Coral's bookshelf: all en-US Wed, 07 May 2025 19:53:54 -0700 60 Coral's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg None of This Is True 62334530
A few days later, Alix and Josie bump into each other again, this time outside Alix’s children’s school. Josie has been listening to Alix’s podcasts and thinks she might be an interesting subject for her series. She is, she tells Alix, on the cusp of great changes in her life.

Josie’s life appears to be strange and complicated, and although Alix finds her unsettling, she ’t quite resist the temptation to keep making the podcast. Slowly she starts to realise that Josie has been hiding some very dark secrets, and before she knows it, Josie has inveigled her way into Alix’s life—and into her home.

But, as quickly as she arrived, Josie disappears. Only then does Alix discover that Josie has left a terrible and terrifying legacy in her wake, and that Alix has become the subject of her own true crime podcast, with her life and her family’s lives under mortal threat.

Who is Josie Fair? And what has she done?]]>
390 Lisa Jewell 1982179007 Coral 4 4.08 2023 None of This Is True
author: Lisa Jewell
name: Coral
average rating: 4.08
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/05/07
date added: 2025/05/07
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom]]> 214151420 From eldest daughter Shari Franke, the shocking true story behind the viral 8 Passengers family vlog and the hidden abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother, and how, in the face of unimaginable pain, she found freedom and healing.

Shari Franke’s childhood was a constant battle for survival. Her mother, Ruby Franke, enforced a severe moral code while maintaining a façade of a picture-perfect family for their wildly popular YouTube channel 8 Passengers, which documented the day-to-day life of raising six children for a staggering 2.5 million subscribers. But a darker truth lurked beneath the surface—Ruby’s wholesome online persona masked a more tyrannical parenting style than anyone could have imagined.

As the family’s YouTube notoriety grew, so too did Ruby’s delusions of righteousness. Fueled by the sadistic influence of relationship coach Jodi Hildebrandt, together they implemented an inhumane and merciless disciplinary regime.

Ruby and Jodi were arrested in Utah in 2023 on multiple charges of aggravated child abuse. On that fateful day, Shari shared a photo online of a police car outside their home. Her caption had one word: “Finally.�

For the first time, Shari will reveal the disturbing truth behind 8 Passengers and her family’s devastating involvement with Jodi Hildebrandt’s cultish life coaching program, “ConneXions.� No stone is left unturned as Shari exposes the perils of influencer culture and shares for the first time her battle for truth and survival in the face of her mother’s cruelty.]]>
320 Shari Franke 1668065398 Coral 4 4.42 2025 The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom
author: Shari Franke
name: Coral
average rating: 4.42
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/05/01
date added: 2025/05/07
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[Say You'll Remember Me (Say You'll Remember Me, #1)]]> 216437557 disastrously close. A gorgeous veterinarian giving Greek god vibes—all while cuddling a tiny kitten? Immediately yes. That is until Xavier opens his mouth and proves that even sculpted gods can say the absolute wrong thing. Like, really wrong. Of course, there’s nothing Samantha loves more than proving an asshole wrong�

. . . unless, of course, he can admit he made a mistake. But after one incredible and seemingly endless date—possibly the best in living history—Samantha is forced to admit the truth, that her family is in crisis and any kind of relationship would be impossible. Samantha begs Xavier to forget her. To remember their night together as a perfect moment, as crushing as that may be.

Only no amount of distance or time is nearly enough to forget that something between them. And the only thing better than one single perfect memory is to make a life—and even a love—worth remembering.]]>
416 Abby Jimenez 0349442827 Coral 4 4.09 2025 Say You'll Remember Me (Say You'll Remember Me, #1)
author: Abby Jimenez
name: Coral
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2025
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/28
date added: 2025/04/29
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[Two Twisted Crowns (The Shepherd King, #2)]]> 63910262 In the luscious, dark sequel to One Dark Window, Elspeth must face the consequences of what she's wrought - perfect for readers of Hannah Whitten's For the Wolf and Alexis Henderson's The Year of the Witching.

Elspeth and Ravyn have gathered most of the twelve Providence Cards, but the last, and most important one remains to be found: The Twin Alders.

If they are going to find it before the Solstice and cure the kingdom of the dark magic infecting it, they will need to journey beyond the dangerous mist-cloaked forest that surrounds their kingdom.

And the only one who can lead them there is the monster that shares Elspeth's head. The Nightmare. And he's not eager to share any longer.]]>
437 Rachel Gillig 0356519503 Coral 4 4.38 2023 Two Twisted Crowns (The Shepherd King, #2)
author: Rachel Gillig
name: Coral
average rating: 4.38
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/04/12
date added: 2025/04/27
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[The Woman of Colour: A Tale (Broadview Editions)]]> 2353030 The Woman of Colour, Olivia Fairfield, the biracial heroine and orphaned daughter of an English slaveholder and an African princess, must travel to England, and as a condition of her father's will, either marry her Caucasian first cousin, Augustus Merton, or become dependent on his mercenary elder brother and sister-in-law. As Olivia decides between these two conflicting possibilities, her letters recount her impressions of Britain and its inhabitants as only a black woman could record them. She gives scathing descriptions of London, Bristol, and the British, as well as progressive critiques of race, racism, and slavery. The narrative follows her life from the heights of her arranged marriage to its swift descent into annulment, destitution, and potential debauchery, only to culminate in her resurrection as a self-proclaimed "widow" who flouts the conventional marriage plot.

The Woman of Colour is a unique literary account of a black heiress' life immediately after the abolition of the British slave trade, and will inspire readers to rethink issues of race, gender, class, and empire from an African woman's perspective.

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268 Anonymous 1551111764 Coral 3 3.47 1808 The Woman of Colour: A Tale (Broadview Editions)
author: Anonymous
name: Coral
average rating: 3.47
book published: 1808
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/27
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves:
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Twelfth Knight 198536668 Reese's Book Club Summer YA Pick '24

"YA is a feeling. It's a warm summer day reading in the sun, lots of nostalgia, gushing together over the characters in Twelfth Knight."—Reese Witherspoon

From the New York Times-bestselling author of The Atlas Six (under the penname Olivie Blake) comes Twelfth Knight, a grumpy/sunshine YA romantic comedy and coming of age story about taking up space in the world and learning what it means to let others in.

Viola Reyes is annoyed.

Her painstakingly crafted tabletop game campaign was shot down, her best friend is suggesting she try being more “likable,� and school running back Jack Orsino is the most lackadaisical Student Body President she’s ever seen, which makes her job as VP that much harder. Vi’s favorite escape from the world is the MMORPG Twelfth Knight, but online spaces aren’t exactly kind to girls like her―girls who are extremely competent and have the swagger to prove it. So Vi creates a masculine alter ego, choosing to play as a knight named Cesario to create a safe haven for herself.

But when a football injury leads Jack Orsino to the world of Twelfth Knight, Vi is alarmed to discover their online alter egos―Cesario and Duke Orsino―are surprisingly well-matched.

As the long nights of game-play turn into discussions about life and love, Vi and Jack soon realise they’ve become more than just weapon-wielding characters in an online game. But Vi has been concealing her true identity from Jack, and Jack might just be falling for her offline…]]>
320 Alexene Farol Follmuth 1250884896 Coral 3 3.83 2024 Twelfth Knight
author: Alexene Farol Follmuth
name: Coral
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/24
date added: 2025/03/27
shelves:
review:
3.5 stars. Cute story. Liked the character growth.
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<![CDATA[Cole and Laila Are Just Friends]]> 201335436 Cole and Laila have been inseparable since they could crawl. And they've never thought about each other that way. Except for when they have. Rarely. Once in a while, sure. But seriously . . . hardly ever.

Cole Kimball and Laila Olivet have been best friends their entire lives. Cole is the only person (apart from blood relatives) who's seen Laila in her oversized, pink, plastic, Sophia Loren glasses. Laila is always the first person to taste test any new dish Cole creates in his family's restaurant . . . even though she has the refined palate of a kindergartener. Most importantly, Cole and Laila are always talking. About everything.

When Cole discovers a betrayal from his recently deceased grandfather that shatters his world, staying in Adelaide Springs, Colorado, is suddenly unfathomable. But Laila loves her life in their small mountain town and can't imagine ever living anywhere else. She loves serving customers who tip her with a dozen fresh eggs. She loves living within walking distance of all her favorite people. And she's very much not okay with the idea of not being able to walk to her very favorite person.

Still, when Cole toys with moving across the country to New York City, she decides to support her best friend--even as she secretly hopes she can convince him to stay home. And not just for his killer chocolate chip pancakes. Because she loves him. As a friend. Just as a friend. Right?

They make a deal: Laila won't beg him to stay, and Cole won't try to convince her to come with him. They have one week in New York before their lives change forever, and all they have to do is enjoy their time together and pretend none of this is happening. But it's tough to ignore the very inconvenient feelings blooming out of nowhere. In both of them. And these potentially friendship-destroying feelings, once out in the open, have absolutely no take-backs.

If When Harry Met Sally had a quippy literary love child with Gilmore Girls' Luke and Lorelai, you'd get Cole and Laila. Just . . . don't tell them that.]]>
336 Bethany Turner 0840706901 Coral 3 3.55 2024 Cole and Laila Are Just Friends
author: Bethany Turner
name: Coral
average rating: 3.55
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/20
date added: 2025/03/20
shelves:
review:
3.5 stars. I liked the relationship between Cole and Laila, especially their banter. However, their ages bothered me. It took them until they were almost 40 to realize there might be something more between them—it seemed a little unrealistic.
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Black Girl You Are Atlas 154488278
In this semi-autobiographical collection of poems, Renée Watson writes
about her experience growing up as a young Black girl at the intersections of race, class, and gender.

Using a variety of poetic forms, from haiku to free verse, Watson shares recollections of her childhood in Portland, tender odes to the Black women in her life, and urgent calls for Black girls to step into their power.

Black Girl You Are Atlas encourages young readers to embrace their future with a strong sense of sisterhood and celebration. With full-color art by celebrated fine artist Ekua Holmes throughout, this collection offers guidance and is a gift for anyone who reads it.]]>
96 Renée Watson 0593461703 Coral 5 4.57 Black Girl You Are Atlas
author: Renée Watson
name: Coral
average rating: 4.57
book published:
rating: 5
read at: 2025/03/18
date added: 2025/03/18
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<![CDATA[Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy]]> 46674
- Recognise what causes your mood swings
- Nip negative feelings in the bud
- Deal with guilt
- Handle hostility and criticism
- Overcome addiction to love and approval
- Build self-esteem
- Feel good everyday]]>
736 David D. Burns 0380810336 Coral 0 to-read 4.03 1980 Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy
author: David D. Burns
name: Coral
average rating: 4.03
book published: 1980
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

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<![CDATA[Jesus the Christ: A Study of the Messiah and His Mission According to Holy Scriptures, Both Ancient and Modern]]> 481749 747 James E. Talmage 0875793266 Coral 0 to-read 4.60 1915 Jesus the Christ: A Study of the Messiah and His Mission According to Holy Scriptures, Both Ancient and Modern
author: James E. Talmage
name: Coral
average rating: 4.60
book published: 1915
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2025/03/15
shelves: to-read
review:

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Loyally, Luke 180352002 Sometimes love means embracing the good, the bad . . . and even the impossible.

Dear Reader,

My name is Luke Edgewood, and there are few things in life that I require. Mainly black coffee. And flannel. And lots of solitude. And my dogs, Chewy and Indie. What I don’t need is romance, so I have no plans to change my thirty-year-old bachelor status anytime soon.

But my youngest sister thinks that by accepting a short-term construction job in the small European country of Skymar, I’m going to follow along in her footsteps and discover my own romantic adventure. Nope. Bah humbug. The End. This time, her rom-com-movie senses are totally wrong.

Or maybe not. Because I’ve met a Grace Kelly look-alike who is annoying . . . until she isn’t. But she is impossible. As in, nothing can happen between us because she is a literal princess. Even though that’s easy to forget when we’re working together to restore a castle-like orphanage in a secluded mountain town and “forced proximity� includes a small closet, a secret one-hundred-year-old journal, and the tactile memory of an off-limits royal in my arms.

Basically, the whole situation has turned into an ooey gooey magical snow globe of romantic tropes complete with cute kids and an actual ball. Now, even my sentences are starting to sound like mush. Ugh. Send high levels of testosterone my way—I’m going to need it.

Loyally,

Luke

“Readers, you are in for a pure delight! Luke Edgewood is, in a word, dreamy.”—Emma St. Clair, USA TODAY bestselling author

Witty, hilarious, and heartwarming contemporary romance
A sweet, kisses-only romance
Stand-alone novel
Book length: approximately 107,000 words
Includes discussion questions for book clubs]]>
384 Pepper Basham 0840716583 Coral 3 3.92 Loyally, Luke
author: Pepper Basham
name: Coral
average rating: 3.92
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2025/03/10
date added: 2025/03/10
shelves:
review:
This book was a little slower than the other two books in the series, but overall I loved this series and the characters so much!!!
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<![CDATA[One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, #1)]]> 58340706
Elspeth Spindle needs more than luck to stay safe in the eerie, mist-locked kingdom of Blunder—she needs a monster. She calls him the Nightmare, an ancient, mercurial spirit trapped in her head. He protects her. He keeps her secrets.

