The Firekeeper's Daughter

By: Angeline Boulley
Published Year: 2021
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Pages: 488

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): As a biracial, unenrolled tribal member and the product of a scandal, Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in—both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. When her family is struck by tragedy, Daunis puts her dreams on hold to care for her fragile mother. The only bright spot is meeting Jamie, the charming new recruit on her brother’s hockey team.

After Daunis witnesses a shocking murder that thrusts her into a criminal investigation, she agrees to go undercover. But the deceptions—and deaths—keep piling up and soon the threat strikes too close to home. How far will she go to protect her community if it means tearing apart the only world she’s ever known?

First Impression

I heard about this book in TikTok. Someone was talking about their favorite audiobooks of 2023 so far and this was on their list. I read a book by a Native author earlier this year and enjoyed it, so was curious to read another one. I also hadn’t realized it was a part of Reese’s Book Club and I always enjoy her picks, so I decided to pick this one up.

What I thought

This book was unlike anything that I have read and I found it to be interesting and thought provoking.

Daunis is a biracial 18 year old who is living near the Ojibwe reservation. She has just graduated from high school, but decided to put off going to college away from home so she can help her mom, her grandmother, and her half brother. She is dealing with a lot of identity conflict since she is not a true tribal member due to the fact that her mom is white. When there is a murder and death in in the reservation, Daunis becomes a part of the investigation along with Jamie, the new hockey player in town.

This book deals with a lot. It takes place in the early 2000s, right around when I graduated from high school, and the aftereffects of reservations having payments from the casinos. A lot of the reservations exploded with alcohol and drug problems, and this one addresses a lot of there. There are a lot of unfortunate deaths, and Daunis is trying to help save her tribe by figuring out what is happening.

I enjoyed learning about the reservations and the problems they dealt with. I didn’t expect this book to be as dark as it was, so it did take me a little time to get through. I enjoyed listening to it because it allowed me to hear the pronunciation of the native names and terms.

There is also a lot of family elements to this story. Daunis is dealing with being the product of a scandalous relationship and has grown up with the half brother, whose mom her dad chose to be with over Daunis’ mom. It’s complex and unique and interesting to see how despite your circumstances, you can still find family and someone to depend on.

I was a little surprised by the level of violence in this story, so I would warn that if you can’t handle darker storylines with death, you’ll want to avoid this one. I wasn’t too bothered by it because there was a purpose to it and it wasn’t graphic, but it’s pretty central to the story. I also was a little surprised how much of a mystery story this was. The beginning starts like a normal novel, but it slowly becomes a true investigation.

This book was unique and educational. One of the reasons I love reading is because I get to learn about different cultures that I never would’ve experienced, and this book absolutely does this. It surprises me a little bit that it’s a YA novel because of the content, but I think it would be beneficial for young readers to educate themselves on Native culture.

The Honeymoon Crashers

By: Christina Lauren:
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Pages: Audiobook- 4 hours and 47 minutes

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): A perfectionist maid of honor and a carefree, surfer-bro best man team up to plan a wedding and end up finding a spark of their own in the first audio original from author duo Christina Lauren, a full-cast sequel to their New York Times bestseller The Unhoneymooners.

Ami is determined to break the Torres family wedding curse. Her own disaster of a reception ended with all the guests getting food poisoning, and she left her cheating husband soon after. But even though she’s still processing her own divorce, Ami won’t let her twin sister Olive’s day be anything but perfect. Olive may think she wants a private ceremony in Maui, where she and her fiancé Ethan first fell in love, but Ami knows better and secretly flies the whole Torres family out to surprise the couple. Now she and her meticulously organized binder have less than two weeks to get everything together for the big day, thousands of miles from home.

Enter Brody, Ethan’s best man, who happens to be living in Maui and insists on helping with the preparations. His playfully elaborate schemes and happy-go-lucky attitude are the last thing Ami needs. When sparks start to fly, could it derail all her carefully laid plans?

Equal parts hilarious and swoon-worthy, this full-cast production is your ticket to the ultimate destination wedding, bringing to life both a captivating couple and an unforgettable family. The Honeymoon Crashers is Christina Lauren at their charming, hilarious best.

