Cloche & Dagger (Hat Shop Mystery #1) by Jenn McKinlay

About This Book:

Goodreads Summary

✥Series/Trilogy/Stand-Alone, etc:  Series #1

✥Release Date:  July 6, 2013

✥Setting:  London, England

✥Page Count:  281

✥Format: Mass Market Paperback
✥Genre(s):  Cozy Mystery, Romance, Fiction, Adult
✥Date(s) Read: 1/16-1/29
✥Rating:              Book:    3/5             Audio:     3/5              Narrator:  Karyn O'Bryant

My Thoughts:

Audio: 
Listened to his one on scribd. I liked her enough to finish it but she wasn't one of my favorites. Not sure what it was that kept me from completely liking her though. 

Book:
Enjoyed it a lot more than I expected to. I don't think any will top my favorite series by her (Cupcake Bakery Mystery) but for me, it was still pretty good. I tried reading the Library Lover's Mystery series but after three books,  I finally gave up because I realized it wasn't going to get any better for me. Not a bad book series, just not for me. 

I do love Jenn McKinlay's writing. I also have the first book in her romance series on my shelf now. I hope to get to that one before the end of the year as well. 

Believe it or not, my favorite characters weren't even the main character or her "crush". It was her friends Nick & Andre. A funny couple that were just a hot mess! In a good way of course! The interest, I like, but it took me a while to warm up to him. The main character was okay for me. One thing that bothered me about the book though is that she kept calling the ex a rat bastard. He was, but still, I felt like it was being over used. I did enjoy the book enough to go on to the second book with little expectations. I can hope it gets better but I won't get those hopes up too high though.

Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix (H.P. #5) by J.K. Rowling

About This Book:

Goodreads Summary

✥Series/Trilogy/Stand-Alone, etc:  Series #5

✥Release Date:  June 21, 2003

✥Setting:  Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizadry (U.K.)

✥Page Count:  870

✥Format:  Hardcover
✥Genre(s):  Fantasy, YA, Fiction, Magic
✥Date(s) Read:
✥Rating(s):       Book:   3/5        Audio:   4/5              Narrator:  Jim Dale

Audio:
 I always enjoy Jim Dale's narrations. 

Book:
Took a while because I just went with it when I felt like reading and well, this is a big book. I kept reminding myself in some parts that these are just kids and some reactions/actions are just due to age. There isn't a whole lot to say beyond that without spoilers. Still really enjoyed the book. I am glad that I finally started reading this series. It's really fun and I can see why it is so popular, even to this day. This book is one of my biggest accomplishments so far this year because of the shear size of it! 

Planing on finishing the last couple of them before the year is out. So, of course, that gives me 11 more months to get to them. Hopefully I will get to the next one within the next couple of months or so. 

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

About This Book:

✥Series/Trilogy/Stand-Alone, etc:  Stand Alone

✥Release Date:  April 9, 2011

✥Setting:  Lakeview, NC

✥Page Count:  402

✥Format: Paperback
✥Genre(s):  YA, Romance, Contemporary, Women/Chick Lit, Coming of Age, Realistic Fiction
✥Date(s) Read: 1/1/18-1/8/18
✥Rating:              Book: 3/5                 Audio: 3/5                     Narrator: Meredith Hagner

Audio:

She sounded young, which is fine, but sometimes she sounded a bit too chipper at times what "too chipper" wasn't needed. Other than that, she was okay. 

Book:

Took a few attempts for me to get into and actually finish it. Even stopping 150 pages or so in and taking a break. I liked it enough to keep reading but as with many of her books I notice, most of them are just okay for me. Not bad but not great either. I get feelings of "when will this get done" quite a bit. I don't know why I keep trying with her books knowing I find them to be just okay. I guess I still have hopes that I will find another book of hers I will love as much as I loved "The Truth About Forever".

I still have 5-6 books on my shelf from her that I need to get through. I am one that I don't like having to get rid of books that I haven't read but I will if I lose interest. I am not quite there yet with her books because as I said, I think I still have hopes for her books. 

I think the only character I really and truly liked in the book was Dave. The main character was, well, okay. She came off as a bit of a pain sometimes but I understood some of what she felt but it came to a point that I was ready to smack her, hard! Her friend Deb/Debbie (whatever her name was lol), was a bit OCD'ish and a total perfectionist. She seemed like a sweet person but she was another one I wish I could have shook. Of the parents, I guess I did like the dad most, but Dessen did write them for you to like one over the other. 

There really isn't a lot that I have to say about this book than I already have. So, I guess I will just hush now and try to figure out what I want to read next. Or, maybe even just figure out something to watch.  :-)