So I was up at night thinking about whether I should rename this monthly post from “book favorites” to “favorite books” and I guess “favorite books” it is. This monthly post is where I share the 5 star books I’ve read so far each month. There is still time left in the month so it is possible I will read more 5 star reads before the end – in that case they will be included in my next wrap up post! You can see the first half of my January reading here and I will share the rest of my January reads next week. The Amazon links to the books I’ve read are affiliate links and if you use them and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission.
Title: The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise
Author: Colleen Oakley
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Berkley, 3/28/23
Source: Publisher via Net Galley
Why I Read It: I love her books
My Rating: 5 Stars
My first book of the year was finished in one day and was a 5 star read. I have rated every book I’ve read by Colleen Oakley 5 stars! This book is about Tanner, who is 21 and living at home after an injury caused her to lose her soccer scholarship. She moves in with Louise, who is 84 and needs help around the house after breaking her hip. When Louise recruits Tanner to drive her out of town, they are suddenly on the run – but from what?
“Twenty-one-year-old Tanner Quimby needs a place to live. Preferably one where she can continue sitting around in sweatpants and playing video games nineteen hours a day. Since she has no credit or money to speak of, her options are limited, so when an opportunity to work as a live-in caregiver for an elderly woman falls into her lap, she takes it. One slip on the rug. That’s all it took for Louise Wilt’s daughter to demand that Louise have a full-time nanny living with her. Never mind that she can still walk fine, finish her daily crossword puzzle, and pour the two fingers of vodka she drinks every afternoon.Bottom line: Louise wants a caretaker even less than Tanner wants to be one. The two start off their living arrangement happily ignoring each other until Tanner starts to notice things—weird things. Like, why does Louise keep her garden shed locked up tighter than a prison? And why is the local news fixated on the suspect of one of the biggest jewelry heists in American history who looks eerily like Louise? And why does Louise suddenly appear in her room, with a packed bag at 1 a.m. insisting that they leave town immediately? Thus begins the story of a not-to-be-underestimated elderly woman and an aimless young woman who—if they can outrun the mistakes of their past—might just have the greatest adventure of their lives.”
This was a fun and funny road trip story with great twists and surprises along the way. Tanner and Louise’s friendship was such fun to experience! I loved the characters and the whole story as it was revealed along the way.
Title: All The Dangerous Things
Author: Stacy Willingham
Genre: Thriller
Publisher: Minotaur Books, 1/10/23
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 5 Stars
I am one of the few who hasn’t read A Flicker In The Dark, Stacy Willingham’s previous book, but I chose it from the Book of the Year selections and hope to read it soon. I did love All The Dangerous Things! Short chapters made for a quick read which was about Isabelle, whose baby went missing a year ago. Since then, she is unable to sleep and deals with sleep deprivation. Memories from her childhood make her wonder if she can trust herself and what she thought happened to her son.
“One year ago, Isabelle Drake’s life changed forever: her toddler son, Mason, was taken out of his crib in the middle of the night while she and her husband were asleep in the next room. With little evidence and few leads for the police to chase, the case quickly went cold. However, Isabelle cannot rest until Mason is returned to her―literally. Except for the occasional catnap or small blackout where she loses track of time, she hasn’t slept in a year Isabelle’s entire existence now revolves around finding him, but she knows she can’t go on this way forever. In hopes of jarring loose a new witness or buried clue, she agrees to be interviewed by a true-crime podcaster―but his interest in Isabelle’s past makes her nervous. His incessant questioning paired with her severe insomnia has brought up uncomfortable memories from her own childhood, making Isabelle start to doubt her recollection of the night of Mason’s disappearance, as well as second-guess who she can trust… including herself. But she is determined to figure out the truth no matter where it leads.”
Told in present day and past timelines, this was a twisty read. It takes place in Savannah’s marshlands which made it atmospheric! I was able to figure out one of the reveals, but many others surprised me and I had lots of suspicions along the way! I enjoyed this read a lot!
Title: Exes & O’s
Author: Amy Lea
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: Berkley, 1/10/23
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 5 Stars
I loved Amy Lea’s book Set On You and I loved Crystal’s sister Tara’s story in Exes & O’s too. Tara is a bookstagrammer and this is a book with all the tropes. Tara wants to have a second chance romance and decides to reconnect with her exes. Meanwhile, she is living in forced proximity with Trevor, the grump to her sunshine.
