Author: hadleybooks

June 18th Book Releases

June 18, 2024

1.) The Midnight Feast

Author: Lucy Foley

From the author of The Guest List comes another locked-room mystery where not everyone will make it out alive. At the opening weekend of The Manor, a luxury resort in an ancient forest, the guests each have their own agenda. On the guest list: the founder, the lover, the mystery guest, the kitchen help, and the detective.

2.) Middle of the Night

Author: Riley Sager

When he was ten years old, Ethan camped out in his backyard with his best friend Billy only to awaken in the morning to find their tent slashed open and Billy gone. Thirty years later, Ethan returns to his childhood home. Odd happenings force Ethan to reexamine what happened and lead him to the nearby forest where a clandestine group is studying a crumbling mansion.

3.) The Next Mrs. Parrish

Author: Liv Constantine

In The Last Mrs. Parrish, Amber was able to claw her way to become Jackson Parrish’s wife. While Jackson has been serving time for tax evasion, Amber has enjoyed being the queen bee of Bishops Harbor. With Jackson’s release from prison imminent, Amber’s time and money is running out. Meanwhile, Daphne has never looked back after divorcing Jackson. But when her daughter runs away desperate to see Jackson, Daphne must return to Bishops Harbor and reenter a vicious cat-and-mous game.

4.) Same As It Ever Was

Author: Claire Lobardo

At fifty-seven, Julia Ames has left behind the drama and self-sabotage that plagued her younger years and settled into a happy marriage in the suburbs. Then, a chance meeting with an old acquaintance who almost resulted in the end of her marriage sends Julia for a loop. Compounded by her upcoming empty nest, her son’s shock announcement, and her estranged mother’s reappearance, Julia finds herself falling into old patterns and questioning her current happiness. 

5.) Lula Dean’s Little Library of Banned Books

Author: Kirsten Miller

In little Troy, Georgia, Beverly Underwood and Lula Dean have always been enemies but their rivalry reaches new levels when Beverly serves on the local school board. In a crusade to ban anything questionable from the school library, even if she hasn’t read it, Lula Dean creates a lending library outside her house full of wholesome books. Except someone has replaced Lula’s books with “banned” books which end up changing the lives of the townspeople who read them.

The Kiss Quotient

June 17, 2024

Have you never had trouble admitting you needed assistance with something, have you ever tried online dating before? Well do I have a story for you. When Stella needs help in the bedroom, she turns to online dating apps for assistance and what could possibly go wrong with that.

Stella who has Asperger’s and has never really dated anyone and had slept with 3 men in her past. Really only for them and never to her satisfaction. So she figured that she turned to online dating/escorting sites for guidance. She made it quite clear she only wanted practice and never a relationship. That’s because she already had someone in mind. She just needed to build confidence. That’s was of course she met Michael. The escort from online.

Michael it turns out was the most down-to-earth patient man for the job. He accepted the fact that Stella had a checklist and that this was only going to be a one time thing. However, he shortly realized that things were going to go slow and that Stella was going to need more than one night to be comfortable.

Like I said in the past, it is the characters that make a story for me and it was no different with this one. Truthfully I wasn’t totally sold on the plot of the story at first. However, once I was introduced to Stella and Michael and got to learn more and more about them, I was sold!

One thing I truly appreciate about Helen Hoang is that she writes about characters with neurological disorders in such a bright light. So many times we read about these people in a bad light. And in Helen Hoang stories they get to shine and I absolutely love that! In this story both Michael and Stella had flaws and stars and they were treated all the same!!

Us Against You

May 27, 2024

Have you heard about Beartown? A town dedicated to their towns hockey team! Do you enjoy reading about a town divided but all the while the town is trying to pick themselves up from a terrible situation and they just are struggling to do so! Well do I have a book for you! It is called “Us Against You” by Fredrik Backman. A story of a small towns trials and tribulations!

Beartown has never been the same after their star hockey player is accused of attacking the coach’s daughter and is forced out of town. Leaving the town and the girl Mia to pick up the pieces of what he destroyed. The town is now divided like never before. The once popular hockey is dismantled and half the team goes to the next town over to play. While the loyal players stay and try to create a team with what is left.

