Category: book review

Book Review: Rewrite the Stars, by Lindsay Hameroff

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press | St. Martin’s Griffin,

Title: Rewrite the Stars
Author: Lindsay Hameroff
Genre: Romance
Rating: 4 out of 5

A sparkling romance between an ex-actress and her contractor, reminding us that it’s never too late to rewrite our destiny.

Semi-retired actress Marissa Morgan has played many parts in her life. But these days, her primary role is mother of two. Since hitting pause on her career, she’s worked hard to give her kids a normal childhood and shield them from the spotlight. So when her ex-husband announces his high-profile engagement and a media storm ensues, Marissa and her kids flee Los Angeles for a summer at her recently inherited Poconos lake house.

The long-vacant house needs major TLC, so Marissa hires a home renovation company to do repairs. But when the project hits a snag and Marissa finds herself sharing space with the crew, including Jesse, the handsome (and vaguely familiar) foreman, her plans for a drama-free summer hit choppy water.

Jesse doesn’t expect Marissa to remember him; they were just kids when they last played together at the lake. But he’s never forgotten her; he’s spent the last two decades quietly following her career, even as his own dreams fell apart. And now that she’s stumbled back into his sleepy hometown, Jesse’s predictable life has gotten a lot more complicated.

As the summer days pass, Marissa finds herself centering her own needs for the first time in years—and that includes giving into her mounting attraction to Jesse. Soon, she finds herself wondering if their fling could become something more.

After an unexpected career opportunity falls into Marissa’s lap, it feels like the stars have finally aligned. But when new complications arise, the pair wonder how they’ll fit into each other’s future. Can Marissa and Jesse chart a new course together, or is it too late to rewrite the script for a happily ever after?

This was a sweet romantic read. Not quite a second-chance romance, but I really enjoyed it. The Hollywood/social media drama Marissa has to live with is horrifying to me, but she deals with it with aplomb and serenity—on the surface anyway. I enjoyed seeing her step into becoming a person willing to stand up for herself and her own needs, not just caving to the demands of Hollywood, her ex-husband, and even her kids. This would be a perfect summer weekend read.

Lindsay Hameroff is from Baltimore. Rewrite the Stars is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | St. Martin’s Griffin in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Pretty Dead Things, by Kelsey Cox  

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books.

Title: Pretty Dead Things
Author: Kelsey Cox             
Genre: Mystery/thriller  
Rating: 4 out 5

2000: Isabelle Whitmore vanishes at Sherman Ranch in Anhalt, Texas, without a trace.

2025: The annual Lone Star Princess Pageant looms, bringing long-standing grudges to the surface. Ingrid fled Anhalt in the wake of her sister Isabelle’s disappearance and has now returned, just in time for a construction crew to start digging up Sherman Ranch; the pageant brings up past traumas that Melanie can’t forget; Cat, newly sober, starts to feel threatened in ways that bring back old demons; and Sarah Lynn, who comes from a long line of pageant winners, knows that losing is not an option.

When old resentments and new confrontations reach their boiling point, temperatures drop to deadly degrees as a record-setting storm brings down the state’s power grid. With everyone trapped under one roof, scores will be settled, and more than one person will end up dead.

Not going to lie: the portrayal of pageant culture (especially pageant moms) felt pretty spot-on. This was an engrossing read, and I enjoyed both the present-day scenes and the past scenes. The characters were all quite vivid and there were enough twists and turns that I kept changing my mind about who the killer was—and I never actually did figure it out.

Kelsey Cox lives in the Hill Country. Pretty Dead Things is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.)

   

Sundays are for Writing #378

This week was a good writing week. I wrote my June reading post, my best books I read in June post, and two book reviews, Pretty Dead Things, by Kelsey Cox and Rewrite the Stars, by Lindsay Hameroff.

And I think I have the beginnings of a fiction idea.

Happy writing!

The Best Books I Read in June (2026)

In June, I read 17 books, bringing my total for the year to 84 books read. I also DNFed a handful, but we won’t talk about those. Of the 17 I finished, several were really good.

The Secret Thread, by Eve Chase. I really enjoyed this dual timeline/historical fiction/mystery mashup. The MC was very vivid in both timelines, and I loved seeing how she became who she was.

When Dealing with Dragons, by Dana Swift. This was a unique read for me. I loved the world and the culture, and I thought the characters were well done, too. I’d love to read more in this world!

Don’t Forget to Write, by Sara Goodman Confino. I absolutely loved this! The MC’s parents, particularly her dad, were horrible, but her aunt Ava was so inspiring! The voice was phenomenal and I just loved every page. Great ending, too.

