katiedermody's reviews
1931 reviews

I'm not sure where I saw this book recommended, but the premise was two women(strangers) become roommates, one's a butch lesbian and the other is a trans woman. Also, it had to do with unions somehow and my library is doing rotating strikes right now so it felt aptly timed. I borrowed it from KU and I think if I'd gone in with big expectations I might have felt disappointment because nothing wowed me BUT there also wasn't anything wrong with it so I was fine. It showed their lives, their individual struggles with family, as children of immigrants (one is Chinese American and the other is Indian and Jewish), and if you're looking for something really dramatic or high paced, this isn't it but I still enjoyed it. They've got insecurities and things they're dealing with but both admire the other. There's a bit of a queer awakening as well and I thought that was well done. If you want just a cozy, women with real problems and real joys living their lives (and some decent spice), I think this could be a good one to try. I don't feel strongly enough that I'd go searching for more by the author immediately (pretty sure this is their debut anyways) but I wouldn't be opposed to reading more from them some day. 

This is one of Jewell's earlier books that I hadn't read yet. I tend to enjoy her newer thrillers to her older family dramas, but I really liked this one! Melody Browne is in her 30s, and the son she had at 15 is about to turn 18. Aside from her son, nothing in her life changes because she has always been plagued by the fact that she has no memories before waking up after the fire that destroyed her family's home when she was nine and this causes her to doubt herself and her mind all the time. Realizing she is in a rut, she decides to go on a date for the first time in forever and when they're attending a hypnotist show she goes on stage and then passes out. After that night she starts to get flashes of what seem like memories of herself as a little girl, things she's previously never known before and don't match up with that she's been told about her childhood. She decides to start searching out the places and people she sees in her memories to try and discover what really happened to her back then. Even though it was in no means a thriller, I think I enjoyed the solve a mystery vibe of this one.

This was everything I wanted it to be! A holiday novella, set in the Kingman universe, that gives us a back story for an established couple we met as side characters, and includes a fake engagement and a rescue goose with a penchant for matchmaking and theft? Yep, it has it all! Mac is a new agent with only one client, his best friend Tommy (side character with his own story woven in, also enjoyable). Sarah Jayne is an aspiring plus size model who loves her body, originally from Germany and trying to make it in LA. They have a ridiculous meet cute at Oktoberfest. Like with the short story I just read, it was fun to see characters we've met in the series but ten+ years earlier. If you like this series you'll like this one, their connection is immediate and the way they fall for each other is very sweet. 

I've been wanting to read this Kingman family origin story, aka a short story about dad Bridger and late mom April first meeting. She's a plus size model turned failed agent, he's the league's grumpiet professional football player with a huge dog named Bear. He is so unlike the dad we meet later, the juxtaposition really makes it hit home what knowing and loving her did for him. They're both big and sexy,and get snowed in together finding ways to stay warm. I enjoyed it, so thank you to the author for providing it free to readers subscribed to her newsletter!

Frik, I just love Ruby Barrett's books! This is her first self pubbed book and I feel like some authors might struggle with that since a whole other side of things is now up to you to handle/make happen, but I could tell it was so carefully and thoughtfully done. More accurately, even without the backing of a big publisher, I couldn't tell the difference because her characters were still so strong, her writing just as clear, funny, and emotional. Well done!! 
Nick and Jasmine end up fake dating to help each other out but she thinks he's someone else when they first meet and he doesn't know that until partway through her event but his event is later so he selfishly doesn't want to tell her. She's obsessed with trying to be someone else's version of perfect rather than being herself, and he is so himself it's made him the black sheep of his family and everything she thinks she doesn't want. But their chemistry is explosive, even when their lies blow up, and eventually they both figure out what they need to do to be happy. I loved it! Also, let's keep the trend of hot redhead women going because I'm here for it. Also also, I don't know if this is the plan at all, but I'd love to see Jazz's sister Jade get her own book, as she is all sorts of chaotic and fascinating and I want to know more. 