My favorite aspect of Fredrik Backmans stories of his characters. The characters make the stories what they are. His characters have backstories, strengths, weaknesses and depth to them. These are characters that you fall in love with, cry for and root for from beginning to end. Mia, Anna, Benji, and their families really made the town of Beartown what it is. A town is just a town. But a town is a home with the people who live in it!

From the every first book that I’ve read from Fredrik “A Man Called Ove” to this one, I have fallen in love with all of his characters! That is why I will always read a book by Fredrik Backman.

Iron Flame

May 6, 2024

Are you a big fan of Iron Fame? Have you been wondering what Violet and Xaden have been up to since we last left them? Well do I have a book for you! “Iron Flame” written by Rebecca Yarros Iron Flame is a continuation of the Fourth Wring Saga.

 

In the 2nd installment of the series, Violet is now in her second year at the war college of Basgiath War College and is now is charge of watching the first years. When she comes across the younger sister of one of friends that passed away the previous year, she now has to earn her trust with the sister who blames Violet for her brothers death.

 

Never mind trying to get through school at Basgiath, she also has to go against her mother wishes and goes to the front line of the war to defend her homeland.

 

Even though I enjoyed Fourth Wing more for the world building and character building, I did enjoy Iron Flame as well. I appreciated the family dynamics between Violet and her siblings. My other favorite part was that she was finally able to stand up for herself against her mother.

I must say that I did get lost at some points throughout the story with everything that was going on. However, I believe at Rebecca Yarros has hit gold with these characters, plot lines and world building. I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

King of Pride

April 10, 2024

Do you enjoy reading about forbidden romance? How about work drama with a little bit of blackmail? Well, I have a book for you! “King of Pride” written by Ana Huang. When a bartender at an exclusive club falls for a club member anything can happen.

Isabella Valencia and Kai Young are not supposed to be together by the club rules. However, their chemistry and passions are undeniable. Kai Young is in a tough time because he is in the middle of a campaign to win the CEO vote of his family business run by his mother. Isabella is trying to prove to her own family that she isn’t wasting her life away living in New York, working as a bartender, and trying to write her book.

I felt that a certain times throughout the story I could relate to Isabella. Especially when she is trying to prove the importance of her passion for writing her book to her family. When all they thought was that it was just a silly little hobby. She believed she had a story to tell and a willingness and a passion to get it down on paper. This is also a passion of mine and I believe that one day I will get to complete this goal.

I enjoy Ana Huang stories because of their forbidden love stories and drama-packed storylines. They might not be the most meaningful or impactful, but they are definitely a guilty pleasure of mine.

Happy Place

March 15, 2024

Do you have a happy place? Do you believe in 2nd chance love stories? Well do I have a story for you! “Happy Place” by Emily Henry when a group of college friends get together one last time anything could happen.

Harriet and Wyn met in college, fell in love and got engaged. Life got in the way, they grew apart and broke up. However, they have to reunite for the last annual friends week away up in Maine and the thing is no one knows they broke up! So they have to out on happy faces in their happy place!

I related two things in this story. 1.) the fact that Maine was their Happy Place. I also consider Maine one of my happy places. My family and I love to have day trips up to Maine, to have a nice seafood dinner, a little shopping and then a nice walk on the beach. In fact, Maine was the location that we chose to have our last large family vacation right before my dad past away. For that reason alone Maine will always hold a special place in my heart!

And 2.) I related to the fact that Harriet believed that she was going to disappoint her parents when she tells them she doesn’t want to be a Doctor anymore. I am currently working in the financial industry and it is something that my parents have been incredibly proud of. And disappointing them will always be my biggest fear. However, it has left me with anxiety, stress and a severe case of the Sunday scaries. I just feel as though I will never be enough for the institution because I simply don’t have the passion for it.

I have always dreamed of doing something in Journalism, writing a book, talking about books and that is the reason why I started this blog in the first place. As a place to start working on my passion.

