This Will Only Hurt a Little by Busy Philipps

I've been really into celebrity biographies lately and Busy Philipps seems like a pretty awesome person in general so I requested this book from NetGalley and did not regret it. Yes, there are some writing quirks that took me out of reading occasionally and I didn't love everything about Ms. Philipps but it is an honest look at her life detailing even the parts where she herself was not the greatest person and times when she thought she could have stepped up but didn't but also times when she did step up and it helped. Readings stories like this make you really realize exactly how human actors are (well, most of them) with their own foibles and good points.

Four stars
This book comes out today
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Lionheart by Thea Harrison

Dr. Katheryn Shaw is one of the most well-known surgeons on Earth. Her skill is virtually unmatched. But there are other surgeons so she's confused as to why the warriors of Lyonesse are so insistent that she has to be the one to save their lord, Oberon. He had been poisoned 15 years ago (in Lyonesse time, it was two hundred years ago on Earth because of the time slippage) by a needle that is slowly, magically working it's way toward Oberon's heart. And even though he's physically alive, the magic in the needle has killed all of his emotions. Even though he sleeps, his power rages around his countryside making it impossible for anyone to live there because it is so cold.
This was a fast-paced novel with action on every page. It made the romance a bit shallow but the reading was quick and interesting. I definitely would read the other two books in the series first but, if you have read the other two, you should like this one.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out today
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
Follows Spellbinder 

Murder at Archly Manor by Sara Rosett

Olive's new stepmother has pushed her rather forcibly out of her father's house. Unfortunately, Olive has no skills. Her father spent her college money on some scheme. And, unfortunately, his schemes never come out. She's rather desperate when her cousin asks her for help. It seems her other cousin, Violet, is engaged to a man who is wholly ineligible. Or at least he seems so at first glance. Olive agrees to look into the man's past for a slight fee.
Invited to a party at Alfred's godfather's house, Olive finds herself among the fast set. And it gets even faster when Alfred is thrown off a balcony. Violet immediately becomes the most likely suspect. Especially since she was one of the only people upstairs at the time of the murder.
I really liked this story and look forward to the next in the series.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out October 1`5
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Ask Me No Questions by Shelley Noble

If you like the 1920's historicals that are popping up, you'll like this one from a slightly earlier period. Lady Dunbridge is only 26 but she's already a dowager. When her father gives her two untenable options, she decides to make her own, third option and heads across the Atlantic to stay with her friend Bev. Too bad Bev's husband is murdered at the pickup and die in the lap of his mistress. What the heck is going on? It seems that the man had a lot of shady dealings so there are a lot of people who become suspects.
It's a nice start to some world building and I think further books will be even better.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out October 16
Followed by Tell Me No Lies
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

JELL-O Girls by Allie Rowbottom

I heard about this book on a couple of different book podcasts and was delighted to see that it was still available as an ARC on NetGalley. I immediately started reading it and then... about a month passed. This book just didn't capture me like I thought it would. A history of the family behind Jello, one that is cursed? Cool. But, tbh, even with the Jello hook, this book just didn't capture my imagination. I did slog through it but it took a long time.

Two stars
This book came out July 24
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Father Christmas and Me by Matt Haig

I think I would have liked this book more had I known that it was part of a series. I felt like I was dumped into the middle of the story of Amelia, a human in Elfhelm. She is trying to navigate a world in which she really doesn't feel like she belongs. And there are definitely elves who would rather see her gone. Then, the Easter Bunny gets involved....

Three stars
This book comes out October 16
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Snoopy: Boogie Down! by Charles M. Schulz

I did not know there were so many strips where the cat next door took swipes at Snoopy's dog house. There are also touches of baseball, Lucy and Schroeder, and all of the favorite Peanuts characters. A lovely series of strips.

Four stars
This book comes out October 16
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley