Showing posts with label 21st century. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 21st century. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 27

Book Review: One Last Job by Anise Starre


Author: Anise Starre
Title: One Last Job
Series: Flights and Feelings
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Ebook
Pages: 382
Published: July 7, 2023
Where I got It: Kindle Unlimited


Summary: 
Working late never felt so good.

When Amber Wyatt gets the opportunity to project manage a lucrative contract with The August Room, an exclusive and glamorous private members’ club, she can’t wait to get started. That is until she meets handsome managing director. Finn Hawthorne seemingly has no respect for her work, continuously undermines her and, worst of all, has the uncanny ability to charm everyone else he meets.

But launching The August Room is Finn's baby and he needs it to go well. With whispers of nepotism he needs to prove himself. Which explains why he can’t stand Amber. Not only is she charging him a small fortune, she keeps dismissing his ideas and, worst of all, she’s drop-dead gorgeous and seemingly immune to his charms.

Forced to work together to meet the tight launch day deadline, sparks begin to fly, and the fine line between business and pleasure starts to blur.

What was supposed to be a career-defining project leaves them both wanting more, but will they take it, or will this one last job destroy everything they've built?


Review:
Randomly stumbled upon this one while looking for something else and this seemed fabulous. 

Here we have Finn and Amber. They are forced to work together to meet a tight launch date. When together...it seems they are too different, but they will soon learn they are perfect for each other. 

I'm going to do a divide and conquer review again. My poor brain hurts today. 

The Good
- Loved these two! Finn and Amber were great. Loved their banter
- I liked how this naturally happened. Yes, they were forced together but it took time and it felt right. 
- This is part of a series, but it didn't feel like it. It felt like a nice standalone. Sure, there might've been cameos, but I didn't notice
- The ending was lovely and was perfect. 

The Bad and the Ugly
- I don't really have any issues. ;)

Conclusion
Great read. I would def read more by this author and maybe more in this series. 5 stars from me. 


Thursday, October 22

Book Review: When the Dead Speak by Clay Wise


Author: Clay Wise
Title: When the Dead Speak
Genre: Mystery, Horror
Format: Ebook
Pages: 302
Published: August 9, 2025
Where I got It: Kindle Unlimited


Summary: 
When Ally Hawkins sees her late husband’s ghost, she’s drawn into a deadly conspiracy behind his death. Hunted by dangerous enemies both living and dead, she must uncover the truth before she becomes the next target.


Review:
While looking for scary books for October, I found this one, and it was freeeee then. Love a freebie. 

Here we follow Ally and her crew. When Ally sees her late husband's ghost, she is drawn into a deadly conspiracy behind his death. They are hunted by the living and dead as she uncovers the truth to help her husband's ghost find peace. 

Whelp. I guess this is technically part of a series even though it wasn't made clear on Goodreads. I realized this after I felt like I was missing something. I read a few reviews and WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. Yeah. I mean - it did find as a standalone, but there were moments that I felt like a new person at the party. 

I was entertained by this and was curious about what was going to happen. I wasn't sure what was going to happen next and how they were going to find the truth. Lots of bad people covering stuff up, for sure. 

I feel for Ally...I wouldn't want that power, especially seeing a dead loved one. EEEE.

But yes, I enjoyed this, but I did feel like I was missing some stuff. It did well enough as a standalone, but I think going back and reading previous stories might have helped me like this a touch more. 

I'm going to stamp this with a 3. 




Wednesday, October 21

Audiobook Review: A Very Good Bad Idea by Emma Chase


Author: Emma Chase

Narrator: Sean Masters & Brooke Bloomingdale
Title: A Very Good Bad Idea
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Rom Com
Format: Audiobook
Published: October 13, 2026
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)


Summary: 
No loopholes. No backing out. No leaving for four months.

Damon Burke is intense, handsome and vengefully calculating—he's also certain he'll outlast his competitor.

Jade Buchanan is brilliant, ruthless, and absolutely not losing to him.

But the house seems to have a mind of its own. With faulty wiring, a leaking roof, drafty windows and the occasional wild-life infestation, it just might be trying to kill them. And the more Damon and Jade try to oust each other from the property, the more it brings them together.

Sparks fly, tempers clash—but eventually, all their walls come crumbling down.

It's a bad idea to get too close to your enemy. To care about them, need them, want them more than you've ever wanted anything.

But when rivalry becomes something more than they ever expected, Damon and Jade discover love can be a very good bad idea.


Review:
This randomly popped up as a recommendation while I was looking for something to turn on for one part of my road trip. SOOOoooOOoooo why not?

