From the Library of Mrs. Gardner

Finally! It feels like it's been forever since I finished a book! It hasn't been that  long really, but for me nearly a month seems like an eternity. My latest read, and perhaps my last full finish of 2017, is The Forgetting by Sharon Cameron. I have to say, I bought this book for two reasons. The first was, well, look at that cover!  The second was that it came recommended by a lovely worker at Barnes and Noble in Tulsa, and after reading the inside sleeve I was intrigued. Sure, it gives off the dystopian vibe which, I admit, is getting extremely played out by this point, but it sounded just different enough to hook me. So, without further ado, let's review! (Haha, I totally didn't mean for that to rhyme, but I like that it did.) Click the cover to read the full synopsis on Goodreads! 1. Characters: To be honest, I didn't feel any extremely strong feelings about any of the characters, but I did like them as a general rule. I would not say this is a charac...

It's the most wonderful time... of the year! I don't know about you, but being close to Christmas puts me in a very festive mood. I just want to be snowed in and curled up with a good book and a cup of cocoa staring dreamily at the lights on my Douglas Fir tree. If you're in need of a fun holiday read, check out Moonlight Over Manhattan! Click the image below to add it to your Goodreads shelf, and view the synopsis below: She'll risk everything for her own Christmas miracle... Determined to conquer a lifetime of shyness, Harriet Knight challenges herself to do one thing a day in December that scare her, including celebrating Christmas without her family. But when dog walker Harriet meets her newest client, exuberant spaniel Madi, she adds an extra challenges to her list--dealing with Madi's temporary dog sitter, gruff doctor Ethan Black, and their very unexpected chemistry. Ethan thought he was used to chaos until he met Madi-- how can one tiny dog cause ...

I only have a few moments to type up this review before I head back to work from my lunch break, so here goes! (Thanks for reading!) Click the cover of The Scarlet Thread to view the full synopsis on Goodreads and add it to your TBR shelf! 1. Characters: I enjoyed the characters in this and, as always, they are very relate-able and realistic; however, I didn't find myself getting as attached to these characters as I usually do in Francine's works. I will say there was some major character development and nearly everyone in the novel is a dynamic character! Everyone grows. 2. Story: This novel has a beautiful story; it follows the lives of two women, eras apart, facing similar situations and gives a glimpse at the hardships, joy, and perseverance of each. Having the change in dynamic in each chapter (present day and past era journal entries) helped the story move along and never become monotonous. I will say this was probably the most difficult of Francine's n...

I finally finished a book, ya'll! I'm pretty excited because it seemed I was approaching a slump. Last night I stayed up late to finish The Disappearances by Emily Bain Murphy, and I was quite surprised by the ending! Let me start off by saying, I mainly picked up this book because of the cover. I thought it would be a slightly chilling read.. It was not. However, it was still a very enjoyable novel. Click the cover to visit this book's page on Goodreads and read the full synopsis. 1. Characters: There is a great variety of characters in this story, and by the end I really felt close to many of them. The mystery surrounding a couple of the characters is enough to keep me interested, but not so much that I became frustrated which has happened with other books I've read in the past. I really like the family relationships and friendships that develop in this novel. By the end, I felt like I knew these characters and like I was one of them even. 2. Story: Like I sa...

Oh, gosh... Here we go... This may be pretty brief because otherwise I don't know how I can avoid spoilers! This final installment of the Shatter Me series was so satisfying! And just look at that cover, will ya? 😍 Click the cover to visit Ignite Me's page on Goodreads! Instead of my usual breakdown of the rating, let me just avoid spoilers about the characters and the story by saying... This was a 5 star read for me. The things I felt were lacking in book 2 that resulted in a 4 star rating were remedied in this beautiful conclusion. I look forward to reading the new release set for 2018 titled "Restore Me." I will say, I think this series concluded very well as is, but I loved the characters and the world that was built, so I will absolutely read anything and everything else that comes out if it is even mildly related to this series. Be sure to check out the first two books in this series  and  the novellas titled Destroy Me and Fracture Me! Click here  ...

Are you in need of an alluring mystery this fall? On October 31st, The Silent Fountain by Victoria Fox was released for purchase! Check out the beautiful cover below: Synopsis: Hollywood, 1978 Tragedy sends troubled film star Vivien Lockhart into the arms of Giovanni Moretti-and it seems her fortunes have finally changed. Until she meets his sister and learns that her new husband's past holds dark secrets... Tuscany, Present Day  Lucy Whittaker needs to disappear. But her new home, the crumbling Castillo Barbarossa, is far from the secluded paradise it seemed. Strange sounds come from the attic. The owner of the house will never meet her in person. The fountain in the courtyard is silent-but has never run dry. Across the decades, Vivien and Lucy find themselves trapped in the idyllic Italian villa. And if they are ever to truly escape its walls, they must first unearth its secrets... ------------- Yowza!! Ready to pick it up?? Purchase it here  on Amazon and ...

