hthill25
Book lover always having a physical, audio & digital book going at the same time. Rom-coms are the fave, but I branch out into most genres.
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hthill25 started reading...
4d
Every Version of You
Natalie Messier
Joey Vasquez’s life is the definition of good on paper. At thirty-three, she’s a Los Angeles lawyer on the cusp of making partner, she owns real estate, and she almost keeps pace with her doctor sister in her parents’ eyes. It isn’t quite what she dreamed of when she was younger—but really, whose life is?
When she reluctantly arrives at the very couple-y dinner party hosted by Elijah Aarons, the best friend she’s secretly pined after for fifteen years, she’s dismayed to find that the last person on earth she’d ever want to see again is also Alex Aquino. Your basic rich Silicon Beach bro asshole. And the married man Joey once had an affair with.The night couldn’t possibly get worse– and then she dies.When Joey is given a second chance at life, she finds herself eighteen again, the year she first met both Elijah and Alex.Armed with memories from her first life, Joey is certain she's come back to finally convince Elijah to see her as more than just a friend, but he doesn’t text. He doesn’t call. He’s weirded out when she transfers into his class—is she stalking him?Then there’s Alex, who’s different than Joey Charming. Sweet. Considerate. He pursues her, and she can’t deny the chemistry between them . . . but is knowing a person becomes something you hate in the future a reason to stop loving them in the present?
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hthill25 started reading...
4d
We Don't Talk About Carol
Kristen L. Berry
A dedicated journalist unearths a generations-old family secret—and a connection to a string of missing girls that hits way too close to home—in this gripping debut novel.
In the wake of her grandmother's passing, Sydney Singleton finds a hidden photograph of a little girl who looks more like Sydney than her own sister, or mother. She soon discovers the mystery girl in the photograph is her aunt, Carol, who was one of six local North Carolina Black girls to go missing in the 1960s. For the last several decades, not a soul has talked about Carol or what really happened to her. With her grandmother gone and Sydney looking to start a family of her own, she is determined to unravel the truth behind her long-lost aunt and the sinister silence surrounding her.
Unfortunately, this is familiar territory for Sydney. Several years prior, working the crime beat as a journalist on the case of another missing girl, her obsession eventually led to a psychotic break. And now, in the suffocating grip of fertility treatments and a marriage that's beginning to crumble, Sydney’s relentless pursuit might just lead her down the same path of destruction. As she delves deeper into Carol's fate, her own troubled past resurfaces, clawing its way to the surface with a vengeance. The web of secrets and lies entangling her family leaves Sydney questioning everything—her fixation on the missing girls, her future as a mom, and everyone she’s come to trust.
Delving into family, community, secrets, and motherhood, We Don’t Talk About Carol is a gripping and deeply emotional story about overcoming the rotten roots of your family tree—and what we’ll do for those we love.
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hthill25 wrote a review...
4d
I remember really enjoying the first book of this series, but I think I forgot some of the specifics about it that would've helped in my enjoyment of this book. The audio narrator does a great job with the characters and really gives them a personality. However, there are a lot of characters that are difficult to keep track of, especially in an audio version. I love the main character's relationship with her mom, which is so comedic. The main mystery of the story was fine. If you enjoyed the first book of this series, give this one a try. Used for the following groups, challenges, and/or prompts: The 52 Book Club's Mystery Genre Challenge-Solved with forensic science
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4d
The Mortal Enemy Murder Club (A Hu Done It Mystery, #2)
Gloria Chao
The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is back with a twist in this smart, hilarious mystery by USA TODAY bestselling author Gloria Chao.Kathryn Hu is not getting into the business of solving murders. Yes, she and her friends Olivia and Elle figured out who killed their cheating ex-boyfriend. But now Kat can get back to her usual, murder-free existence.Then she gets an unexpected plea for help. Mandy Thorne has ruined countless lives through her revenge podcast. She also did her best to frame the girls. Now, she claims, someone is trying to kill her. And the girls are the only ones who can save her.But can the trio and Mandy put aside their mutual contempt long enough to prevent a murder and solve this case? Can they become…the Mortal Enemy Murder Club?
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hthill25 wrote a review...
