Bookishly Jessie

Shine, Pamela! Shine! by Kate Atkinson | Book Review

posted on

6/7/2026

by

Jessie

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Amazon Original Stories, Book Reviews, Kate Atkinson, Literary

Shine, Pamela! Shine! by Kate Atkinson
Series: Out of Line #7
Genre: Literary
Pages: 22
Published By: Amazon Original Stories on 1st September, 2020
Format: Ebook
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Book Synopsis:

Pamela is a newly retired teacher with time on her hands. She’s finding it hard to muster enthusiasm for what’s ahead: exhausting postdivorce dating rituals and an uneasy relationship with her emotionally stunted, live-at-home son. But for Pamela, there’s a surprise in store that could challenge the status quo and, against all expectations, make life interesting again.

Book Review

As part of my “Amazon Originals” Summer Project, I am reading through short stories published by Amazon. A spin wheel picked them at random, and I ended up with getting the seventh book in the ‘Out of Line’ series. I’d not heard of this author before, so I was intrigued to discover what I thought of their writing… Because I have Amazon Prime, the eBook was included, so I didn’t have to pay for it either.

I will start off by saying that this is going to be quite a short review as I don’t have much to say. The things I want to say aren’t very positive either but I always like to be truthful in my reviews. I can probably sum up my thoughts in one paragraph…

Although this was a very short story, it wasn’t interesting at all. I was reading it thinking ‘What am I even reading? What is the point of this story?’. Literally nothing happened apart from the ending which was just not logical, like at all. I also disliked every single character, even Pamela (so sorry gal). The whole point of this series is about What happens when women step out of line and take control of their own lives? and yet I don’t feel like this book really answered that question. I honestly feel like I wasted half an hour of my life reading this very pointless book.

Can honestly say that I don’t think I would recommend this book. I finished it purely because it was so short but honestly it was a waste of my time. I’m apprehensive now for what the previous books in this series is going to offer. For this being the first book I’ve read in the series, it’s not off to a good start… I hate being so negative when reviewing but I just didn’t get this book at all.

Rating: 2 out of 5.
Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood | Book Review

posted on

5/7/2026

by

Jessie

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Ali Hazelwood, Book Reviews, Contemporary, Romance

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 368
Published by: Sphere on 23rd August, 2022
Format: Paperback
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Book Synopsis:

Bee Königswasser lives by a simple code: What would Marie Curie do? If NASA offered her the lead on a neuroengineering project – a literal dream come true – Marie would accept without hesitation. Duh. But the mother of modern physics never had to co-lead with Levi Ward.

Sure, Levi is attractive in a tall, dark, and piercing-eyes kind of way. But Levi made his feelings toward Bee very clear in grad school – archenemies work best employed in their own galaxies far, far away.

But when her equipment starts to go missing and the staff ignore her, Bee could swear she sees Levi softening into an ally, backing her plays, seconding her ideas… devouring her with those eyes. The possibilities have all her neurons firing.

But when it comes time to actually make a move and put her heart on the line, there’s only one question that matters: What will Bee Königswasser do?

Book Review

This book has been popular for the longest time! I finally picked it up after seeing it in a charity shop on one of my shopping trips. I’ve read from Ali Hazelwood before so I was intrigued to see what I would think about this one. I ended up buddy reading this with someone over on Instagram. Let me just finish this introduction by saying that this was such a let down for me.

Now I will start by saying that I am not big into science. That being said, I will admit when I was reading, it felt like being back at school. I wasn’t very good at science so there were things I didn’t understand. It was too overly sciencey for me… I like how it was shining light on women in STEM (which there should be more of) but I think it was just too much at times. I honestly didn’t really care for the plot either and found it a bit boring.

The romance overall was okay-ish but I didn’t feel connected to the characters like at all. The way they communicated at times was annoying and I just didn’t feel the spark between them. I think I preferred Bee’s character over Levi’s–he just wasn’t giving me any of the swoon-worthy feels. The spicy scenes felt like they had zero passion in them between the characters and just felt like words on a page. The spice was absolutely not for me and I don’t think it’s even worthy of the title ‘spice’.

