The Romance Bookie

  Hey Everyone! A new year is once again upon us!  I don't know about you, but I feel like 2021 just zoomed by!  Maybe it's because my 15 month old has just grown like a weed, and I just want to 😭 every time I go through photos on my phone and see the changes happening everyday.   2022 is upon us!  Well, almost.  Which means a new year of possibilities, goals, family moments, and so many positive things hopefully.   I honestly can't complain about 2021, not when my family and I have experienced so much worse in the past.  I know this is a weird time we are living in, but I am just so grateful to be here, with my husband and our son, and our grumpy dog.   Some highlights of 2021 were: (these may not be in order) 1.  We went to the reopening of Disneyland.  After 412 days of closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Disneyland was able to reopen and my family and I got to go.  It was such an incredible experience, being there, and e...

 Hey! This might be my last book of 2021!  I'm really glad I was able to get this one in, because I meant to finish it before Christmas, but just didn't have the chance, because I was more listening to books than reading physical copies, but I did it! This review is for My True Love Gave to Me , an anthology of 12 Holiday stories written by 12 different Young Adult authors; ranging from contemporary romances to fantasy.   From Goodreads: If you love holiday stories, holiday movies, made-for-TV-holiday specials, holiday episodes of your favorite sitcoms and, especially, if you love holiday anthologies, you're going to fall in love with My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories  by twelve bestselling young adult writers, edited by international bestselling author Stephanie Perkins. Whether you enjoy celebrating Christmas or Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, or New Year's there's something here for everyone. So curl up by the fireplace and get cozy. Y...

Hey Everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas (if you celebrate) with loved ones.  Ours was very nice, one of the nicest we've had in a long time.  Our son is old enough now to get more into it, than he did last year (he was only 3 months old last year), and it was such a joy to see him get excited to open presents, enjoy food, listening to Christmas music, and spending time with family.   I ended up reading a quick read the other night, and thought I'd share my thoughts on it. Pumpkin Heads  by Rainbow Rowell, and illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks. From Goodreads: Deja and Josiah are seasonal best friends. Every autumn, all through high school, they've worked together at the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world.  (Not many people know that the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world is in Omaha, Nebraska, but it definitely is.) They say good-bye every Halloween, and they're reunited every September 1. But this Halloween is different --Josi...

 Merry Christmas Eve! I can't believe Christmas is here once again! I'm so looking forward to bringing my son downstairs tomorrow morning, and having him see our Christmas Tree all lit up with lots of goodies for him underneath, and then listening to Christmas music, and watching one of my favorite Christmas movies, Christmas Vacation!  I love this time of year, getting to cozy up with my husband on the couch, under lots of blankets, fuzzy socks on, warm PJs, and watching a movie while sip on our hot drinks.  💖 In the meantime, I do have a review for you! I just finished listening to the audiobook of If the Shoe Fits  by Julie Murphy! From Goodreads: After having just graduated with a degree in shoe design, and trying to get her feet on the ground, Cindy is working for her stepmother, who happens to be the executive producer of America's favorite reality show, Before Midnight .  When a spot on the show needs filling ASAP, Cindy volunteers, hoping it might ...

 Hey!  Finished another one!!! Not sure how many more I can in the eleven days we have left in 2021, but I am trying!  I want to read at least one more, and that's a library book I need to return asap.   I ended up listening to Majesty, the second American Royal book by Katharine McGee. I've been having so much fun listening to audiobooks while I work on my planner!  Especially now that I got my Always Fully Booked Planner from Little Inkling Designs! Isn't it gorgeous???!!!  I am having so much fun setting it up for 2022!   Anyway, on the my review! From Goodreads: Is American ready for its first queen? Power is intoxicating. Like first love, it can leave you breathless.  Princess Beatrice was born with it. Princess Samantha was born with less. Some, like Nina Gonzalez, are pulled into it. And a few will claw their way in. Ahem, we're looking at you Daphne Deighton. As America adjusts to the idea of a queen on the throne, Beatrice grapples with e...