4d
This book was okay for a summer romance. I enjoyed the setting on the Jersey shore and how that was all described. I also like the dual timeline, going from high school days in the relationship to present day, and the friend relationship. Unfortunately, I didn't really buy the romantic relationship part of the book, which was supposed to be the main thing, but if you're up for some summer fun, give this one a try. Used for the following groups, challenges, and/or prompts: Around the Year in 52 Books Summer Reading Challenge 2026-Beach Setting Goodreads Summer Challenge 2026-Literally Summer
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hthill25 finished a book
4d
Have a Great Summer
francesca cocchi
Set against a vibrant Jersey Shore backdrop and bursting with summertime romance, hometown nostalgia, smart humor, female friendship, and millennial angst, journalist Francesca Cocchi’s dual-timeline teenage-crush-to-adult-lovers debut is the perfect beach read for fans of Annabel Monaghan, Carley Fortune, and Emily Henry.If time is supposed to heal all wounds, Lina Mariano’s broken teenage heart never quite got the message—but 15 sunny, sandy, angsty Jersey Shore summers later, she finds herself unexpectedly facing her old crush, getting a new perspective—and maybe even a hopeful glimpse of the future . . . Lina Mariano is stuck—in her hometown, in her job, and in the past. And after six years of writing up local weddings as a columnist for a popular lifestyle website, she’s wholeheartedly sick of nuptials. Worse, the next one on her list is none other than Sebastian Nikolaou’s. Working high school summers with sweet, handsome Sebastian at his mother’s iconic beach restaurant, teenage Lina was totally wrapped up in the way he made her feel—until the night that everything changed. Even so, she’s embarrassed to admit how often she still thinks of him, and now, comparing their present lives is wrenching. It will take a careful look at her younger self, and some wisdom from the best friend who was there for it all, to see that making her dreams come true is up to her alone—whether or not those dreams still include Sebastian . . . Poignant, engaging, and insightful, Have a Great Summer is an ode to the confused teenager in all of us, and a reminder of the blissful, excruciating, delicious days of summers gone by.
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hthill25 started reading...
1w
The Mortal Enemy Murder Club (A Hu Done It Mystery, #2)
Gloria Chao
The Ex-Girlfriend Murder Club is back with a twist in this smart, hilarious mystery by USA TODAY bestselling author Gloria Chao.Kathryn Hu is not getting into the business of solving murders. Yes, she and her friends Olivia and Elle figured out who killed their cheating ex-boyfriend. But now Kat can get back to her usual, murder-free existence.Then she gets an unexpected plea for help. Mandy Thorne has ruined countless lives through her revenge podcast. She also did her best to frame the girls. Now, she claims, someone is trying to kill her. And the girls are the only ones who can save her.But can the trio and Mandy put aside their mutual contempt long enough to prevent a murder and solve this case? Can they become…the Mortal Enemy Murder Club?
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hthill25 started reading...
1w
Have a Great Summer
francesca cocchi
Set against a vibrant Jersey Shore backdrop and bursting with summertime romance, hometown nostalgia, smart humor, female friendship, and millennial angst, journalist Francesca Cocchi’s dual-timeline teenage-crush-to-adult-lovers debut is the perfect beach read for fans of Annabel Monaghan, Carley Fortune, and Emily Henry.If time is supposed to heal all wounds, Lina Mariano’s broken teenage heart never quite got the message—but 15 sunny, sandy, angsty Jersey Shore summers later, she finds herself unexpectedly facing her old crush, getting a new perspective—and maybe even a hopeful glimpse of the future . . . Lina Mariano is stuck—in her hometown, in her job, and in the past. And after six years of writing up local weddings as a columnist for a popular lifestyle website, she’s wholeheartedly sick of nuptials. Worse, the next one on her list is none other than Sebastian Nikolaou’s. Working high school summers with sweet, handsome Sebastian at his mother’s iconic beach restaurant, teenage Lina was totally wrapped up in the way he made her feel—until the night that everything changed. Even so, she’s embarrassed to admit how often she still thinks of him, and now, comparing their present lives is wrenching. It will take a careful look at her younger self, and some wisdom from the best friend who was there for it all, to see that making her dreams come true is up to her alone—whether or not those dreams still include Sebastian . . . Poignant, engaging, and insightful, Have a Great Summer is an ode to the confused teenager in all of us, and a reminder of the blissful, excruciating, delicious days of summers gone by.
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hthill25 started reading...
1w
The Travelling Cat Chronicles
Hiro Arikawa
We take journeys to explore exotic new places and to return to the comforts of home, to visit old acquaintances and to make new friends. But the most important journey is the one that shows us how to follow our hearts...
An instant international bestseller and indie bestseller, The Travelling Cat Chronicles has charmed readers around the world. With simple yet descriptive prose, this novel gives voice to Nana the cat and his owner, Satoru, as they take to the road on a journey with no other purpose than to visit three of Satoru's longtime friends. Or so Nana is led to believe...
With his crooked tail—a sign of good fortune—and adventurous spirit, Nana is the perfect companion for the man who took him in as a stray. And as they travel in a silver van across Japan, with its ever-changing scenery and seasons, they will learn the true meaning of courage and gratitude, of loyalty and love.