“Romance book connoisseur Tara Chen has had her heart broken ten times by ten different men—all of whom dumped her because of her “stage-five clinger” tendencies. Nevertheless, Tara is determined to find The One. The only problem? Classic meet-cutes are dead, thanks to modern dating apps. So Tara decides to revisit her exes in hopes of securing her very own trope-worthy second-chance romance. Boston firefighter Trevor Metcalfe will be the first to rush into a burning building but the last to rush into a relationship. Love just isn’t his thing. When his new roommate Tara enlists him to help her reconnect with her exes, he reluctantly agrees. But Tara’s journey is leading him to discover his own new chapter. The more time they spend together, the more Tara realizes Trevor seems to be the only one who appreciates her authentic, dramatic self. To claim their happily ever after, can Tara and Trevor read between the lines of their growing connection?”
The author tackles the “crazy ex girlfriend” stereotype and includes plenty of Disney references (and TSwift, for those who enjoy those)!
Title: Something Like Happy
Author: Eva Woods
Genre: Contemporary
Publisher: Harlequin Audio, 9/5/17
Source: Purchased
Why I Read It: Waiting on my shelf
My Rating: 5 Stars
I was inspired to take a look at my oldest acquired books – the ones I added to my shelves in 2019 when I first joined Bookstagram. I decided to listen to these books and check them off the list! I borrowed this audio from the library. Something Like Happy by Eva Woods was a sweet and inspiring book about friends Annie and Polly. Annie has had many losses and now her mom has dementia and doesn’t know who she is. Polly has cancer but wants to live her last 100 days doing things that make her happy.
“Annie is stuck. In her boring job, with her irritating roommate, in a life no thirty-five-year-old would want. But deep down, she’s still mourning the terrible loss that tore a hole through her perfect existence. Until she meets the eccentric Polly. Bright, bubbly, intrusive Polly is determined to wake her new friend up to life. Because if recent events have taught Polly anything, it’s that your time is too short to waste a single day—which is why she wants Annie to join her on a mission…ONE HAPPY THING EACH DAY. ONE HUNDRED DAYS. But just as the daily challenge opens Annie up to the possibility of joy—and perhaps even love with the unlikeliest of men—it becomes clear that Polly is about to need her more than ever. And Annie will have to decide once and for all whether letting others in is a risk worth taking.”
Polly takes Annie under her wing and one can see how a person can change someone else’s life.
Title: City Under One Roof
Author: Iris Yamashita
Genre: Mystery
Publisher: Berkley, 1/10/23
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 5 Stars
City Under One Roof takes place in an Alaskan town where the residents all reside in the same building. I later learned about the town of Whittier where this is the case – I guess the town in the book was based on Whittier! The story is told from the viewpoints of three women – Amy, a teen who discovers body parts near the lake, Cara, a detective on leave due to family issues, and Lonnie, who has an intellectual disability but witnesses most things in the town.
“When a local teenager discovers a severed hand and foot washed up on the shore of the small town of Point Mettier, Alaska, Cara Kennedy is on the case. A detective from Anchorage, she has her own motives for investigating the possible murder in this isolated place, which can be accessed only by a tunnel. After a blizzard causes the tunnel to close indefinitely, Cara is stuck among the odd and suspicious residents of the town—all 205 of whom live in the same high-rise building and are as icy as the weather. Cara teams up with Point Mettier police officer Joe Barkowski, but before long the investigation is upended by fearsome gang members from a nearby native village. Haunted by her past, Cara soon discovers that everyone in this town has something to hide. Will she be able to unravel their secrets before she unravels?”
I was invested in this story and even though I was able to predict who was guilty I still enjoyed the reveal. I liked that part of the point of people living in this city was that they had a reason to want to escape something and it was remote enough for them to do so. Cara’s story was left with room for a sequel and I am hoping that will be the case!
Title: Friday I’m In Love
Author: Camryn Garrett
Genre: YA Rom Com
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books For Young Readers, 1/10/23
Source: Publisher
Why I Read It: Sent to me for my review
My Rating: 5 Stars
I’m in love with this cover and the rainbow spine on this book, and I also loved this joyful, sapphic love story about Mahalia, who has to save money and was unable to have a Sweet 16 party, while her best friend Naomi’s family is much more well off. Mahalia meets Siobhan and falls for her. At the same time, she hopes to throw herself a coming out party to make up for her missed Sweet 16.
