Cassie DeNisco

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Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? Book Review

Sharing another book review for my summer of reading and today’s post is all about, Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? book review! This was on Reese’s Book Club so I of course had to read it!

A lot of the books I read from her book club I just read. I don’t really research what they’re about so this one was definitely very interesting. As always this post has an affiliate link where I make a small commission if you purchase the book through me!

Did You Hear About Kitty Karr? by Crystal Paul Smith

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did you hear about kitty kart

This book bounces between the past and the current present in the book. I was honestly pleasantly surprised about the depth this book actually went to. At first glance it seems like just another book about Hollywood but you realize it’s so much deeper.

One thing I really appreciated was how well this was written. The twists and turns of the book are so well hidden in the writing you don’t really know what will come next. I really ended up loving this book because of how Crystal Smith Paul writes.

This book discusses race in both the lens of the past and present, and without giving too much away, it shows that life isn’t always as it seems. This book is shocking in a good way and once you start, you won’t put it down until it’s done.

It touches on Hollywood like your average book would however it just makes you critically think about how the world we live in is and how we might not have come as far as we thought!

This Did you hear about Kitty Karr? book review is one of my favorites because I really just was pleasantly surprised with this book. I hope you give it a read and let me know what you think! I have other book reviews that you can read here!

Magic Lessons Book Review!

My summer of reading is still going strong! I’ve been working my way through the Practical Magic series and I have been loving it! This Magic Lessons Book Review by Alice Hoffman is the prequel to the book based on the movie.

I was looking to break up my currently to be read list with a little more fantasy. This series is great for just that and I really loved these books! As always, this post has an affiliate link where I make a small commission if you purchase but no pressure!

Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman

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magic lessons book review

This book sets the stage for the movie version and was written after the fact to kind of give it some context. You can definitely read them out of order but highly suggest reading it this way.

We follow the stories of three kids who just find out they have magical capabilities. What’s great about this story is we get to know each of them as they grow up and have different life experiences. I love that this book flows so easily and isn’t choppy. It has a lot going on but it’s easily digestible.

I’m trying to not give spoilers because if you haven’t seen the movie, this series is even more magical. The twist at the end really gets you and you see just how much love the three siblings have for each other even when they are miles apart.

One other part of this book and series that I love is how it gives a little bit of historical fiction vibes. This book takes place before present time so it gives you a glimpse into things surrounding magic like the witch trials and then just life after.

I highly suggest this series as a whole. Like I said I really needed to break up my reading from just rom coms to something more in the fantasy realm. I was definitely not disappointed!

This book is a Reese’s Book Club pick so I always know going in I’m going to love it. This Magic Lessons book review is all about family and getting through whatever life throws at you so it’s really relatable. Even though magic is a central theme! If you liked this book review, read my latest one about The Senator’s Wife here!

The Senator’s Wife Book Review!!

I am so excited to be reviewing the latest book by Liv Constantine! Other books by this author like The Last Mrs. Parrish were amazing. I’m excited to share my thoughts on this one!

I purchased this book on my own so all of these thoughts are my own! I do have an affiliate link for you if you’re interested in getting a copy!

The Senator’s Wife by Liv Constantine

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the senator's wife book review

Before I get too deep in this review, I want you to know I at least think you should read it. I might be a little harsh but I still really love the author, the story is just a bit confusing.

The book opens with two couples vacationing together. The husband of one couple and the wife of the other are actually cousins and then men are on capital hill. As you can see, it’s already getting twisted and that’s only the first few pages.

The cousins end up dying and the other two are left to pick up the pieces. (I’m summarizing so I don’t give out spoilers) The book then follows Sloane and Senator Whit as they navigate politics, marriage and Sloane’s chronic illness.

They introduce so many characters that it’s a bit difficult to get into. When I thrillers, I think of them as a build up and since something so crazy happened at the beginning it was hard to imagine where the book could go from there.

There were also a few “fluff” characters as I like to call them. These characters had story lines but didn’t play into the final piece. I did like the twist at the end but getting there was rough.

Overall this book wasn’t bad, it was just a bit more tricky to navigate than other books by this author. I just didn’t love it like I loved the others so I’m giving this a 3.5/5! Still read-worthy, just not one of my favorites!