But nothing comes for free, especially magic.

When Elspeth meets a mysterious highwayman on the forest road, her life takes a drastic turn. Thrust into a world of shadow and deception, she joins a dangerous quest to cure Blunder from the dark magic infecting it. And the highwayman? He just so happens to be the King’s nephew, Captain of the most dangerous men in Blunder…and guilty of high treason.

Together they must gather twelve Providence Cards—the keys to the cure. But as the stakes heighten and their undeniable attraction intensifies, Elspeth is forced to face her darkest secret yet: the Nightmare is slowly taking over her mind. And she might not be able to stop him.]]>
399 Rachel Gillig 0316312487 Coral 4 4.25 2022 One Dark Window (The Shepherd King, #1)
author: Rachel Gillig
name: Coral
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/03/03
date added: 2025/03/03
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[A Convenient Engagement (Brides of Brighton #1)]]> 42411229
Much to her father’s dismay, Miss Amelia Buxton aspires to become a spinster, just like her eccentric aunt. Growing up with parents who married for every reason but love, she has never seen a joyful marriage. When Amelia requests a summer trip to the legendary waters of Brighton, her father allows her the excursion, but with one requirement: she must return engaged, or agree to the proposal of the man of his choosing.

Crawling with tourists, Brighton is not the town Adam Claridge once loved. When his sister Eleanor disappears without warning, Adam is desperate to bring her home. In his search, he happens upon Miss Amelia Buxton, a young tourist that proves vital in his search for Eleanor. But Amelia is conducting a search of her own—a search for a husband—and Adam has little choice but to offer a fair trade: he will play the role of Amelia’s betrothed in exchange for her assistance in finding Eleanor.

Convenient at first, Amelia and Adam’s arrangement quickly plummets into disarray. Falling in love had not been part of their bargain.

A Convenient Engagement is a sweet and clean regency romance novel.

BRIDES OF BRIGHTON SERIES:
A Convenient Engagement
Marrying Miss Milton (November 2018)
Romancing Lord Ramsbury (December 2018)
An Unexpected Bride (January 2019)

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190 Ashtyn Newbold Coral 3 3.66 2018 A Convenient Engagement  (Brides of Brighton #1)
author: Ashtyn Newbold
name: Coral
average rating: 3.66
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/24
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[We Solve Murders (We Solve Murders, #1)]]> 203956647 A brand new series. An iconic new detective duo. And a puzzling new murder to solve...

Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now.

Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job...

Then a dead body, a bag of money, and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a lethal enemy?

Alternate cover edition of ISBN 059365322X.]]>
400 Richard Osman Coral 4 4.06 2024 We Solve Murders (We Solve Murders, #1)
author: Richard Osman
name: Coral
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/02/23
date added: 2025/02/24
shelves:
review:

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The Mysteries of Udolpho 93134 The Mysteries of Udolpho, Ann Radcliffe raised the Gothic romance to a new level and inspired a long line of imitators. Portraying her heroine's inner life, creating a thick atmosphere of fear, and providing a gripping plot that continues to thrill readers today, The Mysteries of Udolpho is the story of orphan Emily St. Aubert, who finds herself separated from the man she loves and confined within the medieval castle of her aunt's new husband, Montoni. Inside the castle, she must cope with an unwanted suitor, Montoni's threats, and the wild imaginings and terrors that threaten to overwhelm her.

This new edition includes an introduction that discusses the publication and early reception of the novel, the genre of Gothic romance, and Radcliffe's use of history, exotic settings, the supernatural, and poetry.]]>
654 Ann Radcliffe 0140437592 Coral 3 3.42 1794 The Mysteries of Udolpho
author: Ann Radcliffe
name: Coral
average rating: 3.42
book published: 1794
rating: 3
read at: 2025/02/05
date added: 2025/02/18
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (Amina al-Sirafi, #1)]]> 61294937 Shannon Chakraborty, the bestselling author of The City of Brass, spins a new trilogy of magic and mayhem on the high seas in this tale of pirates and sorcerers, forbidden artifacts and ancient mysteries, in one woman’s determined quest to seize a final chance at glory—and write her own legend.

Amina al-Sirafi should be content. After a storied and scandalous career as one of the Indian Ocean’s most notorious pirates, she’s survived backstabbing rogues, vengeful merchant princes, several husbands, and one actual demon to retire peacefully with her family to a life of piety, motherhood, and absolutely nothing that hints of the supernatural.

But when she’s tracked down by the obscenely wealthy mother of a former crewman, she’s offered a job no bandit could refuse: retrieve her comrade’s kidnapped daughter for a kingly sum. The chance to have one last adventure with her crew, do right by an old friend, and win a fortune that will secure her family’s future forever? It seems like such an obvious choice that it must be God’s will.

Yet the deeper Amina dives, the more it becomes alarmingly clear there’s more to this job, and the girl’s disappearance, than she was led to believe. For there’s always risk in wanting to become a legend, to seize one last chance at glory, to savor just a bit more power…and the price might be your very soul.]]>
483 Shannon Chakraborty Coral 4 4.25 2023 The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi (Amina al-Sirafi, #1)
author: Shannon Chakraborty
name: Coral
average rating: 4.25
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/21
date added: 2025/01/21
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[Better Than the Movies (Better Than the Movies, #1)]]> 55710822 In this rom-com about rom-coms, in the spirit of Kasie West and Jenn Bennett, a hopeless romantic teen attempts to secure a happily-ever-after moment with her forever crush, but finds herself reluctantly drawn to the boy next door.

Perpetual daydreamer Liz Buxbaum gave her heart to Michael a long time ago. But her cool, aloof forever crush never really saw her before he moved away. Now that he’s back in town, Liz will do whatever it takes to get on his radar - and maybe snag him as a prom date - even befriend Wes Bennet.

The annoyingly attractive next-door neighbor might seem like a prime candidate for romantic-comedy fantasies, but Wes has only been a pain in Liz’s butt since they were kids. Pranks involving frogs and decapitated lawn gnomes do not a potential boyfriend make. Yet, somehow, Wes and Michael are hitting it off, which means Wes is Liz’s in.

But as Liz and Wes scheme to get Liz noticed by Michael so she can have her magical prom moment, she’s shocked to discover that she likes being around Wes. And as they continue to grow closer, she must reexamine everything she thought she knew about love - and rethink her own ideas of what happily ever after should look like.]]>
356 Lynn Painter 1534467629 Coral 3 Liked all the movie references/quotes. ]]> 4.28 2021 Better Than the Movies (Better Than the Movies, #1)
author: Lynn Painter
name: Coral
average rating: 4.28
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2025/01/19
date added: 2025/01/20
shelves:
review:
3.5 stars
Liked all the movie references/quotes.
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Evelina 37638
As she describes her heroine's entry into society, womanhood and, inevitably, love, Burney exposes the vulnerability of female innocence in an image-conscious and often cruel world where social snobbery and sexual aggression are played out in the public arenas of pleasure-gardens, theatre visits, and balls. But Evelina's innocence also makes her a shrewd commentator on the excesses and absurdities of manners and social ambitions—as well as attracting the attention of the eminently eligible Lord Orville.

Evelina, comic and shrewd, is at once a guide to fashionable London, a satirical attack on the new consumerism, an investigation of women's position in the late eighteenth century, and a love story. The new introduction and full notes to this edition help make this richness all the more readily available to a modern reader.]]>
455 Frances Burney 0192840312 Coral 4
Loved the descriptions of 18th century London and memorable characters in this epistolary novel. ]]>
3.69 1778 Evelina
author: Frances Burney
name: Coral
average rating: 3.69
book published: 1778
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/17
date added: 2025/01/17
shelves:
review:
4.5

Loved the descriptions of 18th century London and memorable characters in this epistolary novel.
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The Ogress and the Orphans 58328436 A fantasy about the power of generosity and love, and how a community suffers when they disappear.

Stone-in-the-Glen, once a lovely town, has fallen on hard times. Fires, floods, and other calamities have caused the people to lose their library, their school, their park, and even their neighborliness. The people put their faith in the Mayor, a dazzling fellow who promises he alone can help. After all, he is a famous dragon slayer. (At least, no one has seen a dragon in his presence.) Only the clever children of the Orphan House and the kindly Ogress at the edge of town can see how dire the town’s problems are.

Then one day a child goes missing from the Orphan House. At the Mayor’s suggestion, all eyes turn to the Ogress. The Orphans know this ’t be: the Ogress, along with a flock of excellent crows, secretly delivers gifts to the people of Stone-in-the-Glen.

But how can the Orphans tell the story of the Ogress’s goodness to people who refuse to listen? And how can they make their deluded neighbors see the real villain in their midst?]]>
392 Kelly Barnhill 1643750747 Coral 4 4.27 2022 The Ogress and the Orphans
author: Kelly Barnhill
name: Coral
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/07
date added: 2025/01/08
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year]]> 199531989 Knives Out gets a rom-com twist in this rivals-to-lovers Christmas romance-mystery from New York Times bestselling author Ally Carter

The bridge is out. The phones are down. And the most famous mystery writer in the world just disappeared out of a locked room three days before Christmas.

Meet Maggie Chase and Ethan Wyatt:
She’s the new Queen of the Cozy Mystery.
He’s Mr. Big-Time Thriller Guy.

She hates his guts.

He thinks her name is Marcie (no matter how many times she’s told him otherwise.)

But when they both accept a cryptic invitation to attend a Christmas house party at the English estate of a reclusive fan, neither is expecting their host to be the most powerful author in the world: Eleanor Ashley, the Duchess of Death herself.

That night, the weather turns, and the next morning Eleanor is gone.

She vanished from a locked room, and Maggie has to wonder: Is Eleanor in danger? Or is it all some kind of test? Is Ethan the competition? Or is he the only person in that snowbound mansion she can trust?

As the snow gets deeper and the stakes get higher, every clue will bring Maggie and Ethan closer to the truth—and each other. Because, this Christmas, these two rivals are going to have to become allies (and maybe more) if they have any hope of saving Eleanor.

Assuming they don’t kill each other first.]]>
293 Ally Carter 0063276682 Coral 4 4.5 stars 3.92 2024 The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year
author: Ally Carter
name: Coral
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2025/01/06
date added: 2025/01/06
shelves:
review:
4.5 stars
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The Lost Bookshop 65137920 The Keeper of Stories meets The Lost Apothecary in this evocative and charming novel full of mystery and secrets.

‘The thing about books,� she said ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.�

On a quiet street in Dublin, a lost bookshop is waiting to be found�

For too long, Opaline, Martha and Henry have been the side characters in their own lives.

But when a vanishing bookshop casts its spell, these three unsuspecting strangers will discover that their own stories are every bit as extraordinary as the ones found in the pages of their beloved books. And by unlocking the secrets of the shelves, they find themselves transported to a world of wonder� where nothing is as it seems.]]>
432 Evie Woods 0008609209 Coral 3 4.03 2023 The Lost Bookshop
author: Evie Woods
name: Coral
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/23
date added: 2024/12/23
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[Yours Truly (Part of Your World, #2)]]> 61918816 A novel of terrible first impressions, hilarious second chances, and the joy in finding your perfect match.

Dr. Briana Ortiz’s life is seriously flatlining. Her divorce is just about finalized, her brother’s running out of time to find a kidney donor, and that promotion she wants? Oh, that’s probably going to the new man-doctor who’s already registering eighty-friggin�-seven on Briana’s “pain in my ass� scale. But just when all systems are set to hate, Dr. Jacob Maddox completely flips the game . . . by sending Briana a letter.

And it’s a really good letter. Like the kind that proves that Jacob isn’t actually Satan. Worse, he might be this fantastically funny and subversively likeable guy who’s terrible at first impressions. Because suddenly he and Bri are exchanging letters, sharing lunch dates in her “sob closet,� and discussing the merits of freakishly tiny horses. But when Jacob decides to give Briana the best gift imaginable—a kidney for her brother—she wonders just how she can resist this quietly sexy new doctor . . . especially when he calls in a favor she ’t refuse.]]>
416 Abby Jimenez 1538704390 Coral 3 4.29 2023 Yours Truly (Part of Your World, #2)
author: Abby Jimenez
name: Coral
average rating: 4.29
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/18
date added: 2024/12/18
shelves:
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<![CDATA[Just for the Summer (Part of Your World, #3)]]> 195820807
Emma hadn't planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It's supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma's toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they're suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected--including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?]]>
432 Abby Jimenez 1538704439 Coral 4 4.35 2024 Just for the Summer (Part of Your World, #3)
author: Abby Jimenez
name: Coral
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/12/12
date added: 2024/12/13
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<![CDATA[A Cross-Country Christmas (Road Trip Romance, #1)]]> 59068107
Which is why she rarely makes the trip home to the Midwest for the holidays. After all, she has plenty to keep her busy—namely, her duties as a set decorator on a TV sitcom.

But this December, Lauren's brother and his wife are expecting a baby, so her brother arranges a ride home for her with his good friend, Will.

Unfortunately for Lauren, she’s been trying to forget college baseball coach and childhood crush Will Sinclair for more than ten years.

Now, thanks to her fear of flying, she’s stuck in a car with him from California to Illinois.

She’s circumspect and organized. He’s flirty and spontaneous.