The pacing was very slow to start of with and got a little better towards the end. There is a little plot twist in the book that I didn’t see coming which I guess is a good thing. But overall, nothing much really happened in my opinion or it did and I just didn’t care…

Side characters were alright but again I didn’t feel that connected to them. If I had to pick the best side character for me it would be Rocio. I liked her energy. Overall, this book left me feeling very meh.

If you’re into science and you like romance then maybe give this one a go but for me it was nothing special at all. I will try and read from Ali Hazelwood again but after this, it has left me feeling very apprehensive…

Rating: 3 out of 5.
June Reading Wrap-up

posted on

1/7/2026

by

Jessie

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Reading Wrap-Ups

June has been a really good reading month for me and is my 2nd best reading month of the year so far — I was able to read 12 books in total!

Pages read: 1,266

Rosie and the Dreamboat by Sally Thorne – Started: 1st June – Finished: 1st June.
This is book #3 in the Improbable Meet-Cute series which I read as an ebook on my kindle. I read this as part of my ‘Amazon Originals’ Summer Project and it was an enjoyable read.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Hot for Slayer by Ali Hazelwood – Started: 1st June – Finished: 2nd June.
This is book #1 in the Scared Sexy series which I read as an ebook on my kindle. I read this as part of my ‘Amazon Originals’ Summer Project and it was an incredible read for a novella.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

The Skydivers by Chris Bohjalian – Started: 2nd June – Finished: 2nd June.
This is book #4 in the Alibis series which I read as an ebook on my Kindle. I read this as part of my ‘Amazon Originals’ Summer Project and I did not enjoy this at all.

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Jackknife by Joe Hill – Started: 3rd June – Finished: 3rd June.
This is book #1 in the The Shivers series which I read as an ebook on my kindle. I read this as part of my ‘Amazon Originals’ Summer Project and it was an okay read. Nothing special but kept me interested.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

What the Dead Know by Nghi Vo – Started: 4th June – Finished: 4th June.
This is book #4 in the Into Shadow series which I read as an ebook on my kindle. I read this as part of my ‘Amazon Originals’ Summer Project and it was an enjoyable read.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

The Wickeds by Gayle Forman – Started: 6th June – Finished: 6th June.
This is book #5 in the Faraway series which I read as an ebook on my kindle. I read this as part of my ‘Amazon Originals’ Summer Project and it was an okay read. I finished it thinking that this book could’ve been so much more than it was…

Rating: 3 out of 5.

The Hillside by Jane Smiley – Started: 10th June – Finished: 10th June.
This is book #7 in the Warmer series which I read as an ebook on my kindle. I read this as part of my ‘Amazon Originals’ Summer Project and it was an enjoyable read considering I don’t normally read dystopian.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

The Price of Honey by Liane Moriarty – Started: 11th June – Finished: 11th June.
This is book #1 in the Deadly Ambition series which I read as an ebook on my kindle. I read this as part of my ‘Amazon Originals’ Summer Project and I did not enjoy it at all.

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Boca Raton by Lauren Groff – Started: 12th June – Finished: 12th June.
This is book #2 in the Warmer series which I read as an ebook on my kindle. I read this as part of my ‘Amazon Originals’ Summer Project and it was an okay read… nothing special and a little weird.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.