If you liked this review of The Senator’s Wife, you can read more book reviews here!

Meet Me at the Lake Book Review!

The second this book dropped I knew I would have to review it! Carley Fortune became one of my favorite authors last summer after reading, Every Summer After. I absolutely adored that book and knew I would probably love this one too!

Let me know if a review of Every Summer After is something you will read! I’m actually surprised I didn’t write one last summer! I was not paid for this review however I have used an affiliate link if you’d like to purchase the book through me I make a small commission!

Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune

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meet me at the lake

First off, I have to shout out this STUNNING cover. It really draws you in and gives you that summer sunset we all love.

I will preface this by saying I feel like I might’ve went into this book with expectations of it being like her previous. I absolutely loved that book so I had really high hopes of what this book would be.

The story actually follows a mother and daughter who own a resort on a lake in Canada. Long story short, the mom dies and the daughter is has to decide to take over or not. Fern, the daughter, originally left the small town to go to a bigger town in Canada where she had dreams of opening her own coffee shop.

In the big town, she meets someone named Will and they spend the whole day together. Which leaves an impression on both of them. Fast forward to after her mom passed, Will is actually someone who her mom hired to help rebrand and market the plummeting resort.

The story then follows Will and Fern picking up the pieces of where they left off while Fern decided what to do with the resort. I feel like their love story just wasn’t the epic summer love I was searching for. This is not to say the book isn’t great on it’s own.

Wrap Up

I love how Carley writes and am so impressed that this is only her second book. I just think Every Summer After is a one and a million books that can’t be replicated! Meet Me at the Lake is great in it’s own way too!

As I’m writing this I feel like I should probably review it so that you guys all see why I’m obsessed! Let me know if you have any other books you’d like me to review this summer too! Check out more reviews here!

The Nightingale Book Review

I’m slowly making it through my master to be read list and this book I’ve had on it for awhile! I’ve heard great things about The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah so I was excited to read it. I’ve been on top of my reading game this year which is why you’ve been getting so many reviews like the nightingale book review!

As always, I have an affiliate link for you to purchase the book! I make a small commission if you use that link but there’s no pressure to purchase! This review is my own and I purchased this book on my own!

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

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the nightingale book review

Based in France during World War II, we follow the stories of two sisters leading two really different lives. One is a mother and doing all she can to keep it together as her is sent off to war. Her younger sister is taken in by the war effort and swept away by the idea of freedom and making the country better.

This story had so much heart and courage that I couldn’t help but be in awe. Although this is not based on a specific true story, I know that the women during this time were doing these exact things. Putting myself in their shoes I just couldn’t help but be in awe of their strength through such uncertain times.

This story intertwines with the present when we find out that one of the sisters survived. She’s heads back to France for the first time since the war with her son that she didn’t tell anything too. There’s such a slight twist at the end of the book but you just can’t help the tears. I’m not usually one to cry over a book but this one will be with me for awhile.

Books like this and historical fiction in general transports you back in time to a specific time period or event. When done well, you’re able to feel the feelings of the character and in turn the people who lived through that event. This book does just that and I know you’ll love this after reading it.

It’s definitely a longer read but I think it’s so crucial to educate yourself on the Holocaust. It was such a heartbreaking and traumatic event that everyone needs to learn how to do better. This book is heartbreaking but at the same time filled with hope and courage.

If you loved the nightingale book review, be sure to subscribe to the blog for more! Read my latest review on the HouseMaid here! Let me know if you guys like this kind of content, I’m in a weird phase where I just want to write book reviews!

The Cuban Heiress Book Review!

I love Chanel Cleeton and was so excited to read her latest book The Cuban Heiress! Cleeton always takes you back in time to tell the story of a heroic woman in the face of changing political times. This book was especially fascinating as you read and the story unfolds.

Her characters always have dimension and some serious girl power that makes you root for them in any situation! This review is not sponsored as I purchased the book on my own however you can shop for this book with my affiliate link where I make a small commission if you purchase!

The Cuban Heiress by Chanel Cleeton

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the cuban heiress

In the Cuban Heiress, we follow the stories of Elena and Catherine. Both enjoying a cruise on the Morro Castle cruise ship, the woman have very different experiences. Catherine sets sail with her soon to be husband and his daughter and her nanny. We soon realize this engagement was a quick one and there’s something deeper going on.