She’s convinced that people don’t change. He’s trying to prove to her (and himself) that he has.

On this cross-country road trip, they’ll both discover that history doesn’t exactly repeat itself. . . but like any good Christmas carol, it does have a second verse.]]>
256 Courtney Walsh Coral 3 3.93 2021 A Cross-Country Christmas (Road Trip Romance, #1)
author: Courtney Walsh
name: Coral
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2024/12/08
date added: 2024/12/08
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Mansfield Park 45032 488 Jane Austen Coral 3 3.86 1814 Mansfield Park
author: Jane Austen
name: Coral
average rating: 3.86
book published: 1814
rating: 3
read at: 2025/04/20
date added: 2024/11/27
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Lies and Weddings 197144545 A forbidden affair erupts dramatically amid a decadent Hawaiian wedding in this hilarious, sophisticated, and thrillingly plotted story of love, money, murder, sex—and the lies we tell about them all.

Rufus Leung Gresham, future Earl of Greshambury and son of a former Hong Kong supermodel, has a problem: his family fortune, the legendary Gresham Trust, has been depleted by decades of profligate spending. While magazine covers and Instagram stories display impeccably designed manors and shiny new yachts, the secret reality holds nothing more than a gargantuan mountain of debt. The only solution, put forth by Rufus’s scheming mother, is for Rufus to seduce a woman with money, thereby securing the family's precarious financial future.

Should he marry Solène de Courcy, a French hotel heiress with honey-blond tresses and a royal bloodline? Should he pursue Martha Dung, the tattooed venture capital genius who passes out billions like lollipops? Or should he follow his heart, betray his family, squander his legacy, and finally confess his love to the literal girl next door, the humble daughter of a doctor, Eden Tong?

When the Gresham family descends on the Big Island of Hawaii to host a veritable who's who of sultans, barons, and oligarchs for the wedding of the decade, Rufus must merely flex his famous abs to bewitch the heiress of his choice. But instead a hot mic exposes a secret tryst, a volcanic eruption burns through the nuptials, and the Gresham family's plans—and their reputation—go up in flames.

Can the once-great earldom rise from the ashes? Or will a secret tragedy, hidden for two decades, reveal a shocking twist? Spanning the black sand beaches of Hawaii, the red city of Marrakech, the Los Angeles bachelor pad of a billionaire playboy, and the inner sanctum of England’s oldest family estate, Lies and Weddings reveals an enthralling family saga that is as scandalous and satirical as it is full of heart.]]>
437 Kevin Kwan 0385546297 Coral 3 3.69 2024 Lies and Weddings
author: Kevin Kwan
name: Coral
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/23
date added: 2024/11/24
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<![CDATA[Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe]]> 9375 Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe is a now-classic novel about two women: Evelyn, who is in the sad slump of middle age, and gray-headed Mrs. Threadgoode, who is telling her life story. Her tale includes two more women, the irrepressibly daredevilish tomboy Idgie and her friend Ruth who back in the thirties ran a little place in Whistle Stop, Alabama, offering good coffee, southern barbecue, and all kinds of love and laughter, even an occasional murder. And as the past unfolds, the present will never be quite the same again.]]> 416 Fannie Flagg 0375508414 Coral 4 4.28 1987 Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
author: Fannie Flagg
name: Coral
average rating: 4.28
book published: 1987
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/23
date added: 2024/11/23
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Philadelphia Fire 85755 An impassioned, brutally honest journey through the despair and horror of life in urban America, "Philadelphia Fire isn't a book you read so much as one you breathe" (San Francsisco Chronicle).]]> 208 John Edgar Wideman 061850964X Coral 2 3.47 1990 Philadelphia Fire
author: John Edgar Wideman
name: Coral
average rating: 3.47
book published: 1990
rating: 2
read at: 2024/11/07
date added: 2024/11/14
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The Corrections 3805 After almost fifty years as a wife and mother, Enid Lambert is ready to have some fun. Unfortunately, her husband, Alfred, is losing his sanity to Parkinson's disease, and their children have long since flown the family nest to the catastrophes of their own lives. The oldest, Gary, a once-stable portfolio manager and family man, is trying to convince his wife and himself, despite clear signs to the contrary, that he is not clinically depressed. The middle child, Chip, has lost his seemingly secure academic job and is failing spectacularly at his new line of work. And Denise, the youngest, has escaped a disastrous marriage only to pour her youth and beauty down the drain of an affair with a married man - or so her mother fears. Desperate for some pleasure to look forward to, Enid has set her heart on an elusive goal: bringing her family together for one last Christmas at home.
Stretching from the Midwest at midcentury to the Wall Street and Eastern Europe of today, "The Corrections" brings an old-fashioned world of civic virtue and sexual inhibitions into violent collision with the era of home surveillance, hands-off parenting, do-it-yourself mental healthcare, and globalised greed. Richly realistic, darkly hilarious, deeply humane, it confirms Jonathan Franzen as one of our most brilliant interpreters of American society and the American soul.]]>
653 Jonathan Franzen 1841156736 Coral 3 3.83 2001 The Corrections
author: Jonathan Franzen
name: Coral
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2001
rating: 3
read at: 2024/11/07
date added: 2024/11/14
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<![CDATA[Part of Your World (Part of Your World, #1)]]> 58684524
While her ultra-wealthy parents want her to carry on the family legacy of world-renowned surgeons, Alexis doesn’t need glory or fame. She’s fine with being a “mere� ER doctor. And every minute she spends with Daniel and the tight-knit town where he lives, she’s discovering just what’s really important. Yet letting their relationship become anything more than a short-term fling would mean turning her back on her family and giving up the opportunity to help thousands of people.

Bringing Daniel into her world is impossible, and yet she ’t just give up the joy she’s found with him either. With so many differences between them, how can Alexis possibly choose between her world and his?

The New York Times bestselling author of Life's Too Short delivers a refreshingly modern fairy tale perfect for fans of Casey McQuiston and Emily Henry.]]>
389 Abby Jimenez 1538704374 Coral 4 4.26 2022 Part of Your World (Part of Your World, #1)
author: Abby Jimenez
name: Coral
average rating: 4.26
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/10/19
date added: 2024/11/03
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The Dharma Bums 412732 On the Road put the Beat Generation on the map, The Dharma Bums is sparked by Kerouac's expansiveness, humor, and a contagious zest for life.]]> 244 Jack Kerouac Coral 3 3.94 1958 The Dharma Bums
author: Jack Kerouac
name: Coral
average rating: 3.94
book published: 1958
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/12
date added: 2024/11/03
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The Measure 58884736
"A story of love and hope as interweaving characters display: how all moments, big and small, can measure a life. If you want joy, love, romance, and hope—read with us." —Jenna Bush Hager
A luminous, spirit-lifting blockbuster that asks: would you choose to find out the length of your life?

Eight ordinary people. One extraordinary choice.

It seems like any other day. You wake up, drink a cup of coffee, and head out.

But today, when you open your front door, waiting for you is a small wooden box. The contents of this mysterious box tells you the exact number of years you will live.

From suburban doorsteps to desert tents, every person on every continent receives the same box. In an instant, the world is thrust into a collective frenzy. Where did these boxes come from? What do they mean? Is there truth to what they promise?

As society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge?

The Measure charts the dawn of this new world through an unforgettable cast of characters whose decisions and fates interweave with one another: best friends whose dreams are forever entwined, pen pals finding refuge in the unknown, a couple who thought they didn’t have to rush, a doctor who cannot save himself, and a politician whose box becomes the powder keg that ultimately changes everything.

Enchanting and deeply uplifting, The Measure is an ambitious, invigorating story about family, friendship, hope, and destiny that encourages us to live life to the fullest.]]>
353 Nikki Erlick 0063204207 Coral 4 3.96 2022 The Measure
author: Nikki Erlick
name: Coral
average rating: 3.96
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/11/03
date added: 2024/11/03
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<![CDATA[Gilmore Girls Life Lessons: The Official Guide to Love, Friendship, and Coffee]]> 213085938 Take a self-care trip to Stars Hollow with this collection of life lessons from the Gilmore Girls

Relationship issues? Holding out for a parent’s approval? Can’t stop drinking coffee? All problems the Gilmore girls know a thing or two about. This handy guide to life includes wisdom from Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, the ultimate comfort-watching duo and the fastest-talking mother daughter team TV has ever seen.

Blending the show’s quirky humour with real-life lessons on how to accept yourself and improve the relationships with those you love, Gilmore Life Lessons will help you become the best version of you, with the help of lots of coffee (and a shot of cynicism).

This title is the perfect gift purchase for fans of Gilmore Girls, and a helping hand for anyone trying to figure it all out. With Gilmore-guided lessons in work, love, and friendship, you’ll learn how to fall down and pick yourself right back up again with advice from your favourite characters, including Luke, Babette, Paris, and Sookie � and especially Emily, who’s never without an opinion.

GILMORE GIRLS and all related characters and elements © & � Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (s24)]]>
128 Laurie Ulster 0593849566 Coral 3 3.91 Gilmore Girls Life Lessons: The Official Guide to Love, Friendship, and Coffee
author: Laurie Ulster
name: Coral
average rating: 3.91
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/04
date added: 2024/10/04
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The Spellshop 199269577 The Spellshop is Sarah Beth Durst’s romantasy debut–a lush cottagecore tale full of stolen spellbooks, unexpected friendships, sweet jams, and even sweeter love.

Kiela has always had trouble dealing with people. Thankfully, as a librarian at the Great Library of Alyssium, she and her assistant, Caz—a magically sentient spider plant—have spent the last decade sequestered among the empire’s most precious spellbooks, preserving their magic for the city’s elite.

When a revolution begins and the library goes up in flames, she and Caz flee with all the spellbooks they can carry and head to a remote island Kiela never thought she’d see again: her childhood home. Taking refuge there, Kiela discovers, much to her dismay, a nosy—and very handsome—neighbor who ’t take a hint and keeps showing up day after day to make sure she’s fed and to help fix up her new home.

In need of income, Kiela identifies something that even the bakery in town doesn’t have: jam. With the help of an old recipe book her parents left her and a bit of illegal magic, her cottage garden is soon covered in ripe berries.

But magic can do more than make life a little sweeter, so Kiela risks the consequences of using unsanctioned spells and opens the island’s first-ever and much needed secret spellshop.

Like a Hallmark rom-com full of mythical creatures and fueled by cinnamon rolls and magic, The Spellshop will heal your heart and feed your soul.]]>
384 Sarah Beth Durst Coral 3 3.5 4.05 2024 The Spellshop
author: Sarah Beth Durst
name: Coral
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/10/01
date added: 2024/10/04
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review:
3.5
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<![CDATA[A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder (Countess of Harleigh Mystery, #2)]]> 42204311 The adventurous Countess Harleigh finds out just how far some will go to safeguard a secret in Dianne Freeman’s latest witty and delightful historical mystery . . .

Though American by birth, Frances Wynn, the now-widowed Countess of Harleigh, has adapted admirably to the quirks and traditions of the British aristocracy. On August twelfth, otherwise known as the Glorious Twelfth, most members of the upper class retire to their country estates for grouse-shooting season. Frances has little interest in hunting—for birds or a second husband—and is expecting to spend a quiet few months in London with her almost-engaged sister, Lily, until the throng returns.

Instead, she’s immersed in a shocking mystery when a friend, Mary Archer, is found murdered. Frances had hoped Mary might make a suitable bride for her cousin, Charles, but their courtship recently fizzled out. Unfortunately, this puts Charles in the spotlight—along with dozens of others. It seems Mary had countless notes hidden in her home, detailing the private indiscretions of society’s elite. Frances can hardly believe that the genteel and genial Mary was a blackmailer, yet why else would she horde such juicy tidbits?

Aided by her gallant friend and neighbor, George Hazelton, Frances begins assisting the police in this highly sensitive case, learning more about her peers than she ever wished to know. Too many suspects may be worse than none at all—but even more worrying is that the number of victims is increasing too. And unless Frances takes care, she’ll soon find herself among them . . .]]>
306 Dianne Freeman 1496716922 Coral 3 3.93 2019 A Lady's Guide to Gossip and Murder (Countess of Harleigh Mystery, #2)
author: Dianne Freeman
name: Coral
average rating: 3.93
book published: 2019
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/27
date added: 2024/09/27
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Lost December 11049807 The Christmas Box.

“It has been said that sometimes the greatest hope in our lives is just a second chance to do what we should have done right in the first place. This is the story of my second chance.� —Prologue of Lost December

When Luke Crisp graduates from business school, his father, CEO and co-founder of Fortune 500 Crisp’s Copy Centers, is ready to share some good he wants to turn the family business over to his son. But Luke has other plans. Taking control of his trust fund, Luke leaves home to pursue a life of reckless indulgence.

But when his funds run out, so do his friends. Humbled, alone, and too ashamed to ask his father for help, Luke secretly takes a lowly job at one of his father’s copy centers. There he falls in love with a struggling single mother and begins to understand the greatest source of personal joy.

