ARC, Books

Book 804: Finn’s Fantasy (Maine Men #1) – K.C. Wells

Full disclosure, when I said yes to this from Gay Romance Reviews, I accidentally confused Wells with Elle Brownlee (if you remember my obsession with Two for Trust you’d know why).* I knew Wells name was familiar, because I’ve actually read a few other books by her that I enjoyed.

The real kicker and reason I said yes to this one is because it is set in Maine and we’re of course obsessed with Maine. We spend more time in the lakes region or Western Maine rather than on the coast, like where these are set, but of course I was going to read a series set in Maine by an author who is in my mid-range of sure I’ll read 😀

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Book 802: The House in the Cerulean Sea – T.J. Klune

I knew I was going to like this going in because of how much I enjoyed the quirkiness of Klune’s The Extraordinaries, but I didn’t know I would like it this much! I’m now desperate for Flash Fire (the sequel to The Extraordinaries), but have months to wait!

The House on the Cerulean Sea is the story of Linus Baker, a cog in the machine that is the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (DICOMY). He is sent to Marsayas to investigate the orphanage run by Arthur Parnassus, an extraordinary caretaker who cares for and teaches his wards but has his own secret.

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Book 801: The Little Library – Kim Fielding

What a lovely little novel. I grabbed it from the library after reading Teddy Spenser Isn’t Looking for Love and it was a fun read as spring slowly approaches in Boston.

I obviously picked it up because of the title and was so happy the little library played such a big part, including one of the final scenes that totally had me tearing up!

The Little Library is the story of Elliott, a recently scandalized former professor trying to build back his career, and Simon, an ex-cop trying to figure out what to do with his life after a bullet to the knee forced a career realignment. Clearly, they’re going to fall in love and the library is going to play a part, this is a romance novel after all.

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Book 800: Body of Stars – Laura Maylene Walter

Aaannnnndddddd we have a new entry into the creepy AF, almost could be true speculative fiction world that has a lot of potential to really explode. When the publisher reached out I was vaguely interested until I read it was about freckles/moles determining the future of girls and women I HAD to read it.*

I have a ton of freckles—including what I call my angel wings that spread across my back down my arms—and found the idea terrifying that the future could be told in markings on your body. And I’m not talking palm reading, which the book discusses, but like actual fated fact. Shudder . . .

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Book 797: My Drowning – Jim Grimsley

Jim Grimsley is probably one of the most depressing writers I’ve ever read, and yet I keep going back to him every 5-10 years. Depressing may not be the correct descriptor, he just writes such desolate books and truly embraces the southern gothic style and maybe that’s what draws me to him?

This was my first time reading My Drowning and it was very different from Winter Birds and Dream Boy but at the same time very similar (mostly through that southern gothic style). In addition to the style, he really excels at writing children’s voices.

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