Elena’s story is even more mysterious as she meets a crew member who helps to smuggle people and weapons to and from Havana. As the story unfolds, we realize Elena is there to get revenge on someone who wronged her, but the pieces don’t start to come together until the very end.

I loved the twists in this book as we don’t realize Elena and Catharine know each other, and are working together, until the very end. It helps to keep this book interesting as each chapter alternates the women’s points of view. Cleeton’s books always embody strong female characters and this one really doesn’t miss.

Elena and Catharine’s friendship and the lengths they go too is so admirable. Even though we don’t get a lot of time with them together in the book, the bond they have is striking and adds such dimension to the book.

I always appreciate the end of Cleeton’s books where you learn the real history of what she’s talking about in the book. The Morro Castle was actually a real ship that had a real tragedy happen to it, similar to that in the book. She stays so true to the actual events but weaves in this amazing element of fiction that makes these books so hard to put down.

If you liked this book review, I have a few other by Cleeton here! You can read my last month’s book club pick here!

The Housemaid Book Review

I had to double post a book review this month because I seriously loved this too much to not share! This post is dedicated The Housemaid book review by Freida McFadden! This book gave me Last Mrs. Parrish vibes and I could not put it down after I started it.

I’m always bouncing between genres and just really looking for something that keeps me wanting more. The twists and turns in this book hook you in and you just never really know what’s coming next. As always there’s an affiliate link to purchase the book where I make a small commission but there’s no pressure to purchase!

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

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housemaid book review

We start off meeting Nina Winchester who’s trying to hire a housemaid for her lux home. Nina actually interviews Millie and ends up hiring her, without checking her background according to Millie. Everything starts out great but we are slowly lead to believe that Nina has something wrong with her.

She makes Millie do one thing but then quickly turns on her. To the outside world, they know Nina as a crazy woman with a perfect husband. Millie initially thinks nothing of it but slowly starts believing the narrative that there is something wrong with Nina. Because of this Millie starts to resent her and begins to fall for Andrew, her perfect husband.

This back and forth goes for a little while until Andrew and Millie actually sleep together. Andrew decides to leave Nina and that’s wear the story begins to twist and turn. We find out that it was Nina’s plan all along to hire someone like Millie so she can break free from Andrew.

I won’t say much more because I don’t want to spoil it for you but as the secrets start to unravel, you won’t be able to put this book down! I wasn’t expecting what happened at all and it was such a welcome twist. This is a great quick read if you need to get out of a book rut!

I hope you consider picking up this book after reading the Housemaid Book Review! I seriously enjoyed this and love thriller type stories like these! You can read more book reviews here!

The Woman in Red Book Review

You ever pick up a book not knowing anything about it but end up loving it? The Woman in Red was definitely that book for me. I found a book outlet on vacation and it was like a buy 3 deal. After much looking around, I needed a 3rd one and stumbled on this striking cover.

I am so glad I stumbled on it because it truly was fascinating. This is a historical fiction book that leaves you feeling so empowered and in awe of the main character. I actually did some research after because I was just so interested in the story.

The Woman in Red by Diana Giovinazzo

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the woman in red

This book follows us on Anita Garibaldi’s story as she navigates love, lift, and politics. Her story starts in South America where she’s growing up and has to marry after her father passes. We see that Anita is resilient and truly a force to be reckoned with. She meets rebel leader Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Brazilian revolution.

They fall in love and run off to fight in the battle to make Brazil a better place. The two of them really bond on their ideas for how the world should look and the type of world they want to live in. Anita is not accepted where she went as a woman but her husband believes in her and together they made a great team.

The story finishes off in Italy where they are fighting for a unified Italy and you can just feel how amazing she is. While her husband was fighting these battles she rallied the woman and kept them busy. She did this all while raising her children and battling illnesses without her husband’s help.

Eventually, Anita is murdered in Italy by the opposition. I actually shed a tear because the writing was just so phenomenal that you actually felt like you knew her. I’m telling you this was just one of those rare books that sticks with you because of how amazing it is.