Lost December is Richard Paul Evans’s modernday holiday version of the biblical story of the prodigal son, a powerful tale of redemption, hope, and the true meaning of love.]]>
346 Richard Paul Evans 1451628021 Coral 0 to-read 4.43 2011 Lost December
author: Richard Paul Evans
name: Coral
average rating: 4.43
book published: 2011
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/09/23
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<![CDATA[Princess for Hire (Princess for Hire, #1)]]> 11434356 256 Lindsey Leavitt 1423146387 Coral 0 to-read 3.94 2010 Princess for Hire (Princess for Hire, #1)
author: Lindsey Leavitt
name: Coral
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2010
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/21
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The Letter Tree 123266540 352 Rachel Fordham 084071842X Coral 4 4.16 2023 The Letter Tree
author: Rachel Fordham
name: Coral
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/09/17
date added: 2024/09/17
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<![CDATA[Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #1)]]> 123257687
ASSISTANT WANTED: Notorious, high-ranking villain seeks loyal, levelheaded assistant for unspecified office duties, supporting staff for random mayhem and terror, and other Dark Things In General. Discretion a must. Excellent benefits.

With ailing family to support, Evie Sage's employment status isn't just important, it's vital. So when a mishap with Rennedawn’s most infamous Villain results in a job offer―naturally, she says yes. No job is perfect, of course, but even less so when you develop a teeny crush on your terrifying, temperamental, and undeniably hot boss. Don’t find evil so attractive, Evie.

But just when she’s getting used to severed heads suspended from the ceiling and the odd squish of an errant eyeball beneath her heel, Evie suspects this dungeon has a huge rat…and not just the literal kind. Because something rotten is growing in the kingdom of Rennedawn, and someone wants to take the Villain―and his entire nefarious empire―out.

Now Evie must not only resist drooling over her boss but also figure out exactly who is sabotaging his work…and ensure he makes them pay.

After all, a good job is hard to find.]]>
342 Hannah Nicole Maehrer 1649375808 Coral 3 3.5 stars 3.88 2023 Assistant to the Villain (Assistant to the Villain, #1)
author: Hannah Nicole Maehrer
name: Coral
average rating: 3.88
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/09/05
date added: 2024/09/14
shelves:
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3.5 stars
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Just One Wish 8519296 243 Janette Rallison 1440699046 Coral 0 to-read 3.87 2009 Just One Wish
author: Janette Rallison
name: Coral
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2009
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/09/10
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Summer Romance 198563734
There aren’t enough labeled glass containers to contain the mess that is Ali Morris’s life. Her mom died two years ago, then her husband left, and she hasn’t worn pants with a zipper in longer than she cares to remember. She’s a professional organizer whose pantry is a disgrace.

No one is more surprised than Ali when the first time she takes off her wedding ring and puts on pants with hardware—overalls count, right?—she meets someone. Or rather, her dog claims a man for her in the same way he claimed his favorite of her three children: by peeing on him. Ethan smiles at Ali like her pants are just right—like he likes what he sees. The last thing Ali needs is to make her life messier, but there’s no harm in a little Summer Romance. Is there?]]>
321 Annabel Monaghan 0593714083 Coral 4 4.01 2024 Summer Romance
author: Annabel Monaghan
name: Coral
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/27
date added: 2024/08/27
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<![CDATA[A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder (Countess of Harleigh Mystery, #1)]]> 36630895
Frances Wynn, the American-born Countess of Harleigh, enjoys more freedom as a widow than she did as a wife. After an obligatory year spent mourning her philandering husband, Reggie, she puts aside her drab black gowns, leaving the countryside and her money-grubbing in-laws behind. With her young daughter in tow, Frances rents a home in Belgravia and prepares to welcome her sister, Lily, arriving from New York—for her first London season.

No sooner has Frances begun her new life than the ghosts of her old one make an unwelcome appearance. The Metropolitan police receive an anonymous letter implicating Frances in her husband’s death. Frances assures Inspector Delaney of her innocence, but she’s also keen to keep him from learning the scandalous circumstances of Reggie’s demise. As fate would have it, her dashing new neighbor, George Hazelton, is one of only two other people aware of the full story.

While busy with social engagements on Lily’s behalf, and worrying if Reggie really was murdered, Frances learns of mysterious burglaries plaguing London’s elite. The investigation brings death to her doorstep, and Frances rallies her wits, a circle of gossips, and the ever-chivalrous Mr. Hazelton to uncover the truth. A killer is in their midst, perhaps even among her sister’s suitors. And Frances must unmask the villain before Lily’s season—and their lives—come to a most unseemly end . . .]]>
272 Dianne Freeman 1496716876 Coral 3 3.76 2018 A Lady's Guide to Etiquette and Murder (Countess of Harleigh Mystery, #1)
author: Dianne Freeman
name: Coral
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2018
rating: 3
read at: 2024/08/25
date added: 2024/08/25
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Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame 150246174
Nothing could be more out of character, but after fifty-nine years of marriage, as her husband Bernard’s health declines, and her friends' lives become focused on their grandchildren—which Jenny never had—Jenny decides she wants a little something for herself. So she secretly applies to be a contestant on the prime-time TV show Britain Bakes.

Whisked into an unfamiliar world of cameras and timed challenges, Jenny delights in a new-found independence. But that independence, and the stress of the competition, starts to unearth memories buried decades ago. Chocolate teacakes remind her of a furtive errand involving a wedding ring; sugared doughnuts call up a stranger’s kind act; a simple cottage loaf brings back the moment her life changed forever.

With her baking star rising, Jenny struggles to keep a lid on that first secret—a long-concealed deceit that threatens to shatter the very foundations of her marriage. It’s the only time in six decades that she’s kept something from Bernard. By putting herself in the limelight, has Jenny created a recipe for disaster?]]>
384 Olivia Ford 0593656415 Coral 4
“Old age can make us feel like we need to live a smaller life, but Jenny has shown that our dreams have a place at every stage of our journey . . . that they can be achieved because of our age, and not in spite of it.�

�...the strongest couples I know have grown together, supporting their partner's changes rather than harnessing or fearing them. It's a bit like growing roses - you don't get to choose exactly which way the stems unfurl, but if you help them climb you get the pleasure of watching them flourish.”]]>
4.05 2024 Mrs. Quinn's Rise to Fame
author: Olivia Ford
name: Coral
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/20
date added: 2024/08/20
shelves:
review:
Loved this book and its characters. Two of my favorite quotes:

“Old age can make us feel like we need to live a smaller life, but Jenny has shown that our dreams have a place at every stage of our journey . . . that they can be achieved because of our age, and not in spite of it.�

�...the strongest couples I know have grown together, supporting their partner's changes rather than harnessing or fearing them. It's a bit like growing roses - you don't get to choose exactly which way the stems unfurl, but if you help them climb you get the pleasure of watching them flourish.�
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<![CDATA[Dungeons and Drama (Dungeons and Drama, #1)]]> 160047094
Musical lover Riley has big aspirations to become a director on Broadway. Crucial to this plan is to bring back her high school’s spring musical, but when Riley takes her mom’s car without permission, she's grounded and stuck with the worst punishment: spending her after-school hours working at her dad’s game shop.

Riley can't waste her time working when she has a musical to save, so she convinces Nathan—a nerdy teen employee—to cover her shifts and, in exchange, she’ll flirt with him to make his gamer-girl crush jealous.

But Riley didn’t realize that meant joining Nathan's Dungeons & Dragons game…or that role playing would be so fun. Soon, Riley starts to think that flirting with Nathan doesn't require as much acting as she would've thought...]]>
304 Kristy Boyce 0593647017 Coral 4 4.13 2024 Dungeons and Drama (Dungeons and Drama, #1)
author: Kristy Boyce
name: Coral
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/16
date added: 2024/08/17
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The Rom-Commers 195790586 She’s rewriting his love story. But can she rewrite her own?

Emma Wheeler desperately longs to be a screenwriter. She’s spent her life studying, obsessing over, and writing romantic comedies―good ones! That win contests! But she’s also been the sole caretaker for her kind-hearted dad, who needs full-time care. Now, when she gets a chance to re-write a script for famous screenwriter Charlie Yates―The Charlie Yates! Her personal writing god!―it’s a break too big to pass up.

Emma’s younger sister steps in for caretaking duties, and Emma moves to L.A. for six weeks for the writing gig of a lifetime. But what is it they say? Don’t meet your heroes? Charlie Yates doesn’t want to write with anyone―much less “a failed, nobody screenwriter.� Worse, the romantic comedy he’s written is so terrible it might actually bring on the apocalypse. Plus! He doesn’t even care about the script―it’s just a means to get a different one green-lit. Oh, and he thinks love is an emotional Ponzi scheme.

But Emma’s not going down without a fight. She will stand up for herself, and for rom-coms, and for love itself. She will convince him that love stories matter―even if she has to kiss him senseless to do it. But . . . what if that kiss is accidentally amazing? What if real life turns out to be so much . . . more real than fiction? What if the love story they’re writing breaks all Emma’s rules―and comes true?]]>
336 Katherine Center 1250283809 Coral 4
"I had a theory that we gravitate toward the stories we need in life. Whatever we're longing for...whatever questions we're struggling with...we look for the answers in stories."

"Love is something you can learn. Love is something you can practice...and choose to get good at."

"Train yourself to see their best, most delightful, most charming qualities. Focus on everything they're getting right. Be grateful...and laugh the rest off."]]>
4.05 2024 The Rom-Commers
author: Katherine Center
name: Coral
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2024
rating: 4
read at: 2024/08/11
date added: 2024/08/17
shelves:
review:
Quotes I loved:

"I had a theory that we gravitate toward the stories we need in life. Whatever we're longing for...whatever questions we're struggling with...we look for the answers in stories."

"Love is something you can learn. Love is something you can practice...and choose to get good at."

"Train yourself to see their best, most delightful, most charming qualities. Focus on everything they're getting right. Be grateful...and laugh the rest off."
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<![CDATA[Dial A for Aunties (Aunties, #1)]]> 53310061 What happens when you mix 1 (accidental) murder with 2 thousand wedding guests, and then toss in a possible curse on 3 generations of an immigrant Chinese-Indonesian family?

You get 4 meddling Asian aunties coming to the rescue!

When Meddelin Chan ends up accidentally killing her blind date, her meddlesome mother calls for her even more meddlesome aunties to help get rid of the body. Unfortunately, a dead body proves to be a lot more challenging to dispose of than one might anticipate, especially when it is inadvertently shipped in a cake cooler to the over-the-top billionaire wedding Meddy, her Ma, and aunties are working at an island resort on the California coastline. It's the biggest job yet for the family wedding business�"Don't leave your big day to chance, leave it to the Chans!"—and nothing, not even an unsavory corpse, will get in the way of her auntie's perfect buttercream flowers.

But things go from inconvenient to downright torturous when Meddy's great college love—and biggest heartbreak—makes a surprise appearance amid the wedding chaos. Is it possible to escape murder charges, charm her ex back into her life, and pull off a stunning wedding all in one weekend?]]>
299 Jesse Q. Sutanto 0593336739 Coral 3 3.67 2021 Dial A for Aunties (Aunties, #1)
author: Jesse Q. Sutanto
name: Coral
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2024/08/13
date added: 2024/08/14
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The Women 127305853
Women can be heroes. When twenty-year-old nursing student Frances "Frankie" McGrath hears these words, it is a revelation. Raised in the sun-drenched, idyllic world of Southern California and sheltered by her conservative parents, she has always prided herself on doing the right thing. But in 1965, the world is changing, and she suddenly dares to imagine a different future for herself. When her brother ships out to serve in Vietnam, she joins the Army Nurse Corps and follows his path.

As green and inexperienced as the men sent to Vietnam to fight, Frankie is over-whelmed by the chaos and destruction of war. Each day is a gamble of life and death, hope and betrayal; friendships run deep and can be shattered in an instant. In war, she meets—and becomes one of—the lucky, the brave, the broken, and the lost.

But war is just the beginning for Frankie and her veteran friends. The real battle lies in coming home to a changed and divided America, to angry protesters, and to a country that wants to forget Vietnam.

The Women is the story of one woman gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm's way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten. A novel about deep friendships and bold patriotism, The Women is a richly drawn story with a memorable heroine whose idealism and courage under fire will come to define an era.]]>
471 Kristin Hannah 1250178630 Coral 4 4.58 2024 The Women
author: Kristin Hannah
name: Coral
average rating: 4.58
book published: 2024
rating: 4
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date added: 2024/08/07
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Winter Storms (Winter, #3) 28962891 Gather under the mistletoe for one last round of caroling with the Quinn family in this heartwarming conclusion to Elin Hilderbrand's bestselling Winter Street Trilogy.

Some of the stormy weather of the past few seasons seems to have finally lifted for the Quinns. After a year apart, and an ill-fated affair with the Winter Street Inn's old Santa Claus, Mitzi has returned to rule the roost; Patrick is about to be released from prison; Kevin has a successful new business and is finally ready to tie the knot with Isabelle; and best of all, there's hopeful news about Bart, who has been captured by enemy forces in Afghanistan.