First Impressions

If you’ve been reading this blog for any amount of time you know how big of a Christina Lauren fan I am. I read Unhoneymooners when it came out and you can read my review here. I really enjoyed it and was excited to see a sequel. I was a little apprehensive that it was audiobook only, but knew I’d read it regardless.

What I thought

This book was published only in audiobook form which I thought was super interesting. It was fun, albeit a little awkward at ties to listen to, but made me wish for a Christina Lauren movie or TV show.

Olive, from the first book, is finally marrying Ethan. But because of the drama of her twin sister Ami’s wedding and the family wedding curse, she has decided to elope to Hawaii. Ami knows that this isn’t what her sister truly wants and decides to organize having the entire family surprise them in Hawaii and plan the wedding for her in about a week. On the first day, she reveals herself to Olive who conspires with Ethan to have Ethan’s best man Brody to help her. Ami is a type A perfectionist while Brody is a laid back optimist.

The most interesting thing about this audiobook is that it is truly a production. There are a lot of different voice actors for different characters rather than one narrator changing their voice for different people. There also was background noises from time to time. For example, glasses clinking, water splashing, background chatter. It felt more like listening to a movie rather than an audiobook and I enjoyed it. I mostly liked hearing Ami and Brody speaking to each other with two different voices. I think they made this very accessible to people who don’t normally listen to audiobooks.

I loved Brody from the very beginning. He was immediately charming and sweet. I loved how he treated Ami as well. Ami cracked me up. I related to her so much. I am very much type A with anxiety and when things started to spiral I understood her so well.

As with all Christina Lauren novels, I adored the secondary characters. Ami and Olive’s family is full of big personalities.

This book was so fun. It was a quick listen, but was a little odd listening to some of the spicier moments. I would recommend listening to it if you feel like giving audiobooks a chance. I think it would be a good style to start with. I do wish that it was also being published as a physical book, but I think this is an interesting experiment. I’m already looking forward to their next novel!

I Loved You in Another Life

By: David Arnold
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: 352
Pages: Viking Books for Young Readers

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): New York Times bestseller David Arnold returns with a poignant love story about two teens whose souls come together time and again through the ages—for fans of Nina LaCour and Matt Haig.

Evan Taft has plans. Take a gap year in Alaska, make sure his little brother and single mother are taken care of, and continue therapy to process his father's departure. But after his mom’s unexpected diagnosis, as Evan’s plans begin to fade, he hears something: a song no one else can hear, the voice of a mysterious singer . . .

Shosh Bell has dreams. A high school theater legend, she’s headed to performing arts college in LA, a star on the rise. But when a drunk driver takes her sister’s life, that star fades to black. All that remains is a void—and a soft voice singing in her ear . . .

Over it all, transcending time and space, a celestial bird brings strangers together: from an escaped murderer in 19th century Paris, to a Norwegian kosmonaut in low-earth orbit, something is happening that began long ago, and will long outlast Evan and Shosh. With lyrical prose and original songs (written and recorded by the author), I LOVED YOU IN ANOTHER LIFE explores the history of love, and how some souls are meant for each other—yesterday, today, forever.

First Impressions

I read Arnold’s debut novel when it first came out and loved it. I then read two of his other following novels and enjoyed them but didn’t read anything after that. His stuff got a bit mystical for my tastes. This one came out and the cover was beautiful and caught my eye. I read the summary and it seemed on the right side of mystical for me so I got very excited when I was offered the opportunity to read this one for review.

What I thought

This book was very sad.

Shosh and Evan both hear a song that no one else hears. They follow it until it brings them together. This bird sings across time and connects others together. Evan and Shosh need to find out how they’re connected as well.

I really enjoyed the beginning of the book. The story is told in alternating perspectives from Evan and Shosh and is occasionally interjected with love stories from the past. The interesting part was that Evan’s chapters were tol din the first person whereas Shosh’s were told in the third person.

I’m a big fan of past lives so I loved the idea that people would be reconnected over time. I also believe that you will continue to connect with a soul until you complete what needs to be fulfilled, so I kind of expected this book to follow that same line of thought but it didn’t.

I really loved Evan. He is an amazing big brother and son and reading the chapters with his family were such a delight. He also has a therapist ad there are chapters with the therapist that I truly enjoyed. The way therapy is talked about and written I think is so important for a lot of people to read.