I would highly recommend “Happy Place” by Emily Henry if you want a feel good, story that will have you crying, smiling and laughing all the way through! ❤️

The Maid

March 4, 2024

Have you ever read about a hotel maid, Murder and Deception? Well do I have a book for you! “The Maid” written by Nita Prose is a story of a very trustworthy, loveable maid and a murder that takes you on a wild ride.

Molly Gray loves her job and the consistency that it brings being a maid at the well-known Regency Hotel. Especially with the death of her beloved grandmother. Being able to work at the hotel has helped Molly cope with her loss. However, when Molly finds a high-class and long-term guest Mr.Black dead in his hotel room, she could have never predicted what could have transpired next.

Molly has been one of my favorite characters in a book in a long time. She is the most considerate, kind, and trustworthy person. However, with her hard time understanding people and understanding social cues, on top of her trustworthy nature, she finds herself in a troubling position.

I enjoyed this book from the very first page to the very last page. All of the characters had important roles in the storyline whether they were loveable or not. I would highly recommend this story for anyone who enjoys a good mystery book!!

Daisy Jones & The Six

February 19, 2024

Do you enjoy reading about sex, drugs, and rock & Roll, do you enjoy reading about bands in the 60’s? Well, I have a book for you!! “Daisy Jones and the Six “written by Taylor Jenkins Reid. It is a story of the struggles of an up-and-coming band in the 1960s.

Daisy Jones dreamed of becoming a singer and the Dunne brothers dreamed of creating a world-famous band. So when their manager was looking for someone to do a duet with them and he heard Daisy Jones perform he knew she had something special. When Daisy Jones and the Dunne brothers band finally joined forces they created magic and quickly shot to the top of the charts.

This story is loosely based on the creation of the Fleetwood band, an American-British band formed in 1967. And the ups and downs of their success.

I enjoyed this book very much. Taylor Jenkins Reid does a great job of depicting the lives of musicians and the challenges that they face in the industry. By creating characters that might have that rough and tough, rock and roll persona but at the same time have a down-to-earth side, Taylor was able to show what goes on behind the scenes and the dynamic that the different bandmates have with each other both professionally and personally. It was a really sweet story of what was, what is, and what it could have continued to be!

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves reading about the music industry!

King of Wrath

January 31, 2024

Do you enjoy books that involve arranged marriages? How about books about blackmailing and how about reading about high society? If you said yes to any of these, oh how I have a book for you!! “King of Wrath” written by Ana Huang. When plans don’t go has planned, Vivian finds herself in an arranged marriage that once again doesn’t go as planned.

In Vivian’s family, if you are not married and having a family with a man who has been approved by the parents, by a certain age, you will be forced into an arranged marriage. That is exactly what happened to Vivian. Now she finds herself in an arranged relationship with a well-known member of high society Dante Russo. However, Dante is hiding a secret that could hold the potential of ruining everything.

The first thing you must know is that I am a sucker for any books that involve high society, a strong-headed female and a powerful, with a dash of a puppy-like heart for a male character!! And let me tell you, this book had everything!! Including a mixture of a dark and sneaky past from at least one of the main characters!! Between the Twisted Series and now this book, I know that Ana Huang as become one of my go to authors for a good guiltily pleasure romance book!!

Ninth House

January 25, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Society Life, Mystery and Magic are just a few of many words that have come to my mind after reading “Ninth House” written by Leigh Bardugo. When Alex Stern gets adopted into a Magic based society at Yale University anything could happen.

Alex Stern was not just your average college drop out living in California. She was hiding a traumatic pass and a hidden power. After another traumatic accident she finds herself in the hospital bed facing a second chance. The second chance is to go to Yale University on a free ride and with a mission to monitor the secret societies on campus. This take Alex on a wild ride of magic rituals and solving murders

One thing I enjoyed from this book is storytelling of the society and what was happening right in front of everyone, and what was also happening behind closed doors. I also appreciated the murder mystery aspect of this story as well.

However, I did find myself having difficulty following along with story. For example, I had a hard time figuring out how some of the characters were connected. Also trying to figure out what the true mission the characters were trying to accomplish.