That doesn't mean there aren't a few dark clouds on the horizon. Kelley has recently survived a health scare; Jennifer can't quite shake her addiction to the drugs she used as a crutch while Patrick was in jail; and Ava still can't decide between the two lovers that she's been juggling with limited success. However, if there's one holiday that brings the Quinn family together to give thanks for the good times, it's Christmas. And this year promises to be a celebration unlike any other as the Quinns prepare to host Kevin and Isabelle's wedding at the inn. But as the special day approaches, a historic once-in-a-century blizzard bears down on Nantucket, threatening to keep the Quinns away from the place--and the people--they love most. Before the snow clears, the Quinns will have to survive enough upheavals to send anyone running for the spiked eggnog, in this touching novel that proves that when the holidays roll around, you can always go home again.]]>
246 Elin Hilderbrand 0316261173 Coral 4 3.85 2016 Winter Storms (Winter, #3)
author: Elin Hilderbrand
name: Coral
average rating: 3.85
book published: 2016
rating: 4
read at: 2019/06/11
date added: 2024/08/07
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Winter Stroll (Winter, #2) 24819476 "Happy Holidays 2015! It has been a rough year for the Quinns, but I would like to start by saying thank you for all of the well wishes and positive missives sent our way."

Another Christmas on Nantucket finds Winter Street Inn owner Kelley Quinn reflecting on the past year as he writes a holiday letter to friends and family. Though the year has had its share of misfortune and worry, the Quinns have much to celebrate. Kelley, now single, at least is on better terms with his first wife Margaret, who is using her celebrity to lure customers to the inn in record numbers. Their son Kevin has a beautiful new baby, Genevieve, with the Inn's French housekeeper, Isabelle; and their daughter, Ava, is finally dating a nice guy--her devoted colleague, Scott.

Now the Quinns are looking forward to celebrating Genevieve's baptism, welcoming Isabelle to the family, and enjoying the cheer of Nantucket's traditional Christmas Stroll. But just when a peaceful family gathering seems within reach, Kelley's estranged second wife, Mitzi, shows up on the island after souring on her relationship with the inn's former Santa Claus. Soon Kelley isn't the only Quinn entertaining a surprise guest from Christmases past as lovers old and new gather beneath the mistletoe. With jealousy, passion, and eggnog consumption at an all-time high, it's going to take a whole lot more than a Christmas miracle to get the Quinns--and the inn--through the holidays intact.]]>
263 Elin Hilderbrand 0316261130 Coral 4 3.79 2015 Winter Stroll (Winter, #2)
author: Elin Hilderbrand
name: Coral
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2015
rating: 4
read at: 2019/06/04
date added: 2024/08/07
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Magnificent Obsession 545936 330 Lloyd C. Douglas 0395957745 Coral 0 to-read 3.84 Magnificent Obsession
author: Lloyd C. Douglas
name: Coral
average rating: 3.84
book published:
rating: 0
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date added: 2024/08/07
shelves: to-read
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Lightlark (Lightlark, #1) 60310757 Welcome to the Centennial.

Every 100 years, the island of Lightlark appears to host the Centennial, a deadly game that only the rulers of six realms are invited to play. The invitation is a summons—a call to embrace victory and ruin, baubles and blood. The Centennial offers the six rulers one final chance to break the curses that have plagued their realms for centuries. Each ruler has something to hide. Each realm’s curse is uniquely wicked. To destroy the curses, one ruler must die.

Isla Crown is the young ruler of Wildling—a realm of temptresses cursed to kill anyone they fall in love with. They are feared and despised, and are counting on Isla to end their suffering by succeeding at the Centennial.

To survive, Isla must lie, cheat, and betray…even as love complicates everything.]]>
416 Alex Aster 1419760866 Coral 3 3.83 2022 Lightlark (Lightlark, #1)
author: Alex Aster
name: Coral
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/07/29
date added: 2024/07/29
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<![CDATA[Inventing Vivian (The Blue Orchid Society, #2)]]> 57178006
Ladies of London’s High Society are known for their social graces and poise. Vivian Kirby boasts neither of these enviable qualities, though she does offer impressive conversation on chemical compositions. Unfortunately, it appears that not many men want a brilliant wife. So it is that Vivian finds kinship with a group of young women who embrace each other’s differences: The Blue Orchid Society.

After an extended stay in China, Lord Benedict has returned transformed to his family’s estate, where an encounter with Vivian, whose scientific knowledge he once undermined, leaves him determined to make amends. He arranges to help forward her research—anonymously, of course. Through letters, Vivian establishes a warm friendship with her secret benefactor, even as she’s unexpectedly drawn into a murder investigation that forces her to work alongside Benedict to unearth the truth. Soon, Vivian fears she may be falling in love with two men, never suspecting that they are one and the same.]]>
224 Jennifer Moore 1524418943 Coral 4 4.03 2021 Inventing Vivian (The Blue Orchid Society, #2)
author: Jennifer Moore
name: Coral
average rating: 4.03
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/05
date added: 2024/07/19
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The Last Love Note 123087802 You may never stop loving the one you lost. But you can still find love again.

Kate is a bit of a mess. Two years after losing her young husband Cameron, she’s grieving, solo parenting, working like mad at her university fundraising job, always dropping the ball—and yet clinging to her sense of humor.

Lurching from one comedic crisis to the next, she also navigates an overbearing mom and a Tinder-obsessed best friend who's determined to matchmake Kate with her hot new neighbor.

When an in-flight problem leaves Kate and her boss, Hugh, stranded for a weekend on the east coast of Australia, she finally has a chance, away from her son, to really process her grief and see what’s right in front of her. Can she let go of the love of her life and risk her heart a second time?

When it becomes clear that Hugh is hiding a secret, Kate turns to the trail of scribbled notes she once used to hold her life together. The first note captured her heart. Will the last note set it free?

The Last Love Note will make listeners laugh, cry, and renew their faith in the resilience of the human heart—and in love itself.]]>
384 Emma Grey 1958506281 Coral 4 4.04 2023 The Last Love Note
author: Emma Grey
name: Coral
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/07/07
date added: 2024/07/08
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Nora Goes Off Script 58988426 Nora's life is about to get a rewrite...

Nora Hamilton knows the formula for love better than anyone. As a romance channel screenwriter, it's her job. But when her too-good-to work husband leaves her and their two kids, Nora turns her marriage's collapse into cash and writes the best script of her life. No one is more surprised than her when it's picked up for the big screen and set to film on location at her 100-year-old-home. When former Sexiest Man Alive, Leo Vance, is cast as her ne'er-do-well husband Nora's life will never be the same.

The morning after shooting wraps and the crew leaves, Nora finds Leo on her porch with a half-empty bottle of tequila and a proposition. He'll pay a thousand dollars a day to stay for a week. The extra seven grand would give Nora breathing room, but it's the need in his eyes that makes her say yes. Seven days: it's the blink of an eye or an eternity depending on how you look at it. Enough time to fall in love. Enough time to break your heart.

Filled with warmth, wit, and wisdom, Nora Goes Off Script is the best kind of love story--the real kind where love is complicated by work, kids, and the emotional baggage that comes with life. For Nora and Leo, this kind of love is bigger than the big screen.]]>
272 Annabel Monaghan 0593420039 Coral 4 4.02 2022 Nora Goes Off Script
author: Annabel Monaghan
name: Coral
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/23
date added: 2024/06/22
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Long Bright River 43834909 Two sisters travel the same streets, though their lives couldn't be more different. Then, one of them goes missing.

In a Philadelphia neighborhood rocked by the opioid crisis, two once-inseparable sisters find themselves at odds. One, Kacey, lives on the streets in the vise of addiction. The other, Mickey, walks those same blocks on her police beat. They don't speak anymore, but Mickey never stops worrying about her sibling.

Then Kacey disappears, suddenly, at the same time that a mysterious string of murders begins in Mickey's district, and Mickey becomes dangerously obsessed with finding the culprit--and her sister--before it's too late.

Alternating its present-day mystery with the story of the sisters' childhood and adolescence, Long Bright River is at once heart-pounding and heart-wrenching: a gripping suspense novel that is also a moving story of sisters, addiction, and the formidable ties that persist between place, family, and fate.]]>
482 Liz Moore 0525540679 Coral 4 4.02 2020 Long Bright River
author: Liz Moore
name: Coral
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2024/06/22
date added: 2024/06/22
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We Are Okay 28243032 You go through life thinking there’s so much you need�

Until you leave with only your phone, your wallet, and a picture of your mother.

Marin hasn’t spoken to anyone from her old life since the day she left everything behind. No one knows the truth about those final weeks. Not even her best friend, Mabel. But even thousands of miles away from the California coast, at college in New York, Marin still feels the pull of the life and tragedy she’s tried to outrun. Now, months later, alone in an emptied dorm for winter break, Marin waits. Mabel is coming to visit, and Marin will be forced to face everything that’s been left unsaid and finally confront the loneliness that has made a home in her heart.]]>
236 Nina LaCour 0525425896 Coral 3 3.94 2017 We Are Okay
author: Nina LaCour
name: Coral
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2017
rating: 3
read at: 2024/06/13
date added: 2024/06/20
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A Lady's Promise 129555344 200 Ranee S. Clark 1524424129 Coral 3 3.74 A Lady's Promise
author: Ranee S. Clark
name: Coral
average rating: 3.74
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/05/18
date added: 2024/05/20
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<![CDATA[The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store]]> 65678550
Chicken Hill was where Moshe and Chona Ludlow lived when Chona ran the Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, which served the neighborhood's quirky collection of blacks and European immigrants, helped by her husband, Moshe, a Romanian-born theater owner who integrated the town's first dance hall. When the state came looking for a deaf black child, claiming that the boy needed to be institutionalized, Chicken Hill's residents—roused by Chona's kindess and the courage of a local black worker named Nate Timblin—banded together to keep the boy safe.

As the novel unfolds, it becomes clear how much the people of Chicken Hill have to struggle to survive at the margins of white Christian America and how damaging bigotry, hypocrisy, and deceit can be to a community. When the truth is revealed about the skeleton, the boy, and the part the town’s establishment played in both, McBride shows that it is love and community—heaven and earth—that ultimately sustain us.]]>
385 James McBride 0593422945 Coral 3 3.83 2023 The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
author: James McBride
name: Coral
average rating: 3.83
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/05/10
date added: 2024/05/13
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<![CDATA[The Amish Quiltmaker's Unexpected Baby (The Amish Quiltmaker, #1)]]> 54165541
Esther Zook is starting over after her father’s death, piecing together a new life with as much as care as she puts into her intricate quilts. When her wayward sister abandons her baby, it throws all those plans for a fresh start asunder. Esther had accepted her status as an old maid—but a mother? And a single one, at that? Not that she hasn’t noticed Levi Kiem, the eligible young man who’s making repairs in her house. Yet he surely has no interest in Esther as anything other than a friend . . .

It’s true that Levi has plenty of marriage prospects. His dat has even offered to send him to Ohio to find a wife. Yet the more time he spends with Esther, the more intrigued he becomes. Feisty and independent, he’s nothing like the wife he once imagined for himself. Yet just as a quilt is crafted from contrasting cloth, they might find that together, they can create a family to cherish . . .]]>
352 Jennifer Beckstrand 1420152009 Coral 3 4.48 The Amish Quiltmaker's Unexpected Baby (The Amish Quiltmaker, #1)
author: Jennifer Beckstrand
name: Coral
average rating: 4.48
book published:
rating: 3
read at: 2024/05/10
date added: 2024/05/10
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Marmee 60091367 From the author of Caroline, a revealing retelling of Louisa May Alcott's beloved Little Women, from the perspective of Margaret "Marmee" March, about the larger real-world challenges behind the cozy domestic concerns cherished by generations of readers.

In 1861, war is raging in the South, but in Concord, Massachusetts, Margaret March has her own battles to fight. With her husband serving as an army chaplain, the comfort and security of Margaret's four daughters-- Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy--now rest on her shoulders alone. Money is tight and every month, her husband sends less and less of his salary with no explanation. Worst of all, Margaret harbors the secret that these financial hardships are largely her fault, thanks to a disastrous mistake made over a decade ago which wiped out her family's fortune and snatched away her daughters' chances for the education they deserve.

Yet even with all that weighs upon her, Margaret longs to do more--for the war effort, for the poor, for the cause of abolition, and most of all, for her daughters. Living by her watchwords, "Hope and keep busy," she fills her days with humdrum charity work to keep her worries at bay. All of that is interrupted when Margaret receives a telegram from the War Department, summoning her to her husband's bedside in Washington, D.C. While she is away, her daughter Beth falls dangerously ill, forcing Margaret to confront the possibility that the price of her own generosity toward others may be her daughter's life.

A stunning portrait of the paragon of virtue known as Marmee, a wife left behind, a mother pushed to the brink, a woman with secrets.


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423 Sarah Miller 0063041871 Coral 5 4.24 2022 Marmee
author: Sarah Miller
name: Coral
average rating: 4.24
book published: 2022
rating: 5
read at: 2024/04/28
date added: 2024/04/29
shelves:
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Beautiful writing, and a fun way to revisit some of my favorite characters!
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Part of My World 60510705
A treasure trove of colorful characters and unforgettable anecdotes, Part of My World reads like a real-life fairy tale as a girl with a big voice and even bigger dreams sets out on the adventure of a lifetime. Along the way, Jodi shares lessons she's learned about faith, friendship, love, loss, taking chances, making mistakes, following God’s call, and chasing your dreams. In Part of My World you’ll come alongside Jodi as she
Written with warmth, humor, and disarming vulnerability, Part of My World is a captivating glimpse behind the curtain at the making of one of the most celebrated animated movies of all time, and a must-read for Disney fans of all ages.]]>
278 Jodi Benson 1496453271 Coral 4 4.41 2022 Part of My World
author: Jodi Benson
name: Coral
average rating: 4.41
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/04/03
date added: 2024/04/03
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<![CDATA[Angels & Demons (Robert Langdon #1)]]> 4227
A devastating new weapon of destruction.
When world-renowned Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is summoned to a Swiss research facility to analyze a mysterious symbol -- seared into the chest of a murdered physicist -- he discovers evidence of the unimaginable: the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati...the most powerful underground organization ever to walk the earth. The Illuminati has now surfaced to carry out the final phase of its legendary vendetta against its most hated enemy -- the Catholic Church.

