Happy March 1st, friends! And, well, I guess this is Happy 2023 as well!

Apologies for being super MIA this year! The last Book Review that I did was back in October of last year, and then I just fell off the radar with my monthly book review posts. Sorry, y’all!

It started with a VERY full end of the year with entertaining friends and family, and then I jumped on the family train and decided to wear TCU purple with all of the rest of my people. We literally followed TCU around the country, and by the time we returned home from the National Championship Game in Los Angeles, this girl was thankful college football season was over. We had a blast, but mama needed a little break.

Then, well, life. Have you ever been going, going, going, and then you look up one day and feel super behind in all of the things? Yeah, so that’s where I am at the moment. And, I have LOVED all of the texts, messages, and emails asking where my book reviews have gone and recommendations on what y’all should be reading!

SO . . . here we go! This Book Review has SO many books included, and I am only going to highlight a few. Otherwise, you will be hanging out with me for longer than you would have anticipated!! I have definitely kept up with my reading. If you replaced “bookstore” with “Amazon”, this is basically me . . .

This is me as well . . . just ask my husband! HAHA!

Y’all . . . two reading memes from two of the greatest shows ever – Parks & Recreation and Arrested Development. It’s going to be a good day.

But, I digress . . . on with the show . . .

Best Books of 2022

Before I move forward, I just want to celebrate some AMAZING books that I read in 2022 and highly recommend them to you! I lost track at 60, but I read somewhere around 60-65 books. Lots to choose from here. Here are my FAVORITES from 2022!!!!! Click on the title of the book, and it will take you to particular review for that one. LOVE these books!

Every Summer After by Carley Fortune

Nora Goes of Script by Annabel Monoghan

One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle

The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

The ACOTAR series by Sarah J. Maas
A Court of Thornes & Roses, Mist & Fury, Wings & Ruin, Frost & Starlight and Silver Flames

I am not going to add all FIVE book cover photos here, but just please know that I am currently taking a break from stalking Sarah J. Maas’ Instagram page. WHEN are we getting this made into the Hulu series, Sarah? Obsessed fans want to know! Also, while it seems strange that an adult woman is reading this series, I have talked SO many friends and family members into reading this along with me. All have been obsessed. You are welcome!!

2023 . . .

So, on into 2023 . . . I’ve truly lost track of which books were read when since we haven’t chatted since October, but we will just go with all of these are from this year.

Scandalized by Ivy Owens

I’m obsessed with this book, and I have been recommending it to EVERYONE that has reached out to me. And, they have all loved it! I am actually jealous of you if you haven’t read it yet, because you get to experience it for the first time!!! After a cancelled flight, two childhood friends run into each other as they are both trying to get a hotel for the night. After not seeing each other for many years, they reconnect, and a friendship turns very quickly into a stronger connection. FYI, this rated R. I LOVED IT! I loved the characters, the story, all the things. If you are going to pick one book here, pick this one! Then let me know your thoughts!!

The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave

The second book that I would tell you to read is THIS ONE!!! This book has been made into a miniseries with Jennifer Garner, starting April 14th on Apple+. Please note that this date is circled on my desk calendar, and I CANNOT WAIT! Not a chick lit, not rated R . . . just an amazing thriller with very strong characters. Hannah’s husband disappears one day, and the only message from him comes in the form of notes he left for her and his teenage daughter. As they begin to search for him, it is obvious that he has a past no one was aware of. SOOOOOOOOOO good. I can’t wait to see how the miniseries tells the story. Also, Jamie Lanister from Game of Thrones is in the Apple+ series, so just add that to the reasons that the date is circled on my calendar!

Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn

Okay, so insert all of the heart eye emojis here, please. This is the THIRD book that I would HIGHLY recommend for you this month. There were some hard topics included within this chick lit plot, but I have to say the majority of the book was just pure sunshine and joy. It made me happy. It had me reaching for the book at times that I shouldn’t have been. It made me not want to finish it! PRECIOUS!!!!!! Small town friendships, family issues, redemption, love, grief, happiness, joy. It has everything. Read it!

The Bodyguard by Katherine Center

Guess who is finally in a book club? This girl! This was our book for January. Super Cute! Love Katherine Center, loved this book. A sweet and easy chick lit book that makes you happy. Trigger warning for anyone that has death of a loved one. This also leans more towards PG-13 for those of you that blush a bit at my rated R recommendations! Read it. Super cute.

