I’m going to try something new, in order to hold myself accountable and keep myself in check with NetGalley.
Each month (theoretically…) I will list the new NetGalley titles that I’ve been approved to read, the publication date and genre, a very brief summary, and why I chose this book.
I will also include my current, at time of writing the monthly roundup, feedback ratio. (This is the percentage of reviews I’ve submitted in comparison to the total number of books I’ve been approved for.)
This first one is going to be a big one, as I’ll be including everything from my backlog that I plan to tackle.
Here goes!
Current Feedback Ratio: 75%
Four Found Dead by Natalie D. Richards (May 2, 2023) – YA Thriller
ABOUT: A group of teens get trapped in a defunct shopping mall with a killer on their last day of working at the attached movie theatre.
WHY I chose it: I chose this book because 1. I used to work for a movie theatre (it’s where I met my hubs!) and 2. I’ve read two other books by Richards, years ago from NetGalley, and really enjoyed them. I’m currently reading this one and not liking it AS much as I remember the previous, but I’m still enjoying it.
Garden of Thorns by Amber Mitchell (March 6, 2017) – YA Fantasy
ABOUT: A burlesque troupe of slave girls escape during a performance, enlisting the help of a dangerously charasmatic wanted man.
WHY I chose it: I’m just now getting back into YA fantasy (THANKS C. J REDWINE!) and this sounded like an interesting read. There are at least 3 books in this series. And I liked the cover. 🥴
Financial Fives by Gary Grewal (October 16, 2020) – Non-Fiction, Finance
ABOUT: “…a quick-read personal finance book with actionable tips on each page.”
WHY I chose it: Let’s be real, I’m not getting any younger, and I’d like to retire someday! LOL I will take any and all personal finance tips.
Hang the Moon by Alexandria Bellefleur (May 25, 2021) – YA Romance
WHAT: a “rom-com about a hopeless romantic who vows to show his childhood crush that romance isn’t dead by recreating iconic dates from his favorite films…”
WHY I chose it: The cover on this one is super cute. I also thought the concept was super cute!
Pusheen the Cat’s Guide to Everything by Claire Belton (January 10, 2023) – Comic
ABOUT: “Pusheen the Cat is back with a brand-new collection of adorable comics, expert advice, and silly antics featuring Pusheen and all her friends!”
WHY I chose it: It’s Pusheen. Do I need any other reason to have requested this book??? I’ve flipped through some of the pages, but have not yet sat down to read it. I need to get both my kids together and sit down with them and just page through, because I know they’ll appreciate it as much as I will, if not more!
Sweeter Than Chocolate by Lizzie Shane (January 17, 2023) – Romance
ABOUT: Lucy’s chocolate shop—and their secret recipe for Cupid chocolates—has been in the family for generations. Rumor has it, if you eat one on Valentine’s Day, you’ll meet your soulmate. Now, her family’s chocolate shop legend is at stake.
WHY I chose it: FINALLY I’m getting approved for audiobooks! Y’all, I can fly through audiobooks like nobody’s business, but books I have to read with my eyeballs take MUCH longer. I selected this book because 1. It was an audiobook!!!! and 2. I’ve been on a cute romance kick lately. (I’ll have to get some of my recent reads, from before I started blogging again, here on the blog.) Anyway, this one seemed really cute.
Off the Map by Trish Doller (March 7, 2023) – Romance
ABOUT: “Trish Doller’s idyllic romance Off the Map proves sometimes a wrong turn can lead to the exact right destination.”
WHY I chose the book: This sounded like a cute “travel” book with two characters who aren’t looking for love. It just sounds cute.
Mr. & Mrs. Witch by Gwenda Bond (March 7, 2023) – Paranormal Romance
ABOUT: “…a couple discovers at the altar the surprising secret identities they’ve kept from each other.”
WHY I chose this book: It’s basically Mr. & Mrs. Smith (the movie with Brangelina), except SHE’S a secret witch, and HE’S a secret witch hunter! This sounds like absolute chaos in the best way!
The Last Beekeeper by Julie Carrick Dalton (March 7, 2023) – Mystery/Thriller – Women’s Fiction
ABOUT: “Sasha Severn has returned to her childhood home with one goal in mind—find the mythic research her father, the infamous Last Beekeeper, hid before he was incarcerated.”