Hopeless by Elsie Silver (re-read) – Started: 31st May – Finished: 13th June.
This is book #5 in the Chestnut Springs series which was a physical re-read. I’m re-reading the series so that I can annotate them. My enjoyment was the same as the first time I read it so my rating stays the same.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Off to My Ex’s Wedding by Meraki K (gifted) – Started: 18th June – Finished: 18th June.
This is a short debut romance novella that was a review request from the author. I read this as an ebook on my kindle and was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood (buddy read) – Started: 20th June – Finished: 29th June.
This is a standalone book which I read physically as part of a buddy read over on Instagram. It was an okay read but not a favourite from Ali… I don’t think I really connected with the romance.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

What was your best read for June? How many books have you read this month?
Mid-Year Favourite Books 2026

posted on

30/6/2026

by

Jessie

in

Book Recommendations

Welcome to my mid-year favourites where I am going to talk about my top 10 books, of which the majority are 5 star reads with a 4.5 star from January up to June. I really struggled to pick which 4.5 star book I was going to include because I have had 5 so far and they are all good in their own ways. One of my goals for 2026 was to branch out into genres that in previous years I wouldn’t typically read and I can happily say I have discovered some great books so far from setting myself this goal!

I have found myself deep in my romance era this year. My top genre I’ve read from currently is romance followed by fantasy. I have only realised whilst writing this post that all the books in my top 10 are starts or parts of series…

Anyway, lets get on to talking about my favourite books of the year so far in a little bit more detail…

Rating: 5 out of 5.

A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
Book #2 in the ACOTAR series. It has enemies to lovers, found family, one bed and trauma healing. I absolutely loved meeting Rhysand… obsessed with him!

Leman Russ: The Great Wolf by Chris Wraight
Book #2 in The Horus Heresy: Primarchs series. This is a very rogue book to put in my top ten but as a 40K Space Wolves player, I absolutely loved this! For fans of Warhammer or science-fiction.

When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between by Ruth Jones & James Corden
This is a non-fiction book which I devoured in one sitting. I listened to it on Audible which I would highly recommend doing. Perfect for fans of the show!

Flawless by Elsie Silver
Book #1 in the Chestnut Springs series. This is a re-read for me. It has enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and a workplace romance. Loved it just as much as the first time I read it!

Heartless by Elsie Silver
Book #2 in the Chestnut Springs series. This is a re-read for me. It has single dad, grumpy x sunshine, age gap, and forced proximity. Loved it just as much as the first time I read it!

Powerless by Elsie Silver
Book #3 in the Chestnut Springs series. This is a re-read for me. It has childhood friends to lovers, sports romance, road trip, and a runaway bride. Loved it just as much as the first time I read it!

Big Panda and Tiny Dragon by James Norbury
Book #1 in the Big Panda and Tiny Dragon series. Such a simple book but deep in meaning. Illustrations are beautiful and the messages are wonderful.

Starside by Alex Aster
Book #1 in the Starside series. It has enemies to lovers, deadly trials, forced proximity, and a morally grey MMC. I cannot get over how much I love this book. I still can’t stop thinking about it. Incredible!

Hopeless by Elsie Silver
Book #5 in the Chestnut Springs series. It has a fake engagement, tortured hero, virgin heroine, and forced proximity. Loved it just as much as the first time I read it!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison
Book #1 in the Heartstrings series. It has grumpy x sunshine, workplace romance, forced proximity, and he falls first. I really enjoyed this and can’t wait to read the next one in the series.

After reading this and seeing my taste in books, do you have any recs for me to try?
Have you read any of these books? If so, what did you rate them?
Book Blogger Hop: Long or Short Reviews

posted on

26/6/2026

by

Jessie

in

Book Blogger Hop, Weekly Memes

Welcome to the Book Blogger Hop! Hosted by Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer this week the prompt is:

“Do you prefer writing long, detailed reviews or quick, punchy ones?“ – submitted by Billy @ Coffee Addicted Writer

I always try to write quite detailed reviews. I know not everyone likes to read a lengthy review but I have to try and share as many of my thoughts as I can. For me personally as a reader of reviews, punchy/quick ones can be good but there are times when I’ve read a short review and haven’t quite made up my mind because I would’ve liked it to have included more information.

