How To Fail At Flirting.

 

    

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 CONTAINS SPOILERS

One daring to-do list and a crash course in flirtation turn a Type A overachiever's world upside down. 

When her flailing department lands on the university's chopping block, Professor Naya Turner's friends convince her to shed her frumpy cardigan for an evening on the town. For one night her focus will stray from her demanding job and she'll tackle a new kind of to-do list. When she meets a charming stranger in town on business, he presents the perfect opportunity to check off the items on her list. Let the guy buy her a drink. Check. Try something new. Check. A no-strings-attached hookup. Check…almost. 

Jake makes her laugh and challenges Naya to rebuild her confidence, which was left toppled by her abusive ex-boyfriend. Soon she's flirting with the chance at a more serious romantic relationship—except nothing can be that easy. The complicated strings around her dating Jake might destroy her career. 

Naya has two options. She can protect her professional reputation and return to her old life or she can flirt with the unknown and stay with the person who makes her feel like she's finally living again. 

 

 ❀ 

 Heartwarming. 

I came across this book on Goodreads. Usually, I don't read reviews before reading the book. In this case, I did. There were few positive reviews about the book, and I couldn't help but get more curious about the book. I placed the book on hold at the library. Now that I read it, How To Fail At Flirting is the book that I wished I discovered earlier. How did I not know about it earlier? I can see the reason behind the reviews. I did feel that the beginning started slow, but it did not last long. Once the book picked up, I was hooked; I fell in love with the characters and the story. The emotions in this book… were vivid, and I felt everything Naya was feeling. I loved that How To Fail At Flirting had some humor added to it, making it more interesting to read. You couldn't help but love Naya, and she's the type of person I would love to have a friend. 

Jake & Naya . I loved the two of them from the beginning. I'm not sure how I knew, but I had a feeling that there was something special between the two of them. I could tell how much Naya meant to him, that she was more than the girl she met at the bar. I knew that Naya felt the same about him, even if she didn't want to admit it at the start. What Naya went through with her abusive ex, Jake saved her. Naya did not trust guys, even if it been years since the abuse. I saw the way that she pulled away from Jake at times. She was scared. Plus, having her as the person who would decide if she had a job complicated things between the two of them. At the same time, I felt as she wanted an excuse to pull away from him. Naya needed someone like Jake. I was rooting for happily ever after for both. 

How To Fail At Flirting wasn't just a book about love. It's a story about friendship, courage. What Naya had, to go through what she had, is courage. I feel that having Jake gave her the courage to move on. This is a book that is worth giving a chance to.

The Four Winds.

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                                           CONTAINS SPOILERS

Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance. 

In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli—like so many of her neighbors—must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation.

 
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone comes an epic novel of love and heroism and hope, set against the backdrop of one of America’s most defining eras—the Great Depression. 

 

  ❀

 

Love. Hope. Courage. Sacrifice. 

I shouldn’t be surprised how heart-wrenching this book was, right? I have been reading Kristin Hannah for years now, and yet I’m in shock every single time. The Four Winds is different from her books, and I have read most of her books. The Four Winds , how do I even begin to explain? It is one of her most inspirational books that I have read. I remember learning about Great Depression when I was in high school, but it has been so long that I remember only history pieces. I felt as I learned so much about it from reading this breathtaking story. The Four Winds is not an easy book to read; it’s one of the hardest ones that I had read in a while. Despite the challenging subject, I could not pull myself away from the story. As I read, I found myself connecting with the characters. I wanted to see how things would end for them. 

I loved that the book was told in timeline format. Through the book, you saw the change in each of the characters with everything they went through. I believe that the most character developments occur in Elsa and, later, Loreda. I wasn’t fond of Loreda in the beginning, and I was not too fond of the way that she treated Elsa. I felt as if Loreda did not appreciate her. I hoped that Loreda would see that everything that Elsa was doing was for them. Elsa stayed when their father, Rafe, left when things got too hard. She had courage. I hoped that when they made it to California, their relationship would change. I live in Arizona, so I have been through few dust storms, but it wasn’t anything like it was described in The Four Winds. The descriptions of the dust storms were so vivid; I could picture it; I felt it. I felt the fear that Elsa and her family felt, especially when Ant got sick. All the descriptions in the book were incredible and terrifying at the same time, what they had to go through. I had wondered about the title, but it wasn’t long until the title made sense. It described the story. 

I was touched by the book in so many ways. It does remind me of the pandemic we are facing right now, except their situation was much worse. After reading the book, I researched my own, and I wanted to learn more. The Four Winds taught me so much about that time. I cannot even begin to imagine how to go through something like that. Elsa was my favorite, a character that you cannot help but love. Elsa faced so many challenges, but she did not give up; she kept on going. I know she did not feel it, but she was a strong woman with everything she did for her children. There’s no love like mother’s love. All through the book, I was rooting for the Martinelli family, and I wanted them to make it through it. I can feel my emotions going through me as I write this review. The Four Winds is an inspirational book that will stay with you. A story that everyone should read.

Bookish And The Beast(Once Upon A Con,#3)

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                                          CONTAINS SPOILERS

Rosie Thorne is feeling stuck—on her college application essays, in her small town, and on that mysterious General Sond cosplayer she met at ExcelsiCon. Most of all, she’s stuck in her grief over her mother’s death. Her only solace was her late mother’s library of rare Starfield novels, but even that disappeared when they sold it to pay off hospital bills. 

