.

Britney's life is far from ritz and glamour. It's lonely and sad. The price of fame has cost her in more ways then one. It's taken her freedom, her privacy and her ability to trust and love. 

Spoilers have already found their way online (can we please stop doing that before publication dates?) but don't let that stop you from picking up Britney's book and discovering her in a different light. 

The Good Part | by Sophie Cousens

Expected publication date November 7, 2023

Lucy Hung is only 26 years old. She lives with a few roommates, keeps going on one bad date after another and her job is far from ideal. Her life is quite different from most of her friends who are embarking on excellent careers and entering into serious relationships. After a disastrous date in which everything goes wrong Lucy makes a wish.

The next day Lucy wakes up to find herself in a completely different life.  She's married, has kids and a career but no memory of how it all happened. Lucy stumbles while adjusting to her new life and isn't sure if she wants to remain it or return to her old life. 

This is quite a fun and cute book. Easy to read and entertaining. 

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

This World We Live In (Last Survivors #3 | By Susan Beth Pfeffer

 It's been a year since a meteor crashed into the moon. The climate on earth has changed due to gravitational changes that results in floods, volcanic explosions and weather changes. The temperatures have plummeted and it's bitter cold. Food and water is scarce and people are still dying. 

Miranda (from book one) and Alex and Julie (from book 2) lives collide. They along with other survivors work together to stay alive. Miranda continues to tell her story via her diary. Some entries are heartbreaking, others are full of teen angst and some will anger you. 

I love that characters from two books have merged to create new story lines and while there are small moments of joy there is so much sadness. Nothing improves much and things just become more dire. This makes many of the circumstances feel very real and tragic. 

This is no the strongest book in the series and while it can be read as a stand along I suggest reading the two prior novels as you receive much more character insight. 

Behind the Screens Illustrated Floor Plans and Scenes from the Best TV Shows of All Time | by Inaki Aliste Lizarralde

Published: September 19, 2023

What a fun book! It's full of sketches, information and tidbits about many famous and favorite TV shows. This is a TV show lovers paradise.  

I Love Lucy, The Golden Girls, The Brady Bunch, The Simpsons, Gilmore Girls, Big Bang Theory, How I met your Mothers and Breaking Bad are own only a few of the illustrations that grace this book!

The illustrations are phenomenal and really pull you into the book! It's truly a trip down memory lane. I wish it was made into a coloring book as it would create hours of fun for this reader.  This is a perfect gift for yourself and with the holidays just around the corner an excellent gift for friends, family and coworkers! 

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

The Way I Am Now (The Way I Used to Be #2) | by Amber Smith

Expected Publication Date: November 7, 2023

The Way I am Now is the sequel to The Way I Used to Be. It's Eden and Josh's chance at love in a different city but the tragic affects of Eden's rape follows them there. Eden's rape case may or may not go to trial. She has to make statements to the court rehashing the horrible night that negatively affects her but she pushes though while going to college, working and building a relationship with Josh.

 

The building of Eden and Josh's romantic story is sweet and sad. You cheer for it to be a success and go on an emotional journey with them.  The contents of this book can be difficult for some readers and triggering.

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

The Intern | By Michele Campbell

Publication Date: October 3, 2023

Madison Rivera is a student at Harvard Law. She has landed a much coveted internship with Judge Kathryn Conroy, a woman she has looked up to since she was a young girl.  Her brother, Danny is under arrest on drug charges. He claims he is innocent and that Judge Conroy is corrupt. Madison is determined to help her brother and take the internship. 

The internship proves to be a lot more complicated than Madison ever imagined and the deeper she gets into the Judges life the more dangerous things become for her. 

The Intern is told from Madison and Kathryn's point of views. Their backgrounds are intriguing which engages you as a reader and keeps you turning the pages of this character driven story. 

This book is full of suspense and you find yourself conflicted as the story unfolds. This is an excellent legal thriller with twists that will keep you on edge.

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

 

A Thousand Boy Kisses (A Thousand Boy Kisses, #1) | by Tillie Cole

Rune and Poppy have known one another since they were young children. Their love was destined. They grew up in neighboring homes and life for them seemed to be a perfect love story until Rune's father received a work transfer. 

Rune would have to return to his home in Norway separating them. Rune and Poppy continued their romance long distance until one day Poppy stopped responding to him which in return lead to Rune becoming angry and broken. 

When Rune and his family returned back to Georgia and their old home Rune and Poppy ignore one another until they finally reconnect.

A Thousand Boy Kisses is a cheesy romantic book. I found many parts unrealistic but the intense more real life moments and the story behind a thousand boy kisses makes this read worth it. Expect an emotional punch to the gut. 

The Dead and the Gone (Last Survivors, #2) | by Susan Beth Pfeffer

 

This is my second read of the dead & the gone. I find that reading it a second time had a more emotional impact especially when it comes to all the different type of relationships. The second installment of the Last Survivors follows a new set of characters. Three siblings who live in New York. Our narrator is a young man named Alex who is tasked with protecting his two younger sisters in a world full of extra dangers do to the asteroid that pushed the moon closer to earth. Volcanic eruptions, floods, epidemics and food shortages are amongst a few of the disasters that characters have to deal with. 

Alex is forced to do things he never imagined in order to survive all while making sure his sisters are safe. The world is cold, lonely and scary. People are suffering and while the premise isn't scientific possible the writing and scenes put you into the doom, gloom and survival mode the characters are under. Everything feels so real and possible and the tragic moments really punch you in the stomach. 

If you read the first book, Life and We Knew it this is a must read. I strongly recommend you read the first book before this one. 

The Burnout | By Sophie Kinsella

Expected Publication Date: October 10, 2023

Sasha works for a Zoose. Her workload is insane and she can't keep up. She eats, sleeps and works day after day. Then one day she's told more work is being added to her already impossible workload. Sasha has a meltdown and finds herself headed to Rilston Bay to decompress and find peace.  Rilston Bay is full of memories from her childhood as their family vacationed there for years until her father passed away.

Sasha finds that Rilston Bay no longer has the glamour of her past but she's going to make the best out of her circumstances. Things are quiet and calm until Finn appears along with messages in the sand. 

The Burnout isn't exactly the work I am used to reading from Sophie Kinsella. It is funny and has mystery to it but something felt off. It's worth reading if your a fan of her books but I wouldn't recommend it as a first time read for her. 

*** I have received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honesty review.