Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng

Title: Little Fires Everywhere

Author: Celeste Ng

Publisher: Penguin Books

Release Date: March 17, 2020

In Shaker Heights, a placid, progressive suburb of Cleveland, everything is planned – from the layout of the winding roads, to the colors of the houses, to the successful lives its residents will go on to lead. And no one embodies this spirit more than Elena Richardson, whose guiding principle is playing by the rules.

Enter Mia Warren – an enigmatic artist and single mother – who arrives in this idyllic bubble with her teenaged daughter Pearl, and rents a house from the Richardsons. Soon Mia and Pearl become more than tenants: all four Richardson children are drawn to the mother-daughter pair. But Mia carries with her a mysterious past and a disregard for the status quo that threatens to upend this carefully ordered community.

When old family friends of the Richardsons attempt to adopt a Chinese-American baby, a custody battle erupts that dramatically divides the town--and puts Mia and Elena on opposing sides. Suspicious of Mia and her motives, Elena is determined to uncover the secrets in Mia's past. But her obsession will come at unexpected and devastating costs.

Little Fires Everywhere explores the weight of secrets, the nature of art and identity, and the ferocious pull of motherhood – and the danger of believing that following the rules can avert disaster.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

A really good story! Not a perfect ending but quite good just the same. 

Little Fires Everywhere follows two very different women. One living in the cookie-cutter world of Shaker-Heights. Following all rules and regulations. Another one, seeming to be living a carefree life. She's a nomad going from city to city, getting inspiration and augmenting her artistic talent as she travels. 

Mrs. Richardson is a wife, a mother of four, and a writer for the local newspaper. She is well-known and well-liked. Her marriage is solid and her relationship with her kids is a good one except for the one with her youngest daughter, Izzy. 

Mia Warren is an artist. She and her daughter Pearl (who's 15) move around quite often. They have lived in many cities and states. Recently, Pearl has asked Mia to settle down for a bit. To let her enjoy high school and make new friends. Mia agrees to try.  

Mia and Helena's world collide capriciously. Mrs. Richardson is intrigued and resentful at the same time of a woman like Mia. Despite her reservations, she rents her a rental property and offers her a job at her house as a housekeeper. 

Mia was working for a restaurant but she feels like she can't say no to such an offer. She will still be able to create art in her free time. It would also give her the chance to keep an eye on Pearl who develops a fast friendship with Helena's son, Moody, then Lexie (the other daughter) and a crush on the oldest son, Trip.

Little Fires Everywhere had a cast of captivating topics and characters. Entertaining and thought-provoking.  Celeste Ng has a true talent with words. 

Now, I want to watch the TV series. 

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

Temptation Bay by Anna Sullivan

Title: Temptation Bay

Series: Windfall Island #1

Author: by Anna Sullivan

Publisher: Forever

Temptation Never Tasted So Sweet...

Maggie Solomon has always been one of Windfall Island's favorite daughters. A beautiful, passionate charter pilot who loves this remote Maine island, Maggie has never cared much for outsiders—until her latest passenger arouses the curiosity of the town . . . and something hot and irresistible in Maggie. With his long, lean looks and razor-sharp wit, the man is temptation itself.

Cop-turned-PI Dexter Keegan is on a covert mission to solve the case that will make his career: uncovering the identity of the Stanhope heir, kidnapped nearly a century ago. No one on this fiercely protective island can know what he's doing, not even the spirited, blue-eyed beauty who infuriates—and excites—Dex. As the desire between them ignites, Maggie becomes the key to the case . . . and the target of an unknown enemy. Now Dex will do anything to protect the woman he's come to love—even risk his own life.

Amazon 

I had this story on my NetGalley for a while. I decided it was time to read it. 

I thought the beginning of the story had an interesting setting. The prologue opens during the time of prohibition almost a century ago. A dark night, men transporting alcohol illegally, a ship, and a baby.

In the present, we meet the heroine of the story. Maggie Solomon. She is a charter pilot who's picking up her next client. She is flying him to Windfall Island, Maine. Maggie is great at her job and everyone knows it. She has loyal friends. She is treated like she was born on the island. She is part of the "team" and will keep as many secrets as she can.

