Cassie DeNisco

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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!

Confess Book Review by Colleen Hoover!

My first book review of 2023 is finally here! I actually took some time off from reading in December. I got burnt out from trying to meet my 2022 goal. Eventually I made it to 50 books but boy was I over reading for a little while. This month is all about Confess book review by Colleen Hoover.

My 2023 goal is actually 50 books again but I’m going to try to actually space my books out and not wait until the end of the year. This book club has seriously helped me to be accountable with my reading so I’m excited to bring it back in this new year!

Every time I need a book to get me back into the swing of it, I always reach for a Colleen Hoover book. I almost enjoy the predictability of her books which makes them a comfort read for me.

Confess Book Review by Colleen Hoover

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Confess Book Review

This book starts off with a young Auburn spending every minute with her boyfriend who is dying of terminal cancer. They’re each other’s first everything because they’re so young so the pain she feels when he passes is massive. Fast forward 5 years, Auburn is living in his hometown because she ended up getting pregnant right before he passed. She’s desperate for money to get full custody of her son from his grandma.

She walks passed Owen’s art studio and with a very direct we’re hiring sign, she pops in. Owen is an artist with a pretty heavy past of his own. We find out he was driving a car that killed his mother and younger brother. It also put his father in a coma. His father is better now but is seriously struggling with a pill addiction.

Neither Auburn or Owen shares their past, which only leads to the build up of their drama. We find out that Auburn’s son’s uncle is a corrupt cop with a thing for her. When he gets wind of her and Owen spending time together, he pulls Owen over. He ends up arresting him because he has his father’s pills on him. Owen goes to jail and Auburn gets with her kids uncle in hopes it’ll mean more time and a better chance of custody for her son.

All the while, Owen’s art studio is accepting anonymous confessions from people and Auburn keeps writing hers to keep Owen in the loop while he’s away. Once he gets out, Owen and Auburn finally realize that in order to be together they should just be honest and dive into their pasts.

Final Thoughts

I loved the twist at the end of the book.We realize Owen and Auburn were both visiting their loved ones in the hospital all those years ago at the same time. It was such a sweet added touch to know that during the darkest point in their lives they were still somehow connected!

These books seriously get me back into reading every time. I love that it they give you all the warm and fuzzy feels even though they have so much heart ache. It often mirrors real life and I think that’s why I love them most!

If you need any 2023 book recommendations, read my full 2022 Book Recap 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!!

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover Review!

I can hardly believe that I’m sharing October’s book of the month! This month I went back to Colleen Hoover and gave her book Ugly Love a try! Colleen Hoover books are always so good when you feel like you’re in a book rut.

They always help me get back into reading because they’re so good! Her books are usually complex love stories with a twist at the end. I seriously love her writing style and wasn’t surprised when I loved this book!

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover- Shop Here

ugly love

Ugly Love was my last read of the summer and it definitely did not disappoint! I loved the writing between current Tate and flashbacks to Miles’ past. It helped to paint a picture of who these people are and how they got to the places they’re in.

Tate first meets Miles drunk and crying in her brothers apartment. They don’t speak of that night again but it leaves this lingering feeling that Miles isn’t telling the entire truth to Tate. He essentially just wants to be friends with benefits but as we know, feeling started to evolve.

Tate and Miles end up falling for each other and we realize Miles has a traumatic history with being in love. This makes us understand why he is so against being in love with Tate and how important it is that he might actually be ready to move on.

Ugly Love is one of those books that makes you realize just how complex love can be. It does show that it is so worth it to find your person that helps you to work through your issues and create new happiness.

I truly believe you can just never go wrong with a Colleen Hoover book. No matter which one you choose they are all so good and make you want to just keep reading!

You can read last month’s book review here!

The Most Beautiful Girl In Cuba- Book Review!

This month I’m sharing with you my book review of The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba by Chanel Cleeton! I have fallen in love with Chanel’s books based around historical fiction. As a child, this was my favorite genre and to be honest, finding her books has opened my eyes to it again.

If you read my book review for 2021, I shared my thoughts on Next Year in Havana and When We left Cuba both by Cleeton. These books are connected and are such great reads. I decided to pick this book up at my local book store because I seriously just love her writing.

I was definitely not disappointed by this book and am excited to share my thoughts with you! Historical fiction has seriously become some of my favorite books to read so this was perfect for me.

The Most Beautiful Girl In Cuba- Shop Here

the most beautiful girl in cuba

The themes of this book are that of girl power, bravery, and love. This book takes place during the Spanish invasion of Cuba in the late 1800s. This backdrop of war really shows how tough it was for women.

We follow the stories of 3 women: a writer in the US, a rich woman turned war prisoner, and a woman who has to live in an encampment. I love that each chapter discusses how different each’s life is. This book is actually based around a true story about a woman who American media deemed “The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba”.

As the story progresses we learn more about the conflict and see how American media is trying to influence the war after the American government does nothing. I couldn’t help but be in awe of the bravery of these women.