My heart broke for Shosh. She dealt with a lot of loss and grief and illness. I wanted nothing more for her than happiness. Now, the issue I had with this book was the ending. I got to the end and it made the whole book feel pointless to me. It was sad and I was upset and I just felt like, ok…? So, unfortunately, that kind of killed it more me. I was leaning a 3.5 but maybe closer to a 4 until the end where it feel more to a 3.

If you enjoy sad/somber novels, this might be one that you enjoy. I liked the characters and the writing. I would read an entire story just about Evan and his brother Will. However, the end is not my favorite. You need to prepare yourself that this isn’t the type of book that is going to end in a happy ever after. If you’re not someone who needs that, then you might enjoy this more than I did.

Book Club October 2023- Fourth Wing

By: Rebecca Yarros
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Pages: 528

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders from USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros

Twenty-year-old Violet Sorrengail was supposed to enter the Scribe Quadrant, living a quiet life among books and history. Now, the commanding general—also known as her tough-as-talons mother—has ordered Violet to join the hundreds of candidates striving to become the elite of Navarre: dragon riders.

But when you’re smaller than everyone else and your body is brittle, death is only a heartbeat away...because dragons don’t bond to “fragile” humans. They incinerate them.

With fewer dragons willing to bond than cadets, most would kill Violet to better their own chances of success. The rest would kill her just for being her mother’s daughter—like Xaden Riorson, the most powerful and ruthless wingleader in the Riders Quadrant.

She’ll need every edge her wits can give her just to see the next sunrise.

Yet, with every day that passes, the war outside grows more deadly, the kingdom's protective wards are failing, and the death toll continues to rise. Even worse, Violet begins to suspect leadership is hiding a terrible secret.

Friends, enemies, lovers. Everyone at Basgiath War College has an agenda—because once you enter, there are only two ways out: graduate or die

What I thought

Denise picked this book for October and honestly, I couldn’t have been more excited. Not only was it only one month before the second book came out, but I have seen this book everywhere but been so hesitant to read it. If you haven’t heard of this book and you’re a reader, I feel like you’ve been living under a rock.

Violet comes from a family of esteemed Dragon Riders, with the exception of herself and her father. Her father was a Scribe and was training her to be one until he died. At that point, her mother the General decided it was Violet’s fate to be a Rider and sends her to the Rider’s Quadrant. If she survives and is chosen, she gets the honor of bonding with a Dragon, along with all of the magic and danger that comes with it.

I’ve heard this described as an adult book for readers who loved Hunger Games and Divergent growing up. I also heard it described as Harry Potter but for Dragons. I would say those are two accurate descriptions. Violet is 20 years old which is different from all of the YA dystopian books that I read and enjoyed growing up and I appreciated that. It’s nice to not be dealing with the fact that children are being sent to war or children are the only ones who can save he world. This does also open up the romance side a little bit.

In this book, Violet and her other friends/riders to be are very open about sex and relationships. I’m hopeful that this means there won’t be some of the naïve relationship tropes that happen in the YA novels.

I got sucked into this book so fast. 20 pages in I didn’t want to put it down. It felt like falling back into comfort and I wanted to learn more about Basgaith, the history of Dragon Riding, and where Violet was going to end up.

One thing I liked was how quickly the story moves. The dragons were introduced pretty earlier, much earlier than I expected. Similar to Harry Potter, the book takes place over the course of one year of school/training, and I appreciated that pacing. One thing I hated (but appreciated) is that Yarros pulls no punches. People die. Even in the first chapter, I felt myself getting attached to someone and then poof. I hate it because it terrifies me a little bit who she is going to kill off in the future but I appreciate it because at least I know what I’m getting into. Knowing she is going to be ruthless is better than it coming out of nowhere.

Which kills me because I adore all of the relationships in this book! The friendships! The romances! The enemies! It’s going to be a series full of hurt. I’m trying to think if there’s anything else I need to tell you about this book but I also went into it mostly blind and don’t want to spoil anything.

I can’t wait until the next book comes out! This is exactly the type of fantasy that I love. If you enjoy fantasy and if you enjoyed dystopian novels, I highly recommend checking this one out. It’s definitely got a more grown up feel, but not in a negative way. It’s a longer book but it moves so quickly.  I had high expectations for this book since everyone was raving about it and it more than lived up to them. I loved this book and am now totally invested.

