Bringing Down The Duke is yet another fun rom-com I read this summer.  It had two of the genres I want to read more of mixed together - historical and romance. Just like any other novels from these genres, I went in nervous, but it turned out to be just as good as I expected. The writing was excellent. It was clear and the reader could clearly get a feel for the time period. The main character was a favorite of mine. She has an impressive forward-thinking philosophy without being annoying. The romance was perfect and refreshing. It's an incredibly strong debut novel. It's charming with a touch of feminism and I highly recommend for readers who enjoy both, romance and historical fiction.  Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for my gifted copy. My rating:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Here's a quick synopsis: England, 1879.  Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female student...
One of my goals this year was to read more romance novels and I was lucky enough to receive a few from Penguin Random House Canada . The Matchmaker's List was a cute romance with endearing characters. It was a nice change from my usual thrillers as it was truly an enjoyable rom-com. The characters were fun and interesting to read about and they create a humorous story that will tug at your heartstrings.  I felt for Raina who wanted to pursue her own happiness but at the same time, didn't want to disappoint her grandmother. I feel she really went through a period of growth as she was trying to figure her own path in life.  I loved how there was a lot of humour in this novel, especially on some of the dates Raina goes on. Kind of makes me feel relieved I don't have to take part in this dating lifestyle.  As a debut novel with themes like romance, friendship and the pursuit of happiness, I applaud the author. I liked her writing and I look forward to her fut...
The Last Resort was THE perfect beach read this summer! Part of me is kicking myself for taking so long to post my review because this one was AMAZING!! Ok, it did take a few chapters to get into the story but once you get a feel for the story, you end up not reading fast enough. I was constantly trying to guess the character's secrets but couldn't figure any of them. I loved how the story was divided in three POVs. It gave an extra intense feel to the story. I found the book was very well-written and different from  the thrillers I usually read. The character's struggles were relatable and I especially loved the psychology aspect. The epilogue was perfect in a sense that it gives answers to questions that might not be answered previously.  I loved how the cover of the book seems to be a peaceful destination, while the story is anything but. Clever! This one kept me awake later than I should have but it was so worth it! Thank you to the author, Marissa S...
I didn't really know what to expect going into this one but one thing is for sure, once I started reading, I could not put it down! The beginning was one of the best I've read in a while. I kept turning page after page, until I realized it was past my bedtime by a few hours.  Every mother who juggles the multimillion responsibilities of her different roles, will enjoy this one. I don't want to say too much, but just to be clear, this one is not a thriller. It does have some intense parts, but not for the reasons you would think.  There were some really creepy parts that gave me goosebumps. Some of the things the children did or said had me like whaaat!? The author did a phenomenal job with her novel and I applaud her for making my heart race a few times. This would be an excellent choice if you are looking to read something different and well written, give this one a try. You won't be disappointed!  Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my gi...
Mrs. Everything is a story that spans multiple generations and taps into all the expectations we set for ourselves and the reality that takes place instead. It follows two sisters, from their childhood years, to their teenage years and their adult lives. Their life will surely resonate to women from all backgrounds, as the reader gets to live the ever changing society norms and the sisters' dreams and hopes. The author hit it right in the mark with this novel. I could relate to so many things from the characters and the topics. We all face challenges like the two sisters and if we didn't, we likely know someone who did. I'm not sure how much I can say without taking away from your reading experience, so I'll leave it at that, but if you are a women and looking for an inspiring and gripping read, I highly recommend Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada for my gifted copy. My rating:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Here's a quic...
The Nanny was one of my most anticipated books this year and it was just as excellent as I thought it would be! Wow! What in incredibly wild roller-coaster ride! I loved the alternating POVs because I felt it moved the story along nicely, but I especially liked seeing Victoria through both her daughter and granddaughter's eyes.  With each chapter, I grew more nervous about what was coming. There were so many shocking twists and turns while the story gives you little pieces at a time so you can slowly connect the dots, until you get the full puzzle in front of you and you are left with a jaw dropping ending.  It was such a good book! Easily made it on the top of my list of favorites for this year! I highly recommend it! Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for my gifted copy. My rating:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Here's a quick synopsis: When her beloved nanny, Hannah, left without a trace in the summer of 1988, seven-year-old Jocelyn Holt was devastated. Haunted b...
