Les's Book Nook

  Title  - Mad Honey Author  - Jodi Picoult & Jennifer Finney Boylan __________________________________________________________________________________ spice 🌶 - 2 (not a good kind) scare 😱 - 1.5 plot 📖 - 3 characters 🧍- 4 stars ⭐ - 3.5 This book is a hard one to rate. On one hand, I loved it and I think it'll stick with me for a while, which is uncommon for me. On the other, I got bored - SO BORED. This book grabbed my attention immediately and kind of gave me  Where the Crawdads Sing  vibes. A good fiction book with a side of knowledge is when I really fall head over heels for a book. It makes a book feel worth it when I feel like I learned something for my Tuesday night trivia. However, the similarities between  Mad Honey  &  Where the Crawdads Sing  ends there. The characters in this book have depth and you feel their emotions, especially Olivia & Lily since it is told through their points of view. I read this book with a friend who is an avid Jodi Picoult book

  Title  - Italy on a Plate: Travels, Memories, Menus Author  - Susan Gravely & Frances Mayes (foreword)  __________________________________________________________________________________ stars ⭐ - 3   *I won this Kindle version in a giveaway* When I started this review I gave it 4 stars - as I wrote this review I lowered it to 3 because part of this cookbook really grinds my gears.  To start off with the good things about this cookbook  1. It is VERY aesthetically pleasing. The photos are great and the layout is consistent, yet differentiated enough that you don't get bored. However, I wish the publisher would have given away hard copies and not Kindle editions because I think the layout is lost on the Kindle version. 2. The book has a good balance between those classic and well-known Italian staples (gnocchi, meatballs, and tiramisu) to some that will really expand your knowledge and palette of Italian cuisine.  3. The recipes are very concise and easy to follow.  4. Every r

  Title  - Zero Days Author  - Ruth Ware __________________________________________________________________________________ spice 🌶 - 1 scare 😱 - 3 (suspenseful scare) plot 📖 - 4 characters 🧍- 4 stars ⭐ - 4      Ruth Ware was one of those authors that I saw her books constantly and always wanted to pick one up and read, but just never did. Then I was sent Zero Days courtesy of a Goodreads giveaway from the publisher. I was stoked. This book is a little out of my comfort zone so I was worried I wouldn't like it, but I did (a lot). It got slow for a bit in the middle but there were still enough exciting points that I feel this was a 4-star read.      The characters in this book are very well written and Ware does an excellent job at explaining some things I have absolutely no idea about without it getting textbooky. I love books that I feel like I actually learned something from.       Overall I think the book is well worth a read. Especially if you're someone like me who ten

Title  - People We Meet on Vacation Author  - Emily Henry __________________________________________________________________________________ spice 🌶 - 3 scare 😱 - 0 plot 📖 - 3 characters 🧍- 4 stars ⭐ - 3      In my opinion, this book is the definition of a 3-star book. It wasn't bad, but it also was not anything I was screaming from the rooftops about. This book made me laugh and there were some deep moments but overall it was just pointless chatter. Also, why this book got over 300 pages I have no idea, but it shouldn't have.  Poppy really did have some lines that stuck with me. This is the first book I have ever highlighted.  My first highlight and absolute favorite line of the whole book:  "Apparently the completion of long-term goals often leads to depression. It’s the journey, not the destination, babe, and whatever the fuck else those throw pillows say. ” And some other honorable mentions:  "And not that there’s any reason to compare the two, or any two bodi

     Is it too early to start thinking about spooky season? Most definitely. Do I care? Not one bit. Halloween has been my favorite holiday since I was a kid. I love it because there are no expectations on what you're supposed to do, especially once you're an adult. Want to dress up? Cool. Want to throw a crazy party with all your friends? Fantastic. Want to stay curled up on the couch with candy and your fav spooky movie? Sweet. Want to do absolutely nothing? All good. Because this holiday is a favorite of mine I plan early, even my books.  I wanted to share with you all the books I am planning to read this fall!  DISCLAIMER *these books are geared towards horror, mystery, and thriller readers. If you do not like all things spooky and scary, these might not be for you! And as always please check trigger warnings.* ___________________________________________________________________________________ #1 The Butcher and the Wren - Alaina Urquhart      I am SO ready to finally rea