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hthill25 wrote a review...
1w
Grab a drink of choice and settle in for a nice, cozy read. This is a book that feels like a warm hug. The characters are lovely and the plot just give you all the feels. This would make an excellent read for lovers of a cozy fantasy romance. Used for the following groups, challenges, and/or prompts: Buzzword Reading Challenge 2026-Groups & Clubs
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hthill25 finished a book
1w
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping
Sangu Mandanna
An enchanting novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.
Sera Swan was once one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her magical Guild. Now she ( slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps Aunt Jasmine run an inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests' shenanigans, tries to keep the talking fox in check, and longs for the magical future she lost.
When she learns about an old spellbook that holds the secret to restoring her power, she turns to Luke Larsen, a gorgeous historian who might just be able to help her unlock the book’s mysteries. Luke, who has his own reasons for staying at the inn, never planned on getting involved in the madcap goings-on around him and certainly had no intention of letting certain grumpy innkeepers past his icy walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he not only agrees to help, but also finds himself thawing.
Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone... and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.
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hthill25 wrote a review...
1w
This is an excellent book about family, sisterly relationships in particular, taken from the perspective of the older sister. There's also a mystery involved that takes the reader on trips to the woods of Wisconsin, an inn in France, and a family wedding in Vietnam. The author describes each of these places beautifully, placing you directly there. I found the older sister aspect key to pulling me into this read, and feel like anyone who finds themselves in that role will enjoy this book. Used for the following groups, challenges, and/or prompts: The 52 Book Club Mystery Genre Challenge-Title starts with the first letter of author's last name Buzzword Cover Challenge 2026-Cover featuring damage
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hthill25 finished a book
1w
The Seekers of Deer Creek
Thao Thai
From the national bestselling author of Banyan Moon, a captivating, evocative story of two estranged sisters on a quest to find a painting by a forgotten Vietnamese artist that holds the truth of their family’s fractured past.
Aside from the fact they are sisters, Vivi and Calla Nguyễn have little in common.
Vivi, the eldest, lives an orderly and predictable life. She works as an art conservator at a museum in Chicago, carefully preserving pieces of the past, all the while refusing to examine her own dark history.
Calla leads a much bolder, if occasionally reckless, existence. She’s an accomplished artist with a flair for the dramatic, charming and intriguing everyone she meets. She’s also a recovering addict, constantly causing Vivi to worry.
Months after the two fall out in the wake of their father’s death, Calla appears on the steps of the museum with a sketch and a letter she found in their father’s belongings. The sketch is an exact copy of Blue Mirror, a striking painting by a Vietnamese painter named K.P. Lý. In the letter, Lý writes about a mysterious lost work of art. Calla is convinced it is meant for their family, and that it was their father’s deathbed wish for her and Vivi to find it together. Intrigued yet reluctant to follow her capricious sister, Vivi must decide whether she’s willing to face or shut the door to the past.
From the ghostly Wisconsin woods to a glittering estate in the French countryside to a sprawling ancestral home teetering on the edge of a ravine in Việt Nam, The Seekers of Deer Creek is a story of sisters, art, and the irresistible gravity of the past—how it endures across time and generations, always present even when buried.
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hthill25 wrote a review...
1w
Buckle in for some hot political issues. If you're a staunch Republican, I'd say this probably isn't the book for you. I knew this book was about banned books, but I didn't expect it to get into the issues like it did. I thoroughly enjoyed it-the way it pulled citizens together and tackled both the seriousness and humor of the subject. There are a lot of characters in this book, which can get confusing at times. Overall, I thought it was a great read. Used for the following groups, challenges, and/or prompts: Read Between the Wines-August 2026 read
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hthill25 finished a book
1w
Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books
Kirsten Miller
The provocative and hilarious summer read that will have book lovers cheering and everyone talking! Kirsten Miller, author of The Change, brings us a bracing, wildly entertaining satire about a small Southern town, a pitched battle over banned books, and a little lending library that changes everything.
Beverly Underwood and her arch enemy, Lula Dean, live in the tiny town of Troy, Georgia, where they were born and raised. Now Beverly is on the school board, and Lula has become a local celebrity by embarking on mission to rid the public libraries of all inappropriate books—none of which she’s actually read. To replace the “pornographic” books she’s challenged at the local public library, Lula starts her own lending library in front of her home: a cute wooden hutch with glass doors and neat rows of the worthy literature that she’s sure the town’s readers need.