What I Read in June (2026)

Books Read in June: 17
Books Read for the Year:  84/225

Topical Books/Monthly Goal Books:
The Girl Who Stopped Swimming, by Joshilyn Jackson (audio): This did not turn out like I expected! I love Joshilyn Jackson’s Southern fiction.
Strange New World, by Rachel Vincent (TBR): This was a decent YA duology.
Don’t Forget to Write, by Sara Goodman Confino (TBR): I LOVED this!
The Road Towards Home, by Corinne Demas (TBR): I enjoyed this read, although I found the ending a little too quick and tidy.
Out of the Ashes, by Kara Thomas (TBR): I’m surprised I finished this. The MC was awful.
For Whom the Spell Tolls, by Devon Monk (TBR): This is a cute series.
Desiring God, by John Piper (spiritual): Very deep read.

For Review:

Scandal of the Summer, by Alexandra Vasti. This was a decent romance read.

The Secret Thread, by Eve Chase. I enjoyed this a lot–both timelines. Some mystery, family drama, cool fashion/historical stuff. A very solid read.

Cursed Ever After, by Andy C. Naranjo. This felt a bit like The Princess Bride. It was funny in places, a bit over-the-top, and just generally solid. A storybook type of fantasy.

When Dealing with Dragons, by Dana Swift. I thought the world/culture in this read was very unique. I enjoyed that very much, and I like all the characters. The hidden secret was also very cool.

Witch Season, by Julia Bianco. I finished this, but it felt pretty meh to me.

The River She Became, by Emily Varga. I really enjoyed this read. It felt unique and fresh and I liked the world a lot.

Pretty Dead Things, by Kelsey Cox. Man, pageant culture is real in Texas. And this was a pretty ugly look at the inside of it–with an unexpected (to me, anyway) twist at the end.

Rewrite the Stars, by Lindsay Hameroff. I really enjoyed this! I think the banter between the MC and her best friend was my favorite part, but this was a sweet, lovely read.

Just Because:
Anxious for Nothing, by Max Lucado (Audio): Anything by Max Lucado is good.
I’ll Start Again Monday, by Lysa TerKeurst. I really enjoyed this. Made me think.

Left Unfinished:
Leave and Come Back, by Lavanya Lakshmi. I had to put this down because I was busy, and never felt the urge to pick it back up.
La Vie, According to Rose, by Lauren Parvizi. I absolutely refuse to read about stupid people, and Rose is stupid. How many times can you lose your phone or keys or something else important while in a foreign country? How do you blatantly refuse to see the con man in front of you, when everyone else on the planet can see it? Ugh.
Most Ardently Yours, by Freya Sampson. I can’t believe I DNFed this, but the MC got on every single nerve I have and I couldn’t stand to read more.
Everything Was Beautiful and Nothing Hurt, by Ben Reeves. This started off slow and did not catch my attention. At all.

Book Review: The River She Became, by Emily Varga

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books.

Title: The River She Became
Author: Emily Varga              
Genre: Fantasy, YA  
Rating: 4 out of 5

I’m going across the River. And I’m going to save us all.

Yaseema is a brilliant scholar and loyal servant of the Empire—or so they think. By day, she catalogs the fae relics of her conquered kingdom. But by night, she reclaims the artefacts in secret to restore magic to her dying land.

Until she finds the long lost key to cross the River into the fae world and save her people. But a ruthless realm awaits her there, ruled by monsters wearing beautiful skin—especially the cold-eyed captain who sees through her lies. But even he isn’t what he seems—under the guise of upholding a cruel regime, he works to overthrow it from the inside. To succeed, he needs the same lost relic Yaseema the crown of an ancient Fae Queen.

With magic that is a mystery even to her, Yaseema can help him find the crown and save his family from a fate worse than death. Unless she steals it first to help her own.

To survive, they must work together to outwit ancient curses, battle creatures born of nightmares, and find a power that could resurrect their worlds. But as secrets unravel and loyalties blur, they face the greatest danger of losing their heart to each other.

I enjoyed this read. It felt unique and fresh, and I liked the characters and the world. The magic was interesting, too. Several layers of conflict happening at once, plus the enemies-to-lovers trope helped keep me engaged. I never totally understood the different factions and politics of what was going on, but this was still a solid read.

Emily Varga is a bestselling author. The River She Became is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Witch Season, by Julia Bianco     

Image belongs to St. Martin’s Press.

Title: Witch Season
Author: Julia Bianco       
Genre: Fantasy  
Rating: 3.5 out of 5

That is the price of magic – not just the blood, but the pain to bring it out.

