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The Unfortunate Side Effects of Heartbreak and Magic
Breanne Randall. Contemporary romance/witchcraft. I wanted to like this book: a small town family with cozy magic, a handsome neighbor, and recipes at the end of each chapter? Maybe an Alice Hoffman vibe with warm croissant on the side? Yes please! The basic summary is, Sadie is a baker whose magic comes with a curse of four heartbreaks and she struggles with family secrets while her grandmother dies. Sounds straightforward. But right from the beginning, I needed more exposit
Danielle Marinello
May 162 min read


Yesteryear
Caro Claire Burke. Contemporary Fiction. I'll admit, it took much longer than it should have for me to realize what was going on in this story. There weren't really plot twists as much as plot options, and I kept pushing away the one that seemed obvious but unfeasible. I enjoyed the book - an interesting topic, unlikable characters, the delicious allure of passing judgment on all of them. I am still confused about a few things: did Natalie sexually assault the producer or was
Danielle Marinello
May 31 min read


The Master Butchers Singing Club
Louise Erdrich. Historical fiction. Sweet but gritty, this book left me feeling expansive and full. I could have read dozens more chapters (Louise, you ended it too soon). I love reading books about people working hard, cleaning and cooking and practicing trades; it makes me feel as though in another life I could have been that busy. My only complaint is, towards the end of the book, time began passing in large chunks; the story skipped over years at a time, and I missed the
Danielle Marinello
May 21 min read
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