What Book Club Thought

Everyone loved it. Not only did we talk about it for at least an hour, but Denise who was hosting made themed snacks! It’s such a fun book for book club because there is a lot that you can do to make it special. Denise even had temporary dragon tattoos!

This is the type of book that you’re going to want to talk to someone about, so I highly recommend reading it with at least one friend. It was hard to not share thoughts as I rad, but it was so much fun to talk about it afterwards. I’m really looking forward to reading the next one and talking with everyone about it. It feels like I’m back in the Harry Potter craze where we would all get together and read it right as it came out and then talk about it. Can’t wait!

Mixed Signals (Lovelight #3)

By: B.K. Borison
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 335

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Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Layla Dupree has given up on love.

She’s waded through all of the fish in the sea, each one more disappointing than the last. Apparently owning the bakery at Inglewild’s most romantic destination does not help one’s love life—despite her best efforts. All she wants is a partner who gives her butterflies, not someone who ghosts her at dinner and leaves her with the check.

Good thing Caleb Alvarez has the perfect solution.

After saving Layla from another date gone bad, he has a simple proposition: One month of no-strings dating. He’ll do his best to renew her faith in men while she rates his dating game. It’s a win-win situation. All the benefits of dating, without the added pressure of feelings and unmet expectations.

But there’s one ingredient they haven’t considered. The chemistry between them is red hot and the urge to take things to the next level is more tempting than Layla’s double fudge mocha brownies.

Will the heat between them boil over? Or will it be another case of mixed signals?

Mixed Signals is a sweet and steamy small-town romance. Our story features a bashful man who can rock a Hawaiian shirt, a hopeful and dreamy bakery owner, enough sweets to give you a cavity, and your favorite Inglewild residents. Mixed Signals is a standalone romance and the third book in the Lovelight series, a collection of interconnected novels.

First Impression

I’ve been wanting to read Layla’s story since the first novel. I was super excited to read the next instalment in the Lovelight Farms world. I adore all of the covers in this series. You can read my review of the first book here, and the second book here.

What I thought

Chef’s kiss.

Layla has been experiencing nothing but bad dates. On her most recent disaster, she runs into Lovelight Farms Deputy (who has made appearances in previous books) Caleb. He suggests they date each other as an experiment since he hasn’t had much luck dating either, but the truth is he has a huge crush on Layla. She decides to take a chance and break her no dating in town rule for one month.

Layla and Caleb were so perfect. I adored them together. Layla had her insecurities, but Caleb was honestly my perfect man. He was a nice guy and so understanding. I adored his family relationships and how when Layla would have her moment he was a solid presence to help calm her down. I also felt like a little bit of that banter was back that I loved so much in the first book.

Of course, we get appearances from the previous two Lovelight Farms couples. I liked Layla’s overall storyline to. She runs the bakery, but she went to school for something completely different. She struggles with feeling like she’s enough or like her bakery is enough. I liked seeing her growth.

I also liked that even though Caleb was painted as a nice guy and pushover, he was quietly confident. And his crush on Layla was so cute. It was obvious that he was kind of stumbling around her. He is also Latino and I loved how his culture played into the story. I do think this might have been the spiciest of the three, but it never felt forced or out of place.

Another perfect visit to Lovelight Farms. I wish I could visit for real. I will continue to read each and every book set in this town with these characters. I do wonder if I enjoy the stories with the female leads a little more than the male, but I am excited to see in the next book! If you like romance series, you will love this one. Hopefully I’ve convinced you of that by book 3.

The Wake-Up Call

By: Beth O’Leary
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: Berkley
Pages:

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for and honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): Two hotel receptionists--and arch-rivals--find a collection of old wedding rings and compete to return them to their owners, discovering their own love story along the way.

It's the busiest season of the year, and Forest Manor Hotel is quite literally falling apart. So when Izzy and Lucas are given the same shift on the hotel's front desk, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and see it through.

The hotel won't stay afloat beyond Christmas without some sort of miracle. But when Izzy returns a guest's lost wedding ring, the reward convinces management that this might be the way to fix everything. With four rings still sitting in the lost & found, the race is on for Izzy and Lucas to save their beloved hotel--and their jobs.

