AUTHOR: Thea Glassman

NARRATORS: Nelson Franklin and Yael Rizowy

REVIEW: Anyone who is a fan of New Girl will adore this book, with all of its insider secrets and behind-the-scenes tidbits. Like most people, I shipped Nick and Jess throughout the whole series and was highly invested in their relationship, so learning more about certain scenes, like their hallway kiss (WOWZA!) was a lot of fun. It was also a treat listening to Nelson Franklin, who played Robby on the show, do part of the narrating. If you’re a fan of the series, then I highly recommend Who’s That Girl. You’ll love it. 

(DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own).

NARRATOR: Florence Howard

RATING: ★★★★

REVIEW: This was my first time reading Freya Sampson’s work, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you’re a fan of Pride & Prejudice, then this story is undeniably the one for you because most of the plot center’s around it. Unfortunately, I’ve never been able to get through the first chapter of it. (Believe me, I’ve tried - many times). Thanks to the movie, which I’ve seen countless times, I was able to keep up with all of the Pride & Prejudice references in this story, but if you know nothing about it, then you might have a little trouble keeping up with the plot of Most Ardently Yours. Let me also note that this book has a lot of fantasy and magic elements, just in case you’re not into things like that. The main characters are all lovable, and most of the secondary characters are too. The narrator, Florence Howard, is spectacular. This was my first time listening to her, and I will definitely be on the lookout for more of her work. There are several dynamics at play in this story besides just romance. On a deeper level, it’s about self-discovery and believing in yourself. I highly recommend it. 

Hello again, dear readers! I don’t know about you, but I am SO tired of this summer heat and humidity, so I’m manifesting fall with this week’s prompt from Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl by listing ten books with the word AUTUMN in the title. I hope you have a great Tuesday!

Ricotta Meatballs:

1 lb. ground turkey 

1/2 cup full-fat ricotta cheese 

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 

1/2 cup panko 

1 teaspoon garlic powder 

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning 

Crispy Topping:

1 jar tomato, marinara, or pasta sauce 

1/4 cup panko 

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese 

2 teaspoons olive oil 

chopped parsley 

DIRECTIONS: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix all meatball ingredients together. Meatballs: Roll mixture into 20-24 small meatballs. Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of a shallow Dutch oven or oven-safe pan to prevent sticking. Put the meatballs in the pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes on a middle oven rack. Gently loosen them from the bottom of the pan with a spatula; they should have some nice browning. Sauce: Add the tomato sauce directly to the pan with the meatballs and stir to get them all coated. Crispy Topping: Mix the 1/4 cup panko, 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 2 teaspoons olive oil, and parsley in a small bowl. Sprinkle on top of the meatballs and sauce. Return to the oven for 5-7 minutes to warm the sauce. Turn on the broiler for the last 2-3 minutes to get the crispies nice and golden.  

NUTRITION INFO: Serves 5; Calories Per Serving: 388; Total Fat 18.7g; Total Carbohydrate 25g; Sugars 8.8g 

(Recipe and photo courtesy of Pinch of Yum) 

NARRATORS: Jenna Lamia and January LaVoy 

RATING: Ebook - ★★★    Audiobook - ★★★★

REVIEW: This was my first time reading Kathryn Stockett’s work, and I really enjoyed it. Having lived in Mississippi my whole life, it was fun being able to follow along with the towns that were mentioned because I’ve been to all of them, and I know several people who lived in Oxford and graduated from Ole Miss. The story itself wasn’t what I expected it would be. (I should also mention that I didn’t read a summary or blurb before I read the book either). So, when it came down to the nitty-gritty of the story, I was kind of caught off guard. (Wish I could elaborate but that would give the whole plot away). But Stockett did the story justice, and I loved getting to know all of the characters. There are several degrees to this story - sad, hopeful, and shocking, just to name a few. If trigger warnings were listed, I’m afraid there would be many, due to the era it takes place in. My only complaint is there was no epilogue. After reading the 600+ pages and getting fully invested in everyone’s lives, I hated not knowing how some of the character’s future’s played out. The audiobook version is absolutely incredible, and the narrators are AMAZING! I would highly recommend the audiobook version over the ebook. 

(DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own).

AUTHOR: Meg Shaffer

NARRATOR: Mia Hutchinson-Shaw

RATING: ★★★

REVIEW: This was my first time reading Meg Shaffer’s work, and The Book Witch was such a fun read. I don’t think there’s a librarian or book lover out there who hasn’t wished they could hop into their favorite books, and that’s exactly what the main character, Rainy, is able to do. Actually, it’s her JOB. (Wouldn’t that be awesome?) My little librarian heart adored all the references to the numerous works of literature mentioned in this story, and I even learned some new things too. (Did you know the Nancy Drew books originally had blue covers? I didn’t!) The narrator, Mia Hutchinson-Shaw did an amazing job too, and I have to admit I especially loved her narration of Rainy’s love interest, Duke. (It was - dare I say it - quite sultry and hypnotic). There’s a lot of different elements to grasp in this book, which could be confusing at times, so there was a good bit of backtracking and re-listening on my part. Just take my advice and try not to get distracted because you might miss something crucial to the plot. Overall, I happily recommend The Book Witch to everyone, and I look forward to reading more of Meg Shaffer’s work in the near future.

(DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this title from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own).