Tell Me Everything.

 

 

★★★★★

Fans know her as the spoiled, rich cheerleader Lyla Garrity on Friday Night Lights or as the affluent, mysterious Samantha on the HBO megahit Euphoria. But as revealed for the first time in these pages, Minka Kelly’s life has been anything but easy. 

Raised by a single mother who worked as a stripper and struggled with addiction, Minka spent years waking up in strange apartments as she and her mom bounced around the country, relying on friends and relatives to take them in. At times they even lived in storage units. She reconnected with her father, Aerosmith’s Rick Dufay, and eventually made her way to Los Angeles, where she landed the role of a lifetime on Friday Night Lights. 

Now an established actress and philanthropist, Minka takes this next step in her career as a writer. She has poured her soul into the pages of this book, which ultimately tells a story of triumph over adversity, and how resilience and love are all we have in the end. 

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Heart-wrenching. 

I had never watched Friday Night Lights. I'd seen Minka Kelly in a couple of movies, so I knew who she was. I didn't even realize she wrote a memoir until a few months ago. I'm not a big fan of Minka Kelly , but I loved her in the movies and enjoyed reading memoirs, so I decided to check it out. I’m so glad that I did. . Minka's story was devastating in so many ways; I can't imagine going through what she did. . There were a few times that I wished that I knew her personally so I could hug her. She may not believe it, but she was strong and a survivor. Despite everything that she had gone through in her life, she kept on going, and she accomplished so much. Tell Me Everything is a memoir about Minka's life rather than her acting career. She talked about acting, but it wasn't the center of this book. 

Tell Me Everything is a difficult book to read. As I read, I experienced the same feelings she had: hope, betrayal, love, loneliness, fear, and grief. Even though I don't know Minka, I felt as though I did after reading this heartbreaking book. I had a lot of celebrity memoirs through the years, but none of them were as heartbreaking as this one. There were also pleasant moments, such as when Minka made friends who made me think of my best friends. I liked how Minka wrote her memoir as a story rather than just recounting details of her life; it made her story more engaging. It might be a hard book to read at times, but I couldn’t get enough of her story, I was on the edge of my seat until the end. 

I was curious about the title Tell Me Everything and whether it had a backstory. When I finished reading the book, the title made perfect sense. If I wasn’t a big fan before, I am now. Minka Kelly is an incredible writer; the emotion in her novel is breathtaking. After reading her memoir, I hope she writes another book in the future. Tell Me Everything is one of my favorite memoirs, and I highly recommend reading it.

First Lie Wins.

 

 

★★★★

4.5 ★

Evie Porter has everything a nice, Southern girl could want: a perfect, doting boyfriend, a house with a white picket fence and a garden, a fancy group of friends. The only catch: Evie Porter doesn’t exist. 

 
The identity comes first: Evie Porter. Once she’s given a name and location by her mysterious boss Mr. Smith, she learns everything there is to know about the town and the people in it. Then the mark: Ryan Sumner. The last piece of the puzzle is the job. 

Evie isn’t privy to Mr. Smith’s real identity, but she knows this job will be different. Ryan has gotten under her skin, and she’s starting to envision a different sort of life for herself. But Evie can’t make any mistakes—especially after what happened last time.
Because the one thing she’s worked her entire life to keep clean, the one identity she could always go back to—her real identity—just walked right into this town. Evie Porter must stay one step ahead of her past while making sure there’s still a future in front of her. The stakes couldn't be higher—but then, Evie has always liked a challenge...

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First Lie Wins has been on my reading list for a while. I regret not having read it sooner. I'm glad one of my best friends got me a copy, so I don't have to wait long at my library. It was popular, and everyone was talking about it, so I couldn't help but be curious. My favorite genres are thrillers and mysteries, but I could be selective about them. First Lie Wins is exactly the type of thriller I love: lots of twists will keep you guessing. This novel kept me reading late into the night, and I didn't even realize time was passing since I couldn't get enough of Evie's story. I enjoyed how detailed it was, and even though I'm not a con artist, reading the story from Evie's point of view made me feel like one. Every page kept me wondering what would happen next and whether Ryan would discover Evie's real identity. 

I liked Ryan from the start and admired how he treated Evie. As the story transpired, I realized how much Evie had grown to like Ryan. I knew if he found her identity, it would end their relationship, and I didn't want that for either of them. I sensed Evie wasn't the only one hiding something, and something about Ryan made me question what he was hiding. I was rooting for the two of them. There was so much going on in this novel, and just as you thought you had figured it out, another twist threw your assumptions out the window. I was on the edge of my seat until the end. I couldn’t wait to see what Evie would end up doing next. 

I liked how the chapters switched between her identity and the one she used when working for Mr. Smith. From the start, I was skeptical of Mr. Smith; something was off about him, and no one knew where he was or who he was. I was as intrigued and suspicious of him as Evie was, and I figured if anyone could bring him down, it would be her. I was rooting for her the whole time. This was the first book I read by Ashley Elston, and she did an excellent job for her adult debut. I see why everyone was talking about this book. I'm eager to read her young adult works. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys thrillers and mysteries. Be ready for a fantastic journey!

Everything I Promised You.