WHY I chose this book: I love a good mystery/thriller, especially if there’s personal drama involved. This one could be really good, or really boring. Stay tuned and I’ll let you know once I get around to reading it!
Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller (March 28, 2023) – Historical Romance
ABOUT: “Hotel of Secrets is chock full of banter-filled shenanigans, must-have-you kisses, and romance certain to light a fire in the hearts of readers everywhere.”
WHY I chose it: For starters, the cover is pretty. Nothing super unique about it, but I’m a sucker for a pretty cover! Secondly, on occasion, I enjoy a good historical romance. Plus that little blurb above sounds fun!
Tell Me What Really Happened by Chelsea Sedoti (April 4, 2023) – YA Mystery/Thriller
ABOUT: “There are stories about the woods around Salvation Creek and the people who have gone missing. Now their friend is one of them. A riveting, fast-paced YA mystery told entirely through first person police interviews of four teens over the course of a few hours.”
WHY I chose it: Not gonna lie, when I decided to start reading & reviewing on NetGalley again at the end of 2022, I went on a spree requesting YA mystery/thrillers. This was one of those. I’m intrigued by the fat that it’s told entirely through police interviews, I want to see if Sedoti can pull this off.
Dirty Laundry by Disha Bose (April 4, 2023) – Mystery/Thriller – Women’s Fiction
ABOUT: “She was the perfect wife, with the perfect life. You would kill to have it... Then Ciara is found murdered in her own pristine home, and the house of cards she’d worked so hard to build comes crumbling down. Everyone seems to have something to gain from Ciara’s death, so if they don’t want the blame, it may be the perfect time to air their enemies’ dirty laundry.”
WHY I chose it: Okay, NetGalley has GOT to stop sending me emails with books they want me to read, because whey they sound as good as this one, I’m GOING to request it! Look at that blurb above! How could I pass this one up???
Throwback by Maureen Goo (April 11, 2023) – YA Romance
ABOUT: “A time-hopping, big-hearted adventure about a teen who travels back to the ’90s to team up with her teenaged mother.”
WHY I chose it: I’m an 80’s baby that grew up in the late 90’s, early 2000’s so I am REALLY looking forward to this blast from the past! I’m so excited for this one, I think it may jump in front of some of the earlier books! I’ve heard about Maureen Goo for many years, but have never actually read one of her books. Maybe I’ll be a new fan? Plus, I’m hoping to learn a little more about Korean culture. Both of my sisters are adoptees from Korea.
You Won’t Believe Me by Cyn Balog (June 27, 2023) – YA Mystery/Thriller
ABOUT: “Willow is alone, confined to a bed with restraints. She can’t remember how she got there…or how long she’s been there. An old lady appears in her room to feed her twice a day. Granny doesn’t talk, but Willow can hear thumping from somewhere beyond her door. It’s not Granny’s shuffling steps. It’s too loud to be Granny’s cat. Is it someone? Something?”
WHY I chose it: This was another casualty of my mystery/thriller NetGalley request binge. I’ve read another book by Cyn Balog and I liked the twisty ending enough on that one to request this one!
Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher (Nov 28, 2023) – LGBTQIAP+ YA
ABOUT: “It’s been hundreds of years since King Arthur’s reign. His descendant, Arthur, a future Lord and general gadabout, has been betrothed to Gwendoline, the quick-witted, short-tempered princess of England, since birth. The only thing they can agree on is that they despise each other… ” Too bad Art is into Gwen’s brother, and Gwen has a huge crush on lady knight Bridget Leclair.
WHY I chose it: Did you READ what I wrote above? This isn’t enemies to lovers, this is enemies to allies. Because according to the rest of the blurb, they team up to cover for one another. I can’t wait to see where this goes! NetGalley has actually given me a CRAZY long time to read this one (yay!) so I won’t get to it for a while… unless the mood strikes me. 🙂
And that’s it… for now!
As I acquire new NetGalley titles (OH PLEASE NO! I already bit off more than I can chew! 😂 ) I will be adding them to my reading list, linked in the top menu.
So, did any of these titles catch your interest? Share in the comments!