As their bitter rivalry turns into something much more complicated, Izzy and Lucas begin to wonder if there's more at stake here than the hotel's future. Can the two of them make it through the season with their hearts intact?

First Impressions

Beth O’Leary is one of my favorite authors. I’ve loved her stories every since The Flat Share. I didn’t even read what the summary of this was before adding it to my list. The cover is a bit meh to me. I don’t dislike it but I don’t know if I would’ve picked it up based off of the cover alone.

What I thought

This book was a little like the cover for me. I didn’t dislike it but I didn’t love it.

Izzy and Lucas work together at the front of the hotel. Or well, they purposefully don’t work together at the front of the hotel. Last Christmas Izzy wrote Lucas a card professing her love (or crush) and Lucas laughed at the card and then kissed her roommate under the mistletoe. Since then they have been only hate and haven’t been able to work the same shift. This Christmas however, in order to save the hotel they have to. While doing so, they decide to sell items that have been in the lost and found to raise money in hopes of saving the hotel. When Izzy finds some old wedding rings, she is determined to find out who they belonged to and give them back, while Lucas thinks it’s a waste of time.

Look, I love me an enemies to lovers story. And I did love Lucas and Izzy and their banter, even though their basis for hatred was a bit flimsy to me. I don’t know what it was about this book that didn’t grab me because on the surface I enjoyed it. I don’t have anything specific to say negative about it. It just took me a while to read it. I never got sucked in and it was easy to put down.

I liked the cast of characters. With the setting being a hotel, there’s always a fun and quirky guest hanging around. I also enjoyed the hotel owners even though they might not be the best business people.

This story is told in dual POV, so you get Izzy’s side of the story and Lucas’. It was cool to have a main character who was Brazilian and I lied how they brought his culture into the story. O’Leary’s novels usually have some heaviness to them so they’re not your typical romance novel. This one had some heaviness but nothing the same as her previous books.

This book is definitely more of a 3.5 star for me. It was enjoyable and Lucas and Izzy had good banter. The characters were enjoyable and I liked the story. I just wish there was something more, but I don’t know what the more is that I want. I would recommend The Flatshare and Road Trip before I recommend this one if you’re looking to get into O’Leary’s books, but if you want something a little lighter this might be a good spot to start for you. I  can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

Murder & Mamon

By: Mia P. Manansala
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 304

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this book.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): When murder mars the grand opening for Lila Macapagal’s aunties’ new laundromat, she will have to air out all the dirty laundry in Shady Palms to catch a killer…

Lila Macapagal's godmothers April, Mae, and June—AKA the Calendar Crew—are celebrating the opening of their latest joint business venture, a new laundromat, to much fanfare (and controversy). However, what should’ve been a joyous occasion quickly turns into a tragedy when they discover the building has been vandalized—and the body of Ninang April’s niece, recently arrived from the Philippines, next to a chilling message painted on the floor. The question is, was the message aimed at the victim or Lila's gossipy godmothers, who have not-so-squeaky-clean reputations?

With Ninang April falling apart from grief and little progress from the Shady Palms Police Department in this slippery case, it’s up to Lila and her network to find justice for the young woman.

The Calendar Crew have stuck their noses into everybody’s business for years, but now the tables are turned as Lila must pry into the Calendar Crew’s lives to figure out who has a vendetta against the (extremely opinionated yet loving) aunties and stop them before they strike again.

First Impressions

I read and reviewed book 3 in this series, Blackmail and Bibingka in October last year. I enjoyed it and was excited to see another book in the series! I enjoy the bright pink of this cover and I think it makes a very strong first impression. You can pick this up without reading the other books in the series, but might have some confusion regarding the characters and their relationships.

What I thought

This book felt a little more serious than I remember the last one being, but I enjoyed it all the same.

Lila is back with the Calendar Aunties (her godmothers), her Lola Flor, Tita Rosie, and all of her friends at her Brew-ha café. When one someone targets her godmothers’ laundromat and someone windes up dead, Lila finds herself wrapped back up in a murder investigation. This time, her friends and boyfriend insist on helping her out.

I always laugh at these kinds of series because when you think about it, would you want to be friends with someone who keeps ending up with dead people around them? Or live in a town with multiple murders? But they make for such fun stories that I enjoy them anyway.