Man, I should've written this right away. EEEE.

Okay...Jade and Damon are enemies. They both want this house for their companies. The previous owner couldn't decide who should get it, so they made a clause in the will.....both need to stay in the house for 4 months. No phones and people bring food and other essentials every couple of weeks. They are alone with their thoughts and...each other. First to leave wins. 

I'll divide and conquer this review:

The Good
- I thought this was funny. I know some people didn't like the pranks, but I thought they were funny until they went to far. 
- The banter was great. 
- The smexy parts were lovely
- The ending was lovely. 
- I loved the side characters. They were adorable
- The narration was great! Both did well. 

The Bad and the Ugly
- I hated our two mains. They were assholes. Sure, it made for entertainment, but they need therapyyyyyyyyyy bad. 
- This felt unrealistic at times. Like...sure people are bad...but how is Jade's Dad NOT in prison?
- Jade forgave Damon for what he said about her mom WAY too quickly. 

Conclusion
This was a mixed bag for me. Loved some parts, hated some. And these two are hard to like. They are rough. Sure, they get better and the rough edges are smoothed down, but I would never want to meet these people in real life. 

I'll give this 3 stars. 



Reading Challenges
- Audiobook #45

Wednesday, October 14

Book Review: The Seduction of the Crimson Rose by Lauren Willig


Author: 
Lauren Willig
Title: The Seduction of the Crimson Rose
Series: Pink Carnation #4
Genre: Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance, Mystery, Chick Lit
Format: Paperback
Pages: 385
Published: January 6, 2008
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)


Summary: 
A continuation of the series that began with The Masque of the Black Tulip and The Deception of the Emerald Ring finds Mary accepting a secret assignment from spy Lord Vaughn to infiltrate the Black Tulip's operation in order to prevent an invasion of England




Review:
I started this and then stopped for a while. September was a wild month. Buuuuuut this was set to the side and not forgotten. I love this series, and I wanted to keep going. I finally picked back up to finish. 

Here we are with Eloise continuing her research on the Pink Carnation and other fellow spies. This time we will step back and see Mary's and Lord Vaughn's story. Mary accepts a secret assignment to infiltrate the Black Tulip's operation to prevent plans for an invasion of England. 

Mary is a rough character to like, but she is one you can't stop being curious about. There is a lot more deep down. Same with Lord Vaughn. The two are a match made in snarky Heaven.

It was nice going back to this! It's been so long. I had forgotten sooo many things.

Eloise is adorable. I remember being not her biggest fan in my very first read-through of this series, but I've grown to adore her. 

Such a fun series. This isn't my favorite mainly because Mary is rough to like, but it's still an enjoyable read. Love the world. Love the characters. I can't wait to start the next one soon-ish.  

I'll give this a 4.






Tuesday, October 13

Audiobook Review: A Taste of Magic by Tricia O'Malley


Author: Tricia O'Malley

Narrator: 
Siobhan Waring & John Hartley
Title: A Taste of Magic
Series: The Scottish Charms #2
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Format: Audiobook
Published: August 25, 2026
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)


Summary: 
She’s hexed. He’s her ex. And if they can’t bake in harmony, Briarhaven’s big cooking competition might just go up in smoke.

Lyra MacGregor’s magic is as unpredictable as her love life—especially when her spellwork starts misfiring during the filming of Briarhaven’s favorite reality TV Bewitching Bake-Off. Even worse? She’s paired with Rabbie Campbell, her high school sweetheart turned heartbreak.

He’s never baked a thing in his life. She turns spoons into hedgehogs when he’s nearby. But with the cameras rolling, the curse deepening, and old sparks reigniting, they’ll have to cook up more than just a winning cake to survive. Because in Briarhaven, baking is spellwork, and love is the trickiest recipe of all.


Review:
I finished book 1, and I had to get my hands on book 2. I'm loving this town and this family. Plus...I had to know what the heck is up with Rabbie and Lyra. What happened between them the last time they were in town?

Lyra and her family have been back in town for about a year now. It is her turn to finally get her powers and lift her part of the curse. However, things are interrupted when a Baking Show picks Briarhaven to host the Christmas special. This is the chance Lyra has been dreaming about! She finally got a job at the bakery, but maybe this competition will help blast her Baking show to new heights. However, she is having issues with her magic, and now she's being partnered with her ex....

I really loved this one. I loved watching them go from enemies to baking partners to friends to being in love. It felt real. They finally are forced to TALK and hear each other out. *chef kiss*

Lyra is adorable. 