The writer is trying to make a name for herself in a male dominated industry. One woman is acting as a spy and smuggling notes into the war prisons. The beautiful woman in prison eventually gets aid from the writer and the spy to break out of being wrongfully imprisoned.

I loved this story because it kept me on my feet and really made me think. Chanel Cleeton does a great job of weaving a great story into actual historical events. If you are interested in history, this book is seriously for you!

Wrap Up

Let me know in the comments below if you like these posts! If I’m being honest, they’re some of my favorites to write. Be sure to subscribe here to my mailing list so you never miss a post from me! Stay tuned for next month’s book, it’s a good one!

Death by Dissertation- Book Review!

I’m back with my March book of the month! I can hardly believe that it’s March and I’m already sharing my 3rd book of the year! I wanted to switch it up this month and I chose a light hearted mystery. I’ve found that I don’t love heavy books and this one is really fun and an easy read. This month we’re talking all about Death by Dissertation by Kelly Brakenhoff.

Death by Dissertation– Shop Here

death by dissertation

I initially was drawn to this book because the main character and I share the same name, Cassandra. Cassandra Sato is an admin at a college where a death happens to one of her students. She finds herself thrown into the investigation and ends up uncovering more clues than the police.

I really enjoyed this book because the mystery was simple and easy to follow. On top of that, Cassandra is a really likeable character that calls her parents and has some love interest in the men she works around. Overall, this book has a little bit of everything: Mystery, friendship, and a hint of romance.

After reading It Happened One Summer and The Light we Lost, I was in the mood to switch of the genre. I actually found this one through the Kindle app and was excited to see it’s a series. I realize that I’m more inclined to choose a book if it at least has one other book in the series. Sometimes one book just isn’t enough for the characters so I gravitate towards series.

The best way I can describe this is like an adult Nancy Drew. Cassandra is balancing a full time job with a crazy boss, love life, friends, and making time to call her parents all while solving a mysterious death on campus. You’re really able to relate to her which I really appreciate.

I can’t stress enough that because I read before bed I don’t want any crazy scary books. I like easy reads that have a good story line. Death by Dissertation was perfect for me and gave me that mystery feel I was looking for. I’m excited to read the other books in this series!

I hope you have been enjoying these books of the month! It’s so fun to share my favorite book that I read that month. I actually have a goal of 75 books this year so we’ll see if I make it. I am always looking for more recommendations so let me know in the comments what you’re reading!

My Book Review for 2021

I was so excited to write this book review recap as a wrap up for all the books I read this year. During the pandemic, I fell back in love with reading so I really made it my mission to carve out time to read everyday this year. I have read over 50 books so far and we still have a few more days left in the year.

Any content that has to do with a book review is seriously my favorite so I hope this helps you find some new great books. If I broke down every book I read this year, we would be here all day so I’m going to break down my favorite, least favorite, and a few other honorable mentions.

If you like my book review, I highly suggest you check me out on Good Reads and follow me there because that will update you with every book I read! You can also check me out on instagram @bookchatswithcass for my new book instagram!

Least Favorite 2021 Book: Love & Gelato

book review

This was absolutely my own fault with this book. I gravitate towards YA books and I know this is a series so I thought I could get away with it. The book was so rough to get through not only because it was so young but the story itself was like a Mamma Mia wannabe. Honestly I don’t even have much else to write about it other than I would not recommend this to anyone.

Non- Fiction Must Read: The Forever Dog

book review

If you have a dog or even any pet, I would say run to your nearest book store . This was so hard to get my hands on so I actually have a hard copy and a kindle copy. I love the information in this book. It’s written by vets, backed by science, and easy to understand. I want Sky to have the happiest, healthiest life and this book has helped to make some great changes in her life so far.

Opened the Door to a new Genre: Next Year in Havana

As a kid I was very much into Historical Fiction but as an adult I couldn’t really get myself into it. I found Next Year in Havana on a whim in the bookstore and I am so glad it did. Chanel Cleeton did a fantastic job of weaving in important historical events with a story that was written beautifully. After reading this book, I read the second book in the series, When We Left Cuba, and then started to incorporate more Historical Fiction books into my reads.

Top Recommendation: The Giver of Stars

I honestly believe everyone should read this historical fiction book. This was based on a true story about the women would worked under Eleanor Roosevelt’s library program. This program brought books to everyone, even in the most remote locations. In addition, this book shows the lives that women led during this time period and the friendships they formed. This is probably the book I will tell everyone to read. It shows how powerful books and reading really are.

Favorite 2021 Book: Beach Read

I actually struggled with this category because I thought about putting The Giver of Stars but I thought that book wasn’t necessarily my favorite that I read. It is more of a book that I will always refer to when people ask me what to read. Beach Read is actually the second book I read by this author and I love it. Essentially, two others are both dealing with grief and end up being next door neighbors who essentially fall in love. I just loved the twists and turns that it took to get them to the end of the book. I really love this about Emily Henry’s writing.

There’s nothing I love more than a cozy bed and a good book! I hope this book review gave you some inspo for your next read. Be sure to check out some other posts I’ve done one books recommendations too!

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