Dexter Keegan is a PI. He used to be a cop but he decided to change his line of work. Recently, he has been offered a cold case that can make his career. Dex has been paid to discover the real events surrounding the kidnapping of one of the heirs of the Stanhope family. What he was not expecting was to be stonewall by the islanders. Everyone is tightlipped about it. 

Sparks fly between Maggie and Dex from the moment they meet. However, they have their own reasons to try to keep the attraction in check without putting their lives at risk. Dex believes someone might not be too happy if he is successful in finding the descendants of the heir living on the island.

I liked the story but didn't love it. Maggie was hard to like. She gave Dex such a hard time. Then, she gave me whiplash when she did a 180- degree change in regards to her feelings. On the other hand, Dex was easy to like although he behaved out of character in a certain situation. 

What I like the most about Temptation Bay was the mystery of the child's disappearance and who could be the actual descendant. I might read the next one. 

3/5 Fangs

Cliffhanger: No

The Lion's Den by Katherine St. John

Title: he Lion's Den

Author: Katherine St. John

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Release Date: June 30, 2020

Belle likes to think herself immune to the dizzying effects of fabulous wealth. But when her best friend, Summer, invites her on a glamorous getaway to the Mediterranean aboard her billionaire boyfriend's yacht, the only sensible answer is yes. Belle hopes the trip will be a much-needed break from her stalled acting career and uniquely humiliating waitressing job, but once she's aboard the luxurious Lion's Den, it soon becomes clear this jet-setting holiday is not as advertised.

Belle's dream vacation quickly devolves into a nightmare as she and the handful of other girls Summer invited are treated more like prisoners than guests by their controlling host-and in one terrifying moment, Belle comes to see Summer for who she truly is: a vicious gold digger who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

Belle realizes she's going to have to keep her wits about her -- and her own big secret closely hidden -- if she wants to make it off the yacht alive.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Lion's Den was a great way to evade reality. It has a combo of good things:

Perfect summer reading: ✅

Mediterranean Yacht cruise ✅

Mystery aboard ✅

Our heroine is Belle. She is an actress but not famous yet. She has been invited by her best friend Summer to spend a week on her rich boyfriend's yacht cruising the Mediterranean. Summer has also invited her mother, her sister Brittani, her friend Wendy, Claire and unbeknownst to Summer, Brittani has decided to invite her friend Amythest, an exotic and interesting young woman. 

As soon as the traveling begins, they realized things are not as they seem. Nothing gets done without the permission of Summer's boyfriend, John. They are told to sign an NDA, have no access to wifi, someone locks their room at night and John's goons are always hanging around. 

Belle is the sole voice of the narration. It's she who tells us what is going on in the yacht and also the one who takes us back into the past. In the flashbacks, we learn how she met Summer, how they became friends and how their friendship evolved over time. 

The Lion's Den kept my interest. I enjoyed Belle. She was a good character. She wasn't naive or too perfect, which made her relatable and likable. I also enjoyed the twists although I thought the ending was too cookie-cutter for me. 

Cliffhanger: No 

4/5 Fangs

**A complimentary copy was provided by Grand Central Publishing in exchange for an honest review.**

Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

Title: Big Summer

Author: Jennifer Weiner

Publisher: Atria Books

Release Date: May 5, 2020

Six years after the fight that ended their friendship, Daphne Berg is shocked when Drue Cavanaugh walks back into her life, looking as lovely and successful as ever, with a massive favor to ask. Daphne hasn’t spoken one word to Drue in all this time—she doesn’t even hate-follow her ex-best friend on social media—so when Drue asks if she will be her maid-of-honor at the society wedding of the summer, Daphne is rightfully speechless.

Drue was always the one who had everything—except the ability to hold onto friends. Meanwhile, Daphne’s no longer the same self-effacing sidekick she was back in high school. She’s built a life that she loves, including a growing career as a plus-size Instagram influencer. Letting glamorous, seductive Drue back into her life is risky, but it comes with an invitation to spend a weekend in a waterfront Cape Cod mansion. When Drue begs and pleads and dangles the prospect of cute single guys, Daphne finds herself powerless as ever to resist her friend’s siren song.