Short and sweet, here we go... I gotta admit, this was a tough read for me. I honestly would have skipped it if I hadn't gotten the heads-up from Caryn (Check her out on booksta  @iam.caryn !) about how crucial this little novella was to the plot. It explained some things going on behind the scenes toward the end of book 2. Since the series itself is told only from Juliette's POV, this story tapped into Adam's mind and shared what was going on with him in the final chapters of Unravel Me. Click the cover to visit Fracture Me's page on Goodreads! 1. Characters: I'm not Adam's biggest fan (or his fan at all, to be honest), but I can see the value in reading a few scenes from his POV. Seeing into his mind helped me understand his character and motivation better. It was a little weird to read a Shatter Me installment that wasn't really centered around Juliette, but like I said, it was important to the plot to understand what's going on with different...

Attention, attention! Do you love stories of friendship, romance and mystery? Do you like Jane Austen? You don't want to miss this fun chick-lit novel!! The Austen Escape is totally unique and filled with unforgettable chapters. It's a great read for the upcoming holidays!  Check out the synopsis below: "After years of following her best friend's lead, Mary Davies finds a whimsical trip back to Austen's Regency England paves the way towards a new future. Mary Davies lives and works in Austin, Texas as an industrial engineer. She has an orderly and productive life, a job and colleagues that she enjoys- particularly a certain adorable, intelligent, and hilarious consultant. But something is missing for Mary. When her estranged and emotionally fragile childhood best friend Isabel Dwyer offers Mary a two-week stay in a gorgeous manor house in Bath, Mary reluctantly agree to come along in hopes that the holiday will shake up her quiet life in jus...

Sorry it took a few days to post this review... I was unraveled. Let's just jump in! As with the first two, I really love the cover. I like that this series has a consistent style, but each cover is just different enough to be beautiful in its own way. Click the cover to read the full synopsis on Goodreads! 1. Characters: Let's just say there is some major character development all around in this one! It doesn't necessarily come from dialogue or action but instead comes by the realizations of the protagonist and she herself grows as well. You get to know everyone else as she does, and it adds layers to your attachment to them. 2. Story: Although there was never a point that I was bored, I definitely prefer the second half of this book over the first half. I wouldn't say the first half was slow, but one of my favorite characters wasn't on the scene in this one until later, so really I felt like I was just turning the pages til I finally saw the character...

This. Novella. Destroyed. Me. Pun intended, of course. I am still reeling from the introduction to the series. Huge shoutout to Caryn  ( @iam.caryn on bookstagram-check her out!!) for letting me know I should read Destroy Me before moving on to book 2. I devoured it last night. Cover? I think I like it more than the cover for Shatter Me! Just look at it! Click the image to read the synopsis on Goodreads, too! 1. Characters: This novella centers on Warner's POV and takes place shortly after the events in book one. I loved  looking into his twisty mind more. Kind of like reading Fairest (Levana's novella from The Lunar Chronicles series), but maybe not quite so psycho. Levana was cray. But enough about her... Warner's has some secrets and you get a further look into his character in this novella. 2. Story: This brief story was so heartbreaking and enraging and tragic and passionate and crazy and wonderful. It's the perfect bite to keep me wanting more from t...

I'm shattered, ya'll. It's been a while since I was really pulled into a YA series, but I think I've finally found the right series to do it! This weekend was Fall Break for work/school and so I was off for FOUR DAYS in a row. It was amazing. So, of course, I had to catch up on some reading. Now, my plan was to take this stack of 4 YA books I'd been meaning to read for months and read the first chapter of each. Then, decide which book I wanted to continue. It has been a while since I read YA now (maybe since this summer?) so I wasn't sure what I was in the mood for. The first book I picked up was Shatter Me. You guys, I read the first 100 pages in a single sitting and was like, "I don't even need the rest of this stack!" Over the weekend I finished Shatter Me (and Destroy Me, a novella set after Shatter Me), and it was amazing. Check out my non-spoilery review below! Cover thoughts: I like  the cover, but I don't know that I would'v...

It's here, it's here! You guys, Lilac Lane is finally released and available for purchase! You may have seen my post about it on bookstagram earlier, but in case you missed it, here's the beauty in all its soft purple glory! 😍 What a catch. I am  so  thankful to have received a copy in advance. Although I have yet to start  watching  Chesapeake Shores on Hallmark Channel (it's the very next show on my list!), I was able to appreciate the beauty of this novel. I truly believe it can be enjoyed whether you've read all the Chesapeake Shores books or this is the first you pick up! Synopsis: Single mom Kiera Malone struggled for years to raise her three children in a small town on the coast of Ireland. Just when she’s let down her guard and allowed herself to love again, her fiancé suffers a fatal heart attack and leaves her alone yet again. Overwhelmed by her loss, she’s persuaded to visit her father, Dillon O’Malley, and her daughter, Moira O’Brien, i...