The best part of this series is Lila and all of her Filipino culture. She talks a lot about food and flavors and the culture in general. I did feel like sometimes it got to be a bit much in this book, but I understand why it’s essential to the story. It just seemed like every time they were at Brew-ha there was an intense description about what they were eating and why.

I enjoyed the Calendar Aunties in the last book, so it was interesting to see them become the center of the story. I have only read books 2 and 3, so it was interesting hearing about some of their past meddling and I wonder how much was in the first two books.

Of course, Lila’s friendships and family relationships are a strong point in the story and I loved how her boyfriend finally was like “girl, you need to stop doing these things by yourself. Just let me come meddle with you.”

I always rate mysteries a little harsher than other novels because I like to be surprised and I figured it out pretty early. That sais, this was still a fun and entertaining story with likable characters and a lot of good food. I’m happy to hear that this series is going to continue and I can’t wait to read the next one!

Birdie & Harlow: Life, Loss, and Loving My Dog So Much I Didn’t Want Kids

By: Taylor Wolfe
Published Year: 2023
Publisher: HarperOne
Pages: 272

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This in no way shape or form influenced my opinion of this novel.

Summary (Provided by Goodreads): The funny and poignant story of one woman’s wonderfully codependent relationship with her dog – and what he taught her about chosen family and the reward of motherhood. Birdie & Harlow  is the story of a baby and a dog. But motherhood is never quite that simple. In Taylor Wolfe’s case, it’s a long, zigzagging and winding road. Meant to be a last-minute anniversary gift for her then boyfriend (and now husband), the highly-energetic and loud-mouthed Vizla puppy named Harlow turns out to be the best snap decision twenty-year-old Taylor ever makes—and the beginning of the most epic friendship she ever has. As Wolfe’s resistance to 9-5’s and traditional adulthood grows, Harlow becomes the perfect companion for her eccentricities in a world that thrives on conformity. Wolfe’s twenties—full of pitfalls and surprises, sad days and silver linings—led her to the realization that life is too short to spend your days in a crate (or a cubicle), that parks are meant to be enjoyed, and most importantly, she wants to be a mom. But  really, isn't she one already?  A charming and touching memoir,  Birdie & Harlow  is a tribute to the many expressions of modern motherhood, to both human and fur babies alike. Taylor’s story reminds all of us that life will surprise you and that families should come in every shape and size.

First Impressions

I have followed Taylor on Instagram for at least 4 years, so I’ve always been interested in her story. When she shared she had written a book I was hesitant to read it. Then I saw the title and the cover and was like oh man, I NEED to read this. So I requested to read it early for review and was very excited.

What I thought

This book made me sob. Which I knew it was going to before I read it. But still.

Taylor is in her 30’s and is technically an Influencer since she makes a living through Instagram. However, she does so more with making little comedy skits rather than brand sponsorships, though she does those too. She used to live in Chicago, which is when I started following her. She is married and this story is about her relationship with her best friend and first dog, Harlow, and learning whether or not she wanted to have children.

I have a very close relationship with my cat and also am very unsure about whether or not I want to have children. I’ve always related to Taylor in this way, and even though I knew a lot of what was going to happen since I followed her as it was happening, she shared more details than she had on her Instagram stories.

I enjoy her style of storytelling because it’s very straightforward. She’s a little weird and anxious and doesn’t hesitate to speak openly and bluntly about these traits. I think one of the reasons I loved this book was that it made me feel seen. I related to a lot of what she had to say and especially her relationship with her pet. I haven’t read a memoir similar to this one either. I could definitely see myself re-reading this when it comes out in audio to hear her tell the story.

So, spoiler alter, the loss is her dog Harlow. I knew this was coming. I was following her when he died about two years ago. And yet, the way she wrote it ripped my heart out. It felt fresh and I had to pause halfway through this part of the book to go find my cat and give him a hug. Losing a pet sucks. My favorite quote was when she said “Your grief is a lot because your love is a lot. You don’t get one without the other, and grief does not care who or what you loved. It simply knows that you did.”

This book is amazing. If you are someone who has ever loved a pet like you birthed it or if you’re unsure about having a baby and nervous about how that will change your life I would recommend this book. Even if you’re a new mom and just need some laughs and someone to relate to, read this book. Highly recommend and if you enjoy, follow her on Instagram. She’s just as fun there too.