Rabbie is cranky and cute. 

Gimme all the hedgehogs. 

I just wanted to eat all the yummy desserts mentioned. 

This is a second chance, and I get scared of them, but the reason why they broke up was an easy fix once they matured, especially when they realized it was all a misunderstanding. 

The ending was lovely. 

The narrators were perfect. 

I loved this. So much fun. I want book 3!!!!

5 stars. 




Reading Challenges
- Audiobook #42
- Reading Romance Challenge #20 (MC Works in the Food Industry)


Friday, October 2

Audiobook Review: Love's a Witch by Tricia O'Malley


Author: 
Tricia O'Malley
Narrator: Imogen Church & 
John Hartley
Title: Love's a Witch
Series: The Scottish Charms #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Romantasy
Format: Audiobook
Published: August 26, 2025
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)


Summary: 
She’s hexed. He’s vexed. And for Scotland’s most magical small-town, their feud might just spell disaster.

Sloane MacGregor swore she’d never return to Briarhaven, but with her twenty-fifth birthday looming—the day witches come into their magic—her grandmother summons her and her sisters back for one tiny task: break the centuries-old curse haunting their bloodline.

Knox Douglas, Briarhaven’s grumpy mayor, has worked tirelessly to make his town a haven for magical folk. The last thing he needs is a cursed MacGregor wreaking havoc. It doesn’t matter he once crushed on her. For the sake of Briarhaven, Sloane has to go.

But magic has other plans—and in Briarhaven, love really is a witch.


Review:
I've enjoyed past books by the author and this randomly appeared so why not!! Scotland...magic....oh my. 

Here we follow Sloane and Knox. Sloane is from the family MacGregor and they have been cursed for centuries. They can't stay in a town for too long before disaster strikes and bad things happen. Sloane is about to turn 25 and finally step into her magic and her grandmother had a vision that her and her sisters will be the ones to finally break this curse. She is back in Briarhaven and it's been years and now Knox is the mayor. He has worked tirelessly to take this tiny town and make something of it. It's a haven for magical folk and a "tourist" spot. The last thing he needs is any of the MacGregors coming back. They have to go. 

I'm tired and feeling worn. I'll divide and conquer this review: 

The Good
- Loved this whole concept. It was really fresh and cool. I feel bad for the family, but the curse is interesting!
- I loved all the little magical creatures. Too cute! I want to see more!
- Loooooved the town. 
- I loved Knox and Sloane together even though they are both so, so, so stubborn
- MORE PLEASE

The Bad and the Ugly
- Nothing really. If I'm hard pressed to say anything...I would've liked to see more "dates" between Sloane and Knox. I would've loved to see them talk more and see the chemistry. 

Conclusion
Soooo enjoyable. Loved it. I already have book 2 in my library ;)

4 stars. 




Reading Challenges
- Audiobook #40

Tuesday, September 22

Audiobook Review: An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed by Helene Tursten


Author: 
Helene Tursten
Narrator: Ann Richardson
Title: An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed
Series: Ã„ldre dam #2
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Short Story, Fiction, Comedy
Pages: Audiobook
Published: October 8, 2020
Where I Got It: Borrowed from library



Summary: 
Eighty-eight-year-old Maud is never looking for trouble, but it always seems to find her. First, a woman in her building met an untimely end: tragic. Then, just recently, a dead body mysteriously appeared in her very own apartment, prompting an investigation by the local Gothenburg authorities. Such a strange coincidence. When it seems suspicion has fallen on her, little old lady that she is, Maud decides to skip town and splurges on a trip to South Africa for herself.

In these six interlocking stories, memories of unfortunate incidents from Maud’s past keep bubbling to the surface, each triggered by something in the present: an image, a word, even a taste. When she lands in Johannesburg at last, eager to move on from the bloody ordeal last summer, she finds certain problems seem to be following her. Luckily, Maud is no stranger to taking matters into her own hands . . . even if it means she has to get a little blood on them in the process.

Don’t let her age fool you. Maud may be nearly ninety, but this elderly lady still has a few tricks before she’s ready to call it quits.


Review:
We are back baaaabyyyyy! Book 2!

We start where we left off. Maud is old but she doesn't let that stop her from what she wants even if that means blood will be on her hands. We get to see some flashbacks as she goes along her trip.

Maud....we love you even though you are technically a serial killer. She doesn't kill for the thrill of it...sometimes people get in her way, and she isn't about that life. 