Langdon's worst fears are confirmed on the eve of the Vatican's holy conclave, when a messenger of the Illuminati announces they have hidden an unstoppable time bomb at the very heart of Vatican City. With the countdown under way, Langdon jets to Rome to join forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and mysterious Italian scientist, to assist the Vatican in a desperate bid for survival.
Embarking on a frantic hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that snakes across Rome toward the long-forgotten Illuminati lair...a clandestine location that contains the only hope for Vatican salvation.

An explosive international thriller, Angels & Demons careens from enlightening epiphanies to dark truths as the battle between science and religion turns to war.]]>
510 Dan Brown 0743275063 Coral 5 4.07 2000 Angels & Demons (Robert Langdon #1)
author: Dan Brown
name: Coral
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2000
rating: 5
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date added: 2024/03/31
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Carrie Soto Is Back 60435878 Carrie Soto is fierce, and her determination to win at any cost has not made her popular.

By the time Carrie retires from tennis, she is the best player the world has ever seen. She has shattered every record and claimed twenty Slam titles. And if you ask her, she is entitled to every one. She sacrificed nearly everything to become the best, with her father as her coach.

But six years after her retirement, Carrie finds herself sitting in the stands of the 1994 US Open, watching her record be taken from her by a brutal, stunning, British player named Nicki Chan.

At thirty-seven years old, Carrie makes the monumental decision to come out of retirement and be coached by her father for one last year in an attempt to reclaim her record. Even if the sports media says that they never liked the 'Battle-Axe' anyway. Even if her body doesn't move as fast as it did. And even if it means swallowing her pride to train with a man she once almost opened her heart to: Bowe Huntley. Like her, he has something to prove before he gives up the game forever.

In spite of it all: Carrie Soto is back, for one epic final season. In this riveting and unforgettable novel, Taylor Jenkins Reid tells a story about the cost of greatness and a legendary athlete attempting a comeback.]]>
384 Taylor Jenkins Reid 0593158687 Coral 4 4.19 2022 Carrie Soto Is Back
author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
name: Coral
average rating: 4.19
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/03/26
date added: 2024/03/30
shelves:
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There are so many great themes in this book: self-discovery, resilience, and reaching for new goals.
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The Lost Letters of Aisling 200125574 A woman faces the past she fled in a heart-stirring novel about unforgettable love and indomitable courage by the Amazon Charts bestselling author of The Lighthouse Keeper.

Rainey’s grandmother makes a startling request: Take me home. To Ireland, the country she fled post–World War II. Though they’re inseparably close, Rainey knows few of her grandmother’s secrets. Until they arrive at Aisling—the majestic estate on the southern coast of Ireland where her grandmother was raised—and Rainey discovers a collection of seventy-year-old letters in a trunk.

Dublin, 1945. The Germans surrender, celebrants crowd the streets, and fourteen-year-old Evie meets her best friend, the spirited Harding McGovern. Years on, they are more like sisters when rumors begin that Harding works in the black market trade—a source of wealth that could give her a dream life in America but could also cause great danger. Evie is uncertain of the truth but will stand by Harding, whatever the cost.

As Rainey uses the letters to reunite her grandmother with the past, what unfolds is a never-forgotten story of family, friendship, and love, and the healing that comes from letting go of secrets.]]>
302 Cynthia Ellingsen Coral 3 3.5 stars. 4.32 2024 The Lost Letters of Aisling
author: Cynthia Ellingsen
name: Coral
average rating: 4.32
book published: 2024
rating: 3
read at: 2024/03/18
date added: 2024/03/18
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3.5 stars.
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<![CDATA[The Christmas Bookshop (The Christmas Bookshop, #1)]]> 56922701
Sofia har ærlig talt heller ikke lyst til at byde Carmen velkommen. Hendes søster har altid været sarkastisk og umedgørlig. Men Sofia venter sig igen, boghandlen mangler hænder, og deres mors største ønske er, at de to søstre kommer bedre ud af det med hinanden. Måske skulle hun give Carmen en chance?

På Sofias foranledning hvirvles Carmen snart ind i den gamle boghandels daglige trummerum. Det viser sig dog, at det vil kræve et sandt julemirakel at få den på rette kurs igen. Kan Carmen mon overraske dem alle denne jul? Og kan hun klinke skårene med de vigtigste mennesker i hendes liv: sin familie?]]>
310 Jenny Colgan 0063141671 Coral 3 3.61 2021 The Christmas Bookshop (The Christmas Bookshop, #1)
author: Jenny Colgan
name: Coral
average rating: 3.61
book published: 2021
rating: 3
read at: 2024/03/06
date added: 2024/03/10
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<![CDATA[It Starts with Us (It Ends with Us, #2)]]> 60393672 Before It Ends with Us, it started with Atlas. Colleen Hoover tells fan favorite Atlas’s side of the story and shares what comes next in this long-anticipated sequel to the “glorious and touching� (USA TODAY) #1 New York Times bestseller It Ends with Us.

Lily and her ex-husband, Ryle, have just settled into a civil coparenting rhythm when she suddenly bumps into her first love, Atlas, again. After nearly two years separated, she is elated that for once, time is on their side, and she immediately says yes when Atlas asks her on a date.

But her excitement is quickly hampered by the knowledge that, though they are no longer married, Ryle is still very much a part of her life—and Atlas Corrigan is the one man he will hate being in his ex-wife and daughter’s life.

Switching between the perspectives of Lily and Atlas, It Starts with Us picks up right where the epilogue for the “gripping, pulse-pounding� (Sarah Pekkanen, author of Perfect Neighbors) bestselling phenomenon It Ends with Us left off. Revealing more about Atlas’s past and following Lily as she embraces a second chance at true love while navigating a jealous ex-husband, it proves that “no one delivers an emotional read like Colleen Hoover� (Anna Todd, New York Times bestselling author).]]>
323 Colleen Hoover 1668001225 Coral 3 3.80 2022 It Starts with Us (It Ends with Us, #2)
author: Colleen Hoover
name: Coral
average rating: 3.80
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/03/10
date added: 2024/03/10
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<![CDATA[Legends & Lattes (Legends & Lattes, #1)]]> 61242426
The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success � not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.

If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won't be able to go it alone.

But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.]]>
296 Travis Baldree Coral 3 4.04 2022 Legends & Lattes (Legends & Lattes, #1)
author: Travis Baldree
name: Coral
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/27
date added: 2024/03/01
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<![CDATA[It Ends with Us (It Ends with Us, #1)]]> 27362503
Lily hasn’t always had it easy, but that’s never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She’s come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up � she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily’s life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, maybe even a little arrogant. He’s also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily. And the way he looks in scrubs certainly doesn’t hurt. Lily ’t get him out of her head. But Ryle’s complete aversion to relationships is disturbing. Even as Lily finds herself becoming the exception to his “no dating� rule, she ’t help but wonder what made him that way in the first place.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan � her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.]]>
386 Colleen Hoover 1668021048 Coral 3 4.11 2016 It Ends with Us (It Ends with Us, #1)
author: Colleen Hoover
name: Coral
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/21
date added: 2024/02/27
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<![CDATA[A Most Agreeable Murder (Beatrice Steele, #1)]]> 62794526 When a wealthy bachelor drops dead at a ball, a young lady takes on the decidedly improper role of detective in this action-packed debut comedy of manners and murder.

Feisty, passionate Beatrice Steele has never fit the definition of a true lady, according to the strict code of conduct that reigns in Swampshire, her small English township--she is terrible at needlework, has absolutely no musical ability, and her artwork is so bad it frightens people. Nevertheless, she lives a perfectly agreeable life with her marriage-scheming mother, prankster father, and two younger sisters-- beautiful Louisa and forgettable Mary. But she harbors a dark secret: She is obsessed with the true crime cases she reads about in the newspaper. If anyone in her etiquette-obsessed community found out, she'd be deemed a morbid creep and banished from respectable society forever.

For her family's sake, she's vowed to put her obsession behind her. Because eligible bachelor Edmund Croaksworth is set to attend the approaching autumnal ball, and the Steele family hopes that Louisa will steal his heart. If not, Martin Grub, their disgusting cousin, will inherit the family's estate, and they will be ruined or, even worse, forced to move to France. So Beatrice must be on her best behavior . . . which is made difficult when a disgraced yet alluring detective inexplicably shows up to the ball.

Beatrice is just holding things together when Croaksworth drops dead in the middle of a minuet. As a storm rages outside, the evening descends into a frenzy of panic, fear, and betrayal as it becomes clear they are trapped with a killer. Contending with competitive card games, tricky tonics, and Swampshire's infamous squelch holes, Beatrice must rise above decorum and decency to pursue justice and her own desires--before anyone else is murdered.]]>
352 Julia Seales 0593449983 Coral 3 3.67 2023 A Most Agreeable Murder (Beatrice Steele, #1)
author: Julia Seales
name: Coral
average rating: 3.67
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/24
date added: 2024/02/26
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<![CDATA[The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley]]> 63354446 She’s out to prove that there’sno such thing as choosing happiness.

Isadora Bentley follows the rules. Isadora Bentley likes things just so. Isadora Bentley believes that happiness is something that flat-out doesn’t exist in her life—and never will.

As a university researcher, Isadora keeps to herself as much as possible. She avoids the students she’s supposed to befriend and mentor. She stays away from her neighbors and lives her own quiet, organized life in her own quiet, organized apartment. And she will never get involved in a romantic relationship again—especially with another academic. It will be just Isadora and her research. Forever.

But on her thirtieth birthday, Isadora does something completely out of character. The young woman who never does anything “on a whim� makes an impulse purchase of a magazine featuring a silly article detailing “Thirty-One Ways to Be Happy”—which includes everything from smiling at strangers to exercising for endorphins to giving in to your chocolate cravings. Isadora decides to create her own secret research project—proving the writer of the ridiculous piece wrong.

As Isadora gets deeper into her research—and meets a handsome professor along the way—she’s stunned to discover that maybe, just maybe, she’s proving herself wrong. Perhaps there’s actually something to this happiness concept, and possibly there’s something to be said for loosening up and letting life take you somewhere...happy.


Contemporary Christian romance
Perfect for fans of Denise Hunter and Rachel Linden
Includes discussion questions for book clubs]]>
358 Courtney Walsh 0840712804 Coral 4 4.14 2023 The Happy Life of Isadora Bentley
author: Courtney Walsh
name: Coral
average rating: 4.14
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2024/02/17
date added: 2024/02/17
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[These Infinite Threads (This Woven Kingdom, #2)]]> 61085925
Alizeh, the heir to the Jinn throne, is destined to free her people from the half-lives they’ve been forced to live under human rule. When Kamran, the heir to the human throne, falls in love with her, he’s forced to question everything he’s been taught about Jinn.

Kamran’s grandfather lays dead at the hand of Cyrus, ruler of the neighboring kingdom of Tulan. Cyrus has stolen Alizeh away to his homeland and plans to marry her there, giving her everything she needs to become the Jinn queen—and when she assumes the throne he will have fulfilled his own bargain with the devil.

Alizeh wants nothing to do with Cyrus’s deal or the devil. But without a way to escape Tulan, and with the fulfillment of her own destiny tantalizingly close, she’ll have to decide whether she can set aside her emotions to become the queen her people need.

Kamran, meanwhile, is picking up the pieces in Ardunia. Facing betrayal at every turn, all he knows is that he must go to Tulan to avenge his grandfather. He can only hope that Alizeh will be waiting for him there—and that she hasn’t yet become the queen of Tulan.

Full of explosive magic, searing romance, and heartbreaking betrayal, this breathtaking sequel to This Woven Kingdom is from the award-winning and bestselling author of the Shatter Me series and is perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Sabaa Tahir, and Tomi Adeyemi.]]>
416 Tahereh Mafi 0062972499 Coral 3
This book was more dialogue than action. I love the story and the characters, but the plot didn’t move forward much. The writing is beautiful, but this felt really slow to me.

Also, is it just me, or are all the main characters dramatic and quick to anger? I listened to this, so it could have just been the narration�?]]>
4.09 2023 These Infinite Threads (This Woven Kingdom, #2)
author: Tahereh Mafi
name: Coral
average rating: 4.09
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/13
date added: 2024/02/13
shelves:
review:
3.5 stars

This book was more dialogue than action. I love the story and the characters, but the plot didn’t move forward much. The writing is beautiful, but this felt really slow to me.