The Idea of You by Robinne Lee

Okay, y’all! I CANNOT WITH THIS BOOK! Read it, but you have been warned. It is about a mom that takes her teenage daughter to a concert (think One Direction) and they get invited backstage to meet the guys. One of the singers (think Harry Styles at 20 years old) hits on the mom. Instead of being all like “Oh, thanks I’m flattered, I could be your mother since you are TWENTY, and I’m here with my daughter,” she totally goes in on a serious relationship with him. Which, as you can imagine, ruins all of the things in her life. I mean, y’all . . . am I nuts here? Who in their forties would hook up and have a relationship with a TWENTY-year-old that your teenage daughter has a crush on?!?!?! Clearly, I couldn’t get over it, and was wondering where her friends were that needed to slap her silly. Ok, excuse me while I get off my soap box.

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt

Oh geez. This book. So, this was my book for February . . . we are meeting on Monday night to discuss, so if you are in my book club, skim past this part. 😉

Everyone and their dog are loving this book. I am hearing phrases like “life changing” when people describe. Um, no. Listen, it was sweet. Truly, it was. It is told from several points of view, one being that of an octopus that lives in the local aquarium. Here is the deal . . . you figure out the big twist and turn of the book halfway through when the octopus tells you, and then you have to just watch it play out for like 200 more pages. PEOPLE! GET TO THE POINT! Loved the actual story, it was sweet, it was heartwarming, it was beauty from ashes. But I wasn’t a fan of how the story was told. Also, I now view the octopus in entirely different way and currently off seafood. Who knew they were so smart?

Secretly Yours by Tessa Bailey

Her cute, new release. Tessa Bailey always delivers with her tag line: “Heat, Happiness, and Happily Ever After”. Loved the flawed characters, love the little town in the wine country, and it made me seriously consider my current life choice of not drinking wine. Spicy in parts, quick read.

Dr. Stanton by T.L. Swan

Two things . . .

1. I’m not posting a picture of this book because I know that you will judge me. It’s totally ridiculous. HA! I blame the people that recommended it to me!
2. I’m going to save you some time. Skip this one. This book was recommended to me, and I just couldn’t get into it. The main guy was super off putting and would be easy to walk away from in real life. Just couldn’t deal with it and found myself skimming a good portion of this one. Hard pass, y’all! Gross. Rated R. Gross!

Tis the Season for Revenge by Morgan Elizabeth

Mamacita! Goodness gracious on the Rated R. Geez! This came highly recommended to me . . . let me say that I really did enjoy. Just read from behind a pillow a time or two and prayed that no one read over my shoulder while on an airplane. If you see me tilted with my back towards an airplane window while reading, just know that I am ready a particularly spicy part of a book and don’t want to be judged. Cute book, easy beach read.

Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

I love Colleen Hoover. This is the first of a trilogy, and I just didn’t feel it. It was sweet, had all of the feels . . . I just didn’t really get into it or really care about the characters. If you are a Colleen Hoover fan like me, there are a TON of other options that I would recommend you start with. Most of them have been reviewed here at Lunchbox Babies!

The Meghan Quinn Books

Okay . . . for the following four, here is a group review. When you read a Meghan Quinn book, you know that it will be a super quick read, she has the same formula for each story she writes, the ending is always tied up in a nice and pretty bow, and it is going to be super rated R. It has been a minute since I have read these four, which were perfect for all of the traveling I was doing at the end of 2022 and early 2023. Perfect because if you miss or forget something, it’s not like you need to go back to dig in and read over. Just easy, fun, simple books. That I have forgotten the characters and plots of already! Ha! Easy beach read though that won’t disappoint. Please note that almost all of her leading men are type A men with a controlling mentality . . . can be annoying, but you somehow manage to overlook.

Untying the Knot by Meghan Quinn

Those Three Little Words by Meghan Quinn

Resting Scrooge Face by Meghan Quinn

Runaway Groomsman by Meghan Quinn

*******

Whew! Y’all, I am back!!! YEAH! I have missed this, and I am thankful that I finally sat back down to get this done. SO . . . As always, please send me your thoughts on the books above. I clearly have a couple strong opinions here! And, please send me your recommendations. I always love to hear from you! XO