I loved watching her on her trip to South Africa. I was curious who in her tour group would fuck up and who she'd have to take out. You know one of them will piss her off....it was only a matter of when and who. Color me surprised by who the victim would be. 

Awww, the ending was good. I want more though!!! Sadly this is it. 

This was a fun listen. I loved the narrator. She did a great job. 

But yes, a quick listen, BUT so dang good. You gotta read these. I loved that we got some good flashbacks. Dark, but good.

5 stars from me. 













Reading Challenges
- Audiobook #39
- Library Love #24

Wednesday, September 16

Book Review: The Goal by Elle Kennedy


Author: Elle Kennedy
Title: The Goal
Series: Off Campus #4
Genre: Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Format: Ebook
Pages: 350
Published: September 26, 2016
Where I got It: Borrowed from library


Summary: 
She’s good at achieving her goals…

College senior Sabrina James has her whole future planned out: graduate from college, kick butt in law school, and land a high-paying job at a cutthroat firm. Her path to escaping her shameful past certainly doesn’t include a gorgeous hockey player who believes in love at first sight. One night of sizzling heat and surprising tenderness is all she’s willing to give John Tucker, but sometimes, one night is all it takes for your entire life to change.

But the game just got a whole lot more complicated

Tucker believes being a team player is as important as being the star. On the ice, he’s fine staying out of the spotlight, but when it comes to becoming a daddy at the age of twenty-two, he refuses to be a bench warmer. It doesn’t hurt that the soon-to-be mother of his child is beautiful, whip-smart, and keeps him on his toes. The problem is, Sabrina’s heart is locked up tight, and the fiery brunette is too stubborn to accept his help. If he wants a life with the woman of his dreams, he’ll have to convince her that some goals can only be made with an assist.



Review:
I was a little hesitant about this one due to not being a fan of Sabrina. Tucker is a nice boy, and Sabrina has been super cold in the past. MAINLY against Dean, and I get her reasons, buuuuuuuuuuuuuut yeah. 

Tucker and Sabrina have a one night stand, and now....oopsies....a baby is now on the way. This isn't on their list of goals at all. Both are graduating and have life goals that do not include each other or a baby. However, they can't get each other out of their minds. They decide to take the risk and change their plans just a smidge. Sabrina will still be going to Law school, but she will allow Tucker to stay and help...a bit. Tucker won't be going back to Texas. He'll stay and start his business there instead. Will Tucker be able to convince Sabrina to let down her walls and allow them to be a complete family?

Oh, sweet, sweet Tucker. I wanted to shake Sabrina! LET HIM LOVE YOUUUUU! YOU LOVE HIM TOO!!! GAH! 

Yes, yes, I get that she has LOTS of issues, so trusting a man with her heart is the last thing on her list. But damn, girl. I wanted to scream!!!!!! Tucker is an angel and so patient. But I did love her will and persistence. She is so smart and so driven. I loved that for her. She will be an amazing lawyer. 

I enjoyed watching them figure it out and go from lust to love to having a family (spoiler, not spoiler...it is a romance after all). But damn...Sabrina....that house you are living in is NOT a good situation for you or the baby. :/

Don't get me wrong, I ended up loving Sabrina by the end. I loved the scene between her and Dean at the end. They'll never be besties, but they finally understood each other. See how talking it out can help? 

I'm sad to be done with this part of the series. Yes, yes, there is 'The Legacy' left to read and the spin-offs. However, the core four are done, and I still don't have season 2 of the show released yet! I guess I'll have to keep reading the others ;) hehe. 

But yes, this was a great series. I can see myself reading these four for sure. 

I'll give this 4 stars even though Sabrina drove me to insanity. 





Reading Challenges
- Library Love #23

Tuesday, September 15

Audiobook Review: Playing Hard to Get by Monica Murphy



Author: Monica Murphy
Narrator: Rock Engle & Meg Sylvan
Title: Playing Hard to Get
Series: The Players #1
Genre: Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Format: Audiobook 
Published: December 1, 2022
Where I Got It: My shelf (Audible)

Summary: 
Knox Maguire is the king of our college campus, the star offensive tight end on the football team.

He is the complete opposite of me in every way. I'm quiet. He's loud. I'm shy. He's definitely not. Everyone loves him. No one knows me.

Fresh out of a breakup, I don't really trust him, and why should I? Knox is the ultimate player. When I become his English tutor, I tell myself we need to keep things between us strictly business. Watching my mother deal with my ex-athlete father long ago taught me to stay far away from that type of man.