“Mahalia Harris wants. She wants a big Sweet Sixteen like her best friend, Naomi. She wants the super-cute new girl Siobhan to like her back. She wants a break from worrying—about money, snide remarks from white classmates, pitying looks from church ladies . . . all of it. Then inspiration strikes: It’s too late for a Sweet Sixteen, but what if she had a coming-out party? A singing, dancing, rainbow-cake-eating celebration of queerness on her own terms. The idea lights a fire beneath her, and soon Mahalia is scrimping and saving, taking on extra hours at her afterschool job, trying on dresses, and awkwardly flirting with Siobhan, all in preparation for the coming out of her dreams. But it’s not long before she’s buried in a mountain of bills, unfinished schoolwork, and enough drama to make her English lit teacher blush. With all the responsibility on her shoulders, will Mahalia’s party be over before it’s even begun?”
I loved the sweet love story and Mahalia’s evolving relationship with her mother, who she has been helping pay the household bills. This story contains a jerky dad, racism, fear of being outed, and an amazing scene with the song featured in the title!
Title: The Measure
Author: Nikki Erlick
Genre: Contemporary / Dystopian
Publisher: William Morrow, 6/28/22
Source: Swap Gift
Why I Read It: Heard it was great
My Rating: 5 Stars
I heard so many people say they loved this book so I added it to my Amazon wishlist and was thrilled to receive it in a swap. I am also thrilled that I got the chance to read it this month. This book is about a strange phenomenon in which every adult in the world receives a box that contains a string that indicates the measure of the length of their life. The book features 8 characters whose lives intersect throughout the story.
“Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice. It seems like any other day. You wake up, pour a cup of coffee, and head out. But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. This box holds your fate inside: the answer to the exact number of years you will live. From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise? As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge? The Measure charts the dawn of this new world through an unforgettable cast of characters whose decisions and fates interweave with one another: best friends whose dreams are forever entwined, pen pals finding refuge in the unknown, a couple who thought they didn’t have to rush, a doctor who cannot save himself, and a politician whose box becomes the powder keg that ultimately changes everything.”
At first I wondered what the big deal would be with this phenomenon occurring, but it was interesting to see how the world evolved and the way short stringers (those who would die sooner) came to be treated differently. People learned to live their lives with the time that they had. In some ways, the story reminded me of how we all had to adjust to living during the pandemic. While some parts of the book were sad, ultimately it proved hopeful and I loved reading it.
Title: Off The Map
Author: Trish Doller
Genre: Rom Com
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin, 3/7/23
Source: Publisher via Net Galley
Why I Read It: Loved her previous book
My Rating: 5 Stars
When I heard that a group was doing a buddy read of this book, I jumped on in. It was a very quick read as it was not very long, but it was super sweet and enjoyable. It is about Carla, who loves to travel and comes to Ireland for her best friend’s wedding (Anna, from Float Plan). She meets up with Eamon (Keane’s brother) to travel across the country to the wedding. They end up taking some detours along the way that lead to both love and Carla’s realization about what she is running from.
“Carla Black’s life motto is ‘here for a good time, not for a long time.’ She’s been traveling the world on her own in her vintage Jeep Wrangler for nearly a decade, stopping only long enough to replenish her adventure fund. She doesn’t do love and she doesn’t ever go home. Eamon Sullivan is a modern-day cartographer who creates digital maps. His work helps people find their way, but he’s the one who’s lost his sense of direction. He’s unhappy at work, recently dumped, and his one big dream is stalled out―literally. Fate throws them together when Carla arrives in Dublin for her best friend’s wedding and Eamon is tasked with picking her up from the airport. But what should be a simple drive across Ireland quickly becomes complicated with chemistry-filled detours, unexpected feelings, and a chance at love – if only they choose it.”
This book contained a lot of steamy scenes – unlike the previous two books in this series – and also deals with the fact that Carla’s father is suffering from dementia. I felt that the story ended quickly, in a way that made me wish for more, but I still loved it.
Come back next week for the rest of my January reads – and possibly more favorites!
Do you have a favorite book you’ve read this month?