Rockin' Around the Chickadee by Donna Andrews

stars

Meg Langslow #36

This book comes out October 15, 2024

Follows Between a Flock and a Hard Place

ARC of ebook kindly provided by MacMillan and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

The Medici Manuscript by C.J. Archer

Sylvia is still working in Glass Library with Professor Nash and they've discovered an interesting manuscript. There are markings that seem like the book may have come from the well-known Medici family. But there are other markings as well. Some that seem like they might point to some potent magic. 

The whole gang is there again, Sylvia's friend, Gabe, Gabe's aunt, and his friend. And they're all trying  to figure out what they mean. But then the book disappears. Plus, there's the whole "people trying to kidnap Gabe" issue and him discovering more about his own magic.

An interesting addition to the series and at least one impediment to the path for Sylvia and Gabe gets removed. But that plot point could come back later.

Three stars
This book came out March 7, 2023

Follows The Librarian of Crooked Lane

Followed by The Untitled Books

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

A Family Reunion by Brenda Jackson

Ethan Bennett married off his children and now he's working on the younger generation. He's got four grandchildren who need to find love. In order to help pull them through, he's planning the first Bennett family reunion in fifteen years. Well, he's not, he's turning it over to a cousin or sister or some other woman (because why would he actually do the planning and she likes to do that stuff). 

We meet the grandchildren, Taye who was supposedly the smartest of them all but got pregnant young and disappointed the family (now has two daughters), Michael (adopted) who is a pilot with a teenage daughter who is running out of control, Alexia who is a rock idol, and Rae'Jean who is a doctor dating a man (who is white which is causing issues in the family.)

The first half or so of the book is at the reunion and the back half is over a series of months. This book is definitely an earlier Jackson with all sorts of racial and gender storylines that I don't think she would use now. I was honestly surprised it came out in the early 2000s. It's a fine enough book but she has better.

Three stars

This book came out September 17, 2001

Borrowed as audiobook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Mister McHottie by Pippa Grant

After the "bratwurst incident", Ambrosia Berger stopped going by "Bro" and asked people to start calling her "Sia." She didn't have the life she expected to live after the incident but she's carved out a pretty could niche on the social media team of Crunchy, an organic food store. Too bad her nemesis (and the other person involved) has just bought the store. 

Chase Jett grew up with the Berger twins and spent a lot of time with their sister. They had a history of pranking each other but their time together is still in his memory. He doesn't think they can pick up where they left off but he knows that the spark they had is still there.

This is barely a three star for me because there is just So Much Misunderstanding in this book.

Three stars

This book came out October 30, 2017

Girl Band #1

Followed by Stud in the Stacks

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

High Intensity by Dara Joy

I remember enjoying the first of the Tyber and Zanita books but not the second. I couldn't really remember why. I now know. It's because Zanita was charming and whimsical in the first book while Tyber was bemused and enchanted (this was well before manic pixie dream girls became oversaturated in our culture.) The second book, she's a nut and he's a prankster know-it-all.
Zanita proposed to Tyber but then tells him she doesn't want to get married because they'll become boring. He decides to prove her wrong by whisking her off to an island adventure where there may be ghosts. Blooey (cook) and Hambone (cat), of course, are going to come along. Zanita's Auntie shows up as well. We even see Mills and Gregor (and his son Cody) a couple of times though the conversation is basically the same in both.

Two stars

This book came out October 1, 1998 

Tyber and Zanita #2

Follows High Energy

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Royally Pucked by Pippa Grant

What do you do with a spare royal heir when he's acting up? Manning Frey's family moves him to the United States where he is on a professional hockey team. He doesn't mean to knock up Gracie Diamonte but he's not exactly upset about it. Except that he's technically sort of engaged. 

Gracie isn't thrilled to be pregnant but that's what life is. She finds Manning incredibly charming but isn't ready to believe that he is read to settle down with a woman like her, she barely graduated high school and is from nowheresville Alabama.

Not as fun as other books from Pippa Grant but still a fast read and enjoyable enough to finish.

Three stars

This book came out April 6, 2018

The Copper Valley Thrusters #2

Follows Pilot & the Puck-up

Followed by Beauty & the Beefcake

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

The Spy Test by Joel Jessup

stars
This book comes out October 8, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Quarto Publishing Group - Ivy Press and NetGalley

Opinions are my own