Yet Knox is impossible to resist. Next thing I know, we're getting hot and heavy in the library—and that was never part of the plan. When Knox admits he can't stop thinking about me, I have a realization: I can't stop thinking about him either.

Instead of keeping my distance, I pull him in closer. Until somehow, we're spending all of our time together, and I find myself falling for Knox. Hard.

Will this actually work between us? Or am I getting played?


Review:
I was looking for a football romance since football season was on the way! 

Here we follow Knox, our resident football player, and Joanna, our resident book nerd and tutor. They couldn't more different, but they start bounding as Joanna helps Knox with his reading. Knox has dyslexia, and he's put off his English class for as long as possible, but he needs it to graduate college. Joanna is still working on her broken heart and Knox has a bet to not have sex until after the season is over. However, lust and love can't be stopped sometimes. 

This was a very sweet story. Yes, there is spice, but this was relatively low-key drama. Yes, there is a smidge, but nothing over-the-top or wasn't fixed after TALKING. I liked it!

I liked Joanna, and I did warm up to Knox. Knox was kinda annoying, but I did warm up to him especially when you could see him fall in love. It was sweet. 

My only issue was the Joanna has issues with football because of her dad being a footballer who abandoned her family. I feel like that lil factoid was breezed over. I think we needed some more time to dive into that and maybe….get a resolution? IDK. Maybe we’ll see something in book 2?

I am curious about book 2 because I feel like that will rock many boats, and I'm curious how Knox will react. Mmmmm I may have to download it. 

The narrators were good. They did well. 

But yes, this was very sweet and made me excited for Fall and football. I liked the low-key drama....it was fitting. I just really liked them talking, falling in love, and the spice was spread out enough not to be too much. It was nice. I think I needed something low-key in my life right now. Life has been lifing. 

4 stars. 




Reading Challenges
- Audiobook #37

Friday, August 28

Book Review: Luster by Raven Leilani


Author: Raven Leilani
Title: Luster
Genre: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance
Format: Paperback
Pages: 240
Published: August 4, 2020
Where I got It: My shelf (gift)


Summary: 
Luster sees a young Black woman fall into art and someone else's open marriage. Edie is stumbling her way through her twenties--sharing a subpar apartment in Bushwick, clocking in and out of her admin job, making a series of inappropriate sexual choices. She's also, secretly, haltingly, figuring her way into life as an artist. And then she meets Eric, a digital archivist with a family in New Jersey, including an autopsist wife who has agreed to an open marriage--with rules. As if navigating the constantly shifting landscapes of contemporary sexual manners and racial politics weren't hard enough, Edie finds herself unemployed and falling into Eric's family life, his home. She becomes a hesitant friend to his wife and a de facto role model to his adopted daughter. Edie is the only Black woman who young Akila knows.Razor-sharp, darkly comic, sexually charged, socially disruptive, Luster is a portrait of a young woman trying to make sense of her life in a tumultuous era. It is also a haunting, aching description of how hard it is to believe in your own talent and the unexpected influences that bring us into ourselves along the way.



Review:
I was given this book as a gift, but I have been curious about it. There was a lot of interest when this first came out a few years ago. 

Here, we follow Edie as she tries to make sense of her life. She starts up an affair with a man whose wife is okay with an open marriage...but with strict rules. Edie soon finds herself unemployed and falling face-first into her lover's family life and home. 

I feel like people love or are meh about this book. I don't know where I fully sit on this book. 

There were some things I liked and some things I didn't. 

My biggest issue was the writing style. It felt so...choppy. It didn't flow right and kept taking me out of the story. It felt so jarring! I did like the observations and the inner monologue parts, but the story itself felt so choppy and disjointed. 

I also can't buy this as a romance. It felt so awkward, and I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop at any minute. This really should just be a...not chick lit but something else. I'm blanking on a good genre to shove this in. 

Honestly, I liked reading about Edie and Rebecca the most. I enjoyed seeing that relationship form and morph. I also adored little Akila! 

And the ending....left me feeling nothing. It just ended. 

But yes...some good, but a lot of bad. I'll give this 3 stars. Maybe the audio would've been a hair better!






Tuesday, August 18

Audiobook Review: Vacation Wars by Meghan Quinn


Author: Meghan Quinn
Narrator: CJ Bloom & Lee Samuels
Title: Vacation Wars
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit
Format: Audiobook 
Published: April 18, 2023
Where I Got It: Audible


Summary: 
Prepared for a good time, Tessa is thrilled to spend the weeks before her sister’s wedding at their family’s favorite vacation spot: Santorini. Sandy beaches, stonewashed houses, attractive men—it’s heaven.

