A Song for You & I by K. O'Neill

A Song for You & I by K. O'Neill

240 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5/5

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Rowan knows exactly what they want to be: to be a ranger, protecting their village alongside their trusted flying horse Kes. But when Rowan's eagerness to show off their worth gets Kes injured, Rowan is suddenly unsure if they're capable of being the protector they've always dreamed of becoming. 

With Kes needing to heal, Rowan is assigned a slow and winding expedition across the outlying lands. Paired with a lackadaisical sheep herder Leone, Rowan only finds frustration as they seem to fail even the simplest tasks. But Leone's own struggles, and endless support brings a new possibility to Rowan. Could their unlikely friendship be something more? And if it is, will Rowan be able to leave Leone behind to pursue being a ranger once Kes is healed?

Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 2: As My Mothers Made Me by Kelly Thompson, et al.

 Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 2: As My Mothers Made Me by Kelly Thompson, et al.-208 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Trapped in the Maze, Forged by Myth—Wonder Woman Faces Her Greatest Test

Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 2: As My Mothers Made Me continues Kelly Thompson and Hayden Sherman’s bold new vision of Diana of Themyscira. Collecting issues #8–14, this volume finds Wonder Woman navigating the twisted corridors of Area 41’s Black Box Maze—a prison of temptation, trauma, and revelation. As Diana confronts the horrors of man’s world and the truth of her Amazonian legacy, she must choose between rage and compassion, isolation and connection. With supernatural threats erupting across the globe and Smallville under siege, Diana’s journey becomes a battle for identity, justice, and the soul of humanity. Available in both hardcover and softcover formats.

Thoughts: I really liked this volume. I continue to enjoy reading this alternate origin story for Wonder Woman and I'm excited to see what happens next. 

The Love Wager

The Love Wager by Lynn Painter | 315 pages | 2023

Hallie Piper is turning over a new leaf. After belly-crawling out of a hotel room (hello, rock bottom), she decides it’s time to become a full-on adult. She gets a new apartment, a new haircut, and a new wardrobe, but when she logs onto the dating app that she has determined will find her new love, she sees none other than Jack, the guy whose room she snuck out of.

After agreeing they are absolutely not interested in each other, Jack and Hallie realize they’re each other’s perfect wing-person in their searches for The One. They text each other about their dates, often scheduling them at the same restaurant so that if things don’t go well, the two of them can get tacos afterward.

Spoiler: they get a lot of tacos together.

Discouraged by the lack of prospects, Jack and Hallie make a wager to see who can find true love first, but when they agree to be fake dates for a weekend wedding, all bets are off. As they pretend to be a couple, lines become blurred and they both struggle to remember why the other was a bad idea to begin with.

(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon by Kelly Thompson, et al.

Absolute Wonder Woman Vol. 1: The Last Amazon by Kelly Thompson, et al.-208 pages

⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

 Without the island paradise, without the sisterhood that shaped her, without a mission of peace…she’s still the Absolute Amazon!

Spiraling out of the catastrophic events of Absolute Power, a new side of the DC Universe is born—the Absolute Universe!

In a different, darker world, Diana of Themyscira was not raised in paradise, but instead was exiled to the underworld as a baby and raised by an enemy. Darkness and exile did not destroy her; instead, they made her all the stronger—honed into an even greater weapon by tragedy, danger, and magic. Long denied her Amazonian heritage, Diana has finally reached the time for her to rejoin the surface world. Armed with new weapons forged in Hell, and a mission that looks a bit more like justice than peace, Diana will not be stopped on her quest to save the world and discover her place in it, even if that means carving it herself!

Eisner Award-winning writer Kelly Thompson is joined by breakout superstar artist Hayden Sherman to reinvent Wonder Woman from the ground up! Collects Absolute Wonder Woman #1-7.

Thoughts: I really like this as an alternate origin story for Wonder Woman. It delves a bit deeper into the Greek mythology lore and I'm here for it. I am looking forward to reading the next volume and I continue to like the Absolute DC Comics stories (so far, anyway).

One of Us is Dead by Jeneva Rose

One of Us is Dead - 312 pages

Jeneva Rose

Summary (From Goodreads)

Opulence. Sex. Betrayal … Sometimes friendship can be deadly.

Meet the women of Buckhead—a place of expensive cars, huge houses, and competitive friendships.

Shannon was once the queen bee of Buckhead. But she’s been unceremoniously dumped by Bryce, her politician husband. When Bryce replaces her with a much younger woman, Shannon sets out to take revenge …

Crystal has stepped into Shannon’s old shoes. A young, innocent Texan girl, she simply has no idea what she’s up against …

Olivia has waited years to take Shannon’s crown as the unofficial queen of Buckhead. Finally, her moment has come. But to take her rightful place, she will need to use every backstabbing, manipulative, underhand trick in the book …

Jenny owns Glow, the most exclusive salon in town. Jenny knows all her clients’ secrets and darkest desires. But will she ever tell?

Who amongst these women will be clever enough to survive Buckhead—and who will wind up dead? They say that friendships can be complex, but no one said it could ever be this deadly.

Review

I read this one for the Anything Goes Book Club and it...didn't really do it for me.  Granted, I've never been one for shows like Desperate Housewives or Keeping Up With the Kardashians.  In spite of having shorter chapters, the story's being told through 5 different viewpoints detracted from the pacing significantly.  The ending was still somewhat satisfying, though.  

How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis

How to Keep House While Drowning by KC Davis, 151 pages

This book is a carefully crafted guide for people who are struggling emotionally or physically or both to keep their spaces clean. There are guides and references, and the author even has a "short cut" mode for those reading who do not have the mental bandwidth to deal with the whole book. It's also a good place for people to unlearn any cleaning-related trauma they might have picked up by well-meaning loved ones early in life.

 

Training the Heart by Paisley Hope

Training the Heart by Paisley Hope -- 448 pages

Wade Ashby doesn’t let anyone in. With the death of his father and his failed marriage, plus the weight of the family business on his shoulders, Wade has plenty to deal with. He thrives on being the one constant and steady thing in his family’s life and on their ranch, Silver Pines.

Ivy Spencer knows two things for certain. Animals make better friends than people and she can only count on herself. After a turbulent childhood and a string of bad luck since, Ivy is excited to start fresh at Silver Pines Ranch and live out her dream of training a racehorse en route to the Kentucky Derby. 

Wade needs help on the ranch, but with two entirely different views on how to train his star horse, it makes absolutely no sense why he allows her to stay on. She’s chaos and he’s control, but it doesn’t take long for the levee to break and their passion to ignite.