However as a writer of reviews, sometimes they will be shorter depending on what type of book it is, e.g. my novella reviews tend to be shorter than reviews of full-length novels. Writing audiobook reviews tend to be shorter as well. I’m not really sure why that is… it just happens. My length of reviews also depends on what I’m rating the book as well and whether I even have much to say about it. There are lots of variables that contribute to how long my reviews are going to be. Sometimes I’ll sit down and not even realise how long a review is going to be until I have finished it.

What do you prefer to write? Long or short reviews?
Off to My Ex’s Wedding by Meraki K | Book Review

posted on

19/6/2026

by

Jessie

in

Book Reviews, Contemporary, Meraki K, Romance

Off to My Ex’s Wedding by Meraki K
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 68
Published: on 5th May, 2026
Format: Ebook
Source: Gifted
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Book Synopsis:

They say when you know, you know.

Jas is devastated as she prepares to attend her ex-boyfriend’s wedding in Singapore. Collecting the pieces of her broken heart, she sets out on a journey she never imagined taking.

Deb has always believed in being “single and never ready to mingle” and has never thought he would fall for a heartbroken woman.

Not a slow-burn romance, but a whirlwind of feelings rooted in heartbreak. A short love story packed with laughter and undeniable attraction.

Book Review

*I received a free copy of this book, but all opinions are entirely my own and honest.

I’d never heard of this author before until they kindly reached out to me on Instagram asking if I wanted to read their debut novella. I’m a sucker for a romance book and a novella so a combination of them immediately had me saying yes. And I’m so glad I did!

Due to the book’s shorter length, the romance develops quite quickly and leans into the insta-love trope, which is not usually one of my favourites. However, in this case, it worked well within the context of the story. The main characters complemented each other perfectly, and I found myself invested in their journey from beginning to end. I was rooting for them throughout the entire book. The MMC was a true gentleman, providing the perfect balance to the heartbroken FMC. I also loved the FMC’s best friend, whose humour, loyalty, and unwavering support made her a standout secondary character.

I did notice a handful of grammatical and proofreading errors throughout the novel. As this is a self-published book, I wasn’t entirely surprised to come across a few errors, and they weren’t frequent enough to detract from my enjoyment of the story. However, they were noticeable at times, and I know some readers may find them more distracting than I did. Personally, I didn’t feel they took away from the overall reading experience, but I do think the book would have benefited from an additional round of proofreading before publication.

Overall, the novella was exactly the right length for the story it told. It felt well-rounded, with enough development to keep me invested without ever feeling rushed. The pacing struck the perfect balance, giving the characters and romance time to develop while still delivering the fast-paced, engaging reading experience I look for in a novella.

If you’re looking for a quick romance palate cleanser then I’d definitely suggest giving this one a read. This proved to be a far more enjoyable read than I initially expected. After reading this, I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for the author’s next release.

Rating: 4 out of 5.
Boca Raton by Lauren Groff | Book Review

posted on

13/6/2026

by

Jessie

in

Amazon Original Stories, Book Reviews, Dystopian, Lauren Groff, Science Fiction

Boca Raton by Lauren Groff
Series: Warmer #2
Genre: Dystopian, Science Fiction
Pages: 34
Published By: Amazon Original Stories on 30th October, 2018
Format: Ebook
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Book Synopsis:

During an eco-friendly cleanup at the beach, Ange finds something horrifying in the brush. The sickening, heartbreaking evidence of an irreversibly changing earth triggers dread about the future for her daughter. But as reasoned worries slide into paranoia, reality itself begins to untether. For Ange, there may be no stepping back from the destructive darkness of her sleepless nights.

Book Review

As part of my “Amazon Originals” Summer Project, I am reading through short stories published by Amazon. A spin wheel picked them at random, and I ended up getting the second book in the ‘Warmer’ series. I hadn’t heard of this author before, so I was intrigued to find out what I would think of their writing. Because I have Amazon Prime, the eBook was included, so I didn’t have to pay for it either.