*Sniffles* Well, Francine, you've done it again. Touched my heart, made me think, inspired me... Here's my review: Click the cover to read the full synopsis on Goodreads! 1. Characters: How does Francine do it? I can always  connect with her characters. Good, bad, old, young... Her characters are all real . I long for the good relationships in her novels and my heart breaks for the strained ones. She has a way of creating a diverse mix of people and lets the reader get inside of each of their heads by alternating points of view. 2. Setting: Honestly, I'm at a loss for what to write regarding the setting. All I can think about are the characters, the story and the theme of this novel. There's two primary settings for this story and neither particularly stood out to me. In fantasy novel reviews, I usually have a lot to say about world-building, but for a contemporary set in the US that is very character/situation driven, I didn't give much thought to the ...

Well, well... Two reviews in one day? Yeah, I was getting behind. But to be fair, it's very hard to have a career and  be in grad school and  make time for reading/blogging. I'm totally making it happen though. 😜 Our next book up for review is Ready Player One which I finished on Saturday during the drive back from OKC. I figured I would fly through the second half of the book and be done waaaaay before that, but that's not what happened. Read my review below to find out why. Click to read the full synopsis on Goodreads! 1. Characters: Now this, I loved. Wade aka Parzival, was a great protagonist. He was clever, funny, charming, awkward and fun. His side-kicks, Aech and Art3mis, were well-developed and even held a few surprises! One very unique facet of this novel is that there are no familial relationships really. Much of the story takes place in a virtual world, so there is little interaction with "real people," including family members. 2. Setting: H...

Dear Sam, Thank you for sharing this story from inside you with the great wide world! I can't wait to read more! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello, friends! Thanks for hitting up my blog again to check out my review of Reigntime by SK Levy. Can I start out by saying I desperately need to pre-order book 2? Yes? Okay. Let's go! Who else is in love with this cover?? Click to read the full synopsis on Goodreads! 1. Characters: I think the main characters have a really unique dynamic, and I like Lexie- the female protagonist. She's strong and smart. 💗 Her best friend, Jamie, is a great side character, and I hope he's in book 2 more! I also really hope we see more of the mysterious Karmi in the sequel. 2. Setting: This story takes place in Australia which has all sorts of fun implications! The language, the land, even the food mentioned, is all a feast for the reader...

Well, ya'll... Summer is coming to a close. I know, I know. It's only the second week of August, you say, but this month will fly by before we know it! And next we'll be bustin' out the scarves, pumpkins, leaves, and cider. I have to admit, I am very anxious for fall as it is my favorite season, but I was grateful to get in one last summery read for this current season. My final summer contemporary was an uplifting and sweet story that followed Sara Witherspoon and her 6 closest friends as they navigate the waters of being twenty-somethings. Life changes are coming and it can be a tricky time, often hard to find peace and know when to wait and when to jump in and go after new opportunities. And I should know- I'm the exact age of the main character- 27! Check out the beautiful cover below and read my 5 part review. Click the cover to read the full synopsis on Goodreads! 1. Characters: Oh gosh. Here we go... Can I just say.. I really want Sara's friend...

Huge thank-you to K.M. Shea for reaching out to me on Goodreads and asking me to review her retelling of The Snow Queen, Heart of Ice! I absolutely love retellings so I was overjoyed by this opportunity. So, let's go! Click the cover to read the full synopsis on Goodreads! 1. Characters: I have to admit, my favorite character was not the protagonist in this story. Rakel, the Snow Queen, was so unsure and I wanted her to be so much stronger and confident. BUT, I will say, her closest friend, Phile, continually encouraged her and tried to give her the support she needed and I really enjoyed her character. Phile was, for me, the character that drove the story. As for the male characters, they didn't have much depth; however, there is definitely potential for their growth in later books in this series! 2. Story: I enjoyed the story of this, and I thought it was easy to follow. I did feel that just as it was starting to get good it ended (no doubt to leave me wanting the n...

Here we are again. Another amazing trilogy concluded. I find it rare that I enjoy all three books in a trilogy as well as the conclusion itself but the Remnant Chronicles proved worthy. The covers throughout this entire series have been amazing, but the third and final cover has probably been my favorite. I mean, just look at this! Click to view the Remnant Chronicles page on Goodreads! 1. Characters: I adored the characters all the way throughout this series! The main character never annoyed me or made choices that I couldn't understand. She continually had tough decisions to make and I feel that she was incredibly strong and mature compared to other protagonists in similar series. The secondary and side characters continued to grow and develop and I enjoyed getting to know them all more as well. I'm sad to say good-bye!! 2. Story: Where do I even begin? I love everything about this story! It's not the cliche magic, one-girl-saves-everyone type thing. Have ya...