 Hey! Another review coming your way! This was a quick holiday read that I listened to on Audiobook over the last few days.   I had the opportunity back in the day to read an ARC of the first book in this series, and absolutely loved it!  Since then  Dash & Lily's Book of Dares  has been released as Netflix movie (which is also super cute), and two more books have been added to the story; something I didn't learn about until last year, when I watched the movie.  Since then, I've wanted to read the next books, because I truly loved the first book.  It was such a fun read, that took you through the streets of my favorite setting in a book, New York City.  It was a story of finding oneself, finding love, friendship, family, and so much more.   When I found out that my local library had an online audiobook library I ended up finding, The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily , and since it's the holiday season, I thought what a great time to finally...

 Hey Everyone! I am really excited to write this review.  I didn't think I would I would be able to read another book this year, let alone two, and then also have one of them be a favorite of the year!  I am on a roll this month and trying to keep the momentum going! For my review today I have an audiobook I got to listen to, for American Royals  by Katharine McGee. From Goodreads: What if America had a royal family? When America won the Revolutionary War, its people offered General George Washington a crown. Two and a half centuries later, the House of Washington still sits on the throne. As Princess Beatrice gets closer to becoming America's first queen regnant, the duty she has embraced her entire life suddenly feels stifling. Nobody cares about the spare except when she's breaking the rules, so Princess Samantha doesn't care much about anything, either...except the one boy who is distinctly off-limits to her. And then there Samantha's twin, Prince Jefferson. If ...

 Hey! So last book from my weekend reading binge, for now! This is for the novel I actually read this weekend.  Truly Truly enjoyed this one! My review for To Be Honest by Maggie Ann Martin! From Goodreads: Savannah is dreading being home alone with her overbearing mother after her sister goes off to college.  But if she can just get through senior year, she'll be able to escape to college, too.  What she doesn't count on is that her mother's obsession with weight has only grown deeper since her appearance on an extreme weight-loss show, and now Savvy's mom is pressuring her even harder to be constantly mindful of what she eats. Between her mom's diet-helicoptering, missing her sister, and worrying about her collegiate future, Savvy has enough to worry about.  And then she meets George, the cute new kid at school who has insecurities of his own. As Savvy and George grow closer, they help each other discover how to live in the moment and enjoy the here ...

 Hey! Another review from my weekend binge reading! This one is another graphic novel titled, This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and illustrated by Jillian Tamaki. From Goodreads:   Every summer, Rose goes with her mom and dad to a lake house in Awago Beach.  It's their getaway, their refuge.  Rosie's friend Windy is always there, too, like the little sister she never had. But this summer is different. Rose's mom and dad won't stop fighting, and when Rose and Windy seek a distraction from the drama, they find themselves with a whole new set of problems. It's a summer of secrets and sorrow and growing up, and it's a good thing Rose and Windy have each other. In This One Summer  two stellar creators redefine the teen graphic novel. Cousins Mariko and Jillian Tamaki, the team behind Skim , have collaborated on this gorgeous, heartbreaking, and ultimately hopeful story about a girl on the cusp of her teen age-- a story of renewal and revelation.  My Tho...

 Hey Everyone! My husband and I recently moved our little family to a new town, and last week we decided to go for a walk together and check out our new (to us) local library.  It was such a great experience, because for one, I haven't set foot in a library in quite some time (both due to Covid, but also because my old local library wasn't really all that great), and two because we have such a great library now.  They have a beautiful children's section, decked out with a giant pirate's ship, columns holding up the building that look like giant books, and a wonderfully stocked Young Adult section.   They had an ample supply of graphic novels, and because of my newly found obsession this year, on graphic novels, I found myself filling the stroller with those initially.  I ended up with four graphic novels, and two regular chapter novels.  To which my husband said, "That's probably enough."  Well, challenge was accepted apparently, because I finished all...

 Hey! Today I have a review for a book that I have been waiting a LONG time to read!  It was finally released officially last year so I have the chance for a while to read it, but didn't get to it until now.  I ended up getting the audiobook of it, because I have recently really gotten into planning, and decorating said planners, and all things to do with planners (calendars, stickers, Washi tape, Happy Planner accessories, etc).  It's become a serious addiction, but a nice welcome to getting my head out this crazy world we live in.  Anyway, my head hasn't been in picking up a physical book in a while, so I figured let's try an audiobook, instead of watching yet another random movie from Netflix.  Anyway, let's get to it...the review for Midnight Sun , a review over a decade in the making. From Goodreads: When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight , an iconic love story was born.  But until now, fans have heard only Bella's side of the story. ...