I enjoyed this one as much as I expected to: not going to be a favorite by any means, but enjoyable. I've read the rest of the books by this author duo (all poly romance) and the FMC in this one is the sister of a guy from the last one, and two of her three guys work are firefighters and work with one of the other guys from that book. Brooke is in grad school, vet medicine, about to do her final exams before starting clinical. She's up at her brother's cabin during "spring break" to study and her grandma (we've met her before, she's fiesty) doesn't tell her that three of her brothers friends are coming to stay for the weekend. They get snowed in, she is attracted to them all, they all like her, she's a virgin until she's not. I liked that a good portion of the book was them back home after their weekend together figuring out life and what it would look like. I do wish they would have had more time settled together before it ended and there were some continuity errors (small ones that didn't really matter to the story but bugged me), but otherwise it was an easy read and I'd still read more by this duo if there's more... The other books did better teasing who someone in the next couple would be unless I totally missed something this time. 

I really enjoyed this book! I had a feeling I would, since I enjoyed meeting these MCs as side characters in book two, which I read first for some reason. Indo wish I had been able to read them closer together so my memory was fresher, but it was in the hands of Libby. The good news is, there's a novella coming out next week about this couple, so they'll hopefully be fresh enough in my memory. Jill moves to Calgary for work, taking the opportunity to get away from some controlling people in her life. Shock: her new client is the hot grumpy TA who made her cry in undergrad years ago. Turns out he's a softy (oh my word, this man has such a beautiful soul) and they get closer. They have to deal with potential conflicts of interest, her trauma and baggage, his workaholic tendencies, his company partner, her only being there temporarily, etc. Overall, very glad I read it and I'll look forward to more from this author. Also very fun for me: I love when books are set in places I've lived/have spent time in or visited. It's so much more interactive to picture the locations mentioned! 

I have followed Keah on Instagram for a little under a year and enjoy her content, so when I saw that she wrote a book I added it to my TBR. In this collection of essays, she tells her story of growing up to be the Black disabled woman she is. Stories include how pop culture and movies influence(d) her (both positively and negatively), how something that able bodied folks think of as simple like putting hair in a ponytail was a life accomplishment for her, and how her Cerebral Palsy has affected her throughout her life. Keah was the creator of the #DisabledAndCute hashtag, which went viral, and she advocates for representation and inclusion in the beauty, fashion, and entertainment industries for Black people, people with disabilities, and especially those at that intersection. I enjoyed her book and I enjoyed listening to her read it--we like a lot of the same things (tv shows, movies, childhood favorites, etc.) but, as a mostly-able-bodied white woman, I learned a lot from her story and experiences about things that maybe never would have occured to me due to my privileged experience. At the same time, as someone who has developed chronic pain and fatigue the last few years, I did relate to and especially enjoy some of what she said--like not being able to count on her body, needing rest, having a spot on the couch that fits her body, etc.

I watched the Netflix show based on this comic series and pretty much binged it all in 24 hours. I wanted to see how different it was from its original form and I think they did a great job fleshing it out and changing things for tv. That said, I am not a huge fan of the comic medium (too busy, hard for me to focus) and as I've mentioned before, fantasy is just not my thing, reading wise. Since I much prefer to watch the genre on screen, I will definitely be watching the second season when it comes out next month (seriously the show is so good--watch season one now in preparation!) but likely won't continue reading the comics about Luther, Alison, Diego, Klaus, Number Five, and Vanya.

I think I liked this one better than the first one! I saw someone say that so many romances that get called enemies to lovers are actually "it's always been you" on at least one side, and that's true. This one, though, is full enemies to lovers. They've grown up hating each other, from feuding families (very Romeo and Juliet with less death and teenagers). She's from the more upper class snobby family, he's from a more rough and tumble farming family and the two have had rivaling Christmas parties on the same night for years. These two are in charge this year and for reasons have to plan a joint party instead. Forced promotion does its job, only one bed makes an appearance, and the first time they're together is that classic 'i hate how much I want you because I really don't like you" moment. This one is longer than the first and though the stories kind of overlap, they don't really and I wish they would have more. We'll see what happens in book three when it's released right away here.