Also, is it just me, or are all the main characters dramatic and quick to anger? I listened to this, so it could have just been the narration�?
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<![CDATA[A Novel Disguise (A Lady Librarian Mystery #1)]]> 63049233
1784 London. Miss Tiffany Woodall didn’t murder her half-brother, but she did bury him in the back garden so that she could keep her cottage. Now, the confirmed spinster has to pretend to be Uriah and fulfill his duties as the Duke of Beaufort’s librarian while searching Astwell Palace for Uriah’s missing diamond pin, the only thing of value they own. Her ruse is almost up when she is discovered by Mr. Samir Lathrop, the local bookseller, who tries to save her from drowning while she's actually just washing up in a lake after burying her brother.

Her plan is going by the book, until the rector proposes marriage and she starts to develop feelings for Mr. Lathrop. But when her childhood friend, Tess, comes to visit, Tiffany quickly realizes her secret isn’t the only one hidden within these walls. The body of a servant is found, along with a collection of stolen items, and someone else grows mysteriously ill. Can Tiffany solve these mysteries without her own disguise being discovered? If not, she’ll lose her cottage and possibly her life.]]>
320 Samantha Larsen 1639103465 Coral 3 3.71 2023 A Novel Disguise (A Lady Librarian Mystery #1)
author: Samantha Larsen
name: Coral
average rating: 3.71
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/10
date added: 2024/02/10
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White Noise 28251250
White Noise tells the story of Jack Gladney, his fourth wife, Babette, and four ultra­modern offspring as they navigate the rocky passages of family life to the background babble of brand-name consumerism. When an industrial accident unleashes an "airborne toxic event," a lethal black chemical cloud floats over their lives. The menacing cloud is a more urgent and visible version of the "white noise" engulfing the Gladneys—radio transmissions, sirens, microwaves, ultrasonic appliances, and TV murmurings—pulsing with life, yet suggesting something ominous.

Part of the Penguin Orange Collection, a limited-run series of twelve influential and beloved American classics in a bold series design offering a modern take on the iconic Penguin paperback

Winner of the 2016 AIGA + Design Observer 50 Books | 50 Covers competition]]>
320 Don DeLillo 0143129554 Coral 2
This book definitely gives you a thought to think about, but I didn't love it. Every chapter gets a little bit crazier, and just when you think it can't any get worse, it does. ]]>
3.88 1985 White Noise
author: Don DeLillo
name: Coral
average rating: 3.88
book published: 1985
rating: 2
read at: 2024/02/07
date added: 2024/02/07
shelves:
review:
*read for a college class*

This book definitely gives you a thought to think about, but I didn't love it. Every chapter gets a little bit crazier, and just when you think it can't any get worse, it does.
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Love, Theoretically 61326735
Honestly, it’s a pretty sweet gig—until her carefully constructed Elsie-verse comes crashing down. Because Jack Smith, the annoyingly attractive and broody older brother of her favorite client, turns out to be the cold-hearted experimental physicist who ruined her mentor’s career and undermined the reputation of theorists everywhere. And that same Jack who now sits on the hiring committee at MIT, right between Elsie and her dream job.

Elsie is prepared for an all-out war of scholarly sabotage but…those long, penetrating looks? Not having to be anything other than her true self when she’s with him? Will falling into an experimentalist’s orbit finally tempt her to put her most guarded theories on love into practice?]]>
389 Ali Hazelwood 1408725797 Coral 3 4.07 2023 Love, Theoretically
author: Ali Hazelwood
name: Coral
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/02/04
date added: 2024/02/07
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<![CDATA[Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?]]> 36402034 258 Philip K. Dick Coral 3 4.16 1968 Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
author: Philip K. Dick
name: Coral
average rating: 4.16
book published: 1968
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/31
date added: 2024/02/01
shelves:
review:

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<![CDATA[Tending Roses (Tending Roses #1)]]> 514301
When Kate Bowman temporarily movesto her grandmother’s Missouri farmwith her husband and baby son, she learns that the lessons that most enrich our lives often come unexpectedly. The family has given Kate the job of convincing Grandma Rose, who’s become increasingly stubborn and forgetful, to move off her beloved land and into a nursing home. But Kate knows such a change would break her grandmother’s heart.

Just when Kate despairs of finding answers, she discovers her grandma’s journal. A beautiful handmade notebook, it is full of stories that celebrate the importance of family, friendship, and faith. Stories that make Kate see her life—and her grandmother—in a completely new way...]]>
336 Lisa Wingate 0451205790 Coral 4 3.94 2001 Tending Roses (Tending Roses #1)
author: Lisa Wingate
name: Coral
average rating: 3.94
book published: 2001
rating: 4
read at: 2010/04/11
date added: 2024/01/27
shelves:
review:
Loved this book! It contains so many life lessons. It helped me gain a deeper appreciation for motherhood, and investing time in our families.
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Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2) 90202302 “The first year is when some of us lose our lives. The second year is when the rest of us lose our humanity.� —Xaden Riorson

Everyone expected Violet Sorrengail to die during her first year at Basgiath War College—Violet included. But Threshing was only the first impossible test meant to weed out the weak-willed, the unworthy, and the unlucky.

Now the real training begins, and Violet’s already wondering how she’ll get through. It’s not just that it’s grueling and maliciously brutal, or even that it’s designed to stretch the riders� capacity for pain beyond endurance. It’s the new vice commandant, who’s made it his personal mission to teach Violet exactly how powerless she is–unless she betrays the man she loves.

Although Violet’s body might be weaker and frailer than everyone else’s, she still has her wits—and a will of iron. And leadership is forgetting the most important lesson Basgiath has taught her: Dragon riders make their own rules.

But a determination to survive won’t be enough this year.

Because Violet knows the real secret hidden for centuries at Basgiath War College—and nothing, not even dragon fire, may be enough to save them in the end.]]>
623 Rebecca Yarros 1649374178 Coral 3 4.33 2023 Iron Flame (The Empyrean, #2)
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Coral
average rating: 4.33
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/25
date added: 2024/01/26
shelves:
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I had a harder time with this book. The plot dragged in a few places-it just didn't grab my attention like the first book.
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<![CDATA[Betrayal (Lady Grace Mysteries, #2)]]> 354618 186 Grace Cavendish 0385731523 Coral 0 to-read 3.99 2004 Betrayal (Lady Grace Mysteries, #2)
author: Grace Cavendish
name: Coral
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2004
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2024/01/25
shelves: to-read
review:

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<![CDATA[The Mistletoe Countess (Freddie & Grace Mystery, #1)]]> 55889422
Mistletoe is beautiful and dangerous, much like the woman from Lord Frederick’s Percy’s past, so when he turns over a new leaf and arranges to marry for his estate, instead of his heart, he never expects the wrong bride to be the right choice. Gracelynn Ferguson never expected to take her elder sister’s place as a Christmas bride, but when she’s thrust into the choice, she will trust in her faithful novels and overactive imagination to help her not only win Frederick’s heart but also to solve the murder mystery of Havensbrook Hall before the ghosts from Frederick’s past ruin her fairytale future.]]>
320 Pepper Basham 1643529862 Coral 4 4.27 2021 The Mistletoe Countess (Freddie & Grace Mystery, #1)
author: Pepper Basham
name: Coral
average rating: 4.27
book published: 2021
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/21
date added: 2024/01/21
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Remarkably Bright Creatures 58733693 Remarkably Bright Creatures, an exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope, tracing a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus.

After Tova Sullivan's husband died, she began working the night shift at the Sowell Bay Aquarium, mopping floors and tidying up. Keeping busy has always helped her cope, which she's been doing since her eighteen-year-old son, Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat in Puget Sound over thirty years ago.

Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn't dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors--until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova.

Ever the detective, Marcellus deduces what happened the night Tova's son disappeared. And now Marcellus must use every trick his old invertebrate body can muster to unearth the truth for her before it's too late.

Shelby Van Pelt's debut novel is a gentle reminder that sometimes taking a hard look at the past can help uncover a future that once felt impossible.]]>
368 Shelby Van Pelt 0063204150 Coral 4 4.35 2022 Remarkably Bright Creatures
author: Shelby Van Pelt
name: Coral
average rating: 4.35
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2024/01/18
date added: 2024/01/18
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<![CDATA[Pudd'nhead Wilson (Bantam Classics)]]> 682793 Pudd'nhead Wilson a young slave woman, fearing for her infant son's life, exchanges her light-skinned child with her master's.From this rather simple premise Mark Twain fashioned one of his most entertaining, funny, yet biting novels.On its surface, Pudd'nhead Wilson possesses all the elements of an engrossing nineteenth-century mystery:reversed identities, a horrible crime, an eccentric detective, a suspenseful courtroom drama, and a surprising, unusual solution.Yet it is not a mystery novel.Seething with the undercurrents of antebellum southern culture, the book is a savage indictment in which the real criminal is society, and racial prejudice and slavery are the crimes.Written in 1894, Pudd'nhead Wilson glistens with characteristic Twain humor, with suspense, and with pointed irony:a gem among the author's later works.]]> 160 Mark Twain 0553211587 Coral 3 3.74 1893 Pudd'nhead Wilson (Bantam Classics)
author: Mark Twain
name: Coral
average rating: 3.74
book published: 1893
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/17
date added: 2024/01/17
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The Christie Affair 57693165 Why would the world's most famous mystery writer disappear for eleven days? What makes a woman desperate enough to destroy another woman's marriage? How deeply can a person crave revenge?

In 1925, Miss Nan O’Dea infiltrated the wealthy, rarefied world of author Agatha Christie and her husband, Archie. In every way, she became a part of their life––first, both Christies. Then, just Archie. Soon, Nan became Archie’s mistress, luring him away from his devoted wife, desperate to marry him. Nan’s plot didn’t begin the day she met Archie and Agatha.

It began decades before, in Ireland, when Nan was a young girl. She and the man she loved were a star-crossed couple who were destined to be together––until the Great War, a pandemic, and shameful secrets tore them apart. Then acts of unspeakable cruelty kept them separated.

What drives someone to murder? What will someone do in the name of love? What kind of crime can someone never forgive? Nina de Gramont’s brilliant, unforgettable novel explores these questions and more.]]>
320 Nina de Gramont 1250274613 Coral 3 3.65 2022 The Christie Affair
author: Nina de Gramont
name: Coral
average rating: 3.65
book published: 2022
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/16
date added: 2024/01/17
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The Wishing Game 62926992
Lucy Hart knows better than anyone what it’s like to grow up without parents who loved her. In a childhood marked by neglect and loneliness, Lucy found her solace in books, namely the Clock Island series by Jack Masterson. Now a twenty-six-year-old teacher’s aide, she is able to share her love of reading with bright, young students, especially seven-year-old Christopher Lamb, who was left orphaned after the tragic death of his parents. Lucy would give anything to adopt Christopher, but even the idea of becoming a family seems like an impossible dream without proper funds and stability.

But be careful what you wish for. . . .

Just when Lucy is about to give up, Jack Masterson announces he’s finally written a new book. Even better, he’s holding a contest at his home on the real Clock Island, and Lucy is one of the four lucky contestants chosen to compete to win the one and only copy.

For Lucy, the chance of winning the most sought-after book in the world means everything to her and Christopher. But first she must contend with ruthless book collectors, wily opponents, and the distractingly handsome (and grumpy) Hugo Reese, the illustrator of the Clock Island books. Meanwhile, Jack “the Mastermind� Masterson is plotting the ultimate twist ending that could change all their lives forever.

. . . You might just get it.]]>
304 Meg Shaffer 0593598830 Coral 3 3.5 stars 4.01 2023 The Wishing Game
author: Meg Shaffer
name: Coral
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/10
date added: 2024/01/10
shelves:
review:
3.5 stars
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The Hating Game 27213238 Nemesis (n.)
1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome;
2) A person’s undoing;
3) Joshua Templeman.
Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy ’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job…But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.]]>
365 Sally Thorne Coral 3 3.72 2016 The Hating Game
author: Sally Thorne
name: Coral
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2016
rating: 3
read at: 2024/01/04
date added: 2024/01/04
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Happy Place 61718053
They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They ’t stand to break their friends� hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week� in front of those who know you best?

A couple who broke up months ago make a pact to pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.]]>
400 Emily Henry 0593441273 Coral 3 3.95 2023 Happy Place
author: Emily Henry
name: Coral
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/12/29
date added: 2023/12/30
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Tweet Cute 45045129 Meet Pepper, swim team captain, chronic overachiever, and all-around perfectionist. Her family may be falling apart, but their massive fast-food chain is booming � mainly thanks to Pepper, who is barely managing to juggle real life while secretly running Big League Burger’s massive Twitter account.

Enter Jack, class clown and constant thorn in Pepper’s side. When he isn’t trying to duck out of his obscenely popular twin’s shadow, he’s busy working in his family’s deli. His relationship with the business that holds his future might be love/hate, but when Big League Burger steals his grandma’s iconic grilled cheese recipe, he’ll do whatever it takes to take them down, one tweet at a time.

All’s fair in love and cheese � that is, until Pepper and Jack’s spat turns into a viral Twitter war. Little do they know, while they’re publicly duking it out with snarky memes and retweet battles, they’re also falling for each other in real life � on an anonymous chat app Jack built.

As their relationship deepens and their online shenanigans escalate � people on the internet are shipping them?? � their battle gets more and more personal, until even these two rivals ’t ignore they were destined for the most unexpected, awkward, all-the-feels romance that neither of them expected.