But Beverly’s daughter Lindsay sneaks in by night and secretly fills Lula Dean’s little free library with banned books wrapped in “wholesome” dust jackets. The Girl’s Guide to the Revolution is wrapped in the cover of The Southern Belle’s Guide to Etiquette. A jacket that belongs to Our Confederate Heroes ends up on Beloved. One by one, neighbors who borrow books from Lula Dean’s library find their lives changed in unexpected ways. Finally, one of Lula Dean’s enemies discovers the library and decides to turn the tables on her, just as Lula and Beverly are running against each other to replace the town’s disgraced mayor.
That’s when all the townspeople who’ve been borrowing from Lula’s library begin to reveal themselves. It’s a diverse and surprising bunch—including the local postman, the prom queen, housewives, a farmer, and the former DA—all of whom have been changed by what they’ve read. When Lindsay is forced to own up to what she’s done, the showdown that’s been brewing between Beverly and Lula will roil the whole town...and change it forever.
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hthill25 started reading...
2w
A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping
Sangu Mandanna
An enchanting novel about a witch who has a second chance to get her magical powers—and her life—back on track, from the national bestselling author of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches.
Sera Swan was once one of the most powerful witches in Britain. Then she resurrected her great-aunt Jasmine from the (very recently) dead, lost most of her magic, befriended a semi-villainous talking fox, and was exiled from her magical Guild. Now she ( slightly reluctantly and just a bit grumpily) helps Aunt Jasmine run an inn in Lancashire, where she deals with her quirky guests' shenanigans, tries to keep the talking fox in check, and longs for the magical future she lost.
When she learns about an old spellbook that holds the secret to restoring her power, she turns to Luke Larsen, a gorgeous historian who might just be able to help her unlock the book’s mysteries. Luke, who has his own reasons for staying at the inn, never planned on getting involved in the madcap goings-on around him and certainly had no intention of letting certain grumpy innkeepers past his icy walls, so no one is more surprised than he is when he not only agrees to help, but also finds himself thawing.
Running an inn, reclaiming lost magic, and staying one step ahead of the watchful Guild is a lot for anyone, but Sera is about to discover that she doesn’t have to do it alone... and that the weird, wonderful family she’s made might be the best magic of all.
0
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hthill25 started reading...
2w
The Seekers of Deer Creek
Thao Thai
From the national bestselling author of Banyan Moon, a captivating, evocative story of two estranged sisters on a quest to find a painting by a forgotten Vietnamese artist that holds the truth of their family’s fractured past.
Aside from the fact they are sisters, Vivi and Calla Nguyễn have little in common.
Vivi, the eldest, lives an orderly and predictable life. She works as an art conservator at a museum in Chicago, carefully preserving pieces of the past, all the while refusing to examine her own dark history.
Calla leads a much bolder, if occasionally reckless, existence. She’s an accomplished artist with a flair for the dramatic, charming and intriguing everyone she meets. She’s also a recovering addict, constantly causing Vivi to worry.
Months after the two fall out in the wake of their father’s death, Calla appears on the steps of the museum with a sketch and a letter she found in their father’s belongings. The sketch is an exact copy of Blue Mirror, a striking painting by a Vietnamese painter named K.P. Lý. In the letter, Lý writes about a mysterious lost work of art. Calla is convinced it is meant for their family, and that it was their father’s deathbed wish for her and Vivi to find it together. Intrigued yet reluctant to follow her capricious sister, Vivi must decide whether she’s willing to face or shut the door to the past.
From the ghostly Wisconsin woods to a glittering estate in the French countryside to a sprawling ancestral home teetering on the edge of a ravine in Việt Nam, The Seekers of Deer Creek is a story of sisters, art, and the irresistible gravity of the past—how it endures across time and generations, always present even when buried.
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hthill25 wrote a review...
2w
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hthill25 finished a book
2w
Happy Wife
Meredith Lavender
A young woman must find her missing husband and prove her innocence in this twisty, unputdownable novel set in an ultrawealthy Florida community where looks can kill.Nora Davies doesn’t exactly fit in to Winter Park, Florida, where old-guard Floridians mix with the tax-fleeing coastal elite. Twenty-eight and barely making ends meet working at a country club, Nora feels like she’s going nowhere fast. Enter Will a prominent forty-six-year-old lawyer, father to a teenage daughter and recently divorced. The two set Winter Park’s social scene agog when they fall in love and marry after a whirlwind Cinderella-style courtship.But Winter Park is fully upended when Will disappears the morning after a birthday bash Nora throws for him. Going back and forth between Nora and Will’s romance and the search in the wake of Will’s mysterious disappearance, Nora must answer the question from all Where. Is. Will?Combining breathless suspense, glittering and juicy social dynamics, and an unforgettable cast of characters, Happy Wife is a clever and subversive novel that explores marriage, wealth, and the secrets that lurk behind closed doors.
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