A sparkling novel about the complexities of female friendship, the pitfalls of living out loud and online, and the resilience of the human heart, Big Summer is a witty, moving story about family, friendship, and figuring out what matters most.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

I found Big Summer to be a mixture of drama, mystery and women's fiction all blended together. 

Daphne Berg has had a problem with body image and her weight for most of her life. Her insecurities and struggles have been obvious but recently, she has learned to love her body or try to. Six years ago, she had the worst night of her life and there was a video to prove it. Instead of hiding and commiserating about the event, she decides to take charge of her life and in a way to write her own story. By doing so, she becomes an internet sensation and an Instagram influencer. 

Everything seems to be looking better for Daphne until Drue Cavanaugh comes back into her life. Drue is blonde, beautiful, smart and rich. She used to be Daphne's friend until Daphne realized what a terrible person she really was. Yet, for the life of her, she can't understand why Drue after not seeing each other for six years, wants Daphne to be her maid of honor or why she decides to accept the offer.

As you can imagine, things are about to become quite interesting in Cape Cod. Interesting and with a twist landing squarely into the mystery category (Didn't see that one coming). 

With Big Summer, there are so many good points Jennifer Weiner brings to the board including body image issues and the constant fight within ourselves, the pursuit and desperation to be accepted by a parent, the idea that online our lives are better and brighter, how some people appear to have a perfect life when they don't.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

**I want to thank Atria for giving me a  complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.**

American Demon by Kim Harrison

Title: American Demon

Series: Return to the Hollows #1

Author: Kim Harrison

Publisher: Ace

Release Date: June 16, 2020

A thrilling return to the #1 New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series, continuing Rachel Morgan's story.

RACHEL MORGAN IS BACK--AND THE HOLLOWS WILL NEVER BE THE SAME.

What happens after you've saved the world? Well, if you're Rachel Mariana Morgan, witch-born demon, you quickly discover that something might have gone just a little bit wrong. That the very same acts you and your friends took to forge new powers may have released something bound by the old. With a rash of zombies, some strange new murders, and an exceedingly mysterious new demon in town, it will take everything Rachel has to counter this new threat to the world--and it may demand the sacrifice of what she holds most dear.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

It was fantastic to be reading about "itchy witch" again. Going back to this world after six years made me savor it more.

When the book begins Rachel is on the phone planning a park date with Trent, the girls and surprisingly, Ellasbeth too. Rachel is back at her old home/church. She is meeting Jenks and Ivy. They're trying to decide what their future looks like. Can they still work together or is time for one of them to move on? Should they reconstruct their home or find a new place? It looks like Ivy is ready to move on and live with Nina. Rachel understands but can't leave Jenks alone. This reunion is broken up by the appearance of a zombie. 

The appearance of the zombie is the first clue that something is not right. New cases are popping up where couples are attacking their love ones for past grievances. Someone seems to have manipulated their minds while sleeping. When Al is attacked, Rachel knows this is too close to home. 

Rachel knows she has her hands full. She is dealing with her relationship with Trent and his ex, the politics between Demons and Elves, a new vampire moving into town affecting Ivy's life and she can sense she is running out of time in stopping the new threat. 

So many things I loved about American Demon! 

I love Trent Kalamack. He has grown so much as a character. He likes himself better and it's all due to Rachel. He has made his own sacrifices and lost some of his position of importance as an Elf but he knows it's worth it. 

Rachel acted so much more mature in American Demon. She lets people help her and she is pausing to think before reacting. 

Al was adorable all the way around. I wish he was more prominent in this book. He makes me smile every time he shows up.

David, Ivy, Jenks and Bis are also so important to the series. It wouldn't be the same without them.

I still feel a tug on my heart every time Kisten is mentioned. I will always miss him.

So glad Kim Harrison is writing more books in this world. I've only one question, when is the next one out?

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by Ace via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.