 

 

★★★★★

Thank you to publisher, Sourcebooks Fire for providing me with copy via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

 

RELEASE DATE: 01/28/2025

 

Their love was written in the stars, but how is Lia to move on when death trumps fate? 

When Lia's mom was 17, she had her fortune told and learned her only daughter was fated to fall in love with her best friend's son. Life unfolded exactly as predicted, and despite the army-brat lifestyle bringing them in and out of each other's orbit, Lia and Beckett were meant to be. Or so they thought. 

When a freak heart attack steals Beck's life, Lia is devastated and unmoored. She lived her life by her mom's old fortune; if she was fated to be with Beck, and Beck is gone, who is she supposed to be? And is there room in her broken heart for life, let alone another love? 

 

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It is a remarkable story of love, loss, friendship, and moving on. 

This was a beautiful yet heartbreaking story. My heart shattered for Lia several times; all I wanted to do was hug and hold her. I felt connected to Lia. I may not have lost the love of my life like Lia, but I did lose my cousin, who was my best friend, unexpectedly in 2016. Therefore, I felt the same way Lia did, but differently. I knew how she was feeling, the loss she felt, that sometimes would come at the most unexpected times. I'm also happy she could make friends who sympathized with and helped her in Tennessee. I adored her friends. It brought back memories of my best friends and the help they gave me following the passing of my cousin. I cherished Paloma, Meagan, Sophia, and Lia's friendship. I adored their brief conversations in the books. They helped Lia recover because she needed that. 

I adored Isaiah straight from the start. Even though Lia refused to admit it at first, I could see the connection between the two of them from the beginning. I know she didn't want to admit it because she felt she was betraying Beck, and I understand why. While reading the novel, I hoped she'd realize Beck wanted her to be happy and move on. Isaiah and Lia had a strong bond, and I hoped she'd realize she could go on. I loved the before and after chapters and the chapter names. I loved that Virginia was in there; I've lived there for 15 years, and it's my home, so it made me feel a wide range of emotions. 

Everything I Promised You will make you cry and feel like you're on Lia's trip. I sobbed, smiled, became angry, and experienced everything Lia felt. The story felt real. I felt like I had transformed into the story. Everything was detailed vividly, and it was difficult not to become engrossed in Lia's story. I couldn't put the book down! All I wanted was to keep reading. On the other hand, I didn't want to go to the end because it meant saying goodbye to everyone. This will not be the last time that I read this book. I met Katy in 2017 during a book event for her book Kissing Max Holden , and we became friends throughout the years. I've loved her works since the beginning; she draws you in and connects you to the characters. I'm delighted I could read Everything I Promised You , and I'm interested to see what she has in store for us next! Highly recommended for romance and young adult fans around.

Variation.

 

 

★★★

 

Elite ballerina Allie Rousseau is no stranger to pressure. With her mother’s eyes always watching, perfection was expected, no matter the cost. But when an injury jeopardizes all she’s sacrificed for, Allie returns to her summer home to heal and recover. But the memories she’s tried to forget to rush in and threaten to take her under. 

As a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hudson Ellis knows that hesitation can mean the difference between life and death. He’s always prided himself on being in the right place at the right time, especially when it came to Allie Rousseau…until the night he left for basic. After the biggest regret of his life, the secrets he keeps mean he can never be with the one woman he wants more than his next breath.
When Hudson’s niece shows up on Allie’s doorstep, desperate to find her birth mother, Allie finds herself in an unimaginable position. Allie and Hudson’s past and present might be endlessly complicated. The thread that tied them to each other all those years ago may have unraveled, but the truth could pull them back together or drive them apart forever. 

 

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I've been a fan of Rebecca Yarros since reading Fourth Wing in 2023. This January, my book club read Variation. I enjoyed this book, but not in the way I expected. I still enjoyed reading it, and several sections grabbed my interest, particularly the second half of the book. The first couple of chapters were interesting, but then it grew dull, and I had trouble getting into the story. There were bits and pieces enough to keep me reading. I didn’t feel myself connecting to the characters as I usually do. It felt rushed. I initially didn't see the connection between Allie and Hudson, but as the book proceeded, I realized there was one, even though Allie appeared to be in denial for half of the novel. As I read the book, I hoped she would realize how much Hudson cares about her. 

I enjoyed that it had a ballet theme. I am not a dancer, but I enjoy reading books about any dance, particularly ballet. After reading Variation , I thought I had gained a better understanding of ballet. After her accident, I wondered if Allie would return or quit. I admired her dedication, although I believe she pushed herself too hard. That was one of the things that I loved about Hudson’s niece, Juniper, her determination to become a dancer, despite her mother’s wishes. I did feel like there was more than Caroline was telling everyone, in why she wouldn’t let Juniper take ballet lessons. I enjoyed how most of the characters' feelings were conveyed, particularly in the book's second half, and by that point, I couldn't put it down. 

I felt there was too much family drama, and at times, I couldn't keep up. I hoped Hudson and Allie would end up together rather than just having a fling. Aside from the author, the book's cover and title caught my interest; I couldn't help but be intrigued. Variation is a book worth checking out. This was the second romance book that I read by the author, but it wasn’t my favorite one of hers. However, I’m glad I got to read this book.