Katherine Barnes is an enforcer, charged with upholding the rules of the notorious Los Angeles-based Aestas coven. It’s her job to maintain order and bring unsettled witches – people who aren’t aware they have magic until it explodes out of them in a catastrophic burst – into the coven’s fold. As a former unsettled witch, Katherine owes her life to Sylvia Page, coven leader and silver-haired rebel who founded Aestas years ago.

When Silas Khatri, heir to Noctis, the most powerful coven in the world, arrives to take Aestas to task for some of their more unconventional practices, Katherine’s dislike for him reaches blistering levels. She hates his money, his good looks, and his coven’s dangerous attitude towards unsettled witches. She can absolutely overlook that he sets her off in more ways than one.

But a powerful threat is about to rise. Stronger than any one coven. More insidious than the decades-long power struggle that exists in the hidden witch world. One that will pull Katherine and Silas together despite their differences. And one that will lead to an all-out war.

I…didn’t really like these characters—or this world—so it’s kind of surprising I kept reading. It was a quick read, so that helped. Everyone here was morally grey, so that was a problem for me. Katherine was not really a likable person, and I’m still undecided about Silas. That’s my takeaway, and I have no desire to reach more about these people.

Julia Bianco lives in L.A. Witch Season is her debut novel.           

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

       

Sundays are for Writing #377

I only wrote one book review this week, The River She Became, by Emily Varga. I was just too busy for much reading. Hopefully next week will be better.

Happy writing!

Book Review:     When Dealing with Dragons, by Dana Swift  

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Title: When Dealing with Dragons
Author: Dana Swift            
Genre: YA  
Rating: 4.2 out of 5

Copper-crafter Farren Walsh is set on following in her father’s footsteps to become a dragon veterinarian. The only thing more powerful than her love for these magnificent creatures is her hate for those who exploit them for their precious metal. That includes her classmate, an arrogant dragon racer named James Murphy, whose silver-crafting family represents the worst of human greed and dragon abuse―plus, he’s the biggest competition for the college scholarship she desperately needs.

When James strongarms his way into interning at her family’s dragon sanctuary for the summer, it puts everything at risk. Farren isn’t just the plain copper-crafter she seems. She’s hiding a secret that could not only change her life, but their society as a whole. And James, trying to find refuge from his controlling father, harbors his own secret, years-long crush on Farren. Hating James might be harder than she thought, but Farren can’t risk getting too close: the fate of an endangered species is at stake.

This was a cool world/culture. A little dark—the descaling and the class hierarchy—but I really enjoyed the world. The history of the different types of dragons, the way they made metal, the characters, all this combine to make a unique read, and one I really enjoyed. I liked both James and Farren (and Farren’s family) and enjoyed getting to know them more and watching them change. I’d love to read more in this world.

Dana Swift studied English and Advertising. When Dealing with Dragons is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press | Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review.)

Book Review: Cursed Ever After, by Andy C. Naranjo   

Image belongs to Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR).

Title: Cursed Ever After
Author: Andy C. Naranjo             
Genre: Fantasy, YA  
Rating: 3.8 out of 5

Love is not for cursed girls. Risa is better off without it.

Risa Porto is a Bad Thing born on a Bad Day and cursed with Bad Luck. After years of taking the blame for every calamity, mishap, and minor inconvenience that befalls the townspeople of Barrow, she longs for escape. And on her seventeenth birthday, her wish is granted.

Sort of.

Risa owes a (very annoying) witch a favor, and it comes in the form of a quest: escort Prince Javi―the youngest, handsomest, and least significant prince―through the dark (and deadly) Bosque to his wedding. This measly errand quickly spirals into a struggle against greedy assassins, a murderous cult, a vicious tyrant―and Risa’s own curse.

Most unfortunate of all…

She is not immune to Javi’s charms and has a highly irritating urge to kiss the prince. Though, surviving the darkest corners of the Bosque is only the beginning. If Risa is to hold up her end of a witch’s bargain, she’ll need a lot more than luck on her side to untangle the web of lies threatening the kingdom. Is Risa willing to pay the price of happily ever after? What if the only person she’s meant to save is herself?

This was a fun read! It made me laugh quite a bit, and it felt really over-the-top in some spots—but in a good way. I liked the characters, even the ones that were a bit cliché. This was a cute, fun read with some laughs, and would be perfect for a weekend read. It felt a little bit like watching The Princess Bride, honestly.

Andy C. Naranjo is from New York. Cursed Ever After is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group | Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) in exchange for an honest review.)