A fresh, irresistible rom-com from debut author Emma Lord about the chances we take, the paths life can lead us on, and how love can be found in the opposite place you expected.]]>
368 Emma Lord 1250237327 Coral 4 3.87 2020 Tweet Cute
author: Emma Lord
name: Coral
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/25
date added: 2023/12/25
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Paris 18730321 The Song of Roland; a humble family that embodies the ideals of the French Revolution; a pair of brothers from the slums behind Montmartre, one of whom works on the Eiffel Tower as the other joins the underworld near the Moulin Rouge; and merchants who lose everything during the reign of Louis XV, rise again in the age of Napoleon, and help establish Paris as the great center of art and culture that it is today. With Rutherfurd’s unrivaled blend of impeccable research and narrative verve, this bold novel brings the sights, scents, and tastes of the City of Light to brilliant life.]]> 809 Edward Rutherfurd 0345530764 Coral 0 to-read 4.07 2013 Paris
author: Edward Rutherfurd
name: Coral
average rating: 4.07
book published: 2013
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2023/12/25
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Hello Stranger 61884987 Love isn’t blind, it’s just a little blurry.

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary� condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into—love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?—with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse.

If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.]]>
323 Katherine Center 1250283787 Coral 3 Mostly loved this book. There were a couple of scenes that made me cringe, due to the immaturity of a couple of characters. Great plot twist at the end. ]]> 3.92 2023 Hello Stranger
author: Katherine Center
name: Coral
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/12/19
date added: 2023/12/19
shelves:
review:
3.5 stars
Mostly loved this book. There were a couple of scenes that made me cringe, due to the immaturity of a couple of characters. Great plot twist at the end.
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Tom Lake 63241104 In this beautiful and moving novel about family, love, and growing up, Ann Patchett once again proves herself one of America’s finest writers.

In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew.

Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents have led before their children were born. Both hopeful and elegiac, it explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart. As in all of her novels, Ann Patchett combines compelling narrative artistry with piercing insights into family dynamics. The result is a rich and luminous story, told with profound intelligence and emotional subtlety, that demonstrates once again why she is one of the most revered and acclaimed literary talents working today.]]>
309 Ann Patchett 006332752X Coral 3 3.92 2023 Tom Lake
author: Ann Patchett
name: Coral
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/12/18
date added: 2023/12/19
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<![CDATA[This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, #1)]]> 56554281 Clashing empires, forbidden romance, and a long-forgotten queen destined to save her people—Tahereh Mafi’s first in an epic, romantic trilogy inspired by Persian mythology.

To all the world, Alizeh is a disposable servant, not the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom forced to hide in plain sight.

The crown prince, Kamran, has heard the prophecies foretelling the death of his king. But he could never have imagined that the servant girl with the strange eyes, the girl he ’t put out of his mind, would one day soon uproot his kingdom—and the world.

Perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo, Tomi Adeyemi, and Sabaa Tahir, this is the explosive first book in a new fantasy trilogy from the New York Times bestselling and National Book Award-nominated author Tahereh Mafi.]]>
512 Tahereh Mafi 0062972464 Coral 4 3.95 2022 This Woven Kingdom (This Woven Kingdom, #1)
author: Tahereh Mafi
name: Coral
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/12
date added: 2023/12/12
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Love in Winter Wonderland 123210381
Charming, handsome Trey Anderson balances the pressures of school popularity with a job at his family’s beloved local bookshop, Wonderland.

Quirky, creative Ariel Spencer needs tuition for the prestigious art program of her dreams, and an opening at Wonderland is the answer. When Trey and Ariel learn that Wonderland is on the brink of being shut down by a neighborhood gentrifier, they team up to stop the doors from closing before the Christmas Eve deadline—and embark on a hate-to-love journey that will change them forever.

Heartwarming and romantic, this read is the gift that keeps on giving, no matter the season.]]>
312 Abiola Bello 1641295074 Coral 3 3.69 2023 Love in Winter Wonderland
author: Abiola Bello
name: Coral
average rating: 3.69
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/12/06
date added: 2023/12/06
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<![CDATA[Positively, Penelope (Skymar, #2)]]> 63354447 Told mostly through letters, texts, and email, this contemporary romance will charm its way into hearts as Penelope rescues a theater and discovers her true self in the process.

Penelope Edgewood is practically positive in every way, so when, fresh out of college, she is awarded a paid internship to help save a century-old theater on the island of Skymar, she jumps at the chance. After all, a crumbling theater needs the special touch of someone who reveres all things vintage and adores the stage.

Unfortunately, not everything is as it seems at Darling House Theatre. Finances are in shambles, the local theater group is disenchanted, and the two brothers, Matt and Alec Gray, ’t seem to see eye-to-eye about how to run their theatrical business. So, of course, it’s the perfect place for Penelope to shine her own personal brand of sunshine.

With a little help from GK, the person emailing her encouragement along the way, she puts all her heart into helping the Grays save Darling House. But between Matt’s ever-present skepticism, Alec’s tendency to treat Penelope a little too much like the “princess� she thinks she wants to be (until someone actually started treating her that way), a grandfather who is stuck in his grief, and a mysterious person stealing Penelope’s marketing ideas, she’s not sure her optimism is enough to make a happily-ever-after of her own story, let alone The Darling House’s.

Between an adorable little girl, a matchmaker, a sea monster or two, and a copious amount of musical references, can Penelope draw enough confidence from her faith, her family, and her adoration of all things Julie Andrews, to find the thief and save the theater . . . without getting her heart broken in the process?


Charming contemporary romance
Perfect for fans of Dear Mr. Knightley and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Includes discussion questions for book clubs]]>
396 Pepper Basham 084071520X Coral 4 4.18 2023 Positively, Penelope (Skymar, #2)
author: Pepper Basham
name: Coral
average rating: 4.18
book published: 2023
rating: 4
read at: 2023/12/02
date added: 2023/12/02
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<![CDATA[The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, #1)]]> 45047384
Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages.

When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days.

But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place—and realizing that family is yours.]]>
394 T.J. Klune Coral 3 4.37 2020 The House in the Cerulean Sea (Cerulean Chronicles, #1)
author: T.J. Klune
name: Coral
average rating: 4.37
book published: 2020
rating: 3
read at: 2023/11/29
date added: 2023/12/02
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<![CDATA[Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)]]> 61431922 Enter the brutal and elite world of a war college for dragon riders...

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]]>
517 Rebecca Yarros 1649374046 Coral 3 4.56 2023 Fourth Wing (The Empyrean, #1)
author: Rebecca Yarros
name: Coral
average rating: 4.56
book published: 2023
rating: 3
read at: 2023/11/19
date added: 2023/11/20
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The Dictionary of Lost Words 49354511 Oxford English Dictionary. This is the story of the girl who stole it.

Esme is born into a world of words. Motherless and irrepressibly curious, she spends her childhood in the ‘Scriptorium�, a garden shed in Oxford where her father and a team of dedicated lexicographers are collecting words for the very first Oxford English Dictionary. Esme’s place is beneath the sorting table, unseen and unheard. One day a slip of paper containing the word ‘bondmaid� flutters to the floor. Esme rescues the slip and stashes it in an old wooden case that belongs to her friend, Lizzie, a young servant in the big house. Esme begins to collect other words from the Scriptorium that are misplaced, discarded or have been neglected by the dictionary men. They help her make sense of the world.

Over time, Esme realises that some words are considered more important than others, and that words and meanings relating to women’s experiences often go unrecorded. While she dedicates her life to the Oxford English Dictionary, secretly, she begins to collect words for another dictionary: The Dictionary of Lost Words.

Set when the women’s suffrage movement was at its height and the Great War loomed, The Dictionary of Lost Words reveals a lost narrative, hidden between the lines of a history written by men. It’s a delightful, lyrical and deeply thought-provoking celebration of words, and the power of language to shape the world and our experience of it.]]>
384 Pip Williams 1925972593 Coral 4 3.97 2020 The Dictionary of Lost Words
author: Pip Williams
name: Coral
average rating: 3.97
book published: 2020
rating: 4
read at: 2023/11/16
date added: 2023/11/16
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Even the Dog Knows 58564874 "Here's the quick takeaway—read it!"—Herb Scribner, Deseret News

"Themes of forgiveness, faith, and grace make Even the Dog Knows a good addition to a robust inspiration-fiction collection."�Booklist

A family’s old, beloved dog takes a final road trip to help his humans find forgiveness and healing.

Meg Gorton finds herself alone and lonely in Florida. Three years earlier, she had packed what she could fit into her sister’s car and asked her estranged husband, Gary, to take care of Moses, their beloved black Labrador. Things between Meg and Gary hadn't been the same after the loss of their only daughter many years ago. Even after raising their grandson, Troy, it was clear that if Meg wanted a new beginning, she would have to do it alone.

Haunted by the tragedy of his daughter’s death, Gary is stuck in his life in Woodstock, Virginia. He still owns and drives the bus for their hometown minor league baseball team, and he still thinks about the day his wife drove away.

Everything changes when Meg contacts Gary with a request to bring Moses to visit her one last time before the old dog passes on. Gary is reluctant, but Troy thinks it’s an excellent idea. They could even travel together in Gary’s bus. Along the way, Gary takes a detour to visit Troy’s ex-girlfriend, Grace. Gary might not know how to fix things with his wife, but he knows he doesn’t want Troy to make the same mistakes he did.

Although Moses is just a dog, he’s very observant. It doesn’t take long for him to figure out they are going on to see Meg. He knows he’s an old dog and that his time is near, but he also knows his family needs his help.

Even the Dog Knows is a novel that will take readers on a thousand-mile journey to find forgiveness, understanding, healing, and the meaning of true and lasting love.

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336 Jason F. Wright 1629729906 Coral 4 3.76 2022 Even the Dog Knows
author: Jason F. Wright
name: Coral
average rating: 3.76
book published: 2022
rating: 4
read at: 2023/04/13
date added: 2023/11/13
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As a Man Thinketh 81959
Purity of mind leads inevitably to purity of life, to the precious love and understanding that should control our everyday acts and attitudes towards friends and foes.

But where must one look for guidance? How does one achieve purity of mind that alone brings happiness and confidence?

The author offers his clear answers in this book As A Man Thinketh. His words have helped millions for more than a century--and they continue to point the true way to a better life for a troubled humanity.

"Out of a clean heart comes a clean life and a clean body," James Allen writes. "Out of a defiled mind proceeds a defiled life and a corrupt body."

Too many mortals strive to improve only their wordly position--and too few seek spiritual betterment. Such is the problem James Allen faced in his own time. The ideas he found in his inner-most heart after great searching guided him as they will guide you.]]>
80 James Allen 1585425648 Coral 5 4.23 1902 As a Man Thinketh
author: James Allen
name: Coral
average rating: 4.23
book published: 1902
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/09
date added: 2023/11/09
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<![CDATA[The Last Devil to Die (Thursday Murder Club, #4)]]> 62226126
An old friend in the antiques business has been killed, and a dangerous package he was protecting has gone missing.

As the gang springs into action they encounter art forgers, online fraudsters and drug dealers, as well as heartache close to home.

With the body count rising, the package still missing and trouble firmly on their tail, has their luck finally run out? And who will be the last devil to die?]]>
421 Richard Osman 0241512441 Coral 5 4.44 2023 The Last Devil to Die (Thursday Murder Club, #4)
author: Richard Osman
name: Coral
average rating: 4.44
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/11/08
date added: 2023/11/08
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Reign (American Royals, #4) 61948564
America's royal family is in shambles. Queen Beatrice is in a coma and Princess Samantha has gone missing—from the look of things, she ran away with her boyfriend, Lord Marshall Davis. Which means that Prince Jefferson is currently on the throne. For some in America, it's exactly what they wanted: a King ruling the country. And for Daphne Deighton, who has tricked Jefferson into dating her again, it's the ultimate dream come true.

Surely this is all just temporary. Won’t Beatrice wake up and reclaim her rightful place? Samantha can't really be gone…can she? And Prince Jefferson will never truly be over his childhood crush, Nina Gonzalez. Right?

For the Washington family, the stakes are higher than ever. Love might save the throne�.if secrets don’t destroy everything first.]]>
415 Katharine McGee 0593710215 Coral 5 3.86 2023 Reign (American Royals, #4)
author: Katharine McGee
name: Coral
average rating: 3.86
book published: 2023
rating: 5
read at: 2023/10/26
date added: 2023/10/26
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Frankenstein: The 1818 Text 35031085 This is a previously-published edition of ISBN 9780143131847.

Mary Shelley's seminal novel of the scientist whose creation becomes a monster.

This edition is the original 1818 text, which preserves the hard-hitting and politically charged aspects of Shelley's original writing, as well as her unflinching wit and strong female voice. This edition also includes a new introduction and suggestions for further reading by author and Shelley expert Charlotte Gordon, literary excerpts and reviews selected by Gordon and a chronology and essay by preeminent Shelley scholar Charles E. Robinson.]]>
260 Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley 0143131842 Coral 4 4.02 1818 Frankenstein: The 1818 Text
author: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
name: Coral
average rating: 4.02
book published: 1818
rating: 4
read at: 2023/10/14
date added: 2023/10/19
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