The fact that this was a true story was even more mind blowing because Anita was so courageous for a woman of her time. She wasn’t afraid to fight for freedom and the world that she wanted to live in. The Woman in Red is a story of marriage, freedom, and courage is one that definitely will be with me for awhile!

If you liked this book review, read last month’s here!

The Hollywood Spy Book Review

Another month, another book! This month’s The Hollywood Spy book review is a good one! With historical fiction, romance, and murder mystery this book has something for everyone.

Not to mention this character is part of a series so you have plenty of reading if you love this book as much as I did! As always this book link is an affiliate link that I earn a small commission off off! No pressure to purchase but it’s definitely a good read!

The Hollywood Spy by Susan Ella Macneal

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hollywood spy review

I initially picked this book up at my local store because I loved the cover art. It really drew me and I’ve been on a thriller/mystery kick these days. I wasn’t anticipating the historical fiction aspect but if you’ve been here awhile, you know I love that! This book immediately hooked me in as the murder takes place immediately.

In order to set the stage Macneal, the author, spends each chapter with a different character. Whether its the spy herself Maggie or the cops or other nefarious groups, this book keeps you reading page after page.

The mystery itself seemed to come together pretty easily for me but what I appreciated most was the attention to detail. This might be one of the best historical fiction books I’ve ever read. I finished the book learning something new about a time period I previously didn’t know about.

It was so well written and just seamlessly meshed in with solving the mystery of the murdered movie star. I ended up taking a lot away with this book because of how important the themes were. In the climate we’re currently in, this book was even more important to read with it’s themes of segregation and racism, nazis, and World War 2.

Another thing I loved about this book was I didn’t realize how much I liked it until it was over. When a book makes a lasting impact on you and you’re thinking of it even days after you’ve read it, you know it’s great!

You can check out more book reviews here!

Best Books to Read for 2023!!

I LOVE writing this post every year! I take a look back at my Good Reads for the year and share some of my favorite books I’ve read!! These best books to read for 2023 are truly the books I fell in love with this year!

Some of my best performing posts for the year were my book reviews and it was such a fun year to share what I read with you! We’ve read everything from mysteries to romance and some Colleen Hoovers in between. I even met my Good Reads goal of 50 books in 2022 so I’ve definitely read my fair share of books this year! Here are some of my favorites!!

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

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books to read for 2023

Talk about a transformative book! This love story is epic and will absolutely set the tone for your summer if you read it in June! The writing was fantastic and I just really appreciated the cozy small town vibes. It’s based around these summer houses and kids who fall in love when they’re young but reconnect as they get older. You cannot go through Summer 2023 without reading this book!

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

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books to read 2023

Luckily I was able to read all 3 of these books before the Prime series came out! I fell in love with these books and the show only added to that. Another summer read but honestly I feel like these characters and what they go through is relatable. This leans more on the young adult side so it was a quick read for me but I really recommend it if you love the show!

It Starts With Us by Colleen Hoover

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This is the sequel to It Ends With Us by Co Ho so definitely read that first. This book really gives more layers to the characters and continues the story laid out in the first book. I love this series for so many reason but this book solidified for me this story. Essentially at the heart it’s a love story that two people get reconnected in. It’s so good and this book really did it for me after reading the first one!

The Paris Apartment by Lucy Foley

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I originally read the Guest List by Lucy Foley and really loved the thriller vibes so I knew this would be the same. The books aren’t connected but this author just has a way of writing that instantly grabs you and makes you read. I got through this in one sitting because it was a true page turner that kept you on your toes!!

The Confidence of Wildflowers by Micalea Smeltzer

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This had been on my good reads for quite sometime! I finally got around to reading it this year and I really loved it. I’m starting to see a theme that I like books about neighbors but oh well lol!! This book deals with loss and grief but also just has this amazing story to it that I really appreciate. The writing was so good and I’m just mad I didn’t pick this up sooner!

Here are my other book reviews from this year!

January– It Happened One Summer

February– The Light We Lost

March– Death by Disseration

April– Reminders of Him

May– The Most Beautiful Girl In Cuba

June– The Christie Affair

July– The Northern Spy

August– Reputation

September– American Royals

October– Ugly Love

November– The Last Thing He Told Me

I hope this book wrap up really helped you find some good books to read for 2023 !! I am looking so forward to continuing these posts so be sure to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss a post!!

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