Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It by Brooke Averick

Phoebe Berman's Gonna Lose It by Brooke Averick

304 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Phoebe Berman fears the one thing she wants the most: love. Thanks to an extremely unfortunate first kiss attempt, crippling intimacy anxiety has plagued her since she was a teen.

Phoebe has so much going for her: a dream teaching job, a supportive and hilarious group of best friends, and all the romance novels a girl could want at her fingertips—but she can’t help but beat herself up over the one thing she can’t quite seem to figure out. Determined to change this, she drafts up the ultimate "Guide to Losing My Virginity" checklist with the hope of finally getting laid.

Suddenly, she goes from a relatively boring (basically non-existent) dating life to juggling three romantic prospects at once. There's the gorgeous new fourth grade teacher at her school, a former high school classmate that resurfaces through Words with Friends, and there will always be her roommate, who might just be the best friends-to-lovers situation of her dreams.

Young Hag and the Witches’ Quest by Isabel Greenberg

Young Hag and the Witches’ Quest by Isabel Greenberg

272 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Once there was magic in Britain. There were dragons and wizards and green knights and round tables and kings that pulled swords out of stones. But now, the doors to the Otherworld have closed, and the magic is gone. All that is left are the stories of those bygone days. Young Hag, her mother and her grandmother, Ancient Crone, are the last of the witches in Britain. At least, that’s what Ancient Crone says.

Young Hag has grown up hearing those tales and believing in her the power of her Grandmother. But when tragedy strikes, and their world is shaken, Young Hag turns her back on magic. She is sick of the tales of family curses, faerie doors, lost magic, and ancient swords. If they are witches, where is their magic when they really need it?

And then one day they find a changeling baby in the woods. Confronted with real magic at last, Young Hag has no choice but to believe. She sets off on the greatest quest of her life; to bring the magic back to Britain. But when faced with magic and myth, can Young Hag put aside her doubts and fears? Or will she simply become a forgotten footnote in the tale of famous kings and wizards?

Nights and Weekends by Alexis de Boschnek

Nights and Weekends by Alexis de Boschnek - 272 pages

I thought this cookbook would give recipes to make on the weekend and then more recipes using the leftovers to make on weeknights.  However, instead it gave what it considered time-friendly recipes to make during weeknights and then recipes that you could savor making on weekends.  I didn't actually see much difference between the two types of recipes other the weekend recipes usually required baking rather than stove top cooking.
 

My Hero Academia, Volumes 4 - 6

My Hero Academia, Volume 4 - 189 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 5 - 192 pages

My Hero Academia, Volume 6 - 189 pages

Kohei Horikoshi, Caleb D. Cook (Translator)

Series Summary (From Volume 1 on Goodreads)

What would the world be like if 80 percent of the population manifested superpowers called “Quirks” at age four? Heroes and villains would be battling it out everywhere! Being a hero would mean learning to use your power, but where would you go to study? The Hero Academy of course! But what would you do if you were one of the 20 percent who were born Quirkless?

Middle school student Izuku Midoriya wants to be a hero more than anything, but he hasn’t got an ounce of power in him. With no chance of ever getting into the prestigious U.A. High School for budding heroes, his life is looking more and more like a dead end. Then an encounter with All Might, the greatest hero of them all, gives him a chance to change his destiny…

Review

I'm glad we're getting to see the abilities and personalities of the students at U.A. highlighted, be they from class 1-A or other programs entirely.  It's nice to see elements of the worldbuilding fleshed out beyond the system by which students become "heroes."  

Do Not Disturb by Freida McFadden

 Do Not Disturb by Freida McFadden-274 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐1/4

Quinn Alexander has committed an unthinkable crime.

To avoid spending her life in prison, Quinn makes a run for it. She leaves behind her home, her job, and her family. She grabs her passport and heads for the northern border before the police can discover what she’s done.

But when an unexpected snowstorm forces her off the road, Quinn must take refuge at the broken-down, isolated Baxter Motel. The handsome and kindly owner, Nick Baxter, is only too happy to offer her a cheap room for the night.

Unfortunately, the Baxter Motel isn’t the quiet, safe haven it seemed to be. The motel has a dark and disturbing past. And in the dilapidated house across the way, the silhouette of Nick's ailing wife is always at the window. Always watching.

In the morning, Quinn must leave the motel. She'll pack up her belongings and get back on the road to freedom.

But first, she must survive the night.

Do Not Disturb is a Hitchcock-style psychological thriller that will keep you tearing through the pages until you reach the shocking conclusion!

Thoughts: I liked this one, but not quite as much as others I've read by McFadden. I saw some of the twists coming, but I didn't see the biggest one, which was pretty shocking (but made sense looking back). Freida McFadden has emerged as one of my favorite mystery/thriller authors.

Fireball by Abbi Glines

Fireball by Abbi Glines -- 246 pages

The truth behind the lie isn’t always a relief. Loving a man known for his wealth, arrogance, and power had been a mistake. My head had known he was dangerous but my heart hadn’t cared. When the lies began to unravel and the truth slapped me in the face, running was the only thing I knew to do. I didn’t belong in this world. His world. But you don’t run from The Family. Not when they claim you as their own. Trusting anyone is a mistake. Friendship is only as deep as the Boss allows it to be. You are never hidden. They will always find you. Every move I made, he controlled. The people helping me were all under his command. The only weapon I had was his obsession with me. Learning to use it against him could destroy me but I had no other choice.

Smokeshow by Abbi Glines

Smokeshow by Abbi Glines -- 258 pages

Set in a world where southern wealth and power comes from one source. The Family is ruled by one boss and it's time for the newer generation to step into place.

It’s a fragile thing - the whispers of truth that you hope are lies. Hughes Farm was the largest racing horse establishment in the south. The family that owned it were known to be wealthy, powerful, arrogant, and terrifying. My first encounter with them didn’t prepare me for all that was to come. I don’t think anything truly could have.

Growing up with only my father and brother hadn’t been easy but we’d had each other. Losing them was the hardest thing I’d ever faced. It had made the times we went without food, electricity, or even shelter seem insignificant in comparison. It is when a woman, claiming to have been my mother’s best friend, arrives to take me home with her that questions begin to surface. My father had rarely spoken of my mother. She’d died when I was a toddler. Having no other option, I trust this stranger and am thrown into a world of mansions, racing horses, extravagance, and him. It’s true that there is a thin line between love and hate. But there is an even thinner line between truth and lies.