On the other hand, Vance Reigns has been Hollywood royalty for as long as he can remember—with all the privilege and scrutiny that entails. When a tabloid scandal catches up to him, he's forced to hide out somewhere the paparazzi would never expect to find him: Small Town USA. At least there’s a library in the house. Too bad he doesn’t read. 

When Rosie and Vance’s paths collide and a rare book is accidentally destroyed, Rosie finds herself working to repay the debt. And while most Starfield superfans would jump at the chance to work in close proximity to the Vance Reigns, Rosie has discovered something about Vance: he’s a jerk, and she can’t stand him. The feeling is mutual. 

But as Vance and Rosie begrudgingly get to know each other, their careful masks come off—and they may just find that there’s more risk in shutting each other out than in opening their hearts. 

 

❀ 

Magical. 

Once again, I shouldn’t be surprised. This series…I cannot get enough. If I were asked which of the three is my favorite, I wouldn’t respond since I love them all. I have loved this series since I came across the series in 2019. I love Beauty and the Beast and was excited about the chance to read this book. Of course, I loved that Bookish and the Beast featured a bookworm, reminding me of myself. If it weren’t for school, I would be content to spend all my day reading. Even though Rosie and Vance get on each other nerves, I could see the connection between the two of them. I wondered if they seemed to be fighting because they did not want to admit their feelings. I wondered which one of them would figure out first. Once Rosie finds out that Vance was the guy she came across ExcelsiCon, there would be no denying it. I was proven wrong once again. I did wonder what would happen if Vance told her sooner, that he knew. Suppose something might spark between the two of them sooner. 

I loved the other two books in the series, however Bookish And The Beast was my favorite of the three books. There was something about Vance and Rosie, and I couldn’t seem to get enough of their story. I wanted the two of them to stop fighting and be with each other. At first, I did not think that Vance would feel anything towards Rosie, based on how he treated her and acted around her. Unless all of that was an act. I knew how much he cared about her after what he did for her. I couldn’t help but smile at that part, and I could only imagine what Rosie felt during that time. Of course, everything had to fall apart after that. As always, I was hoping that the two would find a way back to each other. Bookish And The Beast was one of the most inspirational books from the series; my emotions were everywhere. I loved that the characters from the other books appeared in this one. 

Do you love fairytales? Retellings? This is one series to check out. I feel as if I am returning to all of my favorite fairytales with a twist. I’m eager to see what adventures Ashley Poston will take us next. A remarkable journ

The Bookish Life Of Nina Hill.

 

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                                             CONTAINS SPOILERS

The only child of a single mother, Nina has her life just as she wants it: a job in a bookstore, a kick-butt trivia team, a world-class planner and a cat named Phil. If she sometimes suspects there might be more to life than reading, she just shrugs and picks up a new book. 

When the father Nina never knew existed suddenly dies, leaving behind innumerable sisters, brothers, nieces, and nephews, Nina is horrified. They all live close by! They're all—or mostly all—excited to meet her! She'll have to Speak. To. Strangers. It's a disaster! And as if that wasn't enough, Tom, her trivia nemesis, has turned out to be cute, funny, and deeply interested in getting to know her. Doesn't he realize what a terrible idea that is? 

Nina considers her options.
1. Completely change her name and appearance. (Too drastic, plus she likes her hair.) 

2. Flee to a deserted island. (Hard pass, see: coffee). 

3. Hide in a corner of her apartment and rock back and forth. (Already doing it.) 

 

 It's time for Nina to come out of her comfortable shell, but she isn't convinced real life could ever live up to fiction. It's going to take a brand-new family, a persistent suitor, and the combined effects of ice cream and trivia to make her turn her own fresh page 

 

❀ 

Unique. Engaging. 

A book about books. What is there not to love? I might not be as organized as Nina, but like her, I'm a bookworm. Nina reminded me of myself, my love for reading. If I were to pick a perfect night, it would consist of reading. I had never worked at a bookstore, but I always wanted to. After reading Nina's adventures of working at the bookstore and the events they planned there, it made me feel like I was there. I came across this book by accident as I looked for the next book to read. I love discovering books this way, especially if they are by authors I never read before. This is the best way to find new authors. The Bookish Life Of Nina Hill was beautifully written, the emotions in this book. I went through all the emotions while reading this book. I loved that the story had some humor added to the story, making it more fun to read. I couldn't get enough of Nina's life, and I still cannot get out of my mind. 

Nina is a unique character. I felt as if she became one of my friends by reading the book. From all the characters in the book, she had the most significant character development. I felt as if I watched her grow. I know it was hard for her to adjust to her life change. I cannot even begin how it must be to find out you had a father and you have a family you never knew about. I do believe that because of what happened, that is one of the reasons for her chance. Nina had to adjust to that change. I figured that it was going to be hard for her, but she created bonds with some of her family in the end. Nina needed that; she needed that family connection. I love books that deal with family and friendship. I love how everyone attitude changed, from the moment they found out about Nina to the end. It was amazing to watch the connections forming. 

Tom. To me, he was a complex character. I loved how much he cared about Nina, how he wanted to take care of her. On the other hand, I wasn't fond of how he handled situations, like when Nina had her anxiety attack. Sometimes I wondered if Nina cared about him as much as Tom did. However, I hoped that she did. Tom seemed to be one person who made her feel calm. I was hoping that the two of them can make it work. One of my favorites was Nina's planner between chapters. I saw how much it changed from the beginning of the book to the end. The title and the cover are what captured my attention when I came across the book. The Bookish Life Of Nina Hill was intriguing until the end. Few pages towards the end, I was hesitant to turn the page because I didn't want it to end. This is a book that will stay with you.