I read Devotion during one of our camping trip by Lake Superior and I was immediately engrossed in the story. The focus is on the relationship between two women of similar age but from two different social class status. It explores the obsessive and complicated love between the two women. When Elle becomes the nanny to Lonnie's son William, it soon becomes evident that she has a yearning for something from Lonnie. Does she want to become her? Does she love her? Is it more from devotion or obsession? The whole story has a strange feel to it as the two personalities seem to become one. As the story goes on, the reader gets a feeling that something will go terribly wrong.  Devotion is a story of love that is bordering on hate. It weighs having things versus not having them when they maybe just out of reach. This was a clever story that had my full attention from start to finish. Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for my gifted copy. My rating:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ He...
What an incredible story! Things You Save in a Fire was a true heartwarming and uplifting exploration of forgiveness, personal growth and self worth. I don't think there was one thing I didn't like about this one! Simply amazing! Once in a while, a story comes along and tugs at my heart. Things You Save in a Fire is that kind of story.  Beautifully written yet heart breaking, this story was eye opening. So many people stay mad for ever and they don't realize it eventually weighs on them. This book makes you take a step back and makes you look at rough situations and how you can apply the "guidelines for forgiveness" that Diana preaches. This was my first read from the author but she became a favorite of mine. I will be reading anything she comes with next, as well as her previous novel. She has a real talent in honestly writing about the messy parts of life. The characters were all relatable. It made me laugh out loud and also made me cry. This was a t...
Thank you to Forge Books for my gifted copies of They All Fall Down, The Retreat and The Shallows, all available. THE RETREAT review: The retreat revolves around 4 women that attend a weekend wellness retreat. Each of these women live different lives and they all have secrets they don't want others to know. You'd think all would go smoothly at this wellness retreat, right? Well, that is until the discovery of a bloody knife, a body and hallucinogenic tea. This was an incredibly well written book. The characters were all well-developed and the ending was simply phenomenal. I never saw the final events coming! Taking about characters, although they were well-developed, they weren't particularly likeable. I found they were all flawed but I needed to know what would happen next. There are a lot of twists and turns that kept me hooked until the very last page. For fans of thrillers, you will surely enjoy this one! Highly recommend! My rating:  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️...
Hello everyone! We haven't posted in a while and we apologize about that! Life got super busy this summer and even more with school being back. We thought we would make a blog post an share what we have been up too these last few months and share some exciting news as well! An Introvert Reads : I only had three weeks between classes this summer so I visited my family in Ontario for about one week. Afterward, it was back to studying. I did go to a fun concert in August which was a nice weekend getaway to Saskatoon! I did manage to break my reading goal this week with 40 books read so far this year! Considering I have zero time to read I would say this is a win! I'm still working on a work/study/life balance at the moment as studying as really taken its toll on me. I feel so run down, I've missed so much work this month. I don't want to give up but I really need to take care of myself in the meantime. One thing to help me with this is that I have decided to ...
  I did not know what to except when starting this book and oh boy did I love it! I couldn’t put it down! This story is about Rowan, and how her whole family died in weird circumstances and she is trying to find out the truth about what really happened. I knew this was book #2 in the series and I was worried that I would be missing chunks of information, but I wasn’t lost at all. There was some recap in this story to help me understand what had happened. However, I do wish I would have read The Undertaker’s Daughter and The Secrets We Bury beforehand, but I would still like to read them, even know I know what happens. It was that good! I also really love book series, so this is my jam! I cannot wait to read the next one! To really get me hooked on a series I really must love the main characters, and I got to say I fell in love with Rowan and Billy as the very beginning! I absolutely love how Rowan is a fighter and how Billy is always there to protect her! I wanted mo...