But Tessa’s idea of a girls’ trip comes to a screaming halt when her sister thinks it’s high time Tessa finds some love herself. Unfortunately, Tessa forgot about the deal she made back in high school: she has to find her soulmate before her sister’s wedding. Or else.

As she dodges suitors and her sister’s pranks, Tessa finds an ally in the oh-so-dreamy Myles, her childhood crush who just so happens to work at the resort. But Myles is dealing with some family conflict of his own. He’s elated at being reunited with Tessa, but his father’s refusal to acknowledge his interest in the family business and relegating him to only grunt work casts a dark cloud.

As Tessa and Myles help navigate their way through their families’ antics, they begin to realize that their past feelings may have a future—if only they can turn their island fantasies into something real.


Review:
I picked this up because 1) this sounded really good, 2) it's a fun local, and 3) it fits one of my challenges!

Here we follow Tessa and Myles. The two have been dancing around each other for decades. They never really spoke, but they both had this crush on each other. One day, they finally interact and realize that maybe they are meant to be with each other. However, distance and their families might keep them apart. 

This was very sweet. I enjoyed watching Tessa and Myles find each other. The side plots did muddy things, though. I think we spent too much time dealing with their friends and family. I would've loved seeing them together more. Maybe a few more sneak-away dates.

The ending was great and perfect. I loved seeing everyone growing the F up. Tessa and her friends were sooooo childish, but I'm glad they all realized it (slight spoiler). Even Myles and his father were acting like babies. Yes, yes, we needed them to be babies to have the drama, but sometimes it was so annoying. But YES. Everyone finally got over themselves and grew up. It was a great ending. 

Honestly, I would like a sequel. I feel like Myles' friend deserves his own story. Maybe a short story?

The narrators did a great job. Perfect voices for everyone. 

Overall, I did really like this. Some issues, but it was resolved by the end, so I was happy. I would've liked a little more time focused on our mains, but I loved them as a couple. 

4 stars from me. 





Reading Challenges
- Audiobook #35
- Reading Romance Challenge #19 (Travel/Vacation)

Tuesday, August 11

Book Review: The Spider Silk Scarf by Ana Reyes


Author: Ana Reyes
Title: The Spider Silk Scarf
Genre: Fantasy, Short Story, Thriller, Horror
Format: ebook
Pages: 32
Expected publication September 1, 2026
Where I got It: My Shelf (Amazon)



Summary: 
Nora has always gotten a thrill from stealing things—from shoplifting nail polish as a young teenager to now, in her twenties, reaching higher than a receptionist’s salary allows. Her handyman fiancé, Ben, doesn’t ask questions when she shows up with a new necklace or cracks open a bottle of high-end cognac that they clearly can’t afford.

When Ben comes home from a repair job for a notoriously reclusive neighbor, he passes along rumors of an extraordinary object hidden away in her gloomy old house. A scarf, woven from the silk of black widow spiders. It’s priceless, not only because it’s completely unique, but also because, as legend has it, it took twelve weavers seven years to create. Only eleven survived.

As obsession takes hold, Nora finds herself breaking into her neighbor’s home. But what happens next defies explanation. One glimpse into the world of a witch could change Nora’s life forever—if she makes it out.



Review:
Weeeee Amazon first read! A friend and I both picked this to check out. How could you not? That title....that cover....that summary???? So enticing!

In this story, we follow Nora. Nora has always gotten a thrill from stealing. Ben, her future husband, never bats an eye when Nora shows up with things that are way out of their price range. After doing a job for a reclusive neighbor, he passes along a rumor of an extraordinary object in the neighbor's house. It's a priceless scarf, and Nora wants it. It's a scarf that is woven from the silk of black widow spiders. However, there is a legend attached to it....there were twelve weavers, but only eleven survived. After breaking into the neighbor's house to steal the scarf, Nora will come face-to-face with the unexplainable. 

Oh Nora....you have a problem. And if Ben doesn't know...he's dumb. All the signs are there. I guess love is blind? SMH. 

It's hard to feel for our main here, but I still enjoyed the story. There is a lesson mixed in with the story. Maybe multiple lessons, to be fair. 

This would be a lovely short to read during Halloween. Maybe I'll read it again in a couple of years! It has some spooky elements for sure. 

The ending was good. A nice twist. 

Overall, this was a quick read but a nice read. It was just enough. The characters are hard to feel bad for, but not all stories have characters that are likeable!

4 stars.