I’ll start by saying that I’m not really a dystopian reader, so I was very apprehensive going into this one. I enjoyed the other book I’ve read in this series, but this one left me completely baffled. I went into the story completely blind, knowing nothing about the plot, characters, or what to expect. Unfortunately, that sense of anticipation made the experience even more disappointing. What I hoped would be an engaging read ultimately fell flat, leaving me deflated and confused by the time I reached the end.

Perhaps I’m the problem rather than the book. I suspect I either missed something important or simply failed to connect with it in the way the author intended. Whatever the reason, the experience didn’t work for me. I also don’t feel that it fully explored the climate change theme that I believe this series is tackling. Instead, it seemed to focus more on a depression linked to pollution rather than climate change itself.

There isn’t much more I can say because I spent most of the book wondering, “What on earth is going on?” I found the plot difficult to follow because of the chaotic nature of the main character. I understood why she was behaving that way, but it still made the story incredibly confusing at times. When I finished the book, I was left thinking, “What did I just read?”

I personally wouldn’t recommend this story, but reading is subjective. If you decide to pick it up, you may enjoy it far more than I did. I’m a little apprehensive about what the rest of the books in this series have to offer, considering I had a fairly strong start. I also don’t think I’ll be rushing to read another Lauren Groff story any time soon.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5.
The Price of Honey by Liane Moriarty | Book Review

posted on

12/6/2026

by

Jessie

in

Amazon Original Stories, Book Reviews, Liane Moriarty, Mystery/Thriller, Science Fiction

The Price of Honey by Liane Moriarty
Series: Deadly Ambition #1
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Science Fiction
Pages: 34
Published By: Amazon Original Stories on 1st April, 2026
Format: Ebook
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Book Synopsis:

In the car on the way to her husband’s funeral, Honey Beckett still can hardly believe that Barney is actually dead. Granted, he was more than twice her age. But he was Barney Beckett, visionary tech genius, full of surprises—by turns romantic, inspirational, and controlling. Always in control. At the service, she impulsively goes to sit with the three ex-wives: practical Rita, fiery Svetlana, ambitious Meredith. Each broke up the other’s marriage in turn—and now, one final betrayal awaits.

Book Review

As part of my “Amazon Originals” Summer Project, I am reading through short stories published by Amazon. A spin wheel picked them at random, and I ended up with getting the first book in the ‘Deadly Ambition’ series. I’d heard of this author before but never read any of their work, so I was curious to see what I thought of their writing. Because I have Amazon Prime, the eBook was included, so I didn’t have to pay for it either.

I’ll start by saying that perhaps I’m the problem rather than the book… Judging by the number of readers who enjoyed it (average of 3.5 star Goodreads rating), I suspect I either missed something important or simply failed to connect with it in the way the author intended. Whatever the reason, the experience didn’t work for me, despite its evident appeal to others.

I went into this book completely blind, knowing nothing about the plot, characters, or even what to expect from the story. Unfortunately, that sense of anticipation made the experience even more disappointing. What I hoped would be an engaging read ultimately feel flat, leaving me annoyed and confused by the time I reached the end.

This book is under the mystery/thriller and science fiction genres. However, I didn’t find any mystery in the story, and it never thrilled me while I was reading. It does feature AI so maybe being under the science fiction genre is a little more accurate…

Considering this is such a short story, I really struggled with staying engaged. I honestly didn’t care about anything that was happening or any of the characters. The author packed too much information into this novella, which made it overwhelming at times. Although there was a lot going on, very little of it seemed to serve a real purpose. Rather than adding depth to the story, it often felt unnecessary which distracted from the plot and made it difficult to stay interested.

I personally wouldn’t recommend this story but it’s all personal preference. If you decide to read it, you may end up liking this more than I did. I’m really apprehensive now about what the rest of the books in this series have to offer… Also, I don’t think I’ll be rushing to read another Liane Moriarty book any time soon.

Rating: 2 out of 5.

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