Friday Fives - Five Quick Reviews for Books I've Read Recently

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. This week I'm sharing 5 quick reviews for books I've read recently.

1.  Reading People by Anne Bogel - This was an interesting read and one I'm glad I read as a slow read.  I followed The Modern Mrs. Darcy for years and was an early listener of the What Should I Read Next podcast so when this came out I really wanted to read it.  I haven't followed Bogel for a few years - no reason just got more interested in other things - but I had a little reading time so thought I would pick it up.  While I'm not a huge personality test person I did find it interesting to see how the way you process and deal with emotions and actions can impact the choices you make and how you interact with other people.  It didn't make me want to run out and take a Meyers-Briggs test but it did make me consider why I react the way I do to things and what kind of reaction I'm wanting from those around me.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

2.  Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros - I wasn't really looking forward to this one.  I really liked the first one but found the second book a bit long winded.  This was a pleasant surprise.  I really enjoyed this one both their exploration and the war.   I did really enjoy all the side characters - especially Riddick and their character development.  I find Violet and Xaden to be the least interesting characters so thankfully the romantic scenes weren't constant though they were a bit repetitive.  I'm going to continue with the series though I'm going to wait until it finishes up because this author has never met a cliffhanger she doesn't love and it drives me crazy!  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

3.  What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand - This is the second book in the Paradise trilogy and I still have mixed feelings about it.  I find the story fascinating and I really enjoy the writing.  I like Irene, Huck, and Maia and Cash most of the time.  The rest of the characters are varying degrees of terrible though I will say they are realistic.  While this is the second book it doesn't suffer from second book syndrome.  The story is progressing for both the characters and for the mystery of just what Russ was up to.  I picked up the third book because I do want to find out what happens next but these aren't characters I will miss once the trilogy is done with.  My Rating: Liked It! (3.5 Stars)

4.  The Last Lady B by Eloisa James - I haven't read Eloisa James in forever and this was a fun read!  I liked Evie and most of the residents of the haunted abbey (with the exception of a specific two).  The banter was fun and ghostly bits were entertaining.  I loved Evie finding her confidence and realizing that maybe she didn't have to be perfect all the time.  I liked the romance and the characters fit well together.   The language is very modern for the time period which pulled me out of the story a little.   I also would have preferred for a pivotal point to have happened earlier so as a reader we could get more time in Evie's future.  Overall, this was entertaining and was a good reminder to read more Eloisa James.  My Rating: Really Liked It (4 Stars)

5.  The Valentine Cipher by Anna Elliott and Charles Veley - This is the 8th book in the Homefront Sleuth series and it was just as fun as the previous books.  Evie is flirting with Nancy Drew territory with the frequency she gets hit in the head and kidnapped but it does make it fun.  I loved the investigation into just what is going on with the weddings.  My favorite about this series is the ensemble cast aspect and while Dorothy and Tom didn't have a big of roles as they usually do.  The mystery was good and I love all the characters.  The audio is always well done.  I look forward to new books in the series and spending more time with these characters